FAQ
The questions
salon owners ask us.
Straight answers on what we do, what it costs, and how we get you found. If yours isn’t here, just ask.
Section 01
The basics
What is Salon Guild?
Salon Guild builds and runs the online presence for hair salons and barbershops across Australia. We build your website so Google and AI can read it and put your name forward. Ads and social media are coming as add-on plans. You do the hair. We handle the screen.
What do you actually do for my salon?
We build you a modern website that Google and AI tools can actually read, so your salon has a chance of being named when someone searches or asks an AI for a good salon nearby. Your Google Business Profile and booking system are add-ons. As we grow, we add ads, social media and reputation to that. Everything is done for you, and signed off by you.
Who is Salon Guild for?
We work with independent hair salons and barbershops in Australia, usually owner-run with a small team. If your website is out of date, hard to find, or you never had time to sort it, that is exactly who we built this for.
Section 02
Getting found on Google and AI
Why isn’t my salon showing up on Google?
Most salon sites are built once and forgotten, with no local SEO, no structured data, and thin content, so Google has little reason to rank them. We fix the site. The map results are driven mostly by your Google Business Profile, so an unclaimed or bare listing holds you back too. We’ll show you what’s wrong with yours for free, send you a guide to fix it yourself, or sort it for you for $299.
How do I get my salon to show up on ChatGPT or Google’s AI?
AI tools recommend businesses they can read. Most salon websites return a blank page to them, so the AI has nothing to work with and names someone else. We build your site so AI tools can read it, understand what you do and where you are, and put your name forward. This is the part we control completely, and it is where most salons are losing without knowing it.
Does my salon need a website if I already have Instagram?
Yes. Instagram shows your work, but it does not help you get found when someone searches Google or asks an AI tool for a salon nearby, and you do not own it. A proper website is what search engines and AI actually read to recommend you. The two work together, they do not replace each other.
Section 03
Pricing and commitment
How much does Salon Guild cost?
Our Foundation plan is $49 a month, plus a $500 one-off setup. That covers your website, hosting, upkeep, and building it so Google and AI can read you. Month to month, no lock-in. Google Business Profile setup is an optional $299 one-off, and booking integration is quoted per salon. You can also buy the site outright for $1,000, though you then arrange your own hosting and updates. Ads, social media and other services are coming as add-on plans.
What is the setup fee, and is there a lock-in contract?
Setup is a one-off $500, which covers building your site and writing it. After that it is $49 a month with no lock-in. Cancel any time. We would rather earn the next month than trap you in a contract.
Do you take a commission on my bookings?
No. We never take a cut of your bookings or your revenue. You pay a flat monthly fee and keep everything you earn.
Section 04
How it works
What is the free preview?
Before you commit to anything, we build you a preview of your new site so you can see it with your own salon on it, not a generic demo. Send us your current site or your Instagram, and we will show you what yours could look like. Like it, we make it live. Don’t, no hard feelings.
How long does it take to get my site live?
Most salons are live within a week of saying yes. Most of that is us working in the background. You spend under an hour across the whole thing.
How much of my time will this take?
Very little. A short form at the start, a look over the design, and a final sign-off. A quick call if you want one. We do the building, writing and setup. You approve it.
Do you handle online bookings?
Every site gets your phone number as tap-to-call on every page, included. If you already use a booking system like Fresha, Timely or Square, we can wire it into your site so it is one tap away. That one is quoted per salon, since every system is different. We build around how you already take bookings, we do not force you onto a new system.
Can I keep my domain, and do I own the site?
Yes. You keep your domain, and the site is yours. If you ever leave, you take it with you. No commissions, no hostage situations.
What if I need changes after the site is live?
Foundation includes up to two content updates a month, things like prices, hours, photos or a new stylist. We make the changes so you never open a website editor. Bigger jobs like new pages or features are quoted separately.
Section 05
What’s coming, and who we are
Do you do ads and social media?
That is coming. Right now we are focused on getting your website live and getting you found. Ads, social media and reputation management are rolling out as add-on plans. Ask us and we will tell you where they are up to.
Who is behind Salon Guild?
Salon Guild was founded by Mike Newman and Kees de Jong. Mike has spent 20 years designing customer experiences for products used by millions. Kees comes from advertising and marketing, working with premium brands in Australia and overseas. We build alongside a working salon, so this is shaped by how salons actually run.
Do you work with salons in my area?
We work with salons and barbershops right across Australia. Everything we do is online, so where you are does not change what we can do for you.
Still got a question?
Send it over, or get a free preview of your new site while you’re at it.