How We Helped a New Salon Get 600+ Bookings in Their First Year

For this project, we worked with a new hair salon in Kameari that wanted to build local visibility and start getting bookings from the beginning. When we started in March, the salon had almost no online presence and was not getting consistent customers. The goal was simple increase visibility and turn local searches into real bookings.

We started with SEO and MEO (Google Maps optimization). First, we set up and optimized the Google Business Profile with correct information, categories, and photos. Then we focused on local keywords like “Kameari hair salon” to improve search visibility. We also encouraged customers to leave reviews, which helped build trust and improve rankings on Google Maps over time.

After building the base, we launched paid campaigns using Google Search Ads targeting local intent. The ads were focused on people actively searching for salon services nearby. We also tested Performance Max campaigns to increase reach across different channels. Campaigns were monitored regularly and optimized based on performance like clicks, conversions, and cost efficiency.

By the end of the year, the salon had generated over 600 bookings, built a strong base of 5-star reviews, and established a solid presence in the local area. The combination of SEO, Google Maps optimization, and paid ads helped create consistent growth and long-term results.

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After optimizing the Google Business Profile, we launched a Google Performance Max campaign to ensure we reached as many potential customers as possible. This campaign ran across Google Search, Maps, YouTube, and Gmail, allowing us to maximize visibility for the salon’s location. Within the first month, we reached over 200,000 local users, driving them to the business profile for calls, directions, and website visits.

In addition to this, we ran a dedicated Google Search Ads campaign, specifically targeting local intent keywords. We identified the top search terms like “hair salon Kameari” and “best salon near me,” and we built ad groups around them. Each ad was crafted to highlight the salon’s location, services, and special offers. We used Responsive Search Ads, so multiple headlines and descriptions rotated to find the best combination.

We also ran a Smart Campaign focused on daily budget optimization, ensuring we stayed visible to people actively searching. Every week, we reviewed the performance looking at click-through rates, cost per click, and conversion rates. Based on this data, we adjusted bids, paused underperforming keywords, and doubled down on what worked best. By combining these strategies—Google Business Profile optimization, Performance Max, and Search Ads we built a steady stream of local traffic and ensured the salon was top of mind for customers in the area.

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In the results, our combined Performance Max and Search campaigns delivered a substantial lift in performance. Across both campaigns, we achieved 861,000 total impressions and 9,930 clicks, resulting in 1,620 recorded conversions. After applying a promotional credit from Google, the total ad spend was ¥490,000, giving us a cost per conversion of approximately ¥303. Specifically, in the Search campaign, we saw 3,420 clicks and 57,000 impressions, with an average CPC of ¥678 and a CTR of 5.96%. These metrics reflect a highly efficient campaign structure. It’s important to note that Performance Max drove additional customer actions, but we couldn’t fully track them since many bookings happened through a third-party system, Hot Pepper Beauty. Thus, the actual number of calls and bookings was likely even higher. Last year, this approach delivered an 11.99x return on ad spend—almost 12x. This year, our goal is to improve our ROAS by 20%, applying deeper audience segmentation, refining bidding strategies, and leveraging broader brand recognition so that we can exceed last year’s performance and drive even greater business growth.

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