BOLD STATEMENT: The salon with the highest Google ranking in any city is getting the most phone calls from new clients.
If this statement is true, then front page Google rankings could be the life or death of your salon. Do you know what position your salon holds in organic Google search? Do you have a strategy in place to increase your Google ranking and beat out your competition? Let me share a few tips that you could implement today, that will dramatically increase the rate of growth for your salon or spa.
The Local 3 Pack
Any time someone searches Google for a salon in your city, Google shows its 3 favorite salons, with a map showing the salon location. This is called the Local 3 Pack, and is a highly desirable piece of online real estate. The 3 salons that Google chooses are not there by chance. The 3 pack is populated by your Google My Business page (Google+), so if you do not have a Google+ page for your salon, that is step #1. If your salon is not already represented in the 3 pack, here are 3 additional steps you can take, to earn one of the spots!
Quality Website Content
With Google, content is King! Compare the amount of quality text on your website to the sites of your competitors. I recommend having multiple pages on your website showing off your stylists, salon prices, your salon story, client testimonials, the products you carry, and just about anything a potential client would ever want to know about your salon. On each of these pages, try to incorporate 400-600 words of quality content that could be helpful to the reader. In addition, commit to creating new content regularly through a hair/beauty blog on your website, that links back to pages on your website. Even if you only post once a month, consistency is key, and will get you on your way to earning a position in the 3 pack.
Directory Citations
A citation is any site on the internet where you can create a profile and include your salon name, address, and phone number (NAP). These are pages like Yelp, Manta, YellowPages, etc. There are hundreds of free directories that you can place your business NAP, and the name of the game is Quality, Quantity, and Consistency.
Quality: You want to list your salon on the highest authority sites that everyone is using like, Yelp and YP. There are also several salon specific sites where you can list your business like Salon Seeker, or Salon Search. Finally, quality city-related directories like your chamber of commerce website are incredibly helpful to rank in the 3 pack. One quality directory profile will affect your ranking more than 30 low authority citations. Quantity: Generally speaking, the more quality citations pointing back to your salon, the merrier. There are hundreds of free sites you could join. In most medium competition cities, creating 50-100 quality and niche/city specific citations will be all you need. Make a goal to create 10 per week, and keep a record of login information so you can go back and make any future edits. If you have any questions about finding quality citations, be sure to consult an SEO specialist. Consistency: One thing that is really important when it comes to ranking in the 3 pack is that each of your salon citations have the exact same salon name, address, phone number and web url. If you have moved salon locations, or changed your phone number, but haven’t updated your directory profiles, this could significantly hinder your 3 pack ranking. If your citations have inconsistencies, Google isn’t exactly sure where your salon is located, so they wont rank you high on their map.
Client Google+ Reviews
Notice the 3 pack listings show a star rating for each salon. These ratings are given based on the client reviews each salon has received on their Google+ page. These days, everyone reads online reviews before choosing to schedule an appointment with a salon. Every week, we hear new clients tell us they chose our salon because of all our 5 star reviews on Google. So, not only is the amount of positive reviews a ranking factor in the Google 3 pack, it is also one of the main factors in getting prospective clients to schedule an appointment! Since most of your clients are messing around on their phone while you are working on their hair, don’t be afraid to ask your favorite clients to pop over to your salon Google+ page while they are in your chair, and fill out a positive review. Even a couple new 5 star reviews each month will add up over time and dramatically increase your 3 pack ranking.
In many cases, following these 3 steps alone will earn you a place in the Google 3 pack. In competitive cities, you may need to use some more advanced techniques to rank. As a result, I have created an online course that walks you step by step through the process of raking in the 3 pack, and ranking both your website and YouTube promotional video on the first page of Google. Check it out at www.salonmarketingblueprint.com. Make today extraordinary!
Dustin NcCorchuk is a Salon Marketing Strategist that helps salons acquire new clients through online marketing. He and his wife are also salon owners in the state of Oregon. Check out more of his free training resources at www.dustinnccorchuk.com
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