How to Set Up Online Booking for Your Salon
A practical guide to launching online bookings that work for your business
In this guide
Online booking has become expected in the beauty industry. Clients want to book appointments when it suits them—often outside your business hours. A well-configured booking system captures these appointments that would otherwise be lost.
But setting up online booking involves more than flipping a switch. Your service list, team schedules, booking rules, and payment settings all need to work together. Get it right, and you'll reduce phone calls whilst filling your schedule. Get it wrong, and you'll spend time fixing booking errors or fielding confused client calls.
This guide walks through setting up online booking step by step, covering the decisions you'll need to make and the common pitfalls to avoid.
Why online booking matters
The case for online booking comes down to two factors: client convenience and captured revenue.
Client convenience
Phone calls require both parties to be available simultaneously. Your client needs to remember to call during business hours, then wait if you're with someone. Online booking removes this friction entirely—clients book whenever suits them, often during evenings or weekends when they have time to think about their schedule.
Captured revenue
Every booking attempt that fails is potential revenue lost. When clients can't reach you by phone, some will call back—but others won't. They'll book elsewhere or simply postpone. Online booking captures those appointments that would otherwise slip away.
There's also the matter of phone interruptions during services. Taking calls while with a client isn't ideal for either person. Online booking reduces these interruptions whilst still filling your schedule.
Online booking doesn't mean abandoning phone bookings entirely. Many salons offer both options—online for convenience, phone for clients who prefer it or have complex requests.
Before you start: preparation checklist
Before enabling online booking, ensure your system is properly configured. Mistakes here cause problems that take time to fix once clients start booking.
Service list
- •Are all your services in the system with accurate names?
- •Do the durations reflect actual appointment times, including any buffer?
- •Are prices current and correct?
- •Have you decided which services should be bookable online?
Team schedules
- •Is each team member's working schedule set up correctly?
- •Are holidays and time off entered for the coming weeks?
- •Have you assigned which services each team member performs?
Business settings
- •What's your cancellation policy, and is it documented?
- •Will you require deposits for online bookings?
- •Do you want to approve bookings manually or confirm them automatically?
- •How far in advance can clients book? How close to the appointment time?
Common mistake
Don't enable online booking until your service durations are accurate. If a colour service actually takes 90 minutes but is listed as 60, you'll end up with overlapping appointments.
Setting up your services correctly
Your service list is the foundation of online booking. Clients select from these services, and the system uses the durations to calculate availability.
Service names clients understand
Use names that clients will recognise. Internal shorthand or technical terms can confuse people unfamiliar with salon terminology. "Women's Cut & Style" is clearer than "Ladies Cut" or "W/C&S".
Group related services logically—all cuts together, all colour services together, and so on. This makes browsing easier for clients.
Accurate durations
Service duration should reflect the actual time the appointment takes, including any setup or finishing time. If you need 15 minutes between clients for cleanup, either add that to the service duration or configure a buffer time.
Be realistic about timing. Optimistic durations lead to running late, which frustrates both you and your clients. Better to have slightly longer durations and occasionally finish early than constantly rush.
Which services to offer online
Not every service needs to be available for online booking. Consider restricting:
- •Complex services requiring consultation first (major colour corrections)
- •Services with highly variable timing that's hard to estimate
- •Services you'd prefer to discuss with the client beforehand
For these, clients can still request them—you'd just handle the booking manually after a conversation.
Service bundles
If clients commonly book combinations of services, consider creating bundles. A "Cut, Colour & Treatment" bundle is easier to book than three separate services, and you can offer package pricing as an incentive.
Configuring your booking page
Your booking page is often the first impression clients have of your business online. It should look professional and be easy to use.
Branding elements
Upload your logo and a banner image that represents your salon. If you have professional photos of your space or work, add them to your gallery. This helps new clients feel confident they've found the right business.
Write a brief description of your salon—location, specialties, or anything else that helps clients understand what you offer. Keep it concise; people are there to book, not read an essay.
Booking rules
Several settings control how clients can book:
- •Minimum notice period: How close to the appointment time can clients book? Setting this to 2-4 hours prevents last-minute bookings you can't prepare for.
- •Maximum advance booking: How far ahead can clients book? 4-8 weeks is typical. Too far and schedules become unreliable; too short and clients can't plan ahead.
- •Team member selection: Let clients choose their preferred person, or assign automatically based on availability.
Approval settings
You can either confirm bookings automatically or require manual approval. Automatic confirmation is simpler and faster for clients. Manual approval gives you control over every booking but creates extra work and delays confirmation.
Many salons start with manual approval until they're confident their system is configured correctly, then switch to automatic confirmation.
If you enable automatic confirmation, make sure your team schedules and service durations are accurate. The system will confirm bookings based on this data.
Managing availability and schedules
Online booking relies on accurate schedule information. If schedules are wrong, clients see incorrect availability—either missing out on open slots or booking times that don't actually exist.
Team member schedules
Each team member needs their working hours set correctly. This includes regular weekly schedules plus any variations—someone who works Saturdays but not Wednesdays, or different hours on different days.
When schedules change temporarily (covering for a colleague, working extra holiday shifts), update them in the system. The booking page will reflect these changes automatically.
Time off and holidays
Enter planned time off as soon as it's known. This prevents clients booking appointments during periods when someone won't be there. Include public holidays, annual leave, and any other closures.
Make it a habit to review and update schedules regularly—weekly is ideal. Outdated schedules are one of the most common causes of booking problems.
Service-team member assignment
Not every team member performs every service. A nail technician shouldn't appear as available for haircuts. Assign services to the team members who actually perform them.
If you add a new service, remember to assign team members to it. A service with no assigned team members will never show availability.
Payment and deposit settings
Payment settings for online booking involve deciding whether to require deposits, how much, and which services require them.
Why require deposits
Deposits reduce no-shows significantly. When clients have paid something towards their appointment, they're more likely to show up or cancel properly rather than simply not appearing.
Deposits also filter out non-serious bookings. Someone willing to put down $30-50 is genuinely planning to attend.
How much to charge
Common approaches include a fixed amount (e.g., $30-50 regardless of service) or a percentage of the service value (e.g., 25-50%). The deposit should be meaningful enough to create commitment without being so high it discourages bookings.
When to require deposits
You don't necessarily need deposits for every booking. Options include:
- •All online bookings: Simplest to explain and manage
- •New clients only: Protects against unknown clients whilst trusting regulars
- •High-value services only: Deposits for expensive treatments, not quick services
- •Specific days: Peak times when no-shows hurt most
Refund policy
Decide how deposits work with your cancellation policy. Typically:
- •Cancel with adequate notice: Full refund or apply to next booking
- •Late cancellation: Forfeit deposit
- •No-show: Forfeit deposit, potentially charge remainder
Make your policy clear on the booking page so clients understand the terms before they pay.
Promoting your booking link
Once your booking system is configured, clients need to find it. Your booking link should be visible everywhere clients might look for it.
Your website
Add a prominent "Book Now" button on your website—ideally visible without scrolling. Link it directly to your booking page. If you have a services page, include booking links there too.
Social media
Add your booking link to your Instagram bio, Facebook page, and any other social profiles. When posting about availability or services, include the booking link in the caption or story.
Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) lets you add a booking link that appears when people search for your salon. This is particularly valuable since many clients find local businesses through Google search.
Physical salon
Don't overlook your physical space. A QR code at reception lets clients book their next appointment before they leave. Window signage can direct passersby to your booking page.
Existing clients
Let current clients know about online booking. A brief mention at the end of appointments ("You can also book your next visit online—it's often easier than calling") introduces the option without being pushy.
Test your booking link yourself before promoting it widely. Go through the entire booking process as a client would to make sure everything works smoothly.
Key takeaways
- ✓Verify your service durations are accurate before enabling online booking—incorrect times cause scheduling conflicts
- âś“Keep team schedules and time off current; outdated schedules lead to booking errors
- âś“Decide which services should be bookable online; not everything needs to be
- âś“Configure booking rules (notice periods, advance booking limits) that suit your business
- âś“Consider deposits for online bookings to reduce no-shows
- âś“Promote your booking link everywhere clients might look for it: website, social media, Google, and in-salon
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Last updated: 2026-01-30