2024’s Outs And 2025’S Ins: What’s Next In Social Media Marketing For Hair Salons

By Belinda Haigh

As the digital world evolves, hair salons and stylists must continuously adapt their social media strategies to stay relevant, appeal to new audiences, and build client loyalty. While 2024 saw platforms favouring certain formats and trends, 2025 ushers in new approaches, more diverse content types, and creative marketing techniques for hair salons looking to stand out on social media platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok.

Here’s what salon owners and stylists need to know about the social media landscape for the year ahead.

Out: Reels Are No Longer the Only King

For the past few years, Instagram Reels and TikTok videos have dominated social media feeds, with algorithms seemingly favouring video content above all else. But while Reels and videos still play an important role, 2024 taught us that relying solely on this content type can feel repetitive and exhausting for both creators and audiences.

In: A Balanced Mix of Content Types

As we move into 2025, the rule is clear: variety is the spice of social media success. Instead of focusing solely on Reels, a balanced mix of content formats—including carousels, static images, and stories—will prove essential to keeping your audience engaged. Carousel posts tend to keep viewers on your profile longer, improving engagement metrics and making it easier to communicate a deeper story about each client’s journey. In addition, adding audio to your Instagram feed posts can boost your content’s visibility on the Explore page, helping you reach new audiences.

Pro Tip: To create a balanced strategy, map out each week with a mix of Reels, carousel posts, static images, and stories. Aim for 2-3 posts of different formats per week, while using stories to keep your day-to-day activities visible.

Out: Heavy Text Overlays and Overly Produced Videos

The early days of Instagram Reels and TikTok saw heavy use of text overlays and highly produced video content. But as social media becomes more crowded, audiences are now leaning toward a preference for natural, authentic, and relatable content. Overly produced videos and text-heavy content are starting to feel less relatable and more like traditional ads, which users often scroll past.

In: Authentic, Minimalist Videos and BTS Moments

In 2025, social media favours authenticity over production. This shift means less polish and more “realness”—short, behind-the-scenes (BTS) clips of your process, quick tips for hair care, or even candid moments in the salon. For example, showcasing a stylist’s daily routine or sharing a short, casual Q&A can help build a connection with your audience.

Pro Tip: Keep videos under 30 seconds when possible. Clients want to see your salon’s unique culture and personality, not a choreographed ad.

Out: One-Way Communication

With the flood of new content on social media, salons can no longer rely on a broadcast-only approach to their content. Traditional one-way communication, where salons simply post and leave it at that, is becoming increasingly ineffective.

In: Community Building and Interaction

Creating a sense of community is a growing priority for brands across social media platforms, and hair salons are no exception. In 2025, salons that focus on cultivating meaningful relationships and active engagement will thrive. This can mean responding to every comment, running monthly Q&A sessions, or using Stories and polls to get direct feedback from followers.

Pro Tip: Run interactive posts, such as polls and Q&As, to engage your audience in a dialogue. Ask for input on upcoming content, hairstyle trends, or salon events to make your clients feel more involved. If you’re on TikTok, use the Q&A feature to respond to questions with short videos.

Out: Ignoring Analytics and Trends

In 2024, it was easy to become comfortable with a single content strategy, sometimes to the detriment of evolving with trends and analytics. Failing to assess performance metrics meant many salons were missing out on learning which content types and strategies were working.

In: Leveraging Analytics to Adapt Content Strategy

In 2025, understanding and adapting to your analytics is a must. Keep a close eye on which posts receive the most engagement, what time of day your followers are most active, and which content formats work best for your audience.

Pro Tip: Make a habit of reviewing your analytics monthly or even quarterly to determine what’s working.

Out: Content That Doesn’t Reflect Your Brand’s Core Values

2024 was full of generic content, with many salons replicating the same hair trends and ideas. However, audiences today are looking for a sense of identity and values from the brands they follow, so simply following the trend cycle won’t make you stand out anymore.

In: Storytelling and Core Value Alignment

2025 is the year to focus on brand storytelling. Showcase your salon’s journey, core values, and what makes you unique. Talk about your team, your community, or the causes you care about. Clients are more likely to engage with and support businesses whose values resonate with their own, making storytelling an incredibly powerful tool for attracting and retaining clients.

Pro Tip: Use a “Meet the Team” post series to introduce your stylists, and share a little about each person’s background, and their specialties.

In 2025, the social media strategy that wins is a balanced, genuine, and community-driven approach. By integrating these “ins” and moving away from outdated practices, hair salons can attract new clients, build lasting relationships, and turn social media into an extension of their brand’s story.

Are you looking for some help to create content or stay consistent with your salon’s social media marketing? Say goodbye to the guesswork and let our expert team of hairdressers and social media managers support your salon’s growth.

Book a free 30-minute chat with Bel from Social Standards by scanning the QR code below. Limited spots are available.