Are you like me you just have work on your website, think your hitting all the spots and then BOOM it all changes again. I recently spent ages planning my keywords, to then find out a few months later Google was over them..

Every few years we assess what is the right way and what does our online platforms need, the same question comes up: is SEO dead? The answer is no. But SEO as we once knew it has changed.

For hair and beauty professionals, this matters more than most people realise. Visibility online isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s what decides whether clients can actually find you when they’re ready to book.

Why Social Media Isn’t Enough

Many salons assume that having a Facebook page, an Instagram feed, or even a TikTok account is enough to get noticed. These platforms are useful for building a community, but they’re not reliable when it comes to discovery.

Algorithms only show your posts to a small fraction of your followers. Social platforms are crowded. And when clients are ready to book, they don’t open Instagram,  they open Google.

That’s where SEO comes in. But it doesn’t work the way it used to.

How Marketing Channels Change

Think about Instagram. When it first took off, it was easy to get noticed. You could post a photo of your work and people would see it. Organic reach was huge, competition was low, and the results were fast.

Over time, more salons, stylists, and influencers joined the platform. Suddenly it wasn’t enough to just post a picture. You needed hashtags, captions, reels, and ads just to stay visible. The results were still there, but they were harder to achieve.

SEO (search engine optimisation) has gone through the same journey. A decade ago, it was simple to rank a website. Add a few keywords, publish a bit of content, and you could appear on page one. Today, competition is fierce, and Google is far more selective. SEO is still powerful, but the easy wins are gone.

Why SEO Feels Harder in 2025

The shift is clear when you look at the numbers.

• Google’s AI Overviews are estimated to cause a 34.5 percent drop in clicks for the first result, with an average decline of 15.5 percent across all queries.
• Around 20 percent of websites now contain detectable AI content. That means there’s more noise, and authority signals matter more than ever.
• At the same time, search itself is still growing. Google searches rose by 21 percent in 2024 and are expected to rise again in 2025.
• AI isn’t replacing search completely. In May 2025, AI overviews only appeared in 13 percent of queries, mostly low-value informational ones. Traditional results still matter most when people are ready to buy or book.

So SEO isn’t dying. It’s just become more competitive, with higher standards.

Why SEO Still Matters

Despite the changes, SEO continues to be the single most powerful driver of visibility.

• 91 percent of marketers said SEO had a positive impact on their goals in 2024.
• The global SEO services market is projected to grow from $68 billion in 2023 to $157 billion by 2032.
• 97 percent of people learn about local businesses online, and 28 percent of local searches lead directly to a purchase.

For hair and beauty businesses, this means one thing. If you want to be found, you need to show up in search.

Feeding AI Instead of Being Forgotten

Here’s the biggest change. Search is no longer just about being on Google. AI is now shaping what people see.

Google’s AI doesn’t invent answers, it pulls them from structured, trusted content. That means if your business isn’t set up properly, AI won’t see you. Instead, it will surface someone else.

This creates a simple choice. Do you want to feed the system with your own expertise and information? Or do you want to risk being invisible while someone else takes your place?

This is why The Hair & Beauty Directory was built. It isn’t just a list of businesses. It’s a structured knowledge hub designed in a way Google and AI trust.

Each profile is built like a mini-website with schema, qualifications, and authority markers included. This makes it easier for search engines to read, understand, and surface in results.

That’s why HABD members are already being found for specific searches like “neurodiverse aware salon” or “menopause-informed therapist.” The platform is deliberately designed to give professionals visibility where it matters most.

What You Can Do to Strengthen Your Online Presence

You don’t have to be a tech expert to take action. Here are simple steps you can start today.

1. Show Your Authority
Make sure your qualifications, insurance, and accreditations are visible online. Both clients and Google value credibility.

2. Provide Useful Content
Don’t just list treatments. Explain them. Answer the questions clients ask in real life — “What is a DMK facial?” or “How often should I have microneedling?” The more useful your content, the more likely AI will reference it.

3. Spread Your Visibility
Social media is great for awareness, but it’s unreliable for search. A mix of your own website plus your HABD profile gives you multiple touchpoints in Google.

4. Keep Adding Knowledge
Fresh, structured content keeps you relevant. Regularly update your website, post blogs, and add detail to your profile. Each update gives search engines and AI more reason to show you.

Why HABD Is Expanding with Subpages and Blogs

We know visibility is becoming more competitive, so we’re giving members new tools to stay ahead.

• Subpages for Profiles
  Soon, members will be able to create treatment and service subpages. Each subpage gives Google and AI more structured content to work with, increasing your chances of being found.
• Blogs for Members
  Members will also be able to publish blogs directly within HABD. This transforms your expertise into searchable articles on a platform that already ranks highly in Google. Instead of relying only on your own site, your content benefits from the collective strength of the directory.

SEO isn’t dead. It has matured. The shortcuts are gone, but the rewards are still there for those who adapt.

Search is still growing. Clients are still turning to Google when they want to book. And AI is now deciding whose voice gets heard.

The Hair & Beauty Directory is designed to make sure that voice can be yours. By joining, you’re not just creating a profile. You’re positioning yourself to be found, trusted, and chosen in the new search landscape.

5 Key Facts Every Salon Owner Should Know About SEO in 2025

1. AI is changing search – Google’s results are now AI-driven, which means your content has to be clear, structured, and trustworthy for it to show up.
2. Schema makes you visible – Adding structured data (the technical “labels” behind your pages) is what helps Google and AI understand your services, courses, and events.
3. Google still values basics – Fast websites, accurate info, reviews, and consistent business details (like name, address, phone) are still essential.
4. Social alone won’t cut it – Instagram and TikTok can bring attention, but search is still where people look when they’re ready to book or buy.
5. Directories give you leverage – A platform like HABD isn’t “just a listing” – each profile is built to rank independently on Google, feeding AI and giving you more ways to be found.