Afton Hassler on Websites That Work: 10 Must-Haves for Stylists in 2025

In this episode, Lisa sits down with Afton Hassler—Soul Tribe member, full-time hairstylist, and founder of AM Web Designs—to talk all things websites. Afton shares her inspiring journey of balancing life behind the chair while building a thriving side business creating custom websites for salons and spas.

Together, they explore why having a beautiful, functional website is essential for stylists in 2025 and walk through Afton’s free guide: 10 Features Every Hairstylist Website Needs. Whether you’re starting from scratch or your current site needs a refresh, this episode is full of practical gems, tech-savvy insights, and confidence-boosting encouragement.

What You’ll Learn:

• Afton’s journey from stylist to web designer

• Why a booking link isn’t enough in 2025

• The top 10 must-have website features for hairstylists

• How to use your site to convert new clients and reflect your brand

• Tips for DIYing your website—or knowing when to outsource

• Why your website is digital real estate you own

Connect with Afton:

Instagram: @amwebdesigns_

Website: amwebdesigns.com

Get the Freebie:

Grab Afton’s free guide “10 Features Every Hairstylist Website Needs” via the link in the show notes to evaluate or revamp your own site with confidence.

Connect with Lisa Huff

• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube

Transcript

Audio Only - All Participants: 0:03

Hello, friends. Welcome back to Stylist Soul Tribe Conversations. I am joined by a very special guest today. Afton is the founder of AM Web Designs, a full-time hairstylist with a passion for web design. The company focuses on crafting sites that reflect each client's unique brand and connect them with their clientele. Balancing her time between hairstyling and web development. She brings a unique perspective to the beauty industry's online presence. Hello, Afton AFT's, a member of Soul Tribe. She has been for years, and I feel like at this point you're just a friend of mine and I love connecting with you and chatting with you, So proud of you for coming on the podcast and excited for everyone to get to know you. So how are you doing? Thank you. I'm good. I love being a part of Soul Tribe. You're the best. I went off and got on right before we hit record. She's in the intensive right now. So we were actually just on a two hour call together. she is working behind the scenes on really bringing AM web designs to life and to the industry and trying to get the awareness out there. And so being a member of SEO Tribe on her last. Call, her last, like, soul tribe call. I said, well, we need to, you know, you really gotta just start getting your name out there. What do you wanna, how are we gonna do that? And I was like, starting with podcasts. And she's like, okay, I'm nervous. I've never done a podcast before, but I'll come on yours. That can be the first one. so here we are. Why don't you walk us back a little bit, tell us a little bit about your story, who you are, where you're from, if you wanna talk a little bit about like, how you got into the industry, your existing, business now, and then we'll kind of flow into this big magic idea that you have that we're here to talk about today. Sure, yeah. I've been doing hair for 21 years. I currently live in Lincoln, Nebraska. I have a salon slash boutique that I work at by myself and, love the beauty industry. love doing hair still, but I'm not opposed to maybe stepping away a little bit from behind the chair and was kind of looking for my what's next big magic idea type thing. it. Was brought to my attention that I love building websites and have really enjoyed doing my own. but that would be something I would be interested in doing and helping other people with. Expanded from there. We are a to a higher level of just go-getter. Like we just are constantly looking for something else to build, something else to do, something else to create. It's not about leaving behind the chair at all, it's that you have gained. The skills and the knowledge, and you have interest and passion and often loves to travel. You can talk a little bit about that as well, that like, we're cut from the same cloth. I get it. I mean, as soon as my clientele was built and I had a really beautiful business and it started running like a well-oiled machine, I was like. Now what? Like, I just always have to be kind of like stimulating my brain. And so I remember kind of encouraging you and you're like, I wanna do, so I wanna be able to continue to travel even more. Like, I love my clients, I love what I'm doing, but we would check in on these monthly calls and you're like, yeah, I implemented my price increase. It went great. And yeah, the business is going good. What's, what's what now? What's next? so how long has that been since this initial idea kind of came to you? It was the end of the first intensive. Okay. So Last spring. Wow. So about a year. Yes. And then we obviously talked about it a lot at the retreat. and so I guess tell everybody what am AM web designs is if you met someone for the first time and they were hairstyles and they're like, what is this? Tell them a little bit about what you've created. Yeah. I build. Personalized websites on Wix for stylists, salons, spas. Yeah. Obviously focused on their branding and connecting them with their clients. Yeah. that are searching for them. And would you say that the purpose,'cause you know, people are gonna listen to this, the perfect person listening to this, maybe they don't have a website at all, they already have a website. They don't love doing the website. Like, who is it that would really benefit from your services? it could be any of those things. if you don't have a website, I think it's important to have one. Even if you're a. Below stylists just getting found on Google. You're not always gonna show up on Google with just social media. you might have a website, but you don't love the look of it. You need it refreshed or you haven't finished it, or you don't know if you have the right information on there. Yep. I'm happy to help revamp and revise your website or redesign from there. And yeah, just anyone that needs a website. often, redid my website, the Stylist Soul Tribe website, because I truly believe that we just don't need to be spending time doing things that don't light us up because that drives me nuts. I feel dumb when I do it. I lose all creativity. I get stuck on one little thing. it annoys me. I put it off, put it off, put it off, and Afton iss over here like, well, I love doing that. And I'm like, then why not? As an industry, we all just collaborate together and if someone hates doing, building their website or fixing their website or doing their website, Afton can do that. And I also believe that about. Almost like every other thing, you know, if someone loves social media, why not all of us kind of work together and create that and put those, services out into the industry. So I love that so much. I'm proud of you for going for it. I'm grateful for the work that you've already done for me. I told Ashton I was blown away. She kind of. Used me a little bit as a beta tester, and she was quick. She was quick. I really asked for like, almost no edits, and I think you were thrown off by that because you were expecting this to take longer. But I was like, this is perfect. Like this is exactly what I needed. Thank you so much. so yes, what would you say? Okay, let's speak for a little bit to the stylist that like really. Are a little bit further behind and they have no idea, or like maybe they use a link to bio kind of thing in their website or they have an online booking site and they think that that's their website. What would you say is like the importance of why stylists need to have websites that they maybe just like, they're like, oh no, I have online booking, or I have this link to bio, or I just, you know, have people text message me or like some more reasons of why that's so important. Yeah, I think a website should and really does give a feel as to what your experience is like. At your salon. Salon. you're not gonna get that from your booking site with just branding colors. You're gonna need those in there. a catchphrase or just any verbiage to kind of explain A little bit about your experience there. I think the website is gonna showcase that, And really kind of comfort a client. So they feel like they know you before just booking with some random stranger. There's just more meat to a website. There's gonna be an about you page, there's gonna be all of these different things, testimonials. it's almost just that kind of, last layer I think that clients go through before they're like, okay, yes, I'm gonna try this person out. Yes. Yeah. It's nice to know a little bit about someone you're gonna be spending. Anywhere from a half hour to several hours. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Obviously finding a new hairstyles Yeah. I feel like is such a scary move for new clients and I, and some people get referred and they're like, okay, I trust that completely. I'll go for that person. But I think even if you're getting a referral, you scope the people out online. And again, I know you and I have been doing this. For a while. we've been in Thrivers for many, many years, so we've been on that boat, but there really are still hairstylists in 2025. I would guess more than 50% of hairstyles that still do not even have a basic website. And I just think in 2025, you're falling behind and you're falling behind fast if it's 2025 and you don't have a legitimate website. And I think even just from like a real estate property kind of thought process. This is how I think about, true websites, obviously your whole online presence. You have social media, you have Facebook, you have Instagram, you have TikTok, you have all the different things. YouTube, A website is something that you own, right? Where in social media, you don't own that, and I think owning A URL with a domain to your name that explains your business, it's really just like a step up from just posting your pictures online. So. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you could get hacked and you don't have access to your Instagram. Mm-hmm. But you would have access to your website and any of that information. Yep. Yep. so Afton created a little freebie lead generator as a lot of people that I coach through big magic things like this. Do, just to add some value, give some feedback. So, we're gonna kind of roll through it. I will also have it in the show notes in case you guys want this in writing. It's. Beautiful and easy to digest, but we're gonna roll through, what is it, the 10 features that every website needs. this episode specifically is more for the stylists who don't have a website yet. Or maybe your website is old. Maybe you did it like five years ago. You haven't touched it. You haven't updated it. Maybe there's people still with like masks. On and pictures. I know a lot of stylists have fallen into that. They haven't updated things post covid. we're gonna run through the 10 things that Afton feels, 10 features that, every website needs. So why don't you kick us off with number one. What would you say it is Afton? Sure. clear and easy online booking. Mm-hmm. book now button on several different pages linking directly to your booking system. it needs to have simple, transparent pricing and availability shown on there. Yep. and I, I think I'm a good person to look at websites for people because I. Basically know nothing, you know about their booking system. Yeah, and if I have any questions or confusion about it, then a client is definitely gonna have. Problems booking as well. So really having that, I think the statistic is what, like three seconds that someone spends on a website before they like either click off or make a decision. So I think the clear in the visible book now having online booking is one thing, but. That initial thing that you see when you go to somebody's webpage. One, it should, you should be able to find it right away. But then, like you said, as you're digging through pages more, that should be available again and again and again.'cause obviously the point of the website is to convert a client. so I think that that is a great, tidbit. Even if you don't wanna hire someone else to do this and you just wanna revamp your own website, I think that's great. What would you say is number two? a service menu that's simple and clear. You should have all your services listed with descriptions and pricing information, or starting at pricing points, so there's no. Question about what it is you offer and what the cost might be. I agree, and I do think in 2025 there are still some people that don't have that available online. and I know some people are hesitant to put that online because every client's different. But I think at least starting at prices'cause it's 2025. There are so many hairstylists for everyone to choose from, and if they get that information from the other three stylists in town, but they don't get that information from you. So they're just clueless and not even to see if you're, within their budget, but just clarity. this is a transaction, this is a service. I do think that in 2025, that is, the least that you can do is provide that pricing transparency upfront. Agree wholeheartedly. Okay. How about number three? a mobile friendly design, over 70% of the visitors to your page are gonna be on their phone at some point, if not always. looking at your site, you need to have easy to click buttons and clear and uncluttered pages, so it's easy to find the information they're wanting. Love it. I didn't know that statistic about 70%, but that makes sense. and again, if you guys are trying to DIY, this, if you use Wix, if you use Squarespace, if you use something else, whatever you use, typically up top, usually top right corner, it will click to mobile design and you can see it. And a lot of people I think don't even realize that, or they just like build the website once and then just kinda let it go. And you don't realize that. Majority of people are not viewing that the same way you are. we were just on an intensive call and an intensive is, six people inside of Stylist Soul Tribe that are really kind of like top, top, top notch, really focusing on something specific. we were just looking over someone's website together on a new offer that they're doing This person that we were talking to and we had great feedback of this text needs to be bigger. This needs to be centered better, this needs to be, so there's something about having another set of eyes. I feel like you also sometimes fall into the vortex of like editing a website that you're almost too close to it, that you've lost the perspective of like initially coming across it. so I agree. I from mobile and desktop, I think that that is. The, the uncluttered pages, the just overall layout, getting a lot of different people's perspective or somebody that really knows what they're doing is very beneficial. Okay. What's number four? Personal and engaging about me, Paige. you need to have a professional headshot, a story about why you became a stylist, and a fun personal fact to make it more personable. is a professional headshot a must or can someone just have a really high quality selfie? a high quality selfie, I would say is better than no picture, but I would recommend a professional headshot for sure. Again, it's 2025. Even if you have to wait a couple months, I think if you don't have a professional photo of you, it's time to do that. Yeah. It's time to book the photo shoot. It's time to do it. your story, why you became a stylist, and again, I don't know, I say Chachi, BT we really, guys, it's 25. We have the tools to build all of this and to do all of this, I think that, that there's no reason not to have that these days. Okay. Number five. real client testimonials and reviews, before and after. Photos are great. Social proof. Google reviews, Instagram dms, any kind of review you get that way and especially testimonials about your specialty. Mm-hmm. it's important to see those. Yeah.'cause we like buy from people and the more and more we see those and I know as like a creator, sometimes it's weird to post those or it's weird to share those. I've been working with some new marketing people and they've been really pushing me to share more and more of those. And it does feel weird, but then the feedback that I get instantly from people, like, oh my goodness, that's so exciting. Or the good for that person or whatever. Is there a certain amount of testimonials you think a website needs to have? I like at least three. Then there's at least a variety. Mm-hmm. that's kind of the number I at least shoot for. Okay. You can do more, you can do less, but I think three is a nice For sure. Then like we talked about in the intensive today, have three real good ones live on your website, but then continually sharing those on social media and all the places. I love it. Cool. What's number six? High quality photos. Not just stock images. So going back to that conversation we just had, yeah. High quality photos of the salon, interior, the exterior, the stylist or yourself in action, either cutting, coloring, styling, interacting with a client, and before, not necessarily before, but before and after. Transformations are great. Yep. High quality photos.'cause I think a website is like. Majority, a lot of the time photos, like that's what you need to see. That's what keeps people pulled in and keeps people, engaged. I think the salon, interior and exterior and your face, you as the stylist, your face, people get, especially if it's not a referral, and this is just someone who moved to the area that's just Googling for a stylist near them. if they don't know what your space looks like and what they're walking into, that takes a lot of. you know, that's gonna, if there's three stylists in town and they see, okay, here's what the outside looks like, I've drove past that. Here's what the inside looks like. I know what the front rear desk looks like. I know where I'm gonna sit. Here's what my stylist smiling face looks like. Here's what their station looks like. Okay. This is a welcoming space. I'm ready to go in. Even if we don't realize it consciously, subconsciously, that's like what we're thinking. We're like, we're humans survival by nature. And we're like, okay, what am I walking into? What am I setting myself up for? And I think the more that we can, Showcase that online the better. I agree wholeheartedly. What's number seven? a frequently asked question section that saves you time. any questions that you get asked a lot. How do I book an appointment? What's your cancellation policy? Do you take walk-ins? How do I prep for a color service? Any questions you might get in a dm, that's great to have on your, FAQ page just because somebody might read that first. And that'll save you a response and a back and forth with somebody. And also any resistance somebody might have, that, do you take walk-ins? How do I prep for color service? Like, if they don't know information, it could really, help them be like, okay, I feel fully prepped, fully ready, I'm ready to try this new person. Okay, what's number eight? pricing and policies page. the service page again, should have the, at least the starting at costs. Mm-hmm. If not the exact pricing. the clear cancellation and late policies so people know what to expect if you do have to cancel or if you are running late, and a de deposit and refund policy page. Our information on that as well. If you require deposits, if you get a refund on a deposit, if you cancel any of that information would be important to have. And it covers your butt. Yeah, you'll be happy you have that. okay, what's number nine? social media. Links. Links here. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest. call to action. Follow along. Just have those social medias available for them to kind of do a deeper dive. Yep. Yeah.'cause that's typically where people go. They, whether they come from the social media first, then to the website, but chances are someone is stalking you up and down as far as they can. so having those all connected and super seamless and super easy, and I can't tell you how many people think that that's connected. And then you go to their website and that's a broken link. So I think this should just be the reminder for everybody listening. Go double check all 10 of these things. because I go to people's websites all the time. Then you go to click on their social media, we'll take them to like Wix. Instagram. Yeah. It's like, shoot, you never connected that button. Okay. What's number 10, final one? an email opt-in or a lead magnet. it's a great way to capture emails for future promotions and, a great way to share information with people and to kind of give back to them. Download our free hair care guide For your hair type. That's something that everybody could use. And again, it's already positioning you as this expert. And it's giving value before asking for a sale. if somebody already comes into their first appointment thinking, oh my gosh, this person's already provided me so much value with their lead gen, with all their social media content, that perceived value that happens in their mind, they're like, I already owe you. 60 bucks and you haven't even cut my hair yet because you've taught me so much and you've given me so much. So I think, I love this idea and I do think this is kind of a newer thing that people in our industry are doing, and I think it's brilliant just'cause again, people in the online space have been doing this for a long time. if you're a. Specialty. Like if you specialize in anything, I think this lead magnet is gonna be incredibly beneficial. curly hairstylist, extension artists, head spas, blonding specialty, whatever your specialty is, if you can really create this lead magnet around that specialty, I think that could be super beneficial. Alright, so that is all 10 of the features that aft recommends every single website has. And again, I think this, whether you have a website existing or not, this is a good reminder for everyone. If it's been six months, a year since you've touched your, this is a good time to go back and have a refresh. Or if you. Have known you've needed an update and you haven't wanted to do it or prioritize the time to do it, AFT's here. Or if you're a stylist hearing this and you're like, dang, I just have an online booking site. I thought that was good enough, then, here's a little tough love that I don't personally think that's good enough in 2025. So any final thoughts, comments, Afton, that you would like to share with everyone listening? I think website design sounds scary and it can be scary, but, there's people to help. And there's a lot of information out there, so, yeah, absolutely. So if anybody has listened to this and they're like, okay, I could use some of that. What's the best way to get ahold of you? there's a contact me form on my website, which is am web designs.com. I'll have that link in the show notes. can reach out to me on social media. I'm on Instagram and Facebook anywhere works just fine. Awesome. Very good. so I will have that definitely linked in the show notes and everyone can check that out. Cool. All right, well thank you Afton, for coming on. Thank you everybody so much for listening, and I will talk to you all next week. Bye.