Hair Salon SEO & Marketing: How to Avoid Getting Scammed – Part 2

A practical guide for salon owners who would rather focus on hair than marketing calls

Once your salon has a website, something interesting happens.

The calls start.

Someone says your Google listing is about to be suspended.
Another company says they can “put you on page one of Google.”
You might even get letters in the mail saying your domain is about to expire.

We get it. Most salon owners didn’t open their business because they love SEO, web hosting, and marketing tech.

If you’re like us, you opened your salon to create beautiful work, lead a team, and build a great business. The challenge is that marketing companies know many salon owners feel overwhelmed by this side of things. That is why salons often become targets for aggressive sales tactics and overpriced services.

The good news is that with a little knowledge, you can make smart decisions and avoid paying for things you don’t need.

Here are ten tips that will help you protect your business and feel more confident about your marketing.

1. Be skeptical of cold calls about your Google listing

One of the most common calls salon owners receive is about their Google Business profile.

The caller may say:

“Your listing isn’t optimized.”
“You need to verify your listing today.”
“Google flagged your account.”

These calls are almost always sales pitches.

Your Google Business listing is free and can be managed directly through Google. No legitimate Google representative will call asking for payment to manage it.
A better strategy is to focus on what actually matters for local search: good photos, accurate information, and consistent reviews.

2. Reviews matter more than most SEO services

If you want your salon to show up in Google searches, reviews are one of the biggest factors.

Salons with strong review profiles often outperform competitors that spend thousands on SEO services.

This is why consistent review requests matter.

SalonTarget makes this easy by helping salons stay connected with their clients and automating getting Google reviews. Many owners find that simply focusing on great service and steady communication builds their reputation online naturally.  Seriously, don’t sleep on the power of Google Reviews and you may not need any SEO services at all.

3. Watch for “domain renewal” letters

Many salon owners receive official-looking letters in the mail saying their domain is about to expire.

The letter often looks like a bill.

In most cases, it is actually a marketing solicitation trying to get you to transfer your domain to another company at a higher price.

Before paying anything, log into your actual domain provider and check the renewal status. Most domains are already set to auto-renew.

4. Know where your website lives

One of the simplest ways to avoid marketing confusion is to know where your digital accounts are located.

Every salon should know three things:

• Where the domain name is registered (goDaddy, namecheap, registrar, squarespace etc.)
• Where the website is hosted or built (squarespace, wix, wordpress + host, etc.)
• Who provides the business email service (google, microsoft/outlook or other)

These are often three different companies. Having that information written down can save a lot of stress if someone calls claiming something needs to be renewed or fixed.

5. If you hire an SEO company, ask who is doing the work

Not all marketing companies operate the same way. Some have experienced writers and marketing specialists. Others outsource most of their work to large content mills.

There is nothing wrong with outsourcing, but transparency matters. Before hiring anyone, ask:

Who writes the content/is doing the work on my account, and where are they based?
How often will content be created?
What work is actually being done each month & how many new clients are you getting from it directly?

If the answers are unclear, that is a sign to slow down.

6. No one can guarantee page-one rankings

A company promising guaranteed rankings should raise a red flag. Search results change constantly. Even the best marketing professionals cannot control exactly where a business appears.

Strong SEO is usually built through steady effort over time: useful content, good reviews, and a well-structured website.

7. Many salons already have powerful marketing tools

One thing we hear often from salon owners is that they feel pressure to hire outside marketing agencies. But in reality, many salons already have strong tools built into their systems.

For example, SalonTarget includes features that support marketing efforts like targeted email campaigns, client communication, and retention tools. We thoughtfully created these systems to allow salon owners to stay connected with their clients without needing complicated external marketing software.

8. Basic SEO is simpler than it sounds

Search engine optimization does not have to be complicated.

A few simple habits help Google understand your salon.

• Include your city name on service pages.
• Making sure your name, address and phone number is written out exactly the same on all of your online properties including facebook, google, your website, etc. If your address is 123 Main St. in one spot and 123 Main Street in another, this confuses google!
• Write short blog posts about common services or hair care tips.

For example, posts like:

“Best hair color maintenance tips between appointments”
“How to keep your blonding bright”

These small pieces of content help search engines recognize that your salon is an expert in your local market.

9. Email marketing still works incredibly well

Many salon owners underestimate the value of email. A simple monthly message announcing promotions, seasonal services, or new stylists can drive repeat visits and keep clients engaged.

SalonTarget’s targeted email tools allow you to communicate with specific client groups without spending hours managing marketing campaigns.

Often, the most effective marketing is simply staying connected with the clients you already have!

10. Choose partners who explain things clearly

The best marketing professionals make things simpler, not more confusing.

You should always understand:

• what you are paying for
• what work is being done
• how results are being measured

If someone relies heavily on jargon or high-pressure sales tactics, that is usually a sign that the service may not be worth the investment.

Final thoughts

Running a salon already requires incredible focus and energy. The last thing you need is to spend money on marketing services that don’t actually help your business grow.

The goal is not to become a marketing expert overnight. It is simply to know enough to ask good questions, protect your business, and make smart decisions.

With the right systems in place, many salons discover they already have the tools they need to build a strong reputation, attract new clients, and keep their schedule full.

And that means less time worrying about marketing calls… and more time doing what you love behind the chair.