Most salons, lash techs and aesthetic clinics in Ireland run on Instagram and a booking app. It works — until someone searches Google for “lash lift Waterford” or “lip filler Wexford” and finds a competitor instead. Here’s when a salon really needs a website, and what it should have.
Short answer: if new clients find you through Google, or ask “how much?” before they book, yes. Instagram shows your work; a website gets you found for each treatment, answers the price question, and gives people one link that does everything.
What Instagram can’t do
- Rank for each treatment. Google ranks pages, not posts. A page for brows, one for lips, one for lash lifts means each can show up on its own.
- Answer “how much?”. A price list as an image in a highlight can’t be searched or read by Google.
- Stay organised. Your best before-and-after is buried under last week’s posts.
- Belong to you. Your account can be hacked, restricted or changed by the platform. Your website is yours.
What a salon website needs
- A page per main service, with what it is, who it suits, aftercare and a price guide.
- Real results — your own before-and-afters, ideally with a drag-to-compare slider.
- Prices as real text, so clients and Google can read them.
- Book now on every screen — your Fresha, Phorest or WhatsApp link pinned to the bottom of the phone.
- Real reviews, quoted word for word with a link to your Google listing.
- Your rules, built in — patch tests, minimum ages, deposits or consultations.
Two real Irish examples
Déise Beauty, Waterford. An award-recognised permanent makeup studio with a 4.9-star Google rating and 76 reviews — and no website. The €299 Full Site gave each service its own page, drag-to-compare before-and-afters, a searchable price list and Book now and WhatsApp buttons on every phone screen.
Trisha Folan Aesthetics, Wexford. A nurse-led aesthetics clinic. Thirteen pages, including seven treatment pages written for Wexford searches, a clear price guide, her own results, and one-tap WhatsApp or Instagram enquiries with a 21+ check. Live two days after the first free preview. Both case studies are on the work page.
For the full checklist, see salon & beauty website design. Running a barbershop instead? Walk-ins and Booksy links work a little differently — see barber website design.
What it costs
Most salons need either a Launch Page+ (€120) — one long page with services, prices, gallery and booking — or a Full Site (€299) with a page per treatment. Both are one-time, with hosting included and no monthly fees, and you see a free preview of your site before paying. See the full price list.
Common questions
Do I need a website if I have Instagram?
If new clients find you on Google or ask about prices before booking, yes. Instagram shows your work; a website ranks for each treatment and answers prices.
Can a website link to Fresha or Phorest?
Yes. Your existing booking link can sit on a Book now button on every page and every phone screen.
How much is a salon website?
Nicell charges €120 for a Launch Page+ or €299 for a Full Site with a page per treatment, one-time, with hosting included.