Elevate Your Online Presence with Ease
It’s almost 2024- having a compelling online presence is non-negotiable for hairstylists. Your website is one of the most important pieces of your funnel, and it’s what get’s potential clients off of social media and actually into your chair.
If you don’t have a website, I can guarantee you’re missing out on a lot of bookings. So whether you’re a salon/suite owner, booth renter, yes- even a commission stylist, it’s time to build (or overhaul) yourself a website that showcases your personal brand.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to learn how to code. *wink*
Hey, I’m Laura *wave*
I’m a hairstylist, previous salon suite owner, and currently commission stylist, helping other ambitious stylists elevate their online presence so they can get their dream clients off on Instagram and into their chair.
A few years ago I realized that having a website was an absolute must, so I took a website building course, built a website… and hated it.
So I built it again, and again, and again until I finally had a beautiful website that actually turned potential guests into booked, loyal clients.
I don’t even want to think about how many hours/months/literally years this took!
Moral of the story, I learned it’s totally possible to DIY a website. Heck, it’s not really that hard if you’re a little bit techy. Seriously- if you’re a whiz in Canva you can build a bomb ass website.
There are a few tricky parts though, and some things that make it easier. Let’s get into it, shall we?
How to be your own web developer as a hairstylist without learning how to code.
Elevate Your Online Presence with Ease
Choosing the Best DIY Website Host for Hairstylists
The place to start is choosing a website host.
You’ve probably heard of some, like Wix, Go Daddy, Squarespace, or WordPress. I’ll share the gossip on each of these (and yes, I do mean gossip- not researched data).
Wix: This is my personal favorite platform. To me it’s not much different than using canva. You can keep it super simple, and there's tons of templates and elements that you can drag & drop. You can also get really detailed, and add animation, host a store, heck I even figured out how to create a page that looks exactly like a linktr.ee, which means I don’t need linktr.ee anymore! 10/10 couldn’t recommend more.
My only drawback is that at this time there is not a way to host courses on Wix, which means educators would need a secondary platform (like Kajabi) to host online education. Which brings us to our next platform…
Squarespace: I just took on a client whose website is hosted on squarespace and holy f***. It’s a struggle. It doesn’t at all feel intuitive to me, it’s much harder to customize (maybe cause I don’t know how to code) and I find myself watching a lot of YouTube videos trying to figure stuff out.
BUTTTT. Squarespace just recently launched the ability to host paid courses (aka, Kajabi but built into your website) and that is a huge asset if you’re an educator or anyone who wants to host an online course. I’m honestly hoping that when I learn it better I’ll actually love it. Cross your fingers for me. Next up…
Go Daddy: I’ve never really built anything on Go Daddy. I did take over a website a client had started on Go Daddy, but I was switching her to Wix so I really didn’t do a ton in Go Daddy other than gather the info that was there and transfer the domain. That being said, it was pretty easy. Not sure how much customization you can do, but it seems like the templates are pretty.
Wordpress: I’ll be honest. I’m terrified of WordPress. I was just talking to my coach, @curly_colleen about this yesterday and she’s been using WordPress for years. It’s supposedly really good for blogs because you can get nitty gritty with the SEO. She grew an incredibly profitable email list and digital product business on it, so I guess it works! That being said, she’s over the nitty gritty and thinking about migrating to Wix or possible Squarespace. Take from that what you will. *shrug*
Next up on the docket…
Use a DIY Website Template Designed Specifically for Hairstylists
What is the difference between a basic website template and a website uniquely designed for hairstylists? I’m glad you asked.
Traditional websites spew facts at the potential customer, like what products or the services they offer. This is great for some industries, but it doesn’t convert well in the beauty industry and here’s why.
Part of the transformation that we promise as hairstylists is to have a beautiful experience from start to finish. Therefore, a high converting website for hairstylists needs to take the client on a journey of what to expect from the moment they step into our salon to the time they leave- and beyond.
When you utilize a website template designed specifically for hair stylists, it allows your guest to envision the transformation they are going to experience the entire time they work with you.
The best part? The perfect guest journey is already laid out for you, making it super simple for you to plug & play.
Once you’ve chosen and installed your template, it’s time to customize. Which brings me to my next tip- The Help Center.
Utilize the Help Center
Every website platform is going to have a help center of sorts. USE IT. I didn’t become a professional website builder because I took college courses, or extensive trainings. I bought one BASIC website course (props to you Britt Seva) and typed every question I had into the help library.
Ba da bing, ba do boom, I build killer websites now. And you can too!
So utilize the how to articles and videos, YouTube everything, and don’t be afraid to actually call the number for the help center. I do it all the time and I always learn cool sh*t.
Dive in head first babe, you got this.
Becoming your own web developer doesn’t have to be hard.
And it certainly doesn’t have to take up all your free time or be a giant headache. With the right tools and platforms, you can curate a stunning online space that reflects your personal brand and attracts dream clients like never before.
As we enter what is typically our busiest month behind the chair, I have to ask- what are you doing NOW to fill your books for January? February? Take this as the encouragement you need to take control of your online presence and start calling in your dream clients.
I believe in you.
Q: How can I ensure my website reflects my personal brand and showcases the experience guests have with me?
A: It’s all in your website copy & flow! Copy refers to the words you say on your website, and flow is the order in which they read those words. It’s super important to focus on your guest experience as you write your website copy, and that the flow is a natural progression a guest would take if they found your website on Instagram or Google. Secondly, keep your brand colors and fonts the same on your website as you use on social media/canva graphics. You don’t want a client to step from your Instagram onto your website and feel like they've entered a whole other world.
Did you know the Plug & Play Wix Website Template for Hairstylists comes with website copy templates, and a pre-installed high converting flow? Click here to learn more.
Q: Is learning to code necessary for effective web development?
A: Not at all! Platforms like Wix are designed for individuals without coding knowledge. Add a template designed for hairstylists, your brand colors, fonts, and logo and you’ve got yourself an easy peasy high converting website.
In fact, my client Shawna was able to get her website customized in an hour using the Plug & Play Wix Website Template for Hairstylists.
Q: What makes a website host the best choice for hairstylists?
A: This is really super personal. I’m in love with Wix. My friend Sam thinks Squarespace is so easy and is confused as hell by Wix. All in all, I think you really have to consider what your purpose is, and then go with your gut.
Remember, your website is an extension of your personal brand, a place for guests to build trust, with the ultimate goal of BOOKING CLIENTS. So think like a client, answer every question you would have if you were going someplace new, and leave out all the fluff.
Happy DIY web developing friends!
Creatively,
Laura
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