When was the last time you booked a haircut by visiting a salon’s website and thinking, “Wow, this site makes me want to go there”? Probably never. Most salon websites are either outdated, confusing, or missing the one thing that matters: a way to book.
If you run a salon or barbershop in San Antonio, July is a great time for a website checkup. Here’s what to look for.
Can People Book Online in Two Clicks?
This is the most important question. If a visitor lands on your homepage, can they book an appointment within two clicks? If your booking link is buried under a “Services” tab inside a dropdown menu, you’re losing appointments.
Put a “Book Now” button in your header. Make it a contrasting color. Make it sticky so it follows people as they scroll. Whether you use Vagaro, Booksy, Square, or another platform, the link to book should be impossible to miss.
Are Your Photos From This Year?
Your website gallery should showcase your best recent work. If the newest photos are from 2022 or feature styles that aren’t current, it’s time for an update. Potential clients want to see what you can do today.
For salons in the Broadway corridor, near the Quarry, or in Southtown, photos of your actual space also matter. People want to see where they’ll be sitting.
Spend 30 minutes this week selecting your 10-15 best transformations from the first half of 2024 and updating your gallery.
Does Your Site Work on a Phone?
Pull out your phone and visit your website right now. Navigate to every page. Try to book an appointment. Try to call the number listed. Is everything easy and intuitive?
If text is too small, buttons are too close together, or pages scroll sideways, you have a mobile problem…and more than half your visitors are on mobile.
Is Your Pricing Transparent?
This is debated in the salon industry. Some owners fear listing prices will scare people away. But in practice, most potential clients want at least a pricing range before they book. If they can’t find any pricing information on your site, many will move on to a salon that does show prices.
You don’t need exact pricing for every service. A starting price…“Color starting at $120”…sets expectations without boxing you in.
Add Fresh Testimonials
Check your Google reviews for the best recent ones. Pull quotes and add them to your homepage and services pages. “Best balayage I’ve ever gotten…I drive from Boerne for this salon” is more convincing than any copy you could write about yourself.
Do the Checkup
Your website is working for you 24 hours a day. Make sure it’s doing a good job. A mid-year review catches problems before they cost you clients all fall and winter. Our 2023 summer website diagnostic for salons covers more conversion tests, and making sure your Google Business Profile is current keeps both channels working together. For fall bookings, leverage back-to-school content marketing.
Need website help? Visit gift.growmysmallbusiness.com and let’s make your salon’s online presence match your in-chair experience.