2 mins
Is Instagram the channel of choice for hairdressers?
As the channel begins to prioritise video content, is Instagram a good platform for business? Two industry stars battle it out
Yes
When I started my mobile hair journey, I had £30 in my pocket whilst living in a small ex-mining town. I didn’t have an advertising budget so I had to make the most of any opportunities I could to expose my work to more people. I quickly realised Instagram was the way to do this.
I believe that change should be embraced, including the new algorithms that favour video content.
Thanks to the pandemic, and the shift in the way people receive information, a younger generation of stylists no longer have the luxury of the high street or physical media as a way to grow our business. We have had to be resilient and adaptable to find new ways to gain clients, connect with other professionals and brands and ensure our survival.
Not only has social media allowed me to grow my self-funded business and given me visibility so I can work with my favourite brands, but it has also helped me create professional friendships and stay connected during the lockdown.
We have had to be resilient and adaptable to find new ways to gain clients, connect with other professionals and brands and ensure our survival
It also allowed me to keep working while I was too unwell to physically work and in turn spread awareness about my own journey with postnatal depression.
We have a wealth of fellow creatives sharing their own unique and exciting concepts, ideas and education from all over the world, bridging the gap between old and new while also strengthening the hairdressing community, at the click of a button.
HEFFY WHEELER, SALON OWNER
No
Fundamentally social media is media, and should be treated as such. Media means mass communication and like any communication, authenticity is key. I grew with more traditional media, such as magazines.
Social media is a business, a very big business, that is controlled by the corporations that own it and make money from it, so by using it you have to adhere to the whims of those said corporations.
At the moment the platform prioritises video content. Next year it will be about something else. I feel social media breeds a sheep mentality, as everyone looks at the same thing for inspiration.
Now, I use social media to share the authentic stories that I want to share, and if people want to hear those stories, they will seek me out. Algorithms are tools for business, and if you are selling something they are great, but if you are looking to share a story and build a like-minded community, I would advise maintaining true authenticity and enjoy the hide and seek element of that authenticity.
I feel social media breeds a sheep mentality, as everyone looks at the same thing for inspiration
If I am looking for inspiration I don’t look on Instagram or TikTok, I go to the high street and seek out the mavericks and the trail blazers. I go to locally owned and second hand book shops and charity shops, I go to art school cafeterias and seek out individuals and one-of-akinds. If I want to see what everyone else is looking at I go to social media, that’s where I seek my balance.
I keep my mind open and keep moving forward without the restrictions that have been set by society and corporation.
ADAM REED, FOUNDER ADAM REED LONDON