A step-by-step framework you can implement this week

This checklist is for salon owners and managers who want to handle SEO in-house or understand what needs to be done before hiring help. It covers [barbershop SEO checklist](/resources/barbershops/barbershop-seo-checklist) for hair salons, nail salons, beauty salons, and aesthetic practices—the steps apply across all salon types.

If your salon website ranks nowhere for local search, if you're losing bookings to competitors who appear in Google Maps, or if you're unsure whether your current SEO efforts are actually working, this checklist will show you the gaps.

Expected time commitment: 4–8 hours to complete all 27 steps, depending on your starting point. Some steps (like GBP optimization) take 30 minutes; others (like building citations or collecting reviews) are ongoing.

These steps establish your salon's footprint on Google. They're non-negotiable and should be completed first.

• Step 1: Claim your Google Business Profile. If you haven't already, go to google.com/business and claim your salon. Verify ownership via postcard if needed. This is where 40–50% of local search visibility lives.
• Step 2: Complete every field on your GBP. Business name, address, phone, website, hours, categories (select 'Hair Salon' or 'Beauty Salon' as primary), and service options. Missing fields reduce visibility.
• Step 3: Add high-quality photos to your GBP. At least 10 salon interior, exterior, team, and before/after photos. Photos increase engagement and click-through rates from Google Maps.
• Step 4: Write a compelling business description. 750 characters max. Include your location, key services, and a reason to book (e.g., 'Award-winning hair salon in downtown [City]. Specializing in color, cuts, and treatments.').
• Step 5: Set up a Google reviews link. Get the unique URL from your GBP and place it on your website homepage and in email follow-ups. Make reviews easy to leave.
• Step 6: Create or claim business listings on Yelp, Booksy, and Vagaro. These are your primary salon directories. Complete all fields consistently (same business name, address, phone as your GBP).
• Step 7: Verify your address across all listings. Google trusts consistency. Mismatches (e.g., 'Main St' vs. 'Main Street') can hurt rankings.
• Step 8: Add salon hours and booking buttons. If you use an online booking tool (Acuity, Vagaro, Booksy), connect it to your GBP and directories. Clients should be able to book without leaving Google.

Local keywords—'hair salon near [city]', 'gel nails in [neighborhood]', 'hair coloring salon [zip code]'—are where salon clients search. These steps focus your website on the terms your clients actually use.

• Step 9: Research local keywords for your salon. Use Google Maps (search 'hair salon near me' and note what appears), Google Suggest (type your service and see autocompletes), and tools like Ubersuggest or SEMrush. Target 8–12 primary keywords per service (e.g., 'hair salon [city]', 'balayage near me', 'nail salon [neighborhood]').
• Step 10: Create a home page that targets your primary local keyword. Example: 'Hair Salon in [City] | Award-Winning Color & Cuts at [Salon Name]'. Include the keyword in the H1, meta description, and first paragraph. Don't force it; write naturally.
• Step 11: Create service-specific landing pages. One page for 'Hair Coloring' (targeting 'balayage near [city]'), one for 'Nail Services' (targeting 'gel nails [city]'), etc. Each page should explain your service, show before/afters, and include local keywords.
• Step 12: Optimize URLs for target keywords. Use /hair-coloring/ instead of /services-page-1/. Descriptive URLs help Google and users understand page content.
• Step 13: Write title tags and meta descriptions. Every page should have a unique title (50–60 chars) and meta description (120–155 chars) that includes your target keyword and a reason to click.
• Step 14: Add schema markup to your website. Use LocalBusiness schema (name, address, phone, hours, reviews) and Service schema (service name, description, price range). Schema helps Google understand your salon's structure.
• Step 15: Create an FAQ page for common salon questions. 'How much do haircuts cost?', 'How long are hair coloring appointments?', 'Do you offer online booking?', 'Can I request a specific stylist?'. FAQ pages rank for long-tail keywords and improve user experience.

Google Reviews are both a ranking factor and a conversion factor. Clients check reviews before booking. These steps show how to systematically build your review base.

• Step 16: Set up a review collection process. After every appointment, send a follow-up email with a link to your Google reviews (get this from your GBP). Offer a small incentive ('Leave a review and get 10% off your next appointment'). Automate this via email or SMS if possible.
• Step 17: Collect at least 20 reviews in the first 30 days. In our experience, salons that actively collect reviews see faster local ranking improvements. Start with existing clients via email or text.
• Step 18: Respond to every review within 48 hours. Thank clients for positive reviews. For negative reviews, respond professionally, apologize if warranted, and offer to make it right offline ('We'd love to fix this—please call us at [number]'). Google values active review management.
• Step 19: Manage reviews across directories. Collect reviews on Yelp and Booksy in addition to Google. These sites influence local ranking and provide direct booking traffic.
• Step 20: Monitor your online reputation monthly. Use Google Alerts for your salon name or set a calendar reminder to check reviews. Fast response times build trust and signal active management to Google.

Technical SEO is unglamorous but critical. These steps ensure Google can crawl your website and that clients on phones can book appointments.

• Step 21: Make your website mobile-responsive. Test it on your phone. Can you read text without zooming? Can you tap buttons easily? Can you click your booking link? If not, fix it. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in rankings.
• Step 22: Improve your website speed. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check load time. Compress images, minimize CSS/JavaScript, and use a content delivery network (CDN) if needed. Slow websites rank worse and have lower booking conversion rates.
• Step 23: Set up Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. These tools show you how Google sees your site, alert you to errors, and help you submit your sitemap. Add your primary domain and www subdomain to both.
• Step 24: Submit your sitemap to Google. Generate an XML sitemap (most website builders do this automatically) and submit it to Search Console. This helps Google discover all your pages.
• Step 25: Fix any crawl errors in Search Console. If Google reports 404s or blocked resources, fix them. These errors prevent Google from fully indexing your site.

The final two steps create long-term ranking momentum. They're less urgent than foundation steps but increasingly important as your salon matures in search.

• Step 26: Build local citations beyond directories. Get your salon listed in local city guides, chamber of commerce websites, and industry directories. Each citation signals local relevance to Google. Consistency across all listings matters.
• Step 27: Create monthly content that answers client questions. A blog post titled 'How to Maintain Your Balayage at Home' or 'Best Nail Care Tips' targets long-tail keywords (e.g., 'how to maintain balayage') and keeps your website fresh. Aim for one post per month. Focus on questions you actually hear from clients.

After completing all 27 steps, focus on the ongoing items: collecting reviews, responding to feedback, updating photos, and publishing monthly blog content. These are the habits that maintain and improve rankings over time.

QUICK WINS (Start here — 1–2 hours total):

• Steps 1–5: Claim GBP, complete all fields, add photos
• Step 16: Set up a review collection process

HIGH IMPACT, MEDIUM EFFORT (Next — 3–4 hours):

• Steps 6–8: Build citations on Yelp, Booksy, Vagaro
• Steps 9–13: Research keywords and optimize your home and service pages

FOUNDATIONAL (Week 2 onward — 2–3 hours):

• Steps 14–15: Add schema markup and create FAQ page
• Steps 21–25: Fix technical issues, improve mobile and speed

ONGOING (Monthly habit — 2–3 hours/month):

• Steps 17–20: Review collection, response, monitoring
• Steps 26–27: Citations and blog content

Don't try to do all 27 steps in one day. A realistic timeline is 2–3 weeks working part-time, or 1 week with focused effort. Prioritize steps 1–8 and 16 first; these drive 60–70% of results for most salons.