What features do the most successful beauty apps have? 

Whether you’re a boutique beauty business or a chain of salons, having an app can be a real boost to your bottom line. Creating a functioning app for your beauty business is one thing, but creating one that also looks good (to reflect the image-conscious industry you operate in) and is packed with features that encourage your clients to use the app and your services. So, what exactly are the magic ingredients for a successful beauty app design?

1.     Location, location, location

Whether you have just one location or multiple options, it makes sense to give your salon its own space on your app. If you have multiple salons in various locations, this allows the user to choose the space that is closest to them – if salons offer different treatment menus or have different pricing this is essential as you’ll then be able to personalise the experience for the user.

Even if you only have the one location, having a tab which showcases the salon, its trained staff and other USPs is always a good idea. This shows visitors exactly what to expect and showcases the investment you have made in your salon and your brand.

2.     Images

Images are worth a thousand words as the old saying goes and especially in the beauty industry, this is very true. Clients will want to see images of treatments either for verification purposes, to help them make a choice or for inspiration. This is also a chance to showcase the quality of your service and your creativity.

If your beauty salon offers nail extensions for example, scrollable images of your most creative designs can help customers decide on their own next set and ensure they book with you not a rival down the street. Likewise if you offer makeup or hairdressing, images of completed looks can cement a customer’s choice, show them what you can offer and give them inspiration.

3.     Treatment menu

Your beauty app should have a full menu of treatments – and to aid the user experience it’s often a good idea to split these up into categorfies such as face, body, hands and feet. As well as making it easy for users to find and book the service or treatment they specifically need, a full menu makes it more likely they’ll also see something else they may wish to try too.

4.     In-app appointments

To really make your app successful, it should allow users to book the treatment of their choice without having to leave the app to do so. Appointment booking can also factor in additional feature such as the option to choose a preferred therapist.

5.     Promotions

Your app should also showcase special promotions and offers to clients – this is good for them and for you. If you bundle treatments together for example to coincide with special events such as wedding season or bank holidays, being able to offer them in your app as well as in salon is a great way to generate additional revenue. This could be coupled with push notifications and other promos such as themed nights or taster treatments.