Last month, we wrote about correctly using content from other sources. Check it out here if you didn’t get a chance to read it. Now we want to shift gears a little and talk about creating your own content. For some, this can be pretty nerve wracking but the most important thing to know is that creating your own content is SO worth it for your business. It can help you to show off your knowledge and skills, helping others see you as an expert in your field. It can spread your name and/or business further, reaching more potential clients. It gives others the opportunity to share your work with people they know, expanding your reach and creating ‘social proof’ that you are completely amazing. Those are just a few of the awesome things that can happen when you get brave and produce your own stuff. Before beginning, remember that depending on your following on social media, a blog, or wherever you’re showing off your stuff, it can take some time for things to catch on. Don’t lose hope or stop trying because your first few things don’t totally take off. As you know from being in this business, everything great takes time.
Let’s talk about some different types of content you may be interested in producing. If you’re interested in more in-depth information on producing specific types of content, let us know and we’d be happy to write more about it.
Images
In our industry, this is probably the easiest type of content to produce. Before and after pictures, pictures of your cute work station, pictures of hairstyles you create, style tutorial pictures, etc. The number one thing to remember is to always get permission from your client before posting an image of them. Images are great because it shows exactly what you can do and is quick content to get out there. You may want to put text on your images with your name and/or salon with your phone number or any other information. An easy way to do this is with www.canva.com. You sign up for a free account and it’s incredibly fast and simple to create unique images with text and other cute details.
Infographics
Infographics are meant to be a quick source of visual information. You may have seen some like the one above on our website. Depending on what type of work you love to do, these can be a fun way to teach your clients and show that you know what you’re doing. You could make infographics about how your clients should care for their extensions, what clients should expect from color correction, information about creating different hairstyles, information about different products you use, etc. These are also incredibly easy and fast on Canva. Make sure to put your name or your business info on the infographic, as they’re commonly shared around social media. These are great for getting people interacting with you and your content because they’re easily shared and often people will come to you with questions. Building that type of rapport can lead to more new and returning customers.
Blogs
Blogging has gotten huge over the past several years. While it’s not for everyone, if you enjoy writing and feel that you could keep a blog up-to-date with current information about you and your business, this is an awesome way to get yourself out there. A quick Google search will show you that there are plenty of free blog sites you can use. Regularly posting informative, entertaining and/or inspiring content and then sharing your blog posts on your social media accounts will really get your name out there. Even better, there are a lot of ways you can actually make money from your blog with little to no extra effort.
Video
Videos can be one of the most powerful types of content. If they’re done right, they catch people’s eye in their feeds on social media, they show personality, they keep people captive with little effort, etc. They can be one of the scarier types of content to produce, but once you get the hang of it, it’s totally worth it. Nowadays, people are used to viewing and enjoying ‘homemade’ videos. We carry video cameras around in our pockets almost every minute of the day and many of them actually produce pretty nice quality video. You can start small and post simple videos made with your phone showing people who you are and what you do. Videos show way more personality and therefore have way more connection with the audience than any other type of content. Don’t worry if your first few times on video are completely terrible. It takes time to get comfortable in front on a camera. After making a video, even if you feel like it’s too terrible to post anywhere, show a friend who will be real with you and ask them if it’s good enough to post. Often, people give up and don’t end up ever posting their videos because they’re embarrassed, even though their videos may be pretty awesome. They just never got an objective opinion. Once you post your first video, it gets way easier to post more.
Live Video
Live video is a totally different animal so we’ll talk about it separately. Live video is the most real, raw type of content you could possibly produce. It basically brings you into the room with the viewer. We’re sure you’ve seen a ton of live videos recently and there’s a reason… it works. Sites like Facebook and Instagram are pushing live video, meaning it’s more likely to show up in people’s newsfeeds and in their notifications. You can interact with your audience during the video (just be careful to not be too distracted by comments while you’re trying to talk) and you can continue to interact via comments after the video is over. When a social site shows that someone recorded or is currently recording a video live, people are more likely to get curious about what you’re doing or talking about, meaning they’re more likely to tune in. We would suggest doing a couple of practice videos before the first time you try live video to make sure you’re comfortable talking to your device. It will make it much easier once your live! There are so many ways you can use live video in our industry. You can use it to introduce yourself, talk about your business, show your work more easily, show interesting parts of your daily life at work, etc. While it may be the scariest type of content to think about producing, it can also be one of the best investments of your time.
Are there other types of content you like to product for your business? Do you want to know more about creating a specific type of content? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
And remember, if you want the best prices on the best products in the industry, sign up as a wholesale customer now!
