Insanely engaging Instagram Reel ideas for salons and spas
If you’re on Instagram, you’ve probably seen your fair share of Insta Reels by now. They’re fun, relatable vids that are addictive to watch (like, a whole bunch in a row...it’s hard to stop once you start!)
Well, these clips aren’t just addictive and entertaining. They’re also revolutionary for the beauty business industry - really! Reels have changed the game. No matter what kind of beauty business you run or what your specialty is, I guarantee that you can create a really great Reel that will promote your business and build brand awareness for you and your salon.
I mean, your clients are watching them anyways...why not get some great ones in front of them that will shine the light on your business?
Today I’m sharing with you 5 super-fun and easy ideas for Reels, as well as a very simple tutorial on making them. There are a ton of tutorials out there, and I know sometimes the amount of information can feel overwhelming, so I’m keeping it real simple for you.
Before all that, though - here are four reasons you NEED to be making Instagram Reels:
They’re super easy to make once you learn the basics. Video editing apps are usually complicated but Reels are intuitive and really simple.
They have a long ‘shelf life’. As opposed to sharing photos or a story that only gets a few hours of interaction, Reels continue to get discovered for weeks or even months after you publish them.
They are widely seen. The more traction your Reels get, the more people will see them.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to content. There are popular templates and formats that make it easy to put yourself out there by following what’s hot right now.
There are a ton of great reasons to start doing Reels, but the best way to be convinced is to try it yourself! So here are five fun Reel ideas to try out yourself. These are all applicable to your beauty business, whether you’re a hairstylist or nail tech, spray tanner or esthetician, renting a salon booth, or running your own salon. Try these out and see for yourself why Reels are so great!
IG Reel Idea #1: Things to stop doing to your skin/hair/nails/body, etc
You know the fun TikTok trend where the person is pointing to absolute facts and calling out common myths about a topic to the beat of a funky song? This type of format is perfect for educating your viewers on skincare/haircare/nail care no-nos and helping them to correct these bad behaviors. It’s a fun watch for your viewers, and provides them with valuable info they may be learning for the first time! It will also brand you as an authority and raise awareness about you and your beauty business.
IG Reel Idea #2: “Tell me without telling me…”
This is a very popular trend on TikTok and Reels that appeals to that ‘behind the scenes' gawker in all of us. The Reel goes, “Tell me you’re a spray tanner without telling me you’re a spray tanner” or “Tell me you’re addicted to lash extensions without telling me you’re addicted to lash extensions”.
Add the "Tell me without telling me" caption somewhere at the beginning of your video, and then show your proof: your spray tanning equipment, or your major collection of lash extensions, or whatever accessories go with the theme of your Reel. It could even be showing a random object seemingly placed willy-nilly that could only be there because of your obsession or profession. Dawn Bradley, a popular salon owner in L.A., has a fun Reel where the answer to the question, “Tell me you’re a hairstylist without telling me” is pulling a long black hair out from the back of her shirt that clearly isn’t hers.
Because this format is so popular, you’ll get lots of eyes on your Reel. It’s cute, it’s funny, and the people love it. Try it out!
IG Reel Idea #3: “My process in five simple steps”
Basically taking viewers through a play-by-play of a specific part of your job as a beauty business owner, this type of Reel is informative and fun, but more importantly: it shows off your expertise.
If you’re a hairstylist, for example, you could show “A Balayage Treatment in 5 Steps”. The 1st clip could be the consultation, 2nd is painting, and then washing (3), cutting (4), and finally, styling as the 5th clip. Stitch a few seconds of each clip together with captions underneath explaining them. This kind of Reel is a fun watch that lets your viewers see what they can expect when they book with you. Build excitement and anticipation while entertaining!
IG Reel Idea #4: Show off your favorite products and why you love them
Do you sell amazing skincare products? Of course you do, because you've got great taste. And I bet you’ve got some personal faves in your collection, right? Well, now’s your chance to show them off and educate your audience!
This type of Reel is perfect for promoting your retail products. You can show off your skincare routine, or your favorite styling mousse. Show yourself using the product, add some music, and some informative captions about why you love it and how you use it. Your clients will love it!
IG Reel Idea #5: “That feeling when…” (something relatable to you and your clients)
This one is great for bringing out those fuzzy familiar feels in your audience, because you all share the understanding of what “that feeling” is.
As an example, if you’re an esthetician, your Reel could be, “That feeling when you know you’re never gonna pick your skin again”. Ahhhh...such a proud feeling, and one that your clients who maintain great skincare can definitely relate to!
Show your own reaction to “that feeling” - whether it’s that post-facial feeling, that 'new-nails-who-dis' feeling, or that ‘freshly waxed’ feeling. This one can be short and sweet, with a fun song in the background.
Try it out! You’ll have fun emulating “that feeling” and your clients will get the warm fuzzies as they watch and relate.
A super simple tutorial on making your first Instagram Reel
For full instructions with visuals, watch the video at the top of this blog post!
Once you’ve opened the Instagram app on your phone, click the + sign at the bottom middle of your screen.
You’ll see various options show up on the bottom right of your screen to post a Story, a Post, a Reel, etc. Select Reel.
On the left-hand side of the screen, you’ll see options for features in your Reel. The top feature is a music note icon (to add music to your Reel.) Click it.
You can browse the songs available to choose from and press the Play icon to sample them. You can also search for artists and songs. Choose the song you want and hit "Done".
In the next screen, you’ll have the option to move through the whole song and select which part of the song you’d like featured in your Reel. Hit “Done” when ready.
The next option under the Music icon allows you to choose the length of your Reel. You can choose between 15-30 seconds. 30 seconds is a good length, but you can go shorter if you want.
The option below the length is the speed of the video. I recommend you keep it at 1x length, but you have the option to make it play faster if you want.
The Effects icon is the next on the list. As you scroll through the options you’ll see different filters or images you can add to your video. Select as you see fit.
The Touch-Up option is below Effects, and allows you to add smoothness to your face if you’d like.
The final option on the left is the Timer option. This lets you choose the length of each clip if you’re using more than one (ie. 3 clips at 10 seconds each.) Choose this option to set those timers, and then you’re ready to start filming!
Press the Film button to start shooting. If you’ve set Timers, you’ll see a countdown to count you through to when you need to start filming the next clip. If you selected music for your clip, you’ll be able to hear it playing now and mouth the lyrics or dance/mime to the beat of it.
Once you’ve recorded, you can choose to delete and re-film, or ‘cut’ sections from what you filmed. You’ll see both of those icons at the bottom of your screen once you’ve stopped recording.
You have the option to add clips or pictures that are in your phone’s storage by selecting the icon on the bottom left of the screen.
If you’re satisfied with what you’ve filmed, hit the Preview button to move to the next step. In this screen, on the top right, you’ll have a bunch of post-filming options. You can adjust audio elements in your reel, such as your camera’s audio volume and the volume of any song you’ve added, as well as add voiceovers, stickers, scribble or captions. Selecting the icons at the top right will bring you to these options.
Be sure to add captions to your video! Hit the icon and you’ll see a text box populate. Write the caption you want and hit enter. You’ll see your caption show up as a clickable icon at the bottom of your screen. Hitting it will allow you to choose at what point in the video you want this caption to show up. Do this as many times as captions are needed. Hit “Done” to confirm changes.
Press “Share to” and write a caption for your Reel. You’ll see options of where to share your Reel besides in the Reel section of your feed. Hit the Share button and you’re live! You’ve just published your first Reel!
I hope these Reel ideas and tutorials will give you the confidence to make some Reels today! Your audience will love to see you show up in such a fun way, and I kind of have a feeling you’re gonna be making Reels like crazy once you start. Go try it out!
Xo,
Stephanie
