What to post on Instagram as a one-person business

You do not need to go viral. A local business needs the right few hundred people in your area to see good work and know how to book.

Posts that work for local trades

• Your work: close, well-lit photos of cuts, nails or happy dogs. Show the result clearly.
• Short videos: a 10 second clip of a fade or a set being finished is often more engaging than a photo.
• Before and after: with the client's permission.
• A normal day: your setup, your tools, a quick look behind the scenes. People book people they feel they know.
• Availability: "Two slots free Thursday, link in bio" is a perfectly good post.

What to avoid

• Posting only offers and prices.
• Long captions nobody reads.
• Photos so dark or blurry that the work is hard to see.

Make every post useful

End with one clear thing to do. "Book via the link in my bio" or "Message me if you have a question". If there is no next step, people just scroll on.

Use your area

Mention your town in captions and tag the location. Local people search by place, and it helps nearby accounts discover you.

Keep the link current

Your bio link is the most important thing on your profile. Make sure it opens straight to your booking page and works on a phone.

Post a little, often

Three good posts a week beats a flurry once a month. Plan a batch in one sitting and schedule them.

The takeaway

Show your work, show yourself, and always make booking one tap away. Bookable gives you the page your bio link opens.

Keep reading

• Put a QR code in your window so passers-by can book
• Set up a Google Business Profile that brings in bookings
• How to get your first regular clients as a new barber