Video marketing for salons: 6 apps you need for awesome Facebook and Instagram videos
In case you haven’t noticed, videos are starting to take over Facebook and Instagram. While Facebook's "auto-play audio" feature can be annoying (who wants loud voices blaring out of nowhere?), if you’re like me, you'll often pause to watch a pretty, mesmerizing, interesting or shocking video. And this is exactly what your salon's fans do on Facebook and Instagram, too! Videos are engaging, fun, and people love sharing them. Did you know that social videos get 1200% more shares than text and images combined (source)?
But you know the problem with video? It can be time-consuming and difficult to do well.
That's exactly why I decided to write this blog post: I know for a fact that video marketing wins over text or pictures, but it's not so easy to do. So I personally tested all of the best video apps out there and found 6 mobile apps that I absolutely love.
From animated text to exciting music and automated editing, these apps are the cream of the crop and they'll make video marketing for your salon a breeze and a pleasure.
Why your salon needs to get serious about posting videos
In case you're still not convinced that video marketing is worth it, here are four very important reasons to think again:
1. Whatever you want to show or explain, people remember 95% of a video message vs only 10% of written message (source). People pay attention to videos, but more importantly they'll remember you and what you share in your video.
2. Videos receive 135% greater organic reach on Facebook than photos (source). We all know it's getting harder for your own fans to see your posts, but videos definitely help with this problem.
3. 4 times as many clients would prefer to watch a video about a product instead of reading about it (source). When promoting your salon's products or services, keep in mind that video wins.
4. Humans are naturally wired to focus on things that move (even if that's just a simple Boomerang video!). By using videos you're tapping into basic human instinct.
You're now pumped up and ready to make awesome videos for your Facebook and Instagram, right? Great! Now see exactly how amazing your videos can be when you've got the right apps.
The top 6 video apps your salon needs for Facebook and Instagram
1) Legend app: Put beautiful animated text on top of your photos
Great for: Taking pictures of clients, your work, or new products, and then putting an animated title on top.
It took me literally 20 seconds to make this elegant tile for Instagram:
Why I love it: How fast it is to turn a picture into a video. Pretty much any nice photo you’ve taken (even older pictures) can be made into a video with an animated title, from an simple and element style like the one above, to a flashy bright one.
2) Quik video editor: Make cool themed videos with music and titles
Great for: Making a fun quick video with titles, mixing clips together, and adding music.
Check out the video I made in less than one minute using Quik. (Normally I don't take selfie videos like this, but it’s for a good cause!)
Why I love it: The videos look super eye-catching and fun, and the music is upbeat and professional.
A tip: to get rid of the GoPro logo, tap on the GoPro tile at the end of your project and you will be prompted to disable or enable the slide.
3) VidStitch video collage maker: Make animated before/after client videos
Great for: Making video collages of before and afters that you can put side by side, like Bumble and Bumble does here:
Why I love it: This app is super easy to use. Just choose the “split screen” collage option, and select two videos. Try doing a “before” on the right and “after” on the left.
4) FilmoraGo: For quick but impressive videos
Great for: Taking several different videos and mixing them together into a video with fun transitions and graphics. It’s similar to Quik, so download them both and see which one you like better. The only downside to FilmoraGo is that you have to pay to remove their logo at the end.
A tip: Make sure that you film your videos in landscape, not portrait mode. Portrait mode is when you hold your phone upright as usual. Landscape is when you turn it sideways to have a wider video.
5) Lapse It: Easily create a time-lapse video in your salon
Great for: Taking longer videos like how-tos, hair colour tutorials, a day in the life of the salon, and speeding them up into less than a minute.
For some inspiration, take a look at this sped-up video from Olaplex:
Why I love it: It’s so easy to set up your phone on a tripod or even on a desk and film half an hour of footage of your work. Then use the app to turn that into a fun 1 minute video that your clients will love watching.
6) Adobe Clip: For putting together longer professional videos
Great for: Stitching together longer how-to videos or behind the scenes videos like in this Benefit Cosmetics makeup tutorial:
Why I love it: The music in this app is amazing, and there is an “auto edit” feature that automatically paces your videos to the beat of the music. Since this app has a lot of features it takes a few minutes to learn, but once you figure it out, you’ll love it.
A tip about using this app: Same as FilmoraGo, make sure that your videos are filmed in landscape mode.
More great video ideas from beauty brands (and how to make them yourself)
An easy step-by-step hair styling tutorial
How to make it yourself: Film your steps in several different short videos. Use the Adobe Clips app (above) to choose your videos and add in titles between each step. Choose some cute music and then publish directly to Instagram or Facebook!
A product spotlight with sliding images
How to make it yourself: Take several pictures of the beauty product you want to feature in different settings. Try taking one photo from above on a cute pattern, one "in-use" by a client, and one with your salon setting in the background. Then using the Quik app (above), add your pictures, choose your theme, add a title, and voila!
A cool, looping slow-motion video
How to make it yourself: See something that looks cool in your salon, like the video above by Redken? Use the Boomerang app to take a 5 second video, slow it down, and loop it.
Stitching pictures together to make a video
How to make it yourself: If you have an Android phone , use the built-in "animation" part of your photo app to create a video from photos. Or even easier, use Facebook's slideshow feature: upload multiple photos and see them come to life in a video!
Beautiful animated text
How to make it yourself: To make a simpler version of L'Oreal Pro's video, take a photo of the client work you've done or the product you want to spotlight and overlay a beautiful animated title on it using the Legend app (above).
BONUS: How to get more clients to see your Facebook and Instagram videos
If you've started using the apps above, you're already setting your salon up to win on social media. But don't forget that you still need people to watch your videos! Here are a few tips to get extra exposure for your beautiful videos on Facebook and Instagram.
Expert tips to get more video views on Facebook
Try pinning an “intro” video to the top of your page: If you spend a significant amount of time making a lovely video, you don't want it to disappear after a day, do you? If you've got a particularly impactful video (like an intro video to your team or salon), pin it to the top of your Facebook page so that it's the first thing people will see when they visit.
Feature your most popular video: On your "videos" tab you can choose a video to feature, meaning that it will show up larger on your page. If you've got a particularly popular video, try featuring it and it will show up like this:
Add buttons to your videos: Facebook is always playing around with new features, and two new ones are the ability to have people message you from a video and to tag a product in a video. If you're showing a fresh new cut and colour on a client, why not encourage people to message your page to book their appointment? And if you're featuring a beauty product, make sure to tag it in the video, too.
Turn your Facebook cover photo into a video: I've written before about how to make your cover photo mobile optimized and designed to get you more bookings, but have you thought about making it animated? If you've got a particularly beautiful, flashy, or original video, feature it as your cover photo (yes, you can add videos, too!)
Expert tips to promote your Instagram videos
Post Instagram Stories from the past: If you want to post older videos (your Instagram videos have to be made in the past 24 hours) you can adjust the timestamp of your stories by using the StoryUploader app.
Post links to your salon website through Instagram stories: If you have a verified account or a business account with more than 10,000 followers you can add a link to your stories!
Use The CutStory app to post a longer video to Instagram stories: Since your stories can only be 15 seconds long, apps like CutStory trim your longer videos into several shorter videos that can be watched one after the other.
Don't forget the Boomerang app:Boomerang is an app by Instagram that takes a 5 second video and turns it into a looping animation. Super fun to watch, and incredibly simple to make!
In conclusion
Although making videos can seem like a daunting task, video marketing is one of the most powerful things your salon can do to win more fans, gain more clients, and create a strong brand online. Using apps like Quik, Legend, and Premiere Clips your salon videos are guaranteed to be beautiful and professional. Now get out there and create! It's easier than you think.
And while we're on the subject of social media, does your salon have a strong brand on Facebook and Instagram? Are you making content that expresses your salon personality and reinforces your brand?
Download my free eBook below that shows you everything you need to create a strong salon brand, from colours to fonts to social media images. Download The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Beautiful Salon Brand below!
