The Hopla! team
A hair salon lives by its appointment book, and hairdressing has a rare advantage: the result shows. A client walks in with long hair, walks out with a bob, and one image says it all. TikTok is made for that. According to DataReportal's Digital 2026 Belgium report, 4 in 10 Belgian adults are on TikTok, and in Flanders, those who use it spend an average of 59 minutes a day on it (imec.digimeter 2025). And it can all be filmed between appointments, with your phone propped on the shelf at your station.
First, your client's consent
A client on film is a person's image, and in Belgium you can't share it without her consent (Code of Economic Law, Article XI.174). The Data Protection Authority makes the point: agreeing to be filmed and agreeing to the video being posted are two separate consents. Ask for both, and show her the video before putting it online.
The FPS Economy specifies that verbal consent is valid, but that it is read narrowly: a yes for TikTok is not a yes for a poster in the window. Something in writing, even just a message from the client, protects you better. For a child, you need the parents' consent. And if a client would rather stay discreet, film her from behind: a haircut looks great from behind.
The result: what draws people in
1. The before and after
What to film: the client from behind or in profile when she arrives, then the result, in the same spot, in the same light, with the same framing. In between, a finger snap or a hand passing in front of the lens.
On screen: “She wanted a whole new look”
Why it works: the difference speaks for itself, without a word. Keep exactly the same framing: otherwise, people assume it's a filter.
2. The sped-up transformation
What to film: the whole service in one continuous take, phone fixed on a small tripod or propped against a mirror, then sped up in the app. A balayage, a colour, a skin fade with the clippers.
On screen: “The whole balayage, sped up”
Why it works: people see the work, not just the result. The viewer stays until the end, and understands along the way why a colour takes time (and why it costs what it does).
The know-how: what reassures
3. The 15-second aftercare tip
What to film: you, talking to camera or with a voiceover added afterwards, showing a single move. Blow-drying a fringe so it doesn't puff up, protecting a colour in the shower, keeping curls in shape overnight.
On screen: “The mistake everyone makes with their fringe”
Why it works: a useful tip gets saved and shared. It shows your expertise without selling anything, and the client who uses it thinks of you every morning in front of her mirror.
4. The cut of the moment
What to film: the cut your clients are asking for right now. First the photo they show you on their phone (screen blurred), then your version, on a real client.
On screen: “The cut everyone's asking us for right now”
Why it works: people are already searching for that cut. By showing your version, you become the salon in your town that knows how to do it. Put its name in the caption, with your town as a hashtag.
Inside the salon: what builds loyalty
5. Behind the scenes
What to film: the salon before opening. The folded towels, the colour bowls laid out, the coffee brewing, the scissors lined up. Four very short shots, timed to a sound picked in the app.
On screen: “The salon, just before your appointment”
Why it works: you're showing what clients never see. Care over the details behind the scenes reassures them about the care that goes into the cut.
6. The question you get asked all the time
What to film: your answer, in action. For “Can I go from brunette to blonde in one go?”: the highlights, the bleaching, the result, and what is or isn't possible.
On screen: the question, word for word: “Brunette to blonde in a single appointment, is it possible?”
Why it works: if your clients ask you at the basin, others are wondering the same thing at home. An honest answer, even “no, it takes two sessions”, builds trust.
7. The team
What to film: each hairdresser doing their favourite move, one person per video, with their first name and speciality. Ask for their consent too: image rights apply to your team as well.
On screen: “Cool blondes? That's Léa”
Why it works: people come back for a person, not a shop sign. TikTok actually recommends this to its advertisers in its help centre: show people, staff or customers.
Google reviews, the other pillar
Video gets your salon discovered. Before a first appointment, people check your rating. According to BrightLocal's annual survey (February 2026, 1,002 consumers in the United States), 97% of respondents read reviews before choosing a local business, and 47% avoid a business with fewer than 20 reviews. Google says so too in its help pages: the number of reviews and good ratings push a profile up the local results.
- Ask every client, at the end of the appointment, as they pay, or by message the same day. Everyone, not just those who look delighted: Google's rules forbid picking and choosing.
- A QR code next to the card reader, linking to your review form (Google provides it from your profile). Again according to BrightLocal, 83% of those who were asked for a review left one.
- Reply to each one within the week, with their first name and a detail: the colour, the fringe, the advice you gave. Canned replies put off half of readers, according to the same survey.
- Nothing in return, no discount on the next cut. And don't ask clients to mention the hairdresser's name in their review: Google forbids that too.
Template to say at the till
“Are you happy with it? If you have a moment, a Google review helps us a lot, whether it's good or not so good. The QR code is just here, or I can send you the link by message.”
A negative review will turn up sooner or later: here's how to reply without losing your cool.
Your booking link in the right place
A video people love is no use if the client can't work out how to book. Getting there should take a single step, wherever she comes across you.
- On your TikTok profile: the first line of the bio says how to book, and the link to your online booking page goes in the field provided, if your account offers it. If not, your phone number.
- In every caption: the last line repeats “Booking: link in bio”.
- On your Google profile: add your appointment link. That's where the client who has just read your reviews lands.
- In your replies to comments: “How much for that balayage?” deserves a real answer, with the price and the way to book.
Example
A salon in Liège posts the before and after of a bob on Tuesday, with the caption “Layered bob cut by Inès, rue Saint-Gilles. Booking: link in bio. #liege #hairdresser #bob”. That evening, someone asks in the comments whether there's still room on Saturday: the salon replies with the free 2pm slot and points them to the link.
To do this week
- Ask two clients for their written consent and film their before and after.
- Film an aftercare tip on the question you get asked most.
- Put a review QR code next to the card reader and ask every client for a review for seven days.
- Check that your booking link appears on TikTok and on your Google profile.
For a shot-by-shot outline of a fifteen-second video, and the key moments of a salon's year (the festive season, communions, back to school), read the 2027 survival guide for local shops, free (in French).
