Many hair salons today either lack effective advertising or have poorly targeted digital marketing for salons. Without a well-developed beauty salon digital marketing strategy to attract new customers and retain existing ones, you might be missing valuable opportunities to grow your clientele. 

Running your own hair salon is a highly fulfilling business as there will always be a demand for beauty salon services. You’re in control of your business, making all the key decisions, and there’s a great scope for getting more profit and selling beauty products through your salon. However, visibility to customers is important and it comes from a strong, conversion-focused digital marketing strategy for beauty salons to reach your target audience.

In this blog article, you’ll learn what beauty salon digital marketing is and the best strategies for digital marketing for salons.

What is beauty salon digital marketing?

Digital marketing is an effective tool for salons to attract new customers, retain existing customers, and boost the online presence of their business. 

Salon digital marketing involves using digital platforms and channels to promote your salon’s services, get visible on search engines,  and build a strong brand image.

When we are talking about salon digital marketing, we are essentially talking about the following strategies. 

1. Social media marketing for salons

Salons choose social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest that align with their target audience. They share visually attractive content about their work, behind-the-scenes cuts, before-and-after transformations, and client testimonials. 

With social media marketing strategies, engaging with followers, and responding to comments, salons build a strong community around their brand. Some salons also run social media ads to reach a wider audience and promote specific services or offers.

2. Website development and SEO for salons

Salons create professional, user-friendly websites that promote their services, pricing, portfolio, and contact information. They partner with website design services to optimize their websites for search engines to rank higher for relevant keywords.

Also, salons focus on local SEO to attract nearby customers. 

ProTip: Watch this video to learn more about local SEO for your business. 

3. Content marketing for salons

Content marketing is also a key strategy to attract customers. Salons share informative blog posts and video content about hair care, beauty tips, and industry trends.

They produce video content, such as tutorials and salon tours, to increase their online presence.

4. Email marketing for salons

For email marketing of their business, salons build an email list to send targeted promotions and newsletters. They use personalized mail campaigns to offer special deals, reminders, and loyalty programs, which help retain customers.

6. Paid advertising for salon business

Paid advertising helps salons gain quick visibility and reach out the customers in their vicinity faster. Paid advertising also helps in building a brand image as customers get to see the ads for the same business 2 to 3 times. 

Salons use Google Ads to target customers searching for salon services in their area. They also run social media ads to reach a broader audience and promote specific offers or services.

Now, having discussed what’s all included in digital marketing for salons, let’s move to the best digital marketing strategies for salons to get more business. 

12 specific and actionable strategies for digital marketing of salons

If you look out for ideas related to how to implement digital marketing for salons, there is tons of content, but they lack one important thing. 

That is the ‘implementation’ part, and that’s why we’re going to tell you simple, actionable strategies only to promote your salon business.

1. Create a content calendar for social media

Use tools like Trello or Google Sheets to plan and schedule your social media posts a month in advance. Identify key dates, holidays, and events relevant to your industry. 

Schedule posts using tools like Buffer or Hootsuite to ensure consistent posting. However, to avoid buying subscriptions, you can go for Asana and ClickUp to create a free content calendar for social media posts. 

What kind of posts to publish?

For salon social media marketing, you can create a mix of engaging, informative, and visually attractive posts. Here are some types of posts to publish:

• Before-and-After transformations

You can show the quality of your salon services by posting before-and-after photos of your clients’ hair transformations. Transformation contents are entertaining to watch and they can highlight your skills and the quality of your work.

• Behind-the-scenes glimpses

People like to see how things are done. Share photos or videos that give followers a look behind the curtain of your salon. This includes staff preparing for the day, mixing hair colors, or preparing for a special event.

• Client testimonials and reviews

Post quotes or short video testimonials from happy clients. Positive feedback from real customers helps build trust and attract new clients.

• Styling tips and tutorials

Create short videos or step-by-step photo/video guides that show how to achieve certain hairstyles or hair care routines. These posts position your salon as an expert in hair care.

• Product spotlights

You can feature the hair care products you use and sell in your salon. Tell your customers about their benefits, how to use them, cautions to take, and how they contribute to achieving certain looks.

• Seasonal promotions and special offers

Announce special deals, event discounts, or seasonal promotions. Create eye-catching graphics and clear calls to action to get more bookings.

• Staff introductions

Introduce your team members with short bios and videos of their work. Highlight their specialties and what they love about working at the salon to give a personal touch to your brand.

• Salon events and announcements

Share news about upcoming events, such as product launches, workshops, or community events. Do live streams, and post photos and updates during and after the events.

• User-generated content

Request clients to share their photos and tag your salon. Repost these images (with permission) to show real-life examples of your work and engage with your community.

• Hair care facts

Post motivational quotes related to beauty and self-care, or share interesting hair care facts and tips. These can be carousel or video content, and encourage shares.

• Client spotlights

Give a shout-out to your loyal clients by sharing their stories and their favorite services. This builds a sense of community and loyalty.

• Holiday and festive posts

Create themed content for holidays and special occasions. Offer styling ideas for specific events or promote gift cards during the holiday season.

Consistently share a variety of these types of posts on your social media platforms and link them to your blogs. You can keep your salon’s social media profiles engaging and relevant, attracting new clients and retaining the current ones.

2. Optimize your Google My Business listing

To optimize your Google My Business listing, first claim or create your listing. Visit the Google My Business website, sign in with your Google account, and search for your business. If it already exists, claim it.  If not, create a new listing by entering your business name and address. Follow the verification process.

Log in to your Google My Business account and check that your business name, address, phone number, and website URL are accurate. Make sure your business hours are up-to-date and tweak them for holidays or special occasions.

In the next step, add high-quality photos. Upload high-resolution images of your salon, including both interior and exterior shots, pictures of your staff, and examples of your work such as haircuts, styles, and treatments. 

Regularly update these photos to keep your listing fresh and appealing. Use well-lit, professionally taken images to create a positive impression of your salon.

Remember to respond to reviews. Regularly monitor your Google My Business listing for new reviews and respond to them quickly and professionally, no matter whether they are positive or negative. For negative reviews, address the issue, apologize if necessary, and give a solution or invite the person to contact you directly to resolve the problem. 

Finally, regularly post updates or offers using the “Posts” feature in Google My Business. Share updates about your business, promotions, events, and news.

3. Run targeted Facebook ads

Use Facebook Ads Manager to create a campaign. Define your target audience based on user demographics, interests, and behaviors. 

Design attractive visuals and write an effective ad copy. Set a budget and schedule for your ads, and monitor their performance regularly. A/B test to figure out what works better.

4. Implement SEO best practices

Conduct keyword research using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs. Optimize your website’s content, meta descriptions, and title tags with these keywords. 

Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, has fast loading speeds, and has high-quality backlinks.

5. Start a blog with regular updates

Choose topics that are relevant to your audience. Write informative, scannable posts and optimize them for SEO. 

Post regularly (e.g., try posting once a week). Promote your blog posts on social media and via email newsletters.

6. Create an email newsletter schedule

Use platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to design and send newsletters. Segment your email list to send targeted messages. Create valuable content such as tips, updates, and exclusive offers. Track mail open rates and click-through rates to refine your email marketing approach.

7. Video marketing on YouTube and Social media platforms

Create a YouTube channel and regularly upload relevant videos like tutorials, product demos, and customer testimonials. Share these videos on social media platforms. Use free tools like Canva to create engaging thumbnails and include relevant keywords in video titles and descriptions.

8. Conduct webinars or live Q&A sessions

Use platforms like Zoom or Facebook Live to host webinars. Promote the event through email, social media, and your website. Record the session and share it with those who couldn’t attend live.

9. Offer a Free online course or e-book

Create valuable content that solves a specific problem your audience faces. For example, you can create an ebook on ‘how to deal with common hair problems’. 

Use platforms like Teachable or Gumroad to host your course or e-book. You can promote it through your website, email marketing, and social media to attract leads.

10. Use retargeting ads to re-engage visitors

Retargeting ads show ads to people who’ve visited your website, increasing conversions and ROI.

Set up retargeting campaigns using Google Ads or Facebook Ads. Create custom audiences based on visitors to your site who didn’t convert. Create ads that remind your potential customers of your product or offer a special incentive to return and complete their purchase.

11. Influencer marketing to expand reach

Find out influencers in your niche using tools like BuzzSumo. Reach out with a personalized pitch that explains how a partnership would benefit both parties. 

Offer free products, commissions, or other incentives to the influencers. Track the performance of influencer campaigns using unique discount codes or trackable links.

12. Implement a customer referral program

Create a referral program using platforms like ReferralCandy. Give incentives to your existing customers,  such as discounts or free products, for referring new customers. Promote the program via email, social media, and your website. You can monitor and optimize the referral program based on participation rates and new customer acquisition.

Conclusion

As a salon owner, your expertise lies in hair care and customer service. We understand that digital advertising and increasing online brand awareness may not be your area of expertise. 

Therefore, partnering with an experienced digital marketing firm can help you get more customers, more ROI, and a stronger brand value. At McElligott Digital Marketing, we support local businesses with complete digital solutions ranging from Google Ads management, and SEO services to web design and content marketing. 

If you want to know more about how to create a digital marketing strategy for your salon business, we can help. 

Book a FREE consultation with our experts at (833) 772-4897.

FAQs

1. What role does SEO play in digital marketing for salons?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps beauty salons’ digital marketing by increasing online visibility and improving their ranking in search engine results. This drives more organic traffic to the salon’s website, attracting customers who are searching for salon services locally.

2. Why do you need salon digital marketing?

Digital marketing for salons is important to reach a broader audience, connect with potential and existing customers, and stand out in a competitive market. It helps in promoting salon services, building brand loyalty, and ensuring more appointments through targeted online strategies.

3. Looking for a beauty salon digital marketing company? Partnering with a specialized beauty salon digital marketing company provides you with tailored strategies, expert knowledge, and the latest digital marketing tools to effectively promote your salon online. This partnership can increase your online presence, attract more clients, and increase your ROI.