By growing your Google My Business profile, you make it easier for more people to find you. As far as salon marketing ideas go, it’s a great one – and well worth the effort to get more customers coming through your door.
Salon Marketing Ideas: Google My Business
If you’re like just about everyone out there, you’ve Googled something like “restaurants near me.” In milliseconds, the list of options pop up on the search results in Google Maps and you’re off to the races figuring out what’s for dinner.
If you own a salon – or any business, really – you want to be included on that list for customers seeking your services. A smart way to accomplish this is building and managing your Google My Business page. In fact, it just might be one of the best salon marketing ideas available. Why? It’s one of the easiest local marketing ideas to do on your own – and only takes around 10 minutes a week. It’s also free and goes a long way to answering the tough question of “how to get more customers.”
What is Google My Business exactly? According to Google, “Google My Business is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. If you verify and edit your business information, you can both help customers find your business and tell them your story.”
In this first blog post of our new Marketing Ideas for Salons series, we’ll take a look at how to get started with and how to manage Google My Business so that you can learn how to get more customers. Be sure to download our Google My Business For Salons Cheat Sheet for additional details on reaching new customers in your target audience.
How to Create a Google My Business Page (GMB)
If you don’t already have a Google My Business listing go to https://www.google.com/business/ and sign up.
If you’re not sure if you have a listing or not, Google your company name on Google Maps. If a listing for your business already exists, no problem. You can claim it. Click the link “Own this business?” then click MANAGE NOW. Once you’re done, follow Google’s directions to claim your business.
TIP: Google will mail a physical postcard to the address listed on your page. Google does this to make sure that 1) your address is correct and 2) you are authorized to make changes to your page. The postcard will include a code that you’ll need to enter to officially verify your page. It can take up to two weeks to receive the postcard – so be on the lookout!
How to Complete Your Google My Business Listing
Accuracy is key when filling out your listing. Your Google My Business profile will often be a potential customer’s first contact with your business. Typically, they’re Googling to find out specific information – where you’re located, your phone number, and your service hours. So be sure to take the time to get your information correct.
For your page title, include your business name PLUS a main keyword and your location. Why? Google is all about relevancy – its goal is to serve up the most relevant information possible for its customers, the people conducting the search.
Here’s an example page title for a salon: Elysium Hair Salon: Haircuts & Color in Dallas
Once you’re done, verify your listing. Just look for the “Get your page verified” at the top of the screen near the name of your business. This prevents another business taking your page away from you.
FOR HOME SALONS: If you are concerned about strangers showing up at your house, select the Service-area option in the “edit address” section. Uncheck the “I also serve customers at my business address” box. This will eliminate your home address from showing on your listing.
How to Manage Google My Business To Get More Customers
DOWNLOAD OUR Google My Business For Salons CHEAT SHEET
Now that you’re all set up, it’s time to start growing and nurturing your online Google presence. This is accomplished by adding content to your page, starting with Photos. What kind of photos? This is limited only by your imagination! But remember – Google is looking to serve up relevant information to its customers so be sure to keep this in mind when selecting photos.
Here’s a quick list of salon photo ideas to get ideas flowing. Just be sure to avoid uploading grainy or pixelated images – you want your online image to look its best!
- Portfolio shots of your gorgeous work
- Before-And-After customer photos
- Photos of you and your staff
- Shots of your styling stations
- Product shots featured in your retail space
- Photos of your building’s exterior
- Photos of your salon’s signage
Next comes adding Posts. According to Moz.com, “A Post shows in your GMB profile when someone searches for your business' name on Google or views your business' Google My Business profile on Google Maps. Google My Business Posts are a great way to show off your business in a unique way at the exact time when a searcher is looking at your business online.”
Types of posts include Offers, “What’s New” announcements, product or service info, and Events. These can be short little posts of a single sentence or two... just getting them posted is the most important part!
But here’s the thing… Google loves relevant content, and it especially loves business pages that are regularly updated with new relevant content. And, guess what? Google will email you each week letting you know when your posts are about to expire. The day they expire, simply add a new post and, voila, Google stays happy!
Download our Google My Business for Salons Cheat Sheet for an easy-to-follow week-by-week formula for gaining better traction on GMB.
Lastly, regularly ask your customers for Reviews. Here’s what Google has to say about it: “Reviews on Google provide valuable information about your business to both you and your customers. Business reviews appear next to your listing in Maps and Google Search and can help your business stand out on Google.” Word of mouth is a great way to spread the word about your small business and expand your customer base in your target market.
Not sure where to start with asking customers for Google Reviews? Download our cheat sheet, which includes an email template you can use to get started!
Grow Your GMB, Grow Your Business
Marketing your company to local customers is key to growing your business. By growing your Google My Business profile, you make it easier for more people to find you. As far as salon marketing ideas go, it’s a great one to add to your marketing plan – and well worth the effort to get more customers coming through your door.
