Quick answer: A good salon website makes it easy to see what you offer, what it costs, what your work looks like and how to book. Put a clear “Book now” button on every page, connect it to an online booking system, list services with prices and durations, show a gallery of your own work, introduce your stylists or therapists, and include reviews, opening hours, location and parking details. Make sure it works well on phones, because most people will find and book you on mobile.
Hair salons, beauty salons, barbers, nail bars and spas share the same challenge. Clients choose based on trust and appearance, they often book at short notice, and many search on their phone while out and about. A website that looks good but makes booking awkward will lose appointments to the salon down the road.
Start with booking
Booking is the main reason most people visit your site. Design around it.
Online booking systems
Salon booking software lets clients see available times and book themselves, any time of day. Popular options include Vagaro, Booker, Phorest, Shortcuts and Timely, among others. Many include client records, reminders, stock control and payments.
When choosing, check:
- Mobile experience. Try booking on your own phone.
- Integration with your website. Can it be embedded, or does it open a separate page?
- Staff and service rules. Can it handle different stylists, durations and processing times, such as colour that needs time to develop?
- Reminders. Text and email reminders reduce no shows.
- Deposits. Some systems can take a deposit at booking, useful for long or expensive appointments.
- Costs. Monthly fees and any per booking charges.
Embedding versus linking
There are two main ways to connect a booking system:
- Embedded widget: booking happens on your site, which feels more joined up.
- Link to a booking page: simpler, and often better on mobile if the widget is cramped.
Whichever you choose, make the booking button visible at the top of every page, and repeat it after service descriptions.
Do not lose phone bookings
Some clients still prefer to call. Show your phone number clearly and make it tap to call on mobile.
Services and prices
Visitors want to know what you do and roughly what it costs before they book.
- Group services into clear sections, such as cuts, colour, treatments and extras.
- Show prices, or “from” prices where they vary by hair length or stylist level.
- Show durations, so clients can plan.
- Describe less familiar treatments in plain language. Not everyone knows what a balayage or a gel polish service involves.
- Explain consultation and patch test requirements for colour and some treatments.
Hidden prices put people off. Even a “from” price helps visitors decide.
The gallery
Photos of your work are your strongest selling point.
Use your own work
Stock photos of models do not show what you can do. Photograph real results, with clients’ permission, in good light against a simple background.
Organise it
Group images by service type or style so visitors can find what they are interested in. A large unsorted gallery is hard to browse on a phone.
Keep it fresh
Add new images regularly. Many salons already post to Instagram, and you can embed your Instagram feed on the site so recent work appears automatically. Make sure it does not slow the page down.
Optimise the images
Large photos slow sites, particularly on mobile data. Resize and compress them before uploading, and use a lightbox so full size images only load when someone taps. Our guide to WordPress image sizes explains how to get this right on WordPress sites.
Meet the team
Clients often choose a salon because of a particular stylist. Staff profiles help new clients feel comfortable.
- A friendly photo.
- Their specialities and experience.
- Their level, if your prices vary by stylist.
- A link to book with them directly, if your booking system allows it.
Trust and reviews
- Reviews: show a selection of genuine client reviews, and link to your Google and Facebook reviews.
- Qualifications and products: mention training, accreditations and the professional product brands you use.
- Hygiene and safety: for treatments such as waxing, nails or skin care, explain your standards.
Practical details
Clients need the basics, and they need them fast:
- Address with a map.
- Parking and public transport information.
- Opening hours, including late nights and holidays.
- Cancellation and late arrival policy.
- Gift vouchers, if you sell them.
Put contact details and opening hours in the footer of every page, as well as on a contact page.
Design and feel
Your website should feel like your salon. A high end spa, a busy city barber and a friendly local salon will each look different. Some general points:
- Clean layouts that let photos stand out.
- Readable text, especially on phones.
- Consistent colours and fonts that match your salon branding.
- Few distractions from the booking button.
Avoid auto playing music or video, slow intro animations and full screen pop ups. They get in the way of booking.
Designing for phones
Most salon visitors are on phones. Check that:
- The booking button is visible without scrolling.
- Tap to call works.
- The menu is simple.
- The services list is easy to scan.
- The gallery works with swiping.
- The site passes Google’s mobile friendly test, which matters since the mobile friendly update.
Local search
Clients search for “hair salon near me” or “barber in [town]”. To appear:
- Claim and complete your Google My Business listing with categories, photos, hours and your website link.
- Keep your name, address and phone number consistent across your site and directories.
- Ask happy clients for reviews.
- Create service pages for your main treatments, mentioning your location naturally.
- List your salon in relevant local and beauty directories.
Our local SEO checklist covers these steps in more detail.
Extra features worth considering
- Gift vouchers sold online, which are popular around holidays.
- Product sales, if you retail hair or skin care products.
- Newsletter sign up for offers and quiet day promotions.
- Loyalty or referral schemes, explained clearly on the site.
- Blog or advice section with aftercare tips, which can also help with search.
FAQ
Can I use my booking system’s free website instead of my own?
Some booking systems provide a basic profile page. It can work as a start, but your own site gives you more control over design, content and search visibility.
Should I show prices if they vary by stylist?
Yes. Show a price range or a price for each stylist level. It sets expectations and reduces surprises.
How many photos should the gallery have?
Enough to show the range of your work, organised by type. Quality and variety matter more than quantity.
Want a salon website that fills the diary?
We design salon and beauty websites around online booking, real galleries and local search. See how we help businesses turn visitors into customers.
