Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/1101652
66 ascp skin deep may/june 2019 CONTENT IS STILL KING The old adage "content is king" is still the fi rst rule of social media success. While posting on the fl y can be fun, engaging, and spontaneous, being thoughtful in creating a monthly social media calendar is much more benefi cial. You can always add those spontaneous posts when they seem appropriate. Being effi cient with social media postings—and not allowing yourself to get trapped in a time-suck—is key. Creating a social media plan can be as simple as a paper calendar, or you can go digital by using one of the many scheduling services available such as Hootsuite, Buff er, or Tweet.1 These services or apps allow you to schedule daily, weekly, or monthly posts, all from one central dashboard. Some email platforms now include social media calendars in the price of the monthly service. VISUALS MATTER Social media posts that include images or video gain more traction than just words. Across all platforms, striking images and engaging videos increase shares and likes. If you struggle to fi nd pictures for your posts, there are a number of free sources you can use, including Pixabay or Unsplash. Most of these images are either public domain or royalty-free. Pictures in the public domain are available to you because the copyrights have expired, the photographer has given up their rights, or the photographer has chosen to share the content for free. Royalty-free means you pay a small fee for use but no additional royalty or license fees. Mobile apps like RIPL allow you to create short videos that can be shared on multiple platforms. Like most skills, simply practicing taking pictures or short videos with your phone can improve your social media posts. USE THE PLATFORMS YOUR CLIENTS USE Do you know which social media platforms your clients and potential clients use? You can easily capture this critical and useful information. Make this a priority question on your intake forms and encourage your front- desk staff to ask each new caller and visitor Social media can be a powerful tool to promote your skin care business, set yourself apart from the competition, and drive service and retail sales.