What Your Salon Website Should Have in 2021

Having a Covid-19 advisory message across all pages of your site prevents you from having to create a particular section dedicated to any pandemic-related changes in your salon. Since you aren’t adding an extra page for these regulations, an advisory message feature prevents potential customers/current clients from spending too much time searching for this information. If your salon has a capacity or new sanitation policies in place, this information follows site visitors to each page with a simple click. If you need help implementing this feature, reach out to us and we’ll install one on your salon’s website for free!

We live in a tech-savvy society, therefore it’s crucial that your business adapts. By offering online booking on your website, there will be fewer mistakes, no missed scheduling opportunities, and you can eliminate your local competition by being more accessible to your clients. Without a booking/scheduling system that is entirely manual, your salon will have more time to focus on other tasks. If you haven’t already, 2021 is the year to offer this new contactless and mobile-friendly feature to your clients.

If you are proud of your salon space, it’s natural to want to brag about it. A unique way to do this is by adding a 3D view of your business. There are other interesting ways to incorporate 3D visuals into your website, but having a virtual tour of your salon space is a strong one. There are four main reasons why having a virtual tour on your website in 2021 is beneficial:

• It shows that you are confident in your business and are proud of your salon space.
• It can attract more clients and employees, as both have a better idea of the environment and culture of your salon.
• It can decrease anxieties for new clients about what to expect before visiting.
• Users will spend more time on your site because they’re engaged with visual content.

A moving header on the homepage of your salon website grabs the attention of your site’s visitors and makes an impactful first impression. Seeing as though the homepage is what first meets the eye when visiting a website, having a moving or video header could keep potential clients around long enough to venture on to other pages. Luckily, as a salon owner, there are endless options for creating this style of header.

Fore example, a moving header can be more of one repeating clip or a collection of short clips shown in a slider feature. One idea for creating a moving/video header is using a similar clip to a virtual tour video, which should appear in a space of its own. A quick-moving shot of the entrance of your salon would be an interesting way to welcome visitors to your site (and your salon, in a way), while also making them feel as though they already know something about your brand. Other simple ideas are close-up shots of coloring, styling, etc. For more on how to shoot a video/moving header for your salon website, check out our other blog.

Page speed, including mobile page speed, has always been a primary ranking factor for Google. However, page speed is now becoming even more important. All of the latest video features that are being added to your salon website (video headers, virtual tours, etc.) could slow down your page speed, so it’s essential to stay up to date on your optimization.

In November 2020 Google announced another algorithm update that is going to focus on Core Web Vitals (CWV’s). The update, set to launch in May 2021, is centered around page experience metrics, which deal with mobile-friendliness, HTTPS, safe-browsing, and more. The algorithm update also makes changes to LCP (loading), FID (interactivity), and CLS (visual stability).

In short, this update will affect your perceived loading speed and how much time it takes for the browser to process your page, among other things. This is relevant because there is still time to make changes to your site before May comes around. The content on your salon website is still just as important, but taking steps to improve your site’s page speed and optimizing for mobile before the update drops will no doubt improve your ranking. The page speed of your salon website should be a top priority in 2021.

In a time when businesses are running differently than usual due to a global pandemic, having a page on your salon website that is specifically dedicated to introducing your staff is extra important. While having a “Meet the Team” page may not mean as much for other industries, the beauty industry is one where clients are up close and personal with your stylists.

Being up close and personal with someone else is much more of a concern now than in years prior. With this in mind, potential clients like to know ahead of time whose hands will be in their hair before booking a session. Simply being able to match a name to a face when scheduling an appointment at your salon will put clients at ease and create a sense of familiarity.

Having a page on your website that introduces your salon staff can not only comfort your potential clients and create a sense of familiarity, but shows that you are a supportive company with a team-oriented atmosphere where everyone is recognized. This page is a great place to introduce your staff/stylists, list their titles and responsibilities, and highlight their accomplishments. While this helps clients feel confident in your salons’ services, it also helps with attracting potential employees that feel as though they would also be recognized and supported if they were to join your team.