Nail techs, here’s why you need a business website

Session nail stylist, salon owner & educator, Marie-Louise Coster, begins her monthly column for Scratch by sharing the benefits of having a business website – and why social media is not an alternative…

A website can be an expensive resource, and once built it requires work. So why do you need one? The simplest way I can answer that is by asking how you look for services, shops and providers. I imagine most of you will say Google.

The internet is quite literally at our fingertips; it is available via our phones, tablets and laptops. At any given moment, in a matter of seconds and at the touch of a button, we can find all manner of information. So, if I was searching for a nail business like yours that offered one of your treatments, but you didn’t have a website, I would simply never find you and another brand would benefit from my custom.

In the world we live in today and with the lifestyles people have, a website is essential for any business.

I know that many people believe that Facebook or Instagram can take the place of a website. But believe it or not, the whole world is not on social media, and second to a personal recommendation, potential clients will look for a service via search engines like Google.

Here are the benefits to having a website…

• For home-based or mobile techs, it is your shop window. Clients can virtually pop in and see who you are, what you are about and what you have to offer. Equally, for those with a physical shop window, a website provides round the clock information.
• You can sell yourself on a website, whereas you may feel embarrassed to do this face-to-face with a client.
• With a website, you can share lots of information and really get your message across. In person, we can forget to say things (usually the most important things!) and undersell ourselves.
• You can use it to showcase all of your work and offerings.
• It can take bookings for you out of hours, so you never miss an opportunity.

Your website needs to…

• Be easy to navigate. None of us want to struggle to find something on a website, and this usually results in us clicking on a different site altogether. Attention spans are short, so ensure your contact details are on all pages of your website. This means a potential client can contact if they want further information.
• Include pages about you, your background and your team if you have one. Sell yourself, sell your brand and create a great first impression.
• Make all of your information clear. For example, if you are a mobile tech, ensure it is clear which areas you cover and how much extra you charge for going further afield.
• Make your services and the hours you operate clear. Have a specific page for each of your services, as a client won’t want to scroll through dozens of other treatments to find the one they are looking for. Always include prices. I get annoyed when I have to hunt for prices – and worse still, I have seen websites that don’t advertise a service’s cost until you click on the ‘book now’ icon.
• Include lots of pictures. I don’t just mean generic images from the brands you stock, but photos of you, your work and your setup, so clients can see what you offer firsthand.

Having a website built can be expensive and updating it then incurs further charges. So what is the alternative? Build one yourself! If I can do it, you can too. It is time-consuming, but it will save you money and make your website easy to update. Updating your site regularly is important, as it reminds Google that you exist and enhances your search engine optimisation (SEO).

A website is an essential tool for a successful business. If you don’t have one, I strongly recommend making the creation of one a priority.

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