Want to know how to fill your salon with new clients quickly? Even if you’re just opening your doors or starting fresh, it’s possible to build a thriving client base in record time.
Watch episode 36 of Marketing 100 where salon marketing expert John sits down with Josh from WebMADE Digital to reveal their proven Google Ads salon marketing strategy that brought in 700 new leads in just 90 days.
Continue reading below for our step-by-step guide to creating Google Ads campaigns, designing landing pages, and setting up follow-up systems that convert salon leads into bookings.
A Salon Marketing Case Study
Before diving into the strategy, here’s some context: Josh’s team had just sold their 4,000-square-foot salon in January 2020 and built a new location during the pandemic. Despite the challenging timing, they managed to pre-sell all their slots before opening, proving this strategy works even in difficult market conditions.
Why Google Ads Beat Social Media for Salon Marketing
While many salon owners focus their marketing efforts on Instagram and Facebook, Josh’s team chose Google Ads for a simple but powerful reason: search intent.
When people are on Google, they’re proactively looking to fix an existing problem. On social media, you’re effectively interrupting somebody. The average touchpoint on social media is 7. People need to experience your brand 7 times before taking action, whereas with Google Ads, it’s instant.
This difference in user intent makes a huge impact on conversion rates. While social media typically requires 7 touchpoints before someone takes action, Google Ads can drive instant results by connecting you with people actively searching for salon services.
Understanding Google Ads Basics for Salons
Before getting into complex strategies, let’s cover the fundamentals. Start by setting specific location targeting for your local area. This ensures your budget goes toward reaching potential clients who can actually visit your salon.
Organize your campaigns by service type, keeping haircuts separate from services like extensions or color treatments. The key to success is maintaining consistency from your ad through to your landing page.
If you’ve ever run Facebook ads on Instagram, that is much more complicated because not only have you got to build the campaigns, but you’ve also got to create multiple types of creative – videos, images, text. Whereas on Google Ads, it’s just text, essentially.
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When you’re just starting out, focus on one service per campaign. This allows you to perfect your approach before scaling up to multiple services.
Salon Google Ads Strategy Guide
1. Ad Copy That Converts
The key to successful Google Ads isn’t creating one perfect ad – it’s testing multiple ads that speak to different client mindsets. Consider potential clients who are new to the area, those unhappy with their current stylist, people dealing with a hair emergency, or someone looking for a specific service.
Pro tip: Create 15-20 different headlines addressing these various client needs and let Google optimize which ones perform best.
2. High Converting Salon Landing Pages
Here’s where most salons go wrong: they send ad traffic to their homepage. Instead, create dedicated landing pages that match your ad’s specific message. If someone clicks an ad for haircuts, they should land on a page focused entirely on your haircut services.
A successful landing page needs several key elements:
- Start with a clear header that matches your ad message.
- Address common client pain points and highlight the benefits of choosing your salon.
- Showcase your team’s credentials and expertise
- Outline a simple, clear process, and finish with a strong call-to-action.
3. Salon Booking Conversion Methods
Not everyone is ready to book immediately, so it’s important to offer multiple conversion paths. For simple services like haircuts, make it easy to set up salon online booking software with clear service selection and instant stylist choice.
Complex services like extensions or color correction need a different approach. Offer consultation booking options, use pre-consultation questionnaires, and implement a price list request system with automated follow-up.
Price List Lead Generation for Salons
One particularly effective lead generation technique is the “price list request” button. Understanding strategic salon pricing strategies is crucial, as these leads might initially seem lower quality, but Josh’s team has turned them into reliable bookings through smart follow-up:
We wouldn’t be sending them a price list. Instead, we use automation to start opening up that conversation: ‘Hey John, thanks for requesting our pricing. I’m sure you know hair comes in all shapes and sizes. Can you tell us about your hair so we can find the best package for you?’ You would then reply, and that’s how you turn a low value quality lead into a high value quality lead.
This approach builds trust before the sales conversation even begins, leading to higher conversion rates when your team makes contact.
Automated Salon Marketing Follow-up
Here’s where automation becomes crucial. Using salon marketing automation tools like Mangomint, you can create automated follow-up sequences that nurture leads until they’re ready to book. For example, when someone requests pricing:
- Send an automated response acknowledging their request
- Follow up with personalized questions about their hair
- Offer to connect them with the perfect stylist
- Have your team make a personal call to book the appointment
Start Your Salon Google Ads Campaign
Ready to try this strategy? Start small:
- Set a modest initial budget
- Focus on one service first
- Test different ad messages
- Create a dedicated landing page
- Set up proper tracking
Google offers $500 in ad credits when you spend your first $500, making it easier to test this approach.
Salon Google Ads Performance Metrics
Success with Google Ads depends on tracking the right metrics. Your click-through rate is a key indicator. Higher rates typically lead to lower cost per click, saving you money while reaching more potential clients. Monitor your landing page conversion rate to ensure your pages are effectively turning visitors into leads.
Keep a close eye on your cost per lead and lead-to-booking ratio to understand the true value of your campaign. Finally, calculate your return on ad spend (ROAS) to ensure your marketing investment is generating profitable results.
The Bottom Line
This strategy isn’t just theory – it’s been proven to work across hundreds of salons. While there’s a learning curve to getting all the pieces aligned, the potential return is enormous. As part of your comprehensive salon growth strategy, whether you’re opening a new location or looking to grow your existing salon, this systematic approach to client acquisition can transform your business.
Want to learn more about implementing these strategies in your salon? Visit webmade.digital/salon for a free audit of your online presence and personalized recommendations for growth.
Note: This case study features Mangomint salon software for booking and automation. Get an extra free month when you sign up through the link in our description.
P.S. For even more proven salon marketing tips, don’t forget to check out the rest of our Marketing 100 series.
