If you’ve ever wondered why your diary feels quiet even though you’re posting your heart out on Instagram… here’s the truth: your dream clients aren’t scrolling when they’re ready to book, they’re searching on Google.

And if your Google Business Profile for beauty businesses isn’t set up properly (or worse, barely touched since you created it in a panic), you’re not even showing up in the places clients are actively trying to book.

Clients are literally typing things like:

• “lash lift near me”

• “skin therapist [your area]”

• “best brow artist near me”

• “how to get a last-minute appointment today”

This is where googles local SEO for beauty salons decides who gets booked… and who stays invisible.

And honestly?
Most beauty pros aren’t booked out because they’re talented.
They’re booked out because they’re findable.

Let me show you how to get found, properly. On Google.

Why Instagram Isn’t Built for Bookings (And Google Is)

Instagram is great… for vibes.

But Google is great for visibility, actual, booking-ready visibility.
The kind that converts.

Here’s the difference:

Instagram = passive visibility

People see you when they happen to scroll.
They’re bored, distracted, half-listening to Netflix in the background.

Google = active visibility

People search because they want to book now.
They’re ready. They’re motivated. They’re choosing.

And unless you’re optimised for how to get found on Google as a beauty business, you’re losing clients to the therapist down the road with half your talent, simply because she shows up before you in local search.

Doesn’t that just… piss you off?
Because it should.
It’s so fixable.

The Real Reason You’re Not Getting Booked From Google.

Let’s cut the BS:
You don’t have a marketing problem.
You have a visibility problem.

Most beauty pros:

• have a half-finished Google Business Profile

• don’t post on it

• don’t collect reviews consistently

• don’t use keywords

• haven’t set their categories properly

• have old, blurry photos from 2021

• don’t rank anywhere near page 1

• think “I’m on Google so I’m fine”, you’re not!

If your Google My Business for salons isn’t set up correctly, Google has no reason to push you ahead of competitors.

And this is where most beauty pros get stuck:
You’re putting 90% of your energy into Instagram… when your clients are finding someone else through Google Maps.

What Actually Happens When Someone Searches for a Beauty Service.

Here’s the bit no one teaches you.

1. Google shows them the first 3 businesses in the map pack.

Those top three spots?
They get the majority of all bookings.

If you’re not in them, clients won’t scroll further.

2. They skim your star rating + most recent reviews.

People trust Google reviews more than Instagram posts.
It’s social proof + SEO + safety all in one place.

3. They look at your photos.

And if the photos are blurry, outdated, inconsistent…
It makes you look small, inexperienced, or unavailable.

4. They click Book Now.

Most bookings happen without going to your website or Instagram.

If you don’t show up here?
You simply don’t exist.

The 5 Things You Need to Get Booked on Google (Properly).

These are the exact things Google cares about, the same things I optimise inside my Google Management services.

1. An Optimised Google Business Profile (Not a Half-Done One).

Your GBP needs:

• correct categories

• services added (with keywords)

• service descriptions

• business description optimised for local SEO for beauty salons

• opening hours

• location settings

• booking link

• FAQs

• updated photos

• product/service menus

• keywords clients search for

This alone can move you from page 5 → page 1.

2. Reviews That Actually Help You Rank.

Reviews are the #1 ranking factor for beauty businesses.

You need:

• fresh reviews weekly or monthly

• reviews containing keywords like “brow wax”, “lash lift”, “facial”, “salon”, “skin therapist”, etc.

• a simple, repeatable request system

• a link clients can tap instantly

This is the difference between getting chosen… and getting ignored.

3. Local SEO (The Secret Sauce No One Teaches Beauty Pros).

This is where the magic happens:
Google decides who appears first based on:

• relevance

• proximity

• keyword depth

• reviews

• photo activity

• profile completeness

• local signals on your website

• consistency across the internet

If you want Google visibility for salons, this is where it’s won.

4. Consistent Google Posts (Not Just Instagram Posts).

Google posts help:

• keep your profile active

• improve your ranking

• answer client questions

• highlight services

• build trust

You don’t need to post every day.
1–2 short posts a week is enough when written properly.

Secondary keyword use here helps massively too:

• salon Google profile optimisation

• beauty business SEO

• Google posts for salons

5. Photos That Don’t Make You Look Like You’re Closed.

Clients judge your entire business in 3 seconds.

You need:

• bright, recent photos

• your treatment room

• your best work

• yourself looking like a professional

• your logo or signage

• before/afters

And for the love of god, remove anything from 2019.

Why Google Beats Instagram for Bookings (Every Time).

Let’s be blunt.

Google brings clients who are:

• actively searching

• location-specific

• ready to book

• checking availability

• comparing options

• making decisions today

Instagram brings:

• Likes

• lurkers

• people who might book “one day”

• people who are scrolling on the toilet

There’s value in both, but only one fills your diary on autopilot.

Real Talk: Talent Isn’t the Issue, Visibility Is!

This is where your clients from my Google Management see results like:

• first-page ranking within weeks

• 100% increase in directions to salon

• more website clicks (booking intent)

• more calls

• higher-quality clients

• fewer quiet weeks

• more repeat bookings

• finally not relying on Instagram

Your business isn’t quiet. It’s hidden.

And hidden businesses don’t get booked.

If You Fix Google, You Fix Your Bookings.

If you’re exhausted from posting, spiralling over views, or refreshing your diary like it’s a slot machine, it’s not your fault.

You were never taught:

• how to get found on Google as a beauty business

• how search behaviour works

• how local clients actually choose salons

• how to set up Google properly

Google is where your bookings come from.
Instagram is where your personality comes from.

Fix your visibility, and everything else stops feeling so bloody hard.

If you want clarity on what’s missing, or you want your Google Business Profile fully optimised so you can actually get booked from it, I’m here.