{
  "title": "The State of Independent Salon and Barbershop Websites 2026",
  "edition": "2026-Q4",
  "period": "Q4 2026",
  "sample": false,
  "source": "corpus",
  "note": "Aggregates computed from automated scans. No individual site is identified.",
  "url": "https://clikiti.com/research/salons/2026-q4",
  "scannedAt": "2026-10-15T23:04:46.522Z",
  "publishedAt": "2026-10-15T23:05:02.343Z",
  "modifiedAt": "2026-10-15T23:05:02.343Z",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "attribution": "Free to use and cite under CC BY 4.0. Credit Clikiti with a link.",
  "citation": "Clikiti. (2026, October 15). The state of independent salon and barbershop websites 2026 (Q4 2026) [Report]. https://clikiti.com/research/salons/2026-q4",
  "audience": "Web agencies and freelancers selling to independent hair salons, barbershops, colour and specialty salons and salons with spa services",
  "sampleSize": 193,
  "marginOfErrorPts": 7.1,
  "medianScore": 78,
  "meanScore": 78,
  "meanQuestionsAnswered": 3.5,
  "questionCount": 9,
  "findings": [
    "Only 3% of the 193 independent hair salon and barbershop websites we scanned say whether a client in a wheelchair can get in.",
    "A typical site answers four of the nine questions clients ask before choosing (mean 3.5).",
    "The median overall score is 78 out of 100 (mean 78).",
    "The least-answered questions are \"Can I get in with a wheelchair?\" (3%), \"Do other clients vouch for you?\" (18%) and \"Can I just walk in?\" (20%).",
    "The best-answered are \"Can I book my stylist online?\" (72%) and \"When are you open?\" (62%).",
    "By kind of business, the highest median score is 79 (hair salons), against 79 for barbershops, 77 for colour and specialty salons and 76 for salons with spa services.",
    "84% fail \"Loads in under 2.5 s on a phone\" (Core Web Vitals · LCP).",
    "84% fail \"HairSalon, BarberShop or BeautySalon structured data\" (Schema.org · HairSalon).",
    "69% fail \"Text contrast passes 4.5:1\" (WCAG 1.4.3)."
  ],
  "questions": [
    {
      "id": "access",
      "question": "Can I get in with a wheelchair?",
      "label": "Physical accessibility stated",
      "standard": "Client question 8",
      "passPct": 3,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 0,
        "barber": 2,
        "spec": 4,
        "spa": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "reviews",
      "question": "Do other clients vouch for you?",
      "label": "Reviews marked up, in a widget or quoted",
      "standard": "Client question 9",
      "passPct": 18,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 11,
        "barber": 10,
        "spec": 17,
        "spa": 36
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "walkin",
      "question": "Can I just walk in?",
      "label": "Walk-ins or appointment only stated",
      "standard": "Client question 5",
      "passPct": 20,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 13,
        "barber": 24,
        "spec": 26,
        "spa": 17
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "work",
      "question": "Whose work would I be getting?",
      "label": "Photographs of the salon’s own work",
      "standard": "Client question 3",
      "passPct": 26,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 34,
        "barber": 10,
        "spec": 36,
        "spa": 26
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "policy",
      "question": "What if I need to cancel?",
      "label": "Cancellation or no-show policy stated",
      "standard": "Client question 4",
      "passPct": 42,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 55,
        "barber": 12,
        "spec": 55,
        "spa": 48
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "price",
      "question": "What does a cut or colour cost?",
      "label": "Service menu with prices",
      "standard": "Client question 1",
      "passPct": 49,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 49,
        "barber": 37,
        "spec": 45,
        "spa": 69
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "brands",
      "question": "What do you put on my hair?",
      "label": "Product brands named",
      "standard": "Client question 7",
      "passPct": 54,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 77,
        "barber": 10,
        "spec": 60,
        "spa": 74
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "hours",
      "question": "When are you open?",
      "label": "Opening hours stated, day by day",
      "standard": "Client question 6",
      "passPct": 62,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 60,
        "barber": 53,
        "spec": 57,
        "spa": 81
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "book",
      "question": "Can I book my stylist online?",
      "label": "Online booking with a chosen stylist",
      "standard": "Client question 2",
      "passPct": 72,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 74,
        "barber": 75,
        "spec": 68,
        "spa": 69
      }
    }
  ],
  "technical": [
    {
      "id": "lcp",
      "label": "Loads in under 2.5 s on a phone",
      "standard": "Core Web Vitals · LCP",
      "failPct": 84,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 87,
        "barber": 90,
        "spec": 83,
        "spa": 74
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "schema",
      "label": "HairSalon, BarberShop or BeautySalon structured data",
      "standard": "Schema.org · HairSalon",
      "failPct": 84,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 94,
        "barber": 94,
        "spec": 77,
        "spa": 69
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "con",
      "label": "Text contrast passes 4.5:1",
      "standard": "WCAG 1.4.3",
      "failPct": 69,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 68,
        "barber": 53,
        "spec": 68,
        "spa": 90
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "alt",
      "label": "Images have text descriptions",
      "standard": "WCAG 1.1.1",
      "failPct": 19,
      "bySegment": {
        "hair": 13,
        "barber": 16,
        "spec": 21,
        "spa": 29
      }
    }
  ],
  "segments": [
    {
      "id": "hair",
      "name": "Hair salons",
      "sites": 53,
      "median": 79,
      "weakPct": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "barber",
      "name": "Barbershops",
      "sites": 51,
      "median": 79,
      "weakPct": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "spec",
      "name": "Colour and specialty salons",
      "sites": 47,
      "median": 77,
      "weakPct": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "spa",
      "name": "Salons with spa services",
      "sites": 42,
      "median": 76,
      "weakPct": 0
    }
  ],
  "agencyProblems": [
    {
      "id": "access",
      "label": "Physical accessibility stated",
      "standard": "Client question 8",
      "failPct": 97,
      "question": "Can I get in with a wheelchair?",
      "fix": "One plain line on the contact page: step-free entrance or not, the floor, an elevator, accessible parking, a shampoo station that suits a wheelchair.",
      "pitch": "A client who uses a wheelchair cannot tell from your site whether they can get through the door.",
      "effort": "Quick fix"
    },
    {
      "id": "lcp",
      "label": "Loads in under 2.5 s on a phone",
      "standard": "Core Web Vitals · LCP",
      "failPct": 84,
      "fix": "Resize and compress the hero image and gallery photos, defer the booking and Instagram scripts, aim for under 2.5 s on a phone.",
      "pitch": "Your home page takes several seconds to appear on a client’s phone.",
      "effort": "Build"
    },
    {
      "id": "schema",
      "label": "HairSalon, BarberShop or BeautySalon structured data",
      "standard": "Schema.org · HairSalon",
      "failPct": 84,
      "fix": "Add HairSalon or BarberShop structured data with the name, address, phone, opening hours and booking link.",
      "pitch": "Search engines and assistants have to guess when you are open and how to book.",
      "effort": "Quick fix"
    },
    {
      "id": "reviews",
      "label": "Reviews marked up, in a widget or quoted",
      "standard": "Client question 9",
      "failPct": 82,
      "question": "Do other clients vouch for you?",
      "fix": "Show recent client reviews on the home page through a review widget or Review structured data, with the source named.",
      "pitch": "Your clients praise you on Google every week, and none of it is on your own site.",
      "effort": "Quick fix"
    },
    {
      "id": "walkin",
      "label": "Walk-ins or appointment only stated",
      "standard": "Client question 5",
      "failPct": 80,
      "question": "Can I just walk in?",
      "fix": "One line beside the hours: walk-ins welcome, walk-ins when a chair is free, or by appointment only.",
      "pitch": "A client standing outside wants to know whether to walk in or book, and your site does not say.",
      "effort": "Quick fix"
    }
  ]
}