The Social Scene
ZOYA MAC shares social media advice & pointers to raise your business profile & elevate your content
About Zoya Mac
Zoya is a nail content creator based in West Sussex. After spending over eight years as a nail artist, she transitioned into roles in social media management and content creation for nail brands. Zoya is passionate about creating captivating and engaging product and tutorial videos. She helps industry brands to showcase their products in clear, authentic ways and teaches other nail artists how to confidently record their own videos.
@zoya_mac
TOP TIP
Switch on your grid – it’s a game-changer!
If you haven’t already, turn on the grid in your phone’s camera settings. It takes seconds and once it’s on, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without it.
The grid adds a 3x3 guideline overlay (like a noughts and crosses board) to your screen while filming or taking photos. This helps you frame your content more professionally, keep products and nails centred and avoid wonky angles or chopped-off fingers. It also makes it easier to follow the rule of thirds: a classic photography tip that helps make your images more visually appealing and balanced.
Whether you’re filming a Reel, taking a nail photo or capturing swatches, the grid makes it easier to keep your camera level, and the focus where it needs to be.
What makes a video watchable?
Creating engaging video content is about more than producing aesthetically pleasing clips. You need to keep people watching. Picture this: your nail desk is set up, the nails are prepped and you’re ready to film – but the moment you press record, something doesn’t feel right. The setup may look good and be beautifully lit, but perhaps the concept is just… boring.
Let’s break down what could help you to make a social media video ‘watchable’ and how to tailor your content – depending on whether you’re trying to attract the attention of clients, brands or fellow nail artists. While many videos can attract both brands and nail clients, most content only does one thing well: so having a clear goal is crucial.
Setting a goal
Before you film anything, ask yourself: ‘what am I hoping to achieve with this video?’ Are you trying to:
• Show off your latest design so viewers are inspired to book appointments?
• Showcase a product in action for your portfolio or a brand?
• Build trust with existing followers?
• Educate or entertain?
• Fill your diary for the week ahead? Once you know your end goal, decisions, such as how to start the video and what to include, become easier. Knowing the audience you want to attract helps you make better choices when filming.
Make it make sense – and fast
Attention spans are short. For how long do you watch a video on social media before deciding to scroll past or continue watching? Instagram statistics show that you have up to three seconds to convince someone to keep watching a video. That means you need:
• A strong hook: something visual, intriguing or satisfying at the start. It doesn’t need to be a rage bait or lie.
• Clean transitions: no jumpy edits or overuse of effects, unless they fit with the overall vibe of the video.
• A clear story, even if it’s short: ask yourself, ‘what is the point of the video?’. Video content needs to be easy to watch, follow and understand. Think of the flow: does each clip lead naturally into the next? Is there a rhythm to the footage? If not, viewers may drop off early.
Monitor your insights
Focus on analytics and explore where people exit your videos. Is it after the first second, or halfway through? What was happening at that moment? Rewatch each video with fresh eyes. Ask someone outside of the nail industry – like a friend or partner – to watch one of your videos and read the caption before you post, and examine their face while they do. Did they look like they got bored watching, and are now politely watching the rest?
In reality, a social media viewer may have lost interest three to five seconds earlier, since they feel no loyalty to you, and will have likely scrolled to the next video. Review the caption and video and see if you can make them more engaging. Does the video need to be so long? Perhaps a voiceover would aid engagement. Sometimes, we can be too close to our own content to see the gaps.
Be realistic with reach
Not all posts will fly, and that doesn’t mean they have failed. I post product videos for brands that perform really well on their pages, but barely move the needle on mine – and that’s fine. On my page, I use them as a portfolio: that’s my goal.
It’s also worth noting that if a video is aimed at your paying nail clients, you don’t need it to go viral. You just need it to be seen by the right people in your area.
Keep your content understandable. If your caption or voiceover is packed with technical terms like ‘inhibition layer’ or ‘apex’, it could alienate your clients. Simplify the wording and express yourself as you would at the nail desk. Clear, natural and easy language makes content more relatable and keeps people watching.
Your videos aren’t for everyone – and that’s OK
A video may feel important to you, even if it doesn’t perform well. Maybe it showed a transformation you were proud of, or you shared something that felt personal. It still deserves a place on your grid, but just know what you want from it and set your expectations accordingly.
Creating a watchable video isn’t about chasing likes. It’s about making content that connects, speaks clearly and reflects your goals. Next time you plan your content, ask yourself: ‘would I keep watching this or would I scroll?’. Your answer might be all the editing feedback you need.
Sometimes, you can do everything right and get 10 views, and other times, you might post a video you don’t like – yet it performs brilliantly.
Until next time, keep creating – and remember to wipe your camera lens!
#NOWTRENDING
WHAT’S HOT
Instagram’s Highlights tab Instagram is slowly rolling out a redesign that moves Story highlights into a dedicated tab. Instead of sitting above your grid, highlights are set to live under a separate ‘heart’ tab on your profile. A few accounts are also getting the option to pin selected highlights onto their main grids.
It’s still early days, and not everyone has the feature yet, but now’s a great time to audit your highlights. Ensure yours reflect your best work and important information: client FAQs, product demos, nailcare tips or your nail art portfolio. If you get the grid-pinning option, use it to showcase your most useful or scroll-stopping highlights.
Until it fully rolls out, keep an eye on your profile and tidy up your old highlights!
HAT’S NOT
Learning without implementing
OK – hear me out: what’s not trending is being in ‘education mode’ regularly, but not doing anything to continue your development. There are so many excellent online education resources, but the options can be overwhelming. I’ve bought one course after another, convinced that each one would unlock a new level of skill or success – but then I’d only half-watch them (or not finish at all). Before I had time to apply what I did learn, I’d sign up for the next one. The result? I ended up feeling busy and productive, but wasn’t growing the way I expected, because I wasn’t giving myself the time or space to let the learning sink in and utilise my new skills.
If this sounds familiar, it’s time to pause and ask:
• Have I implemented what I’ve learned?
• Have I truly given myself time to practice it and see results before I sign up for the next course?
Training courses are amazing when they’re utilised effectively, but learning just for the sake of learning, without leaving space and time to apply lessons, is not on-trend. Your next breakthrough might come from what you already know – not what you learn next.
Behind-the-scenes
I have worked on a festive project for OPI: creating swatch and content videos for the brand’s winter GelColor and Nail Lacquer collection: Good Enough to Treat. It was such a fun brief and I got to play with rich colours, layer shimmer and weave in a touch of seasonal sparkle.
I also filmed content for Lecenté’s Create Flake-effect Top Coats. These were a dream to swatch and edit, and I enjoyed figuring out which base colours made the flakes pop best on camera.
There are a few more exciting projects in the works with Lecenté, The Manicure Company and Nail Order, but my lips are sealed for now. I’ll be able to share more in next month’s column – including a sneak peek at some seriously stunning new shades. Stay tuned!
Creator spotlight
This month’s creator spotlight is London-based nail artist & content creator, Sadie Jordan – aka Sadie J Nails. I first met
Sadie in 2023 at one of her content creation workshops, but she was on my radar long before that. I remember following her during the first lockdown and loving her Scratch column series. She’s an incredible talent in the nail and content realms, and it’s been inspiring to watch her grow and evolve.
Her standout creativity led her to a full-time role at The GelBottle Inc as creative nail expert, where she produced the brand’s first video to hit one million views. Sadie now works on a freelance basis, creating stunning digital content for multiple nail, fashion and beauty brands, while also serving clients, doing session work and running Sadie J Academy: teaching nail art and content creation in group and one-to-one formats.
Sadie has a strong background in fashion illustration, and a first-class degree to prove it. During the 2020 lockdown, she shifted focus from clients to content and quickly made waves with several viral moments on Instagram, which caught the attention of top beauty brands.
From backstage at Moschino to brand campaigns with Tommy Hilfiger, Sadie’s career proves that you can blend artistry, strategy and heart to create work that truly stands out. Check out her Instagram account: @sadiejnails.