338 Instagram Marketing for Salons: What’s Changed in 2026 with Hayley Mears

About this episode

This episode discusses the evolving strategies for Instagram marketing in salons for 2026 with expert Hayley Mears.

Instagram marketing for salons is constantly evolving, and if you're relying on strategies from even a year ago, there are changes you need to know about. In this episode, I’m joined once again by Instagram specialist Hayley Mears to unpack what’s working on Instagram right now and what salon owners need to be doing differently in 2026. We dive into the simple three-step structure that every successful Instagram carousel needs, why hooks are more important than ever, and how to create content that people actually save and share. Because, as you’ll hear, the algorithm has shifted and likes are no longer the metric that matters the most. We also talk about AI, why hashtags are becoming increasingly irrelevant, and how salon owners can use Instagram to amplify the one thing technology can’t replace, the human experience. This episode is packed with practical ideas you can start using straight away. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN: ✅ The 3-step structure every successful Instagram carousel needs ✅ Why hooks are critical to getting people to swipe ✅ Why the algorithm now values saves and shares over likes ✅ Whether hashtags are becoming irrelevant ✅ How to use AI without losing your…

People in this episode

Host: Antony Whitaker

Guest: Hayley Mears

Topics covered

• Instagram marketing
• salon business
• social media strategy
• algorithm changes
• content creation
• AI in marketing

Keywords

• Instagram marketing
• salon owners
• algorithm
• content strategy
• AI
• hooks
• carousel structure
• hashtags

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Instagram

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