We cannot avoid it. A strong online presence is essential for any successful salon business in today’s world. And that success has to start with a strong website. Lucky for you, this post is all about the top five things your salon website needs to have. Let’s get started!

1. A clean, modern, mobile-friendly design.

I cringe every time I visit a salon website that looks like it’s straight out of the 90’s. If it’s been a minute since you gave your salon’s website a facelift, then it’s time for a makeover. Remember, your website is basically an online storefront. People will judge your business, and talent, by what they see on the internet. It’s important that you put your best foot forward with an updated, clean design. It’s also crucial that your website is mobile-friendly. Over 50 percent of online searches happen on a mobile phone! And when new potential salon clients are looking to book, you don’t want to take your salon out of the running because your site is frustrating to navigate on a smartphone.

2. A simple, helpful navigation.

Along with a pretty, mobile-friendly design, you want your salon website to have a simple and helpful navigation. Your navigation (a.k.a. the page links at the top of your website) should include the following pages:

• Services: It should be easy for people to find out what you offer. If you give each service its own page, you can help improve your salon’s SEO rankings around those keywords. In other words, you can be more competitive for services such as balayage or waxing.
• Stylists (a.k.a. Meet the Team): This is the most visited page on my salon’s website! People want to know about the talent your salon has to offer. A team page is a great way to show off talent and personality. It’s also a great place to promote Meet Your Stylist, but more on that later.
• About: An about page is a great way to give some history about your business. It’s also a good way to share your brand personality and talk about what makes you different!
• Contact/Location(s): This is a no-brainer. You want to make it easy for people to contact you and find your salon.
• Policies: If your salon has certain policies, like a 24 hour cancelation policy, you want to make sure this information is clearly communicated to avoid unhappy guests.

3. Links to your social accounts.

Social media and the beauty industry were meant for each other. We are lucky because our products work so well for social media. With that said, your salon should have a strong social presence. It’s a great way to connect with your guests, build your brand, and show off your awesome work! Make sure that you have social links on your website. At the very least, you should have Facebook and Instagram accounts for your salon. You can even go a step further and use a widget that shows your most recent posts on your homepage. This is a great way to have fresh, fun content that shows off your salon’s great work.

4. An easy way to book an appointment.

This is another no-brainer. Don’t make it difficult for your clients to book an appointment. I suggest having a strong call-to-actionon the homepage where they can click to book online. I would also suggest having your salon’s phone number easily visible for clients who prefer to call and book.

5. Meet Your Stylist.

Obviously, we saved the best advice for last. But on a serious note, Meet Your Stylist is an incredible online tool for salon owners. This exclusive survey helps match your salon clients with the right stylist at your salon. It’s a great tool to help new clients engage with your salon, plus it collects their email and other information that you can use later for marketing campaigns. It helps the client have a great experience, and it helps your stylists work with their ideal client. Win-win! Your Meet Your Stylist link should be clearly visible on your homepage. I also suggest linking to the survey on your stylists page.

Your salon’s website needs to be a priority. A great site can help set you apart from the competition by giving your clients an easy and helpful online experience.

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