Trying to get ahead in the hair salon industry can be a bit daunting, especially with so many new businesses opening their doors every single day. Here, you’ll find five tried-and-true hair salon marketing strategies that really work online. In fact, you can even get the stylists involved.

#1 – Get Your Stylists Involved in Social Media

No matter how busy you hope to be, chances are good that you have at least a little downtime from time to time. Rather than spending that time chatting or sending your crew home, ask them to participate in your salon’s social media account. They can start hair care Q&A sessions, respond to comments, provide their own unique tips and tricks, and much, much more – all of which will help generate interest in your business.

#2 – Create “Sharable” Discounts

The truth is that social media is dominated by your target audience – women of all ages. In fact, 82% of all Pinterest users and 68% of all Instagram users are women, so if you aren’t utilizing these sites to your advantage, you should start doing so right away. Better yet, create some “sharable” discounts, too. Up to 92% of women share deals with others online to help them enjoy the discounts. It can spread the word like wildfire.

#3 – Adopt a Cause

One of the best ways to generate business for your salon is to adopt a cause or charity that is common with your audience. You could pick a national charity, such as the USPCA, or you could choose a local GoFundMe cause each week and donate a portion of your proceeds. When your demographic is in need of a cut, style, or color, they’ll remember that you’re generously donating to these causes – and they’ll want to do their part to help.

#4 – Thorough SEO

Search engine optimization is important, but when it comes to a hair salon, you’ll want to focus much of your efforts on local optimization. For example, if you’re located in Portland, your content should be optimized with phrases like “Portland hair coloring” or “hairstyle Portland”. After all, these are the things people will search for when they want to find a business to cater to them. Do your part by optimizing your site, and do the same with press releases, blog posts, and email marketing to see the full effect.

Read how one salon made it to page 1 of Google for 100+ keywords through SEO alone.

#5 – Encourage Client Feedback

Finally, one of the best ways to improve your brand’s recognition involves encouraging your clients to post pictures of their new ‘dos along with feedback about their experiences. In fact, you can even turn this into a contest: perhaps the best and most creative selfie on Twitter wins a free color, cut, or style. It’s like free advertising, too, since it gives others an opportunity to see just how talented your crew truly is, and it gets your brand name out into the digital space.

When it comes to digital marketing, the possibilities for your salon are truly endless. It’s all about being competitive in this industry, getting your name out there, and showing others why you’re the best choice. All five of the aforementioned strategies will do just that.