Instagram Marketing 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Building Your Brand.

As a beauty business coach, I’ve seen firsthand how Instagram can completely transform a beauty brand. For beauty pros and entrepreneurs, this platform isn’t just a place to post pretty pictures; it’s a powerful marketing tool that, when used strategically, can attract ideal clients, showcase your expertise, and drive consistent bookings or sales.

Instagram has become the go-to space for beauty lovers to discover services, check credibility, and engage with brands they trust. With over 2 billion monthly active users, it’s no surprise that smart beauty business owners are leveraging the platform to grow their online presence and convert followers into paying clients.

But here’s the key: people aren’t logging onto Instagram to be sold to. They’re looking for a connection. They want to be inspired, educated, entertained, and yes, occasionally sold to, but only after trust is built. This is great news for beauty brands that have a unique story, a personal touch, or a strong visual identity.

If you’re ready to build your brand, attract dream clients, and use Instagram with purpose, not overwhelm, this guide is your starting point. Let’s break down the essentials of what works for beauty businesses like yours.

I. Set Up for Success

What is Instagram marketing? Switching to a Business or Creator Account

As a business and marketing coach, I always tell my clients: if your ideal customer is scrolling Instagram, that’s where you need to be showing up, with strategy. Instagram marketing is the practice of using the platform to grow your business, build your brand, and turn followers into paying clients. And it’s more than just posting cute photos.

By switching to a Business or Creator account, you unlock powerful tools like audience insights, reach analytics, content performance, and even direct booking features. These insights help you track what’s working, grow your audience intentionally, and increase traffic to your website or booking page. Instagram also gives you access to paid tools like Ads and sponsored content, along with organic marketing tools like Stories, Reels, Lives, and feed posts.

How to Craft a High-Converting Instagram Bio

Think of your bio like the welcome mat to your digital storefront. It’s often the first thing potential clients see, and in just a few seconds, it needs to tell them who you are, what you do, who you serve, and how they can take action.

For example, on the Beauty CEO University Instagram page, you’ll see that I’ve listed my name and title—Makeup Artist Growth Coach—right up top. Then, I use a short, benefit-driven statement in the bio to share exactly how I help beauty entrepreneurs grow. That message isn’t just fluff, it’s targeted to attract my ideal audience.

Don’t forget to include a clear call to action like “Book Now,” “Grab Your Free Guide,” or “Shop the Collection”, and link it to your booking site, storefront, or services page.

A great bio doesn’t just look good, it attracts curious visitors and converts them into engaged followers and paying clients.

II. Build a Strong Content Strategy

I often hear this question: “What should I post on Instagram to grow my business?” If you’ve been showing up inconsistently or posting just to “stay active,” it’s time to change that. Because random content doesn’t convert, strategic content does.

A strong content strategy not only helps you stay consistent but also positions you as a professional, builds trust with potential clients, and ultimately fills your calendar. Let’s break down exactly how to create a content plan that works for your beauty business.

Core Content Pillars

Think of your content pillars as the “themes” or categories you’ll rotate through on your page. These should align with your brand, your services, and what your ideal client needs to see from you to trust, engage, and book.

Here are six foundational pillars I recommend for most beauty pros:

• Client Results
  Share before & after photos to highlight transformations and showcase your talent. These posts build credibility and social proof.
  
  

• Educational Content
  Position yourself as the expert by sharing skin tips, lash aftercare, brow maintenance, or product knowledge. Content that educates your audience on what you offer gives value, not just vibes.
  
  

• Behind-the-Scenes
  Give your audience a peek into your process, your treatment room, tools, daily routine, or the team behind the magic.
  
  

• Service Spotlights
  Break down your services: What are they? Who are they for? What’s the experience like? These posts help clients understand exactly what they’re booking.
  
  

• Client Testimonials & Reviews
  Let your happy clients do the talking. Reposting glowing reviews is one of the easiest ways to build trust.
  
  

• Special Offers & Events
  Promote any limited-time offers, seasonal services, pop-up events, or product/website launches.
  
  

Having these pillars in place makes content planning so much easier and ensures your page stays balanced and intentional.

Create a Posting Routine

If you want results on Instagram, consistency matters more than perfection.

Start by posting 3–5 times a week, depending on your capacity. You don’t need to post every day, but you do need to show up regularly. Consistency builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust. 

Instagram rewards variety. Different formats serve different purposes, and audiences consume them in different ways. Here’s how to use each type effectively:

• Feed Posts
  Use high-quality visuals to share client transformations, tips, quotes, and carousel posts that educate or entertain.
  
  

• Stories
  These are ideal for sharing daily updates, flash promotions, open appointment slots, behind-the-scenes moments, and interactive content like polls or question boxes to boost engagement. Reposting content from other creators in your niche can also help build community and increase your visibility. 

• Reels
  Reels are a must for growth. Share tutorials, time-lapses, transformations, beauty trends, or “day in the life” content. Keep them short, snappy, and aligned with your brand.
  
  

• Lives
  Go live for service demos, product walkthroughs, Q&As, or client interviews. This is an incredible way to build real-time trust and engagement.
  
  

The most successful beauty business owners aren’t just posting when they feel inspired; they’re posting with a plan. By building a content strategy around your unique brand, audience, and goals, you’ll stop guessing and start growing.

If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of your content, download my free Beauty Business Content Calendar or book a 1:1 strategy session with me to build a plan that brings real results.

Grow Your Following & Attract Ideal Clients

 Use Hashtags That Work for the Beauty Industry

While the Instagram algorithm can be a mystery, you can get more reach for your content if you’re using the right Instagram hashtags. Hashtags can be placed in Instagram captions, comments, and even your bio. Use the Instagram hashtag sticker in Reels and Stories, too. When people click on or search a hashtag, your content could appear in those results.

• General appeal hashtags are broad, popular tags like #MakeupLover or #SkincareRoutine. These can help increase your reach because they attract a large, diverse audience. But keep in mind, they’re highly competitive. While they can give you a boost, your content might get lost in the crowd. Use them sparingly and strategically, pairing them with more targeted tags is the secret to staying visible.

• Niche-specific hashtags are where the real magic happens. These hashtags are directly related to your specialty and audience, think #MUACoach, #CurlyHairExpert, or #WeddingMakeup. They may have lower search volume, but they attract highly relevant viewers who are more likely to engage with your content, book your services, or follow your journey.

Now, before you start copy-pasting the most popular tags, make sure your hashtags are relevant to your brand. If you’re a lash tech, hashtags about Halloween makeup make sense in October—hashtags about dogs? Not so much. Second, choose hashtags that have active usage. If nobody’s searching for your hashtag, it’s not helping you. Lastly, stay timely. Pay attention to beauty trends, seasonal shifts, and what your audience is talking about. Join those conversations in a way that feels natural and on-brand.

Engage With Purpose

If you want to grow a loyal following and attract dream clients, you need to engage with purpose. Engagement isn't just about vanity metrics, it’s about building real relationships that turn followers into bookings.

Start by replying to every comment and DM, especially those that show interest in your services. Even a quick "Thank you!" or heart emoji can make someone feel seen and valued. When someone reaches out with an inquiry, responds promptly and professionally, that’s often the moment when someone decides whether or not to book you.

Don’t just wait for engagement to come to you; go out and create it. Like and comment on posts from local businesses, potential clients, and fellow beauty professionals. Showing up in their notifications puts your name in front of more eyes and builds community within your niche.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of user-generated content. When clients tag you in their selfies or show off their results, repost it and shout them out! It builds trust with your audience and encourages more clients to do the same. A simple “Tag me in your glow-up pics!” at the end of a caption can go a long way in getting others to share their experience with your brand.

Remember: the algorithm rewards genuine interaction, but more importantly, so do people. Show up consistently and with intention, and you’ll start to see your engagement turn into real growth.

Build Your Brand with Intention, Not Guesswork

Instagram marketing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or like a full-time job. When you approach it with strategy, purpose, and authenticity, it becomes one of the most powerful tools in your beauty business. From crafting a bio that converts to creating high-impact content, leveraging hashtags, and building real relationships through engagement, you now have the foundation to show up like the expert you are.

Remember, your dream clients are already on Instagram, they're searching for services, looking for proof, and craving connection. Your job is to show up, serve value, and lead them to your chair, studio, or online offer with confidence and clarity.

If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and finally start seeing real results from your Instagram efforts, I invite you to take the next step.

Download my free Beauty Business Content Calendar to plan your posts with intention.
  Book a 1:1 strategy session to map out your growth game plan, or
  Join me inside The Beauty Lab by Beauty CEO University, where I teach beauty pros how to turn likes into loyal clients and content into consistent income.

Your brand is too powerful to go unnoticed. Let’s build it with purpose—starting today.