SCRATCH COLUMNIST

The Social Scene scratch

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

Keep summer content simple and fun

Summer is a busy time for most people, which is why your content doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, the season is the perfect time to make content simpler and more fun – whether that’s by sharing holiday nail ideas or bright nail shades in natural sunlight.

The more pressure we put on ourselves to create ‘perfect’ content, the easier it is to burn out creatively. So if summer is a hectic time for you, lean into easier content rather than completely disappearing online.

Why some social media pages feel more trustworthy than others

Have you ever landed on a nail tech’s social media page and instantly thought: ‘ I’d book with them ’, or ‘ I’d trust this person to teach me ’. Sometimes you can’t fully explain why. It may not show the fanciest salon or the most intricate nail art – and the nail tech may not have a huge following, but certain pages just feel trustworthy.

Social Scene

I think the reason for this comes down to how we present ourselves online. Over the last couple of years, social media has shifted: people still love beautiful visuals, but audiences are also seeking clarity, calmness, consistency and personality. In other words, they want to feel comfortable with the person behind a profile.

That doesn’t mean you need to start filming ‘get ready with me’ videos every morning. Usually, trust is built through simpler methods.

Clear beats complicated

One thing I notice a lot is that trustworthy pages are easy to understand. You know what services are on offer, and which nail styles the person enjoys creating. Captions sound natural and content feels consistent.

There’s a big difference between appearing professional and trying to sound professional. Sometimes, we can fall into the trap of using very technical wording or trying to explain everything at once. But for clients especially, simpler communication builds more trust.

Clients aren’t thinking: ‘I wonder what gel system she uses’. They’re thinking: ‘will my nails last?’, ‘will I feel comfortable there?’ and ‘do I like this person’s style?’. That’s why pages that prioritise clarity and warmth often connect with people faster than pages trying to impress everyone at once.

People trust what feels consistent

Consistency isn’t about posting every day; it’s about the overall, reliable feeling of your page. It’s your tone of voice, editing style, the type of work you show and the way you speak to your followers.

Even the creators with huge followings don’t usually reinvent their content from week to week. Most have a recognisable style or format that they repeat in slightly different ways, because familiarity builds trust.

When people know what to expect from your page, they feel more comfortable coming back to it. That’s usually far more powerful than constantly chasing the next trend.

Showing the process matters

Another thing that builds trust is showing your process – not just a finished, glossy nail. You could do this by sharing:

• A quick prep clip.

• A behind-the-scenes moment.

• How you hold a client’s hand.

• An insight into your workspace or hygiene measures.

• Your calm way of explaining something to a client.

Small details reveal a lot. For educators, it’s often the way they explain things that builds trust; for nail techs, it’s how welcoming they are and how consistent their work feels, and for content creators working with brands, it’s professionalism and reliability.

People are craving more personality online: small moments that remind them that there’s an actual human behind an account. Adding a voiceover, including humour in a caption or sharing a relatable behind-the-scenes moment will go a long way. You don’t need to overshare to build connection. Most of the time, it’s about letting your audience feel your energy.

The pages that feel most trustworthy are usually the ones that seem comfortable in their identities: not perfect, not trying too hard and not chasing every trend. They’re clear, consistent and confident in what they offer.

Until next time, keep creating – and remember to wipe your camera lens!

“People are craving more personality online: small moments that remind them that there’s an actual human behind an account. Adding a voiceover, including humour in a caption or sharing a relatable behind-the-scenes moment will go a long way.”

Creator spotlight

This month, I want to highlight Jorgia Adams – aka @byjorgia on Instagram. I had the pleasure of meeting her at an OPI event, and she’s exactly how she comes across online: warm, friendly and genuinely lovely to be around. One of the reasons I enjoy following her page is that, alongside her beautiful nail designs, she shares behind-the-scenes moments from her salon work. Her content feels natural and welcoming, and you really get a sense of her personality through her videos – which I think is why people connect with her so well. I have to admit, I’m fully invested in her baking content too!

Behind-the-scenes

Recently, I’ve been balancing exciting projects, events and teaching, as well as trying to enjoy the summer. I’ve been working on videos for brands including Lecenté, and the shades in its cocktail-inspired gel polish collection were a dream to film – especially when the light caught their reflective details.

I had the pleasure of teaching alongside Katie Clark, founder of Katie Barnes Tool Range & Education, at a content creation event in June. It’s always great to connect with fellow nail professionals in-person, share ideas and help people feel more confident creating content. I also attended an event hosted by local nail brand, Jade UK, in Brighton, where I had a look at some of its new products up-close – including an extractor fan.

With Jade Goble, owner of Jade UK.

Another exciting project was filming a mini content workshop for Glitterbels’ Nailist programme members. It focused on beginner-friendly content creation tips, helping nail techs film and edit simple but effective videos.

Events & appearances

July is set to be an exciting but slightly nerve-wracking month. The Scratch Stars Party will take place on 5 July, and I am a finalist in the Shooting Star Award category, the winner of which will be unveiled on the night. It’s such a huge honour to be recognised alongside so many talented people within the nail industry. I’m also looking forward to heading to Glasgow later in the month for the ‘After Dark’ event organised by Lauren Lewis of @ohnails.bylauren. Then, the day after, I hope to host a content workshop in Glasgow.