If you've noticed your reach plummet lately, it’s not you. The platform’s priorities have changed. Here’s the quick breakdown of the stuff that matters for us nail techs: What Instagram cares about now - Engagement ratio > likes. Old IG needed likes to grow. New IG wants ratios — how many people interact compared to how many people saw it. - Comments are losing power. In 2026, they’ll matter way less. DM shares, saves, and replays are the new heavyweights. Private shares, especially, they’re worth 12x more than other interactions. - Hooks matter. Those first 0.8–2.1 seconds? That’s your hook strength score. If people pause, you win. - Share ratio% (how often people send your post). - Save-to-view ratio (especially important for carousels). - Completion rate (whether people swipe through your first 1–3 slides). I'd recommend shifting the bulk of your posts to carousels. Instagram is clearly favouring them again. So give the platform what it wants. For nail techs, this is actually easy mode. We already take multiple pics of the same set from different angles - that’s an easy carousel 💛 What to post Think savable, educational, “oh I need to come back to this” content your clients will keep. Examples: - 5 ways to make your gel last longer - 3 habits secretly ruining your cuticles - What to do the week after your appointment - Signs your nails need a different base product You’re not just showing work, you’re also creating tiny cheat sheets people want to save. The more they save and DM-share… the more IG pushes you. 🫶 I’d love to use The Nail Tech Corner IG account to help lift up your posts too 🫶The only hiccup is that Instagram mostly shows me the accounts I interact with the most, so sometimes I simply don’t see your posts in the feed. If you want me to catch them: Just tag @thenailtechcorner when you post. It sends me a little notification so I can come over, leave some love, and help move your post along x

A post where you can swipe to see more photos is a carousel. It’s just one post that has multiple pictures or slides inside it. Nothing fancy. Nothing secret. Just a swipe-able post. Why people use them - You can show more without making a bunch of separate posts. - You can share step-by-step tips or little mini tutorials. - You can show the same nail set from different angles. - People spend longer looking at it, which Instagram likes. Examples for nail techs - Before and after pics in one post. - The same set, different poses. - A quick “3 tips for stronger nails” mini-guide. - A close-up shot + a full-hand shot.

Hey Nicky, I missed the social media class yesterday. Is it possible you recorded it? 🫢 😬

And a reminder to those who have been here before x, I shared this over on my ig but i think its good for alot of you here and a big part of what nail tech corner is here for XOXO

Think of a lead source as the doorway someone walks through before they book with you. It's the “how they found you” part (aka the clue that tells you where your next client is hiding.) For nail techs, your lead sources are things like: • Your Instagram page • A Reel that performed well • Your Google Business profile • Word-of-mouth from your favourite loudmouth friend • A TikTok tutorial that people saved • Your salon signage • Pinterest pins • Local Facebook groups • Your e-book freebies (lead magnets), guides, or helpful posts • Even a single client selfie that quietly did numbers When you know which door clients walk through, you'll know where to focus your energy. Nothing works better than doubling down on what’s already working. Once you start tracking them, your bookings will stop feeling random and start feeling intentional. Let's start a conversation about it: Where do your best clients usually come from? And which lead sources do you think you’re struggling with? Let’s compare notes and help each other 🫶