SCRATCHCOLUMNIST

The Social Scene

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

Get ahead of Christmas content Don’t wait until December to start creating festive content. But before making anything new, look at your past Christmas posts. Which nail designs performed well? Which photos or Reels do you still love? Is there a tutorial, shade or style that could be reposted, re-edited or given a fresh caption?

Put aside some time this month to fill in any gaps. Create some new festive designs and capture plenty of photos and short clips before your December diary gets too busy. While you’re scrolling, save Christmas and wintry sounds too. Having a bank of music means you won’t be searching for the perfect audio every time you’re ready to post.

A smarter approach to social media

Knowing everything I do now about content creation and social media, sometimes I wonder what I would do differently if I went back to being a full-time nail tech. While I don’t think I’d try to post more, I would definitely post with greater purpose.

Show your working area: the lighting, music and how you prepare your desk. You could even film yourself making a drink for a client. These details can help someone understand what an appointment with you might feel like.

When you’re a busy nail pro, social media can become another job on an already long to-do list. So, if I were a full-time tech again, I’d concentrate less on trying to become successful on Instagram and more on using my content to help build the business I want.

Here’s what I’d focus on and how it can help you…

Create for the clients you want

One of the first things you should ask yourself is: ‘What services do I want to be known for?’. If you love manicures that fit the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, yet most of your clients ask for detailed nail art, create and post simpler styles. If pedicure treatments are your preferred offerings, ensure they are prominent on your page. Or, if nail art is what you want to specialise in, make that a main focus.

You don’t need to already have your ideal client to start creating content for them. Invite a model into your nail space and spend a couple of hours producing content around the services you want to be doing. Think of your page as a portfolio for the business you’re trying to build – not a record of the appointments you have.

Show more than the finished product

It’s important not to focus solely on content showcasing finished nail looks. Someone considering booking isn’t only deciding whether they like your work; they’re deciding whether they can imagine sitting in your space for a service.

Integrate filming into your setup

As a nail tech, you don’t always have 20-minutes between clients to set up cameras and lights. Therefore, make filming as easy as possible.

Have a phone holder positioned near your desk, know where to find the best lighting, and make sure your basic camera settings are ready and your phone is charged. Then, when the right client or treatment comes along, simply swing your phone into position and capture some clips.

I don’t recommend filming every appointment. Look at your diary at the beginning of each week and choose a couple of good opportunities. Allow an extra five minutes to capture a ‘before’ clip, application content, a close-up shot and the finished result.

Let people see you

With so much polished and AI-generated content spilling onto our feeds, there’s value in reminding people that there’s a person behind the business. That doesn’t mean you need to talk to a camera every day; you could post a photo of you, a behind-the-scenes Instagram Story or occasionally share aspects of your personality.

For a service-based business, human connection matters. People aren’t booking a faceless Instagram account; they’re booking an appointment with you.

Protect your peace

We’ve seen plenty of online drama and rage bait-style content this year, but while controversy can attract attention, it doesn’t mean you have to be part of every conversation.

Remind yourself why you started your account in the first place: to showcase your work, connect with clients and grow your business. Sometimes the best thing you can do is stay in your lane, put your energy into something positive and keep scrolling.

Make your profile do the work

Look at your page through the eyes of someone who’s never met you. Can they quickly understand where you’re based, the services you offer and how to enquire or book? Your profile should include real client results and testimonials where appropriate.

As we look to 2027, don’t set the goal of posting more. Instead, ask yourself: ‘What do I want social media to do for my business?’.

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

“Remind yourself why you started your account in the first place: to showcase your work, connect with clients and grow your business. Sometimes the best thing you can do is stay in your lane, put your energy into something positive and keep scrolling.”

#NOWTRENDING

WHAT’S HOT

Trial Reels If you haven’t experimented with Instagram’s Trial Reels yet, they’re definitely worth exploring. Unlike a regular Reel, a Trial Reel is shown to non-followers, giving your content the opportunity to reach a new audience, before you decide whether to share it with your followers.

However, don’t use Trial Reels simply for the sake of posting more; think about what you want the Reel to achieve. If your goal is to get your business in front of new people, what would make them stop scrolling and visit your profile? It could be a satisfying transformation, interesting technique, useful tip or beautiful look that reflects the clients you want to attract.

Once you’ve posted a Trial Reel, look at how it performs via Instagram’s Insights to understand what is connecting with people. If you love the Reel and it performs well, you can share it with your followers. If it doesn’t? That’s OK – it’s just a trial.

WHAT’S NOT

AI without transparency Though I am interested in how we can use AI creatively and to make parts of our workflow easier, we must be careful that it doesn’t start changing the reality of what we’re showing.

If you’re a nail tech and use AI to alter an image until the nails, skin, shape or finished result looks noticeably different from what you created, a potential client could mistake that for your real work.

It comes down to transparency. If AI has played a significant part in creating a realistic image, it’s best to acknowledge that. Instagram has AI labelling tools, so it’s easy to be open about when it has been used.

There’s definitely a place AI, but when we’re using social media to sell our skills, services or products, people should be able to differentiate between what is real and what has been created or enhanced with AI.

Creator spotlight

I want to spotlight Samantha Birkett-Leigh: an experienced nail professional who creates content using CND™ products – from beautiful swatches and unexpected colour combinations to creative nail art.

Samantha’s page is full of colour and inspiring ideas, and I always enjoy seeing what she comes up with. One of my recent favourites was her take on deer print nails. The detail was amazing, with a 3D effect created using acrylic powder. It was a great example of how to take nail art further and create a really interesting Reel. Follow Samantha on Instagram: @sammy_birkett_leigh

With Scratch’s Becca at the launch event for the OPI x M&M’s collection.

Behind-the-scenes

I created swatch content for the OPI x M&M’s Christmas collection, which was amazing – not least because M&M’s are one of my favourite chocolates. I filmed videos for the brand’s Nail Lacquer, Infinite Shine and RapiDry ranges, and the collection is so versatile with some gorgeous shades.

I’ve also worked on content for the Glitterbels Advent Calendar. Its 24 doors are filled with many different products, which made it a fun project to film.

Away from work, I squeezed in a trip home to Estonia. It was so lovely to see friends, eat food I’ve missed and recharge before the Christmas craziness begins!