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Marketing Your Salon Website

So, you’ve finally decided to create a salon website. Good for you…And welcome to the 21st century, by the way. Having a website for your business is a valuable tool that not only informs existing clients, but is also a draw for potential clients. Here are some suggestions for getting the project going and marketing it once the site is up and running. Research Prior to building your website, check out what your competitors are doing for their online presence. Analyze what does and does not work and then, short of copying the look and feel of what they are doing, draw on the experience to make your site the best it can be. After you’ve launched, revisit competitor websites at least once a month to see if they’ve updated. Simplicity Today’s web user wants information quickly but does not want obstacles on the way. Instead of an elaborate site that has many levels and a ton of information, consider a simple structure that’s easy to navigate with visuals that speak to your market. In addition to pretty images of hair and even shots of your salon, be sure and include the following information on your site: Salon contact information including how to book an appointment, a simple “about us” statement, pricing for your services, and access to press pieces, testimonials and reviews. If you want to include information about the talent within the salon, do individual headshots of your crew and assemble a quick bio or statement for each one. Be sure and list experience and areas of specialty for each one. Access to social media is also important on your site. Be sure to include a “follow us” or “like us” button and link for each of the various social media platforms in which you have a presence for your salon. Copy Although there needs to be enough written information to make your site useful, avoid the temptation of long blocks of copy or a writing style that does not suit your market. Since the wording is how search engines call up information, you want any wording on your site to be readable (versus just in a graphic) and well targeted so your salon can be found. In addition to using a voice that your market will appreciate, make sure you are using terms in the copy that reflect how a client might search for your services. Market Your salon website will be useless unless your market knows it exists. To attract visitors, market your site through search engines, on your business cards, in your salon (like at the front desk, on receipts, etc), and on every business listing or form of advertising you do. To reach further, consider setting a budget aside for online advertising and or to consult with a digital marketing professional. Monitor To monitor traffic on your site, be sure and use any number of free web analytics tools such as Google Analytics. Update There’s nothing worse than building an online presence and then, no matter how beautiful it is, not updating it. Your salon’s website is a valuable tool that needs to be kept up to be truly efficient. Set up reminders on your schedule to revisit and update your site on a regular basis. Looking for ways to help market your site? Check out part 2 here!    

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