Creating content

So now that your social media accounts are set up and ready, let's look at creating content that actually truly connects with your audience. Now, your social media isn't just a portfolio, it is a way to engage. It's a way to build trust and it welcomes people into your brand. This is about showing who you are, what you offer and why clients should actually just be excited to book in with you. Now, good content is the foundation, so I'm going to start here. And for nail techs and clear images are everything. When you post photos of your work, you want to aim for bright, high quality pictures with strong lighting. Natural light is fantastic if you have it, but a ring or a studio light is also a great investment to make your work pop and play about as well with like your hand poses. So a unique or a creative hand pose can make all the difference when catching someone's eye as they scroll. Now before you do start posting, like I mentioned in the last video, take a minute to consider just why you're actually posting. Are you looking to build engagements? Are you looking to attract new clients or are you wanting to attract new students? What is it that you are trying to do here? Because all of those things are three completely different goals and they all require completely different strategies. Now if you're aiming for engagement, then you will want to start to create posts that just spark conversation, invite feedback or encourage people to share the posts. On the other hand, if you are focused on booking more clients, then your post should talk to potential customers, showcase your skills and also add professionalism with clear calls to action like DM me to book or the link is in my bio. When it comes to what to post, you also want to make your followers actually feel something through your content and this one you don't want to forget about. So maybe it's excitement, maybe it's inspiration, or maybe it's true trust. Something that would make a potential client stop in the middle of their scroll hole and go wow, who is this person and how can I be a part of their world? So to do this, just before you're about to click Share on a post, I want you to check if it does one of these three things. Does it inspire, does it educate or does it entertain? Now if it doesn't, then I want you to think about what you can change. I'm going to go through some content ideas that can help you do just that. So one of the best ways to start is by the obvious and that is with showcasing your work so your nail picks. But if you want to be the nail tech that really stands out, then you need to make sure that these images are a few things. So you want to make sure that they're sharp, you want to make sure that they're clear, you want to make sure that they're eye catching and that they have something about them that makes your audience know that it is you straight away. So there's a few, few ways you can do this. Maybe it's a signature background, maybe it's a hand pose, or maybe it's a style of your work. So when I post nail pictures right now, I always use, or usually always use a gray background a little bit like what you can see behind me. And a lot of people do say to me that when they see that gray background, they know it's my work straight away. When I was working in my training academy, we used to have these black and white stripey towels that we would use when we were working on clients. I used to always keep that black and white stripey towel in the background of my nail pictures. I look back now and I cringe, but didn't really make the picture look great. But people used to say to me all the time, Amy, as soon as I see that black and white stripy towel, I know that it's you. So can you see what I'm trying to say? Adding some kind of consistency to your pictures, even though every picture will be new and different, just allows your audience to start to know that it's you straight away. And when you do that, it actually trains them subconsciously to remember you and also to engage with your posts just because they feel familiar or it's a part of their routine. Oh, there's Amy's post. I always like and comment on that. Potential clients also love seeing close up shots of your work because these types of posts just give people a clear image and a clear idea of your skills and your style. So for example, to, to show this, you could show before and after shots to show your transformations. You could post a short close up video of you working on a really detailed design or even the prep process to show how detailed you are with that. The easiest way to do this is actually just to start documenting, not creating. So when you start your day, just make a habit of setting up a tripod with your phone in it and simply just recording sections of each appointment, or even if you want, recording the full appointment. Play about with the camera angles and then at the end of the day, you can go through it all. You can pick out anything that stands out and then just delete the content that you don't use. Also take pictures of the process of each set. So before you begin, after prep the end result, don't just take pictures of the nail sets that you're doing. Take pictures of it all, document it all. Again, you can review this, you can see which sets make good content or, or it might spark something that you can talk about on your socials. You'd be so surprised how many pieces of content you can actually create just from one client sitting in your chair. Every client that comes in is a huge opportunity for you to create a load of content. So get that camera set up, play about with different stuff and just review it all at the end of the day. See what works, see what doesn't. Go again tomorrow. If all your content wasn't good, you'll eventually come across something and a little bit of a system that that works for you. Now remember, good lighting and angles is going to be key when you are documenting or taking pictures. So I want you to spend a little bit of time getting this right. Play about with natural light or a ring light. Play about with backgrounds, play about with angles. Look at the ways that you can make your work pop on a photo. And then once you've got your setup, you can use this every day. Like honestly, once you have got this right, you can repeat, repeat, repeat. So it's not as difficult as it might seem. It just takes some playing about with to actually find what works for you and to get it right initially. Think about the nail pictures that you like the look of and you engage with. Now on social media, if the nails are really far away or unclear or taken with really dull lighting, do you actually engage with the image? Does it make you feel anything when you look at it or does it just blend in as you scroll? I imagine it just blends. Take note of the stuff that stops you in your tracks. When you are on social media and you see nail pictures, define details, notice. Why did it stop me in my tracks? Was it the image? Was it the layout? Was it the background? Was it the hand pose? Like, was it the clarity of the image? Consider what it is that stopped you in your tracks and then consider that when you take your own content. Okay, all good, so let's move on. So then there's behind the scenes content. Now again, this is a really, really powerful way to show just the human side of your business. And it also allows you to save time by simply just documenting what you are already doing and turning it into content. Instead of just Spending hours creating or having to put a whole day aside for content. People love to see the reality and the messiness behind the final product. So think about just sharing little snippets of your workspace or how you prep for your clients coming in, or how you clean down your workspace, the tools and the products that you love to use. It's actually just a case at this stage of doing all the things that you already do and might even consider as boring. But setting up a sneaky camera on a tripod in the corner of the room for you, it might be the millionth time that you do this act, but for somebody watching that on a video, it's the first time that they've seen it. So it's actually really engaging content. This kind of stuff just helps people to feel more connected to you. It's like giving them a little peek into your world, like they're a little fly on the wall and people are so nosy. People love this stuff. Think about the stuff that you engage with. Now on social media, this type of content is amazing. Now, client testimonials are another fantastic option. Everyone loves a recommendation. Think about it. Are you more likely to go somewhere if someone has told you that that it's good and we're all partial to a little bit of fomo? There is nothing quite like the words of a happy client to build trust with another client. And it also makes them want in on what they're actually just missing out on. So if you've got clients who are comfortable with it, share a photo of their fresh nails or even show a photo of the client along with a few words about what they've said about their experience with you. It is social proof that you are amazing at what you do. People know that you can tell people amazing that you're amazing until the cows come home. But if somebody else says it that you know, that's something that people will actually listen to and it reassures them that they are in good hands. Get creative with the testimonials that your clients give. And sometimes you can even create different pieces of content from the words. You could create videos, you could create images, or you could create stories. Now, there is also educational content, and this is a chance for you to really position yourself as an expert in the industry and genuinely just help your audience. Remember when I said the more you help other people, the more they will retain that and help you. So you could start to share your tips on nail care. You could share advice on how to make a manicure last longer longer. Or you could even just answer some common questions that are always in your DMs when you're chatting to people, these little snippets of advice show that you care about your clients. They show that you are listening to what people are asking. They show that you care beyond just the appointments. And it also keeps them engaged with your page. It keeps them coming back. So also, if you want to lean into education and teaching, other nail techs, and this is going to be your number one content pillar to really position you as an expert in the industry, think about everything that you know as a nail tech, you didn't know half or most of that when you first started out. So even though now it's become second nature to you, it could become so educational and valuable to other people. And all of that knowledge, everything you know, everything that you have learned so far, could be split up into micro pieces of content. You literally have enough info in that brain of yours to last you a lifetime. So, so just get creative with it. Remember, good content is just sharing the same message over and over again in different ways. Now, when it comes to measuring what's working and actually engaging your audience, aim to create content that is either shareable or savable. Because this is what is going to make your posts spread and reach more people. So for starters, shareable posts are the ones that your followers will want to repost. So think about the things, first of all, that you would repost yourself, something that reflects you, your values, something you enjoy, or something relatable because you want to put it on your page and you want people to look at it and think it's something you enjoy or something that is a part of you. Look at the content that your followers are sharing and take notice of that as well. Why might they be doing that? And how can you create content that serves them and makes them want to share it? Now saveable posts, on the other hand, are ones that clients or your audience will want to save because they want to come back to it later. They don't want to forget it. So it could be a nail care tip or a product recommendation. Educational content is great for increasing your number of saves so that can be used when you're trying to attract students or gives them a reason to keep returning to your page or returning back to your words when people save or share your posts. The great thing is that social media algorithms take note of this, and when they see that people are saving or sharing, it tells them that people are enjoying it. So what the algorithm then does is pushes your content to even more people. And don't forget about short term content as well. Short form content is stuff like stories. Stories might only be up for 24 hours, but do not forget that they are so powerful and such a powerful way to actually just engage with your audience and use them to give advice. Use them to share a quick behind the scenes clip. Do them, use them for like the messier content or do a mini Q and A with your followers. These little moments will keep your audience engaged and they will give them a reason to stick around once they do follow you and also give them a reason for them to come back and check in. You can experiment a little bit with these stories because they are so short term. They're going to be gone by tomorrow so you can see what works, see what doesn't and keep moving forward. Building community is also about networking. Remember it is social media. So just engage naturally with other people's content. Like when you open up that app, follow accounts that inspire you, start conversations, help other people and this will pay back because they will then also help you. Social media works best when it is not just about you, but it's also about connecting. So show your support to other creators and you will find your community grows stronger over time. Now here's a little task for you before the next lesson. Think about the types of content we have just discussed and try planning out now your next three posts. So I'll give you some ideas. Maybe one post could showcase your best work. Maybe another post could showcase a behind the scenes of your workspace. And maybe the third could be something super personal that shows something about you. Once you've got these ideas, get them ready to post. Remember, this is just all about letting your passion and absolute joy for what you do shine through. It's about connecting with people. It's about building a space where clients feel welcomed. You're doing an amazing job. I am really excited to see what you create. So keep up and I'll see keep it up. Sorry and I will see you in the next lesson.