Why Your Salon Website Looks Great but Fails on Google
• Written by Colin Shove
A salon website can look stunning polished photos, the perfect colour scheme, elegant fonts, but none of that matters if no one can find it on Google. A beautiful site without visibility is like printing a glossy brochure and leaving it in a drawer. It looks great, but it does nothing to bring in new clients.
Why Visibility Matters
Think about how clients used to behave. Years ago, someone might have walked down the high street, noticed your salon, and popped in to ask a question or pick up a price list. Today that behaviour has changed. When someone sees or hears about your salon, the first thing they do is search for you online.
If your site is visible and appears on the first page of Google, you get the chance to win them. If it isn’t, they move on to another salon without you even knowing.
The Common Trap
Many salon owners pour energy into picking the right images, colour palette, and layout but forget that Google doesn’t “see” beauty the same way clients do. Google looks at structure, content, and formatting. If those elements are missing, the site may never rank, no matter how good it looks.
This is where so many salon websites fail. They look the part but are invisible to the very clients who are searching for services right now.
Branded vs Non-Branded Searches
It’s important to understand the difference between branded and non-branded searches.
- Branded searches: when someone types your salon name, like “Gloss Hair Studio.” These people already know you exist.
- Non-branded searches: when someone types “balayage near me” or “facials in [town].” These are the searches that bring in new clients.
If your website only appears for branded searches, you’re relying on people who already know you. To grow, you need to appear for the treatments and services people are actively looking for.
The Power of Detailed Service Pages
One of the best ways to improve visibility is to create dedicated service pages. Imagine someone searching “balayage specialist [town].”
If your website has a full page about balayage, with photos, FAQs, pricing guidance, and clear booking options, that client lands exactly where they want. They don’t have to dig through your homepage to find it.
The same goes for facials, laser treatments, brow lamination, or any specialist service. Each service page is like a door into your salon. The more doors you have, the more people can walk in.
Visibility Is the First Step
Visibility is not about vanity. It isn’t about “looking good on Google.” It’s about being present at the exact moment a potential client is ready to book. When you appear in that moment, you give yourself the best chance to win the booking.
