Ten top tips to boost your salon's facebook presence

  Paul Mitchell's director of web marketing, Orion Hand, and regional sales director Wayne Mattison, headed up the Building Business Through Social Networking class at the 2013 Paul Mitchell Gathering - here we share ten of their top tips to make your salon's Facebook page blow the competition away. 1. Ensure you have a business page rather than a personal profile - your business should be completely separate to your personal Facebook profile and this should be reflected in what you post as well. 2. Aesthetics are everything, especially in a creative industry. Add a profile picture and a header picture that represent your salon and the kind of work you do - is it a chic, sophisticated retreat to get away from it all or a cool spot that specializes in on-trend colour and Friday-night cocktails? Make sure all of your pictures are the right size and that they aren't automatically cropped awkwardly too. Remember that your profile picture will appear smaller when you're commenting and posting, so ensure that it's clear at any size - logos tend to work better than images. 3. Content is king on Facebook and the more likes, comments and shares your posts get the better your page will do and the more people that will see it. What works well? Pictures, calls to action (questions and surveys), behind-the-scenes information (pictures of the team training or attending events), staff profiles (meet the team, stylist of the month). What doesn't work? Lots of text - keep it short and sweet or no-one will read it. Combining text with a picture is a good way of getting your message across in a way that's still visual - try sites like www.memegenerator.net to build your own graphics. 4. Client acknowledgements are a quick and easy way of getting pictures up regularly - and increasing likes and shares at the same time. Snap a before and after picture of every guest and share it on your page for an instant advert for your services. Remember to ask permission first, then tag the client so that your post shows up on their profile too. Bridal updos, prom hair, colour changes and makeovers all work really well to show off your skills and get people talking. You can save these up and post them over a period of time too - great for when you don't have a clue what to post one morning! 5. Connect with like-minded local businesses - sharing other people's posts will increase your online visibility and can create conversations. Great local cafe? Like their page on Facebook and use the share button to tell your fans about their offers and discounts. Stylish new boutique in town? Make sure you tell your clients about it. The more you share other people's content, the more likely they will be to share yours in return and grow your page organically. 6. Keep your posting consistent and your content diverse. You should post at least two to three times a week with different things every time - don't just post offers in the salon or adverts for your own services. 7. Don't have time to post every day? Use the scheduling button on Facebook (the clock underneath the status bar) to plan your content - you can have posts scheduled for the next year if you really want to! 8. Regular themed posts are a good way to get in to the swing of things - and if your posts are good enough, people will make sure they come back to check them out each week. Good ideas include Friday night fun (party styling tips), throwback Thursdays (funny celebrity looks from way back), good news Tuesdays (weekly offers), inspirational Mondays (motivating quotes)... The possibilities are endless! 9. Listen to what your Facebook fans are saying and communicate with them - comment back to their comments, keep conversations going and make sure you always answer their questions. If someone complains on your page, go back to them publicly with an answer rather than just deleting their comment or ignoring it. It makes your business look hugely more professional if you can go back with a great response and help them with their gripe. 10. Competitions can be a good way of getting interaction, but be careful as there are lots of legal issues around hosting competitions on Facebook - breaking the rules can see your page being taken down. Use a third-party app like OfferPop to avoid getting bogged down in the legal side; they'll take charge of everything for you and leave you sit back and reap the benefits.