5 Must-Try Tips from Social Media Pros
Which strategies helped these beauty experts-turned-influencers grow their massive followings? Read on!
Katherine Nunez Photography
Scrolling through TikTok videos, I came across Erica Taylor. She’s a 30-year makeup artist and a L’Oréal Pro League Expert. At the time, I didn’t know she was local to Long Island, but her half-face demo captivated me. On one side, she showed how we did our makeup years ago (dark liner from inner to outer corner, blush on the apples of the cheek, precisely lined lips). On the other side, she showed easy tweaks for eyes, cheeks, and lips that help us look more youthful.
Oh, I can do these, I thought. I quickly hit the heart and follow button, joining her 1.8 million followers on TikTok alone. (Taylor has over 3 million engaged followers across multiple platforms.)
During the pandemic, Taylor successfully made the leap from makeup artist to content creator/influencer. How? That was the topic of the last Pretty Local Industry Night at Long Island Nail Skin & Hair Institute in Bethpage.
Taylor joined esthetician and influencer Ian Michael Crumm, who has 230K followers on Instagram and nearly 20K on TikTok, and Jennifer Conlon Pavelchak, a longtime public relations exec, who is currently managing director at MP-IMC, where she helps brands with all forms of communication, including social media strategy.
The trio sat on a panel moderated by Pretty Local founder Krista Bennett DeMaio and spoke to a room of over 45 Long Island beauty, wellness, and fashion professionals. The panel revealed many interesting insights and actionable tips, and we share five below.
Whether you want to grow a business, be an influencer, or to boost your online presence, these tips will help you reach your social media goals.
1. Make social part of your everyday routine.
If making content feels too time-consuming, Taylor suggests doing it while doing something you do every day—like your makeup. “When I started, I was a regional manager [for a cosmetic brand] with three kids, and every day when I did my makeup, I made a video,” she says. Taylor did her eyeshadow and liner as usual, explaining why her techniques work and how to do them. “If you incorporate content into your routine, it's not a job. It's just part of your life,” says Taylor. “And you’ve got to find a way to do that because the consistency is what gets you the growth.”
2. Ignore your DMs (at least at first).
Haters are going to hate—and you have to tune them out. “The first negative comment I got when I started blogging was that my hair looked like a Dairy Queen swirl, but it was in a negative connotation,” says Crumm. “I just laughed it off, but if you're not used to that type of feedback, you may want to ignore your DMs because people will DM you really inappropriate stuff.” He says you’ll likely build thicker skin as you post more often.
“And if someone posts a negative comment, you’re allowed to delete it,” says Taylor. “It’s your space!”
3. Enlist your friends.
To help grow a following, don’t be afraid to lean on friends, especially those in the industry. “If you're targeting a local community, collaboration posts with each other help expand the reach of a post,” says Crumm. You can also use your IRL social network to expand your digital one. “Back when I was still fashion blogging on Facebook, I’d ask five of my closest girlfriends to invite 10 of their friends to my Facebook page or tell them about my blog, and bless their hearts, they did,” he says. “I'm not afraid to get a little grassroots—it all adds up at the end of the day.”
4. Use your vibe to attract your tribe.
The key to growing a community is to be authentic, says Conlon Pavelchak. “Make sure people know who you are, what you stand for, your philosophies, your mission because people will buy into that.” Everything you post should reflect those values, she says. '“The most important thing about brand messaging from a PR and communications strategic level is making sure you're saying the same thing.” And resist the urge to be everything to everyone—that’s not authentic, she says. “Stay in your lane.”
5. Approach the different platforms strategically.
Content is not one-size-fits-all, say all the experts. “It’s important to treat each platform like its own ecosphere,” says Crumm. “You might have someone follow you on every platform, so you don’t want your platforms to look like a cookie-cutter version of themselves,” he says.
“Facebook has become more like Reddit now—you go there for information, the recommendations around town, the mom groups,” says Conlon Pavelchak. “It’s more community-based.” Engage with your community by asking questions or ask them to post pictures to help drive engagement—and connection.
“Instagram has always been more curated,” says Crumm. It’s also a great spot for a content series, he says—something you do every week. TikTok tends to be more candid and less polished. Crumm says he’s little experimental on TikTok.
And don’t forget about LinkedIn. “That’s another huge networking opportunity,” says Conlon Pavelchak. “You can engage with brands, CMOs, and artists. There’s so much there, and it tends to get overlooked.”
For details on the next Industry Night, follow @prettylocal.li and sign up for the Pretty Local mailing list.
*Industry Night was sponsored by Long Island Nail Skin & Hair Institute, Herald, Isdin, and Bottega Vinaia wines.
