Do You Have the NEW Salon Word of Mouth Marketing Machine?

Understanding the power of your website and the internet when it comes to marketing is one thing, understanding how to actually put your website to work as your new salon word of mouth marketing machine is another. 

If you want your salon website to become what it ought to be – a new client generating machine – then you have to configure and use this tool for that purpose. 

Review the items below with whoever is responsible for the architecture and site design of your website as well as those responsible for putting content on your website.

To configure your salon website to attract new clients for your salon or spa so that it can become a salon word of mouth marketing machine: 

• Follow best practices for what you can’t see on the page – meta tags, titles and descriptions
• Optimize each page of your website uniquely on and off the page (meaning, meta tags, keywords and on page content for each page should focus only on one or two main key phrases)
• Do keyword research and use the best combinations high monthly searches plus low competition as keywords and phrases to optimize on and behind-the-page elements
• Make sure all images have “alt” and “title” tags reflective of the keywords you chose for that content – search engines can’t see pictures!
• Avoid using flash and any media that Google and other search engines can’t “see;” what they can’t see, they can’t index and what doesn’t get indexed doesn’t get found!

Use search optimized ENGAGING content strategically to attract and engage new and current clients to turn your salon website into a salon word of mouth marketing machine:

*As you read these recommendations, remember, you don’t have to be able to do this yourself.  Content marketing for your salon is an area of your business when outsourcing work to a professional will cost you less and bring you more in marketing ROI returns!  Figure out what your budget can bear and work with a pro or work in trade with a client who loves and understands the brand and specialties of your business.

• Write content optimized for keywords but that is absolutely written for real people; no matter how tempting, don’t stuff keywords onto any page of your website – Google has promised that it’s algorithm will find your site, and penalize it, if it does
• Changed or new content signals “new information!” to Google and other search engines, so publish new landing pages to add content to your website, and change content on your website frequently
• Publish at least 3-4 new pieces of optimized content to your website (and/or blog, combined) every week
• Any time you publish new content to your website or blog, push it out to all of your social networks, which at a minimum must include Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest
• Always, always include some type of imagery with your content, even if it’s no more than a quote made pretty in powerpoint or stock Microsoft office clipart.  Articles with images get 47% more clicks.

Online, optimized content marketing is the way that local businesses big or small, including salons and spas and other local small businesses, get found.

People start their searches online whether they’re looking for a new stylist, a shampoo to help solve a problem or a new style to improve their appearance.  Your salon website can become the salon word of mouth marketing machine that brings more new clients your way and keeps your clients engaged, loyal, and sharing your content with others!

I wrote the 2013 Salon and Spa Marketing Calendar: The Art of Attraction, around ideas including content marketing ideas for website, blog, email marketing and social media marketing that you can do yourself to turn your website into a salon word of mouth marketing machine.  You can order the print copy to use as a marketing plan for the year or get instant gratification and ideas by ordering the 2013 Salon and Spa Marketing Calendar in digital format.

Talk to some of your most loyal clients and ask around for a referral to get some expert help to turn your salon website into a word of mouth marketing machine.  Or if you prefer, I would love to help.  I can evaluate your website over the internet and send you a list of items to have your web master or web content expert address or provide you with a quote for on-going web content and blogging services.

• From $75:  Website evaluation and report to tell you what needs to be added or improved to get your website working to bring you new salon clients via local internet search
• From $50:  400-600 word web / blog content inclusive of 1 piece stock clip art or prepare your photo for use
• From $75:  Google keyword research and a list of 10 keywords and keyword phrases you can use to build content to attract more new clients to your salon through local web search

Or contact me for a full, customized salon content marketing plan to turn your salon website into the salon word of mouth marketing machine it was meant to be! 

Related articles

• Are You Selling Salon Services or Outcomes? (thesavvystylist.wordpress.com)
• What To Do When You Need – But Can’t Afford – Marketing Help in the Salon or Spa (thesavvystylist.wordpress.com)