Social Media Strategy
Platform Strategy
[Agent prompt: Decide which platforms to prioritize at launch. Instagram is the highest-value platform for a grooming salon (visual, local audience, before/after content performs extremely well). Facebook is useful for the 35+ demographic and for local community groups. TikTok has high reach but requires more content production — consider for phase 2.]
| Platform | Priority | Purpose | Target Audience | Posting Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Visual portfolio, relationship-building | Dog owners 25–45 | 4–5x/week | |
| Secondary | Community, local reach, longer content | Dog owners 35–55 | 2–3x/week | |
| TikTok | Phase 2 | Viral reach, brand awareness | Broad / younger | 3x/week |
| Google Business Profile | Always-on | Reviews, local search visibility | Anyone searching “groomer near me” | Update as needed |
Content Pillars
All content falls into one of five pillars. Rotate through them to keep the feed varied while staying on brand.
Pillar 1 — The Groom (Before & After)
Purpose: Show the quality of work. This is the proof.
What to post:
- Before and after photos of every finished groom (with client permission)
- Video of the finished dog being fluffed out or doing a happy shake
- Close-ups of a particularly clean scissor finish or beautiful coat
Caption formula:
“[Dog name] came in looking like [fun observation]. Now look at [him/her]. 🐾 [One detail about what we loved about this groom — the coat type, the style, the dog’s personality.] [Booking CTA or “DM us your dog’s name.”]”
Hashtags: [Agent prompt: research and list 10–15 relevant local + grooming hashtags]
Pillar 2 — Dog Spotlights
Purpose: Make clients feel seen. Build community around their dogs, not just the services.
What to post:
- Feature a specific client dog with a short write-up about their personality and breed
- “Meet [name]” posts that feel like a mini profile
- Celebrate milestones: “First groom!”, “10th visit!”, “Biscuit turned 10 today!”
Caption formula:
“Meet [name]! [He/She] is a [breed] who [fun fact about this specific dog]. [His/Her] favorite part of the appointment is [observation from the groomer]. We love having [name] in our chair. ❤️”
Client permission: Always get explicit permission before posting a client’s dog. Note it in their client record.
Pillar 3 — Behind the Scenes
Purpose: Build trust by showing the care and expertise in the process.
What to post:
- Kendra or a groomer at work (tools, technique, expression)
- The salon setup, clean and organized
- Product selection for a specific coat type (“Here’s what we use for Husky blowouts…”)
- “What a full day looks like” day-in-the-life content
Tone: Warm, professional, real. Not staged or overly polished. Authentic expertise is more compelling than a photoshoot.
Pillar 4 — Education
Purpose: Position Kendra as the expert. Provide real value to dog owners.
What to post:
- “Did you know your [breed] needs grooming every [X] weeks?” posts
- Coat care tips between appointments
- “What to look for at your groomer” — educational content that actually helps clients choose a good groomer (which subtly positions us as the gold standard)
- Seasonal content (spring shedding, summer cuts, winter paw care)
- Myth-busting (“No, shaving a double-coat does NOT keep dogs cooler in summer”)
Tone: Authoritative but approachable. Never condescending. We’re sharing knowledge, not lecturing.
Pillar 5 — Community
Purpose: Show that we are part of the local community, not just a service business.
What to post:
- Local pet events, dog parks, charity fundraisers
- Partnership spotlights (local vets, trainers, pet stores)
- Holiday and seasonal content with a local angle
- Client testimonials and reviews (with permission)
- Giveaways and promotions (see referral-program)
Kendra’s Personal Brand Presence
Kendra’s personal brand is the foundation of the business. Her presence on social media should feel like the chef stepping out of the kitchen.
| Channel | Kendra’s Role | Content Type |
|---|---|---|
| Face of the brand — appears regularly | Behind-the-scenes, education, personal moments with dogs | |
| Community voice | Longer-form posts, responding to comments, local community | |
| Stories | Daily/casual | Quick clips, dog of the day, what’s happening in the salon |
Tone for Kendra’s content: Personal, knowledgeable, clearly in love with dogs. She should feel like someone you’d want to talk to about your dog — not a spokesperson.
Content Calendar
[Agent prompt: Build out a repeating weekly template once the platforms are decided. Example: Monday — Education, Wednesday — Before/After, Friday — Dog Spotlight, Saturday — Behind the Scenes, Sunday — Community/Fun]
| Day | Content Type | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | ||
| Wednesday | ||
| Friday | ||
| Saturday | ||
| Sunday |
Photography and Video Standards
- Lighting: Natural light whenever possible; avoid harsh overhead fluorescents
- Background: Clean, simple — the dog is the subject
- Resolution: Full quality — do not compress for Instagram; it compresses for you
- Video: Short (15–30 sec for Instagram Reels); stabilized; captions for accessibility
- Client dogs: Always photograph in a way that flatters the dog — catch a happy expression, a clean finish, or a moment of personality
Review Strategy
Google reviews are the #1 local trust signal for a new business.
- Ask for a review at pickup: “If you love what we did today, a Google review means the world to us — I’ll text you the link.”
- Follow up once via text if they said yes but haven’t left one
- Respond to every review — thank positive reviews personally, address negative ones calmly and helpfully
- See loyalty-and-retention for how reviews connect to the retention strategy