Adam Thomas, Pro Hair’s resident Data Dork and the Founder of the game-changing salon review platform and insights generator, salonspy, explains why customer testimonials could be costing you the trust of potential clients…
Today’s consumers can be sceptical, especially when it comes to testimonials. Testimonials are often seen as cherry-picked by the salon and displayed in a controlled environment (such as their website), whereas consumers prefer unfiltered, real-time feedback. Rather than focusing on curated testimonials, people now actively seek out authentic reviews from platforms not controlled by the business.
For example, when booking a holiday, you’re far more likely to trust reviews from third-party platforms like Tripadvisor, not a testimonial that only sits on the hotel’s website. That’s because booking platforms know that consumers trust independent reviews. If your business has quality, recent reviews, the key is to make them easily accessible and synced across important platforms, including your website and your social media channels.
Hotels will often have Tripadvisor widgets directly on their websites. This keeps potential customers on their site, providing access to trusted feedback without redirecting them elsewhere. Your salon website should follow the same strategy: once a visitor lands on your page, you want to give them zero reasons to leave. If they have to search elsewhere for reviews, you risk losing them to competitors through Google Ads or online marketplaces.
Many review systems offer plugins that display third-party reviews directly on your website, but be cautious! Avoid over-customising these widgets to match your brand too closely. Consumers need to instantly recognise that the reviews come from a trusted third-party source. Once it looks like you have control over the reviews, they lose credibility and start looking like testimonials again.
This is your sign to rethink testimonials.
Either rename the section or page as ‘reviews’ or remove it entirely. Consider opting for a verified review platform like salonspy or similar, to showcase your most recent customer feedback. In the end, transparency and authenticity are what will win a customer’s trust – and their business too.
Are AI Images Creating Unrealistic Hair Goals? – Nicole Petty, Hair Expert at Milk + Blush
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionised most industries, including the hair and beauty sector. Virtual consultations, augmented reality styling, appointment scheduling and style trend predictions are all services that are becoming increasingly commonplace. However, this new wave of digital perfection is setting unrealistic hair goals and creating challenges for salons too, particularly with clients bringing AI-generated images as references for a hairstyle.
Here are some ways AI is beginning to set unrealistic hair standards:
AI-enhanced images often show hair that is unnaturally perfect or impossible to attain, with many inspiration pictures featuring exaggerated volume, texture and colours that cannot be accurately replicated. These flawless images often flood social media, which is where many clients will look for hair inspiration.
However, where AI doesn’t account for the diverse range of hair types and conditions, many people feel dissatisfied with their natural hair and compare it to what they see online. This has helped to create an unrealistic beauty standard and put pressure on salons to deliver unachievable results.
Ultimately, this is creating a disconnect between what clients expect and what stylists can deliver, which can leave customers feeling disappointed and cause stress for hair professionals who feel they can’t perform.
What Can Salons Do To Tackle AI Challenges?
