How much does a website cost?

Our plans start at £79/month for a professional, custom-built website. No upfront costs, you just pay monthly and can cancel anytime. We also offer Growth (£119/month) and Premium (£179/month) with additional features like booking systems and advanced SEO.

How long does it take to build a website?

One week. You tell us about your business in a 15-minute conversation, we design and build your site, and it goes live. All within a week.

Do I need to provide content for my website?

No. We handle the writing, design, images, and SEO. All we need is a 15-minute chat about your business so we understand what you do, who your customers are, and what makes you different.

What if I want to cancel my website subscription?

No contracts, no tie-ins. Cancel anytime with no fees. We believe our work should speak for itself.

Do you include SEO with your websites?

Yes. Every website we build includes on-page SEO as standard. That means proper meta tags, structured data, fast load times, mobile optimisation, and a sitemap submitted to Google. Our Growth and Premium plans include ongoing SEO work.

What areas do you cover for web design?

We work with businesses across the UK. We're based in Northampton but everything is done remotely, so your business can be anywhere. If you're a local business that needs a professional website, we can help.

Can I see examples of your web design work?

Yes. We have three demo sites showing exactly what we build. Each one is a fully designed, functional website with real content and features so you can see the quality before you commit.

What happens after my website goes live?

We don't just build and disappear. Your monthly plan includes hosting, SSL, security updates, and content changes. Need to update your phone number, add a new service, or swap out some photos? Just ask and we'll sort it, usually within 24 hours.

Do I Need a Website for My Beauty Salon?

Yes, you do. And I'll tell you why with a number that might sting: 20% of UK hair and beauty businesses are operating at a loss, according to the NHBF's State of the Sector Survey. The businesses surviving aren't just better at nails or lash extensions. They're better at being found.

I build websites for local businesses, so I've got an obvious bias here. I'll be upfront about that. But I also talk to salon owners every week who are trying to work out whether a website is worth it, or whether Instagram and a booking app are enough. Here's the honest answer.

TL;DR: One in five UK beauty businesses is running at a loss (NHBF), and visibility is a major reason why. A salon website costs less than a single balayage appointment per month, gives you a presence on Google and AI search tools, and helps turn browsers into repeat clients. Instagram alone won't cut it anymore.

If you're wondering whether any small business needs a website, we've written a broader guide on that too. But let's get into the specifics for salons.

How do people actually find beauty salons in 2026?

46% of all Google searches have local intent, according to Google's own data reported by Search Engine Roundtable. When someone searches "nail salon near me" or "lash extensions Kettering", they're ready to book. And if you're not showing up, someone else is.

But Google isn't the only place people look anymore.

AI search is already here

45% of consumers now use AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity for local recommendations (BrightLocal, 2026). That's not a future trend. It's happening right now. When someone asks an AI chatbot "best beauty salon in Northampton", it pulls answers from websites with clear, structured information about services, prices, and reviews.

No website? You don't exist in that conversation.

This is the gap almost no beauty industry content is covering yet. Most salon marketing advice still focuses on Instagram and referrals, completely ignoring that nearly half of potential clients are now asking AI tools for recommendations.

"Near me" searches convert fast

76% of people who search for something "near me" visit a business within 24 hours, according to Think with Google. These aren't people casually browsing. They want a treatment, and they want it soon. A website with your services, location, and a booking link turns that search into a real appointment.

"But I get all my clients from Instagram"

Fair enough. Instagram has been brilliant for beauty businesses. The visual format is perfect for showing off your work. But here's the problem: it's not 2019 anymore.

Instagram organic reach has dropped to just 2-3% for business accounts (Sprout Social, 2025). That means if you have 1,000 followers, roughly 20 to 30 of them see your post. The rest never know you published it.

You're putting in the effort. Photographing every set of nails, writing captions, posting stories. And the platform is showing your work to a tiny fraction of the people who already follow you. Forget about reaching new clients organically.

Instagram vs. a website

Here's the real difference:

Instagram keeps you visible to people who already know you exist
A website on Google gets you found by people who don't know you yet

You need both. But if you had to choose one channel to bring in new clients, a website with basic local SEO beats an Instagram account every time. Social media is for staying connected. Google is for being discovered.

I've spoken to salon owners who post three times a day on Instagram but get zero enquiries from it. Meanwhile, a simple website with their services and location listed properly on Google brings in 5-10 new enquiries a month without them touching it.

"But I already use a booking platform"

Fresha, Treatwell, Booksy. They're useful tools. But there's a catch nobody talks about: you're competing against every other salon on that platform. The client who finds you on Treatwell also sees six other salons offering the same treatment, often at a lower price.

A booking platform is a marketplace. Your website is your shop.

On your own website, there's no competitor sitting right next to you. The visitor is already looking at your work, your reviews, your prices. There's nobody else to compare you to.

You can still use Fresha or whatever booking system you prefer. Most integrate easily. But the booking link should live on your website, where you control the experience, not on a marketplace where you're one of twenty options.

What does a beauty salon website actually do for you?

It does three things that Instagram, booking platforms, and word of mouth can't do together.

1. It builds trust before the first appointment

97% of consumers read online reviews before choosing a local business (BrightLocal, 2026). And 74% only trust reviews from the last three months. A website that pulls in your latest Google reviews gives new visitors the confidence to book.

Think about it from the client's side. They're about to let someone near their face with chemicals. They want to see proof that you know what you're doing.

2. It turns one-time visitors into regulars

Clients who book online return 78% of the time, compared to just 39% for walk-ins (Salon Today via Boulevard). A website with online booking doesn't just get you the first appointment. It builds the habit of rebooking. That's the difference between a busy month and a busy year.

3. It works while you're working

While you're doing a full set of acrylics, your website is answering questions, showing off your portfolio, and taking bookings. It doesn't call in sick. It doesn't need a lunch break. It's the most reliable member of staff you'll ever have.

How much does a beauty salon website cost in the UK?

Let's talk real numbers. No vague "it depends" waffle.

DIY builders (Wix, Squarespace): £10-30/month. You'll spend a weekend figuring it out. It'll look decent but won't rank on Google without SEO knowledge. Updates are on you.

Freelance designer: £500-2,000 one-off. Quality varies enormously. Many use templates. You'll pay again whenever you need changes.

Traditional agency: £3,000-10,000+. Potentially excellent, probably overkill for a local salon. You'll still need someone to maintain it.

Monthly retainer (what we do): £99/month. No upfront cost. Custom-built site, hosting, updates, and Google review automation included. Cancel anytime.

For context, that's less than a single balayage appointment. And it works for you every day of the month.

Why do Google reviews matter so much for salons?

Businesses with complete Google Business Profiles get 7x more clicks than those with incomplete ones (BrightLocal). Reviews are the biggest part of that. But here's the problem: most happy clients don't leave reviews unless you ask them.

The salons that dominate local search have a system for it. Not pestering people with texts, but a simple, automated follow-up after each appointment that makes leaving a review as easy as tapping a link.

This matters because 74% of consumers only trust reviews from the last three months (BrightLocal, 2026). Old reviews are basically invisible. You need a steady stream of fresh ones.

The beauty businesses I see doing best aren't necessarily the most skilled. They're the ones with a consistent flow of recent Google reviews. A salon with 15 five-star reviews from the last month will outrank a salon with 200 reviews that stopped coming in six months ago. Recency beats volume every time in local search.

What should a good salon website include?

You don't need a massive site. Most beauty salons need 3-5 pages at most. Here's what actually matters:

The essentials

A clear headline saying what you do and where ("Nail Extensions in Kettering" beats "Welcome to Our Salon")
Your services and prices listed clearly, not buried in paragraphs
A gallery of your best work (real photos, not stock images)
Google reviews displayed prominently and kept current
Online booking or a clear way to get in touch
Your location and opening hours so Google can show you in local results
Mobile-friendly design because 82% of salon bookings happen on mobile (Trafft, 2024)

What you can skip

A blog (unless you'll actually write for it)
Social media icon rows (if your Instagram has 47 followers, don't draw attention to it)
A team page with stock photo headshots
Twenty pages when five will do

Is the beauty industry actually growing?

Yes, and fast. The UK beauty sector contributed £30.4 billion to GDP in 2024, growing 9% year on year (Professional Beauty / British Beauty Council). With over 61,000 hair and beauty businesses in the UK, 95% employing fewer than 10 people (NHBF via PolicyBee), the industry is massive but fragmented.

That's both the opportunity and the challenge. Demand is growing, but so is competition. The salons that invest in being visible online will capture that growth. The ones that don't will wonder where all the new clients went.

FAQ

How quickly can a salon website start bringing in new clients?

Most local businesses see their first organic enquiries within 4-8 weeks of a properly optimised site going live. It depends on competition in your area, but local search for beauty services is less competitive than you'd think. Many salons still don't have a website at all.

Can I just use my Google Business Profile instead of a website?

A Google Business Profile is essential, and complete profiles get 7x more clicks (BrightLocal). But it has limits. You can't control the layout, show a proper gallery, or explain your services in detail. A website and GBP working together is the winning combination.

We cover this in more detail in our guide to whether small businesses need a website.

Do I need to update my website regularly?

Not constantly, no. Once your services, prices, and gallery are set up, the main thing that needs regular attention is Google reviews. An automated system handles that for you. Update your gallery when you do work you're proud of. That's about it.

What's more important, a website or Instagram?

Both serve different purposes. Instagram keeps you visible to existing followers (though only 2-3% see your posts now). A website gets you found by new clients searching on Google and AI tools. If you're choosing where to invest first, a website will generate more new business.

The real question

The question isn't really "do I need a website for my beauty salon?" It's "can I afford to be invisible to the people searching for beauty services in my area right now?"

With 45% of consumers using AI tools for local recommendations and 76% of "near me" searchers visiting within a day, the answer is probably no. You can't afford that.

A good website costs less per month than a single appointment brings in. It works around the clock, builds trust with new clients, and gives you a presence on Google and AI search that Instagram and booking platforms simply can't match.

If you're ready to stop being invisible, see what a website looks like for your salon.