TikTok becomes the essential tool for hairdressers in crisis

“Thanks to TikTok, my schedules for the next few months are complete and I have clients asking me to open the one for October“says freelance hairdresser Devi Mark, account holder”Devi Mark Hairon the Chinese social network. Followed by more than 80,000 subscribers, this Parisian hairdresser, like other sisters and brothers, has been publishing short videos on the platform for a few months. Most often, he provides hair advice and films his appointments with his clients: diagnosis of their hair, shampooing, brushing and cutting… The viewer follows each step, as well as the interactions between Devi and the person having their hair done.

Publications that allow potential customers to identify themselves. “Even if it means putting money, people prefer to base themselves on these videos and project themselves into the service I offer, rather than on a simple photo.adds Devi. And many lend themselves to the game of being filmed in turn, once through the doors of the show. “Obviously, I always ask permission from my clients before starting a video, but often they expect it.“, laughs the Montpellier hairdresser Shyness, who has an account of the same name on TikTok followed by 265,000 people. “You have to know how to put them at ease and deliberately ask the right questions so that the video is interesting.“, she continues.

Present your work

TikTok has become an indispensable tool for independent hairdressers like Shyness and Devi Mark but also for big hair salons. Due to inflation, which stands at 5.2% in 2022 according to INSEE, customers are becoming rarer. 2023 is coming like a terrible year for hairdressers. Between January 1 and June 30, procedures for the liquidation, receivership and safeguarding of hairdressing salons increased by 50% in one year, reports a study by the firm Altares. “During periods like December or September, when we usually have a lot of customers, it is very quietresumes Shyness, en last December, I lost 30-40% of my customers compared to the same period the previous year“.

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Thus, TikTok and its formidable recommendation algorithm provide welcome visibility to these hair professionals. The only hashtag with the word “hairdresser“even exceeds three billion views on the social network. “Videos “before after” for example, where we show the metamorphosis of a client’s head still work“, notes Mary Ruffinoni, co-founder and partner of hairdresser Thomas Tuccinardi, who owns the eponymous salon in Lyon. “These publications also allow us to reach a slightly younger audience, who are under thirty years old.“, adds Devi Mark. “On the other hand, such communication takes time. Often, I take care of editing and posting these videos after my working day, between 9 p.m. and midnight.“, Details the young man of 21 years.

Collaboration with influencers

Among the ten most followed accounts are Thomas Tuccinardi’s salon (nearly 200,000 subscribers) and that of the German Schwarzkopf (157,000 subscribers), reports the web and social media monitoring platform, Visibrain. According to the latter, the most popular accounts stand out by collaborating with influencers. “It’s free visibility for us and a way to gain notoriety“says Mary Ruffinoni.

Thus, the living room of Thomas Tuccinardi received influencers like Style Tonic or Anna RVR. The videos in which the two young women change their heads thanks to the care provided, exceed 100,000 views. The hairdresser and barberHairtist_paris”, which has 969,000 followers, is betting on a similar strategy. Specialized in gradations, he realized that of well-known youtubers the general public such as Michou or Inoxtag. Again, the public is there and these videos are among the most watched on their account.

Prestigious services

Hairdressers also offer explanatory videos, dedicated to questions frequently asked by their subscribers. For example, they detail the average cost of certain services and explain themselves.“ Customers are not always aware of this, but inflation has consequences for us too, charges have doubled or even tripled this year, between water and electricity.“Notes Shyness, before specifying:”Also for some raw materials. For example, you now have to pay around sixty euros for products that allow you to make highlights“.

Hairdressers therefore take advantage of the success of their accounts to promote high-end services. Much more expensive than the traditional shampoo then brushing, the hairdresser Shyness offers a package at 560 euros for a “important transformationof a client’s coloring and hairstyle. A service that lasts more than six hours and including the demonstration on TikTok always meets its small success. “ Little by little, clients are favoring its long and expensive services, which require them to come back less often.», Considers the hairdresser from Montpellier.

An exceptional moment

For its part, Thomas Tuccinardi’s salon regularly presents, on its TikTok account, its “signature scan», which costs 560 euros and 700 euros when accompanied by a treatment. “ The videos where we show this lightening technique easily reach three million viewsremarks Mary Ruffinoni. The salon of his partner Thomas, which opened only two years ago, even specializes in this prestigious care service. And inflation doesn’t seem to reach them. “We are fully booked for the next three months“, she specifies.

Just like in these videos, going to the hairdresser becomes an exceptional moment. “Since the Covid and now with inflation, customers no longer come every week to blow-dry but rather prefer a memorable visit to the hairdresser.“, abounds, in turn, Devi Mark. The latter has set up his business for a little over a year and rents seats in Paris in lounges to receive his customers. He considers that it is thanks to TikTok that he can now live from his activity. “To present his work, whether it’s the hairdressing profession or another profession, I have the impression that this network has become essential“says the young man of 21 years.