Why Your Salon’s Facebook Ads Aren’t Working and How to Fix Them

Facebook Ads can be a powerful tool for salons, offering the ability to attract local clients, fill empty appointment slots, and boost revenue. But for many salon owners, the results don’t match the effort (or money) they’re putting into it. Ads are running, budgets are being spent, but there’s little to no return.

If this sounds familiar, don’t worry—you’re not alone. With over 5+ years of experience running profitable ads for multi-million dollar business, we'd like to dive into some of the most common reasons we've found that Facebook Ads don't work for salons and actionable ways you can turn your campaigns around.

Your Targeting Is Too Broad (or Too Narrow)

One of the biggest pitfalls salon owners face is targeting the wrong audience. If your ad is reaching people who aren’t interested in salon services—or people who live too far away—you’re wasting money.

How to Fix It:

• Use Local Targeting: Narrow your audience to a specific radius around your salon (e.g., 10-15 miles).

• Define Your Ideal Client: Use test open-targeting and interest targeting together by targeting women aged 18-45 interested in "haircare," "beauty salons," or "self-care."

• Leverage Retargeting: Use Facebook’s Pixel to retarget people who’ve visited your website or interacted with your posts, ads, and website reminding them to book.

Your Offer Isn’t Compelling Enough

Generic ads like “Book Now” or “Visit Our Salon” aren’t enough to stop people from scrolling. Without a clear, irresistible offer, your ad won’t capture attention.

How to Fix It:

• Create Time-Sensitive Offers: Highlight special deals, like “Get 20% off balayage treatments this week only!”

• Bundle Services: Package popular treatments together at a discount, such as “Haircut + Deep Conditioning Treatment for $50.”

• Focus on First-Time Clients: Offer a discount exclusively for new customers, like “New to our salon? Enjoy your first haircut with $30 off!”

Your Ad Creative Doesn’t Stand Out

In a sea of vibrant images and videos, a poorly designed ad will get ignored. If your visuals don’t grab attention, or your copy isn’t clear, your ad performance will suffer.

How to Fix It:

• Invest in High-Quality Photos: Avoid stock photos and instead showcase stunning before-and-after shots of nails, haircuts, colouring, or styling. Stock photos come off in-genuine, real photos will build instant with your target audience.

• Experiment with Videos: A quick video of a stylist creating a gorgeous transformation can work wonders.

• Write Client-Centered Copy: Instead of “We’re the best salon,” say, “Love your hair again—book with us today.” to  speak directly to the client’s needs and desires or utilize real-life testimonials to build further trust.

You’re Not Optimizing for Bookings

Even if your ad catches attention, if it doesn’t lead potential clients to book an appointment, it’s not doing its job.

How to Fix It:

• Simplify the Booking Process: Link directly to an easy-to-use booking page (e.g., Fresha, Vagaro). Avoid asking clients to call or email.

• Utilize Adv+ Shopping Ads: When optimized for Sales, take advantage of Adv+ Shopping ads, a proven method commonly used to help increase your volume and lower Cost per Results (Real-life example below)

• Add a Strong CTA (Call-to-Action): Use phrases like “Book Now,” “Claim Your Spot,” or “Get Your Discount Today” to drive action.

• Use Lead Forms: Facebook’s lead forms let users book directly within the platform without leaving the app, minimizing friction.

• Use WhatsApp Ads: With most people staying active on WhatsApp on a day-to-day basis, having your ads redirect to WhatsApp is a safe and easy way to attain more bookings.

You’re Ignoring Your Ad Performance Metrics

Running ads without checking key metrics is like driving blind. If you don’t know what’s working and what isn’t, you’ll keep wasting money.

How to Fix It:

• Monitor Your Click-Through Rate (CTR): A CTR below 1% might mean your ad isn’t engaging enough.

• Keep a Close Eye on Frequency: Frequency measures how often people see any ad in a campaign, calculated by dividing impressions (total views) by reach (unique viewers). High frequency can lead to ad fatigue, where viewers see the same ad repeatedly and lose interest or become annoyed. Adding fresh creatives helps by distributing impressions across different ads, making the campaign feel less repetitive and keeping the audience engaged.

• Review Your Cost Per Result: Is the cost of acquiring a client too high? Test different offers or targeting.

• A/B Test Your Ads: Run two versions of an ad with small variations (e.g., different images, headlines, or CTAs) to see which performs better.

You’re Focusing on Ads Without a Retention Strategy

Getting clients through Facebook Ads is only half the battle. If they come in for a one-time deal and never return, your ad spend won’t generate lasting results.

How to Fix It:

• Upsell During Appointments: Encourage clients to book their next appointment while they’re still in the chair.

• Start a Loyalty Program: Reward clients for frequent visits with discounts, free services, or exclusive perks.

• Build a Remarketing Funnel: Use ads to re-engage past clients with personalized offers like “We miss you! Book again and get $10 off.”

You’re Not Adjusting Your Ads Regularly

Facebook Ads aren’t a “set it and forget it” tool. Ad fatigue, seasonal shifts, and changing audience behavior mean your ads need regular updates.

How to Fix It:

• Refresh Ad Creative: Update images, copy, or offers every 1-4 weeks to keep things fresh.

• Test Seasonal Campaigns: Promote services tied to holidays or events, like back-to-school haircuts or summer highlights.

• Pause Underperforming Ads: If an ad isn’t delivering results, turn it off and focus on what’s working.

Real-Life Example: A Salon That Fixed Their Facebook Ads

V Beauty Pure, a nail care brand, wanted to boost online sales via its website and Facebook/Instagram Shop. They tested Meta’s Advantage+ shopping campaigns with Shops ads.

Key Results:

• 25% decrease in cost per purchase

• 63% increase in return on ad spend

Strategy:They ran an A/B test:

• Cell A: Ads directed users to their website.

• Cell B: Ads directed users to either the website or their Shop on Facebook/Instagram.

Results:

• The combined use of Advantage+ and Shops ads yielded a better return on investment, allowing V Beauty Pure to expand their reach and provide a more seamless shopping experience.

  
  

Takeaway: For e-commerce and service-based businesses like beauty brands, pairing Shop ads with Advantage+ shopping campaigns offers a more targeted, cost-effective way to drive sales while simplifying the ad setup and optimization process.

Final Thoughts

Facebook Ads can drive incredible results for salons, but success comes from strategy, not guesswork. By refining your targeting, creating irresistible offers, improving your visuals, and optimizing for bookings, you can transform your ad campaigns into client-generating machines.

If you’re feeling stuck, remember: it’s all about testing and adjusting. Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn from what works best for your salon.