What Actually Gets You Found on Google (And Why Most Salons Miss It)

Think your salon will magically show up on Google just because you have a website?

Think again.

In this episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I break down the 3 most overlooked ways to get found on Google—and why most salons are leaving visibility (and money) on the table by skipping these steps.

If you’ve ever wondered why your competitors are ranking while you’re still invisible, this one’s for you.

In this episode, I share:

The power of your Google Business Profile—and why most salons are using it wrong

What relevance, distance, and prominence actually mean for local rankings

How to link your Google Ads to your Business Profile for double visibility

The difference between Google Ads (rent) vs SEO (mortgage)

Why we refuse to run Google Ads on unoptimised websites—and what we fix first

The “Ferrari website” analogy you’ll never forget (and why your engine matters)

Plus, I share real-world cost comparisons between Meta and Google Ads—so you can stop wasting money and start showing up where your dream clients are already searching.

Want more?

Book a free Google strategy session: [Link in show notes]

Download the Google Ads + SEO checklist: Download here

Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen

Learn more: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Loved this episode?
Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen
and share what landed.
And don’t forget to hit subscribe and leave a 5-star review if this helped shift your strategy.

Because visibility isn’t luck—it’s a system you can build. 🔍✨

Tired of dancing on Reels, posting every day, and still staring at empty salon chairs?

In this episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I’m breaking down the real reason so many salon owners are stuck in the scroll-and-hope cycle—and why relying solely on social media is burning you out without booking you out.

If you’ve ever wondered whether to keep investing your time into Instagram or shift your strategy to Google, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

In this episode, I share:

Why social media is interruption-based (and what that means for your marketing)

The difference between “scroll mode” and “search mode” – and why Google wins

Why your ideal clients are already looking for you (but can’t find you)

The 3 types of Google Ads that actually convert

The role SEO plays in building long-term, sustainable visibility

Real client examples of how we turned bookings around (without discounting)

Why having juniors post on social media isn't a strategy—filling their books is

Whether you’re:
✓ posting every day with nothing to show for it
✓ stuck discounting to fill chairs
✓ ready to grow but burnt out from DIY marketing...

This episode will help you step into a smarter, simpler strategy that works.

Want more?

Book a free strategy session: [Link in show notes]

Download the Google Ads + SEO checklist: Get it here

Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen

Learn more: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Loved this episode?
Tag me on Instagram @sonjathesearchqueen
and share your biggest takeaway.

🎙️ Episode 27: The UNFILTERED Truth About Purpose, Healing & Becoming Magnetic as a Leader

What if your anxiety, your fear, and even your burnout weren’t signs to stop—but signs to come home to yourself?

In this raw and expansive episode, I sit down with purpose-led business coach Emma Campbell, and we go deep. Emma shares her personal journey from high-achieving corporate burnout to a soulful business coach who now helps leaders step into their truth, build purpose-fuelled businesses, and lead teams that actually feel good to run.

This is one of those conversations that will sit in your heart long after it ends. It’s for the women who feel like they’re doing it all, but still feel like something’s missing.

We Talk About:

Anxiety, burnout, and the body’s warning signs

Emma’s breaking point (and the power of following the “breadcrumbs”)

The science + soul connection that opened her spiritual awakening

Healing modalities like meditation, neurofeedback and energy work

Why most women struggle to own their truth and speak it out loud

The real reason we people-please (and how to stop)

Releasing the “shoulds” and leading with intuition

How she juggles motherhood, leadership, and staying connected to her mission

About Emma:
Emma Campbell is a purpose-led business coach with 15+ years in psychology, leadership and culture. She helps visionary founders scale with alignment by moving from operator to CEO—and building a self-led team that reflects their vision. She brings a deep mix of strategy, spirituality, and soul into everything she does.

Connect with Emma:

Instagram: @_emma.campbell

Website: emmaccampbell.com

Want more?

Follow Sonja on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen

Explore Google Ads & SEO support: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Loved this episode?
Tag us @sonjathesearchqueen
and @_emma.campbell
with your biggest takeaway.

And remember—your truth isn’t too much. It’s your power. 💛

Episode 7: The hard truth about business growth

What happens when your world is falling apart behind the scenes, but the business must go on?

In this powerful episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I sit down with one of my dearest friends, Tracy Fryer, founder of Design Studio Perth and host of The Real Biz Life Chronicles. Tracy opens up about navigating divorce, grief, burnout, and betrayal while scaling her business to its biggest year yet.

This one is raw, real, and a reminder that resilience isn’t something you’re born with, it’s something you build in the trenches.

We Talk About:

What building a business exposes about your strengths (and your shadows)

Letting go of doing it all and learning to lead a team

The real cost of people-pleasing, alcohol, and ignoring your own needs

Tracy’s health transformation, including giving up alcohol and running marathons

Navigating divorce and losing her beloved dogs, all in the same year

Why her business became her anchor during life’s darkest chapter

The power of redefining friendships and boundaries when you outgrow your old life

Her biggest advice to the version of herself just starting out

About Tracy:
Tracy Fryer is the founder of Design Studio Perth, a bold, strategy-led branding agency helping business owners grow with distinction. She’s also the voice behind The Real Biz Life Chronicles podcast, an unfiltered look into the truth of entrepreneurship. She’s a marathon runner, business mentor, and proof that you can rebuild while breaking down.

Connect with Tracy:

Instagram: @designstudioperth

LinkedIn: Tracy Fryer on LinkedIn

Podcast: The Real Biz Life Chronicles

Website: designstudioperth.com.au

Want more?

Follow Sonja on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today
Download the Google Ads + SEO checklist
Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Loved this episode?
Tag us @sonjathesearchqueen
and @designstudioperth
with your biggest takeaway.

And don’t forget, your shadows don’t disqualify you. They reveal where your strength is waiting.

Episode 25: She Stopped Discounting and Doubled Her Bookings: How Ceri Scaled Coastal Blondes with Google Ads & SEO

What happens when you stop relying on discounts and Facebook ads and start showing up on Google where your dream clients are already searching?

In this episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I sit down with salon owner Ceri Connors from Coastal Blondes to unpack how she transformed her business from chasing short-term bookings to building a powerhouse brand that’s now fully booked through Google Ads and SEO.

This episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt stuck trying to grow your salon through social media alone. Ceri’s story proves what happens when you back yourself, trust the process, and finally invest in marketing that actually compounds.

We Talk About:

The turning point that made Ceri ditch discount-based Facebook ads

Why her Meta ads failed (and how Google flipped the script)

The exact Google Ads + SEO strategy that filled her books on autopilot

How she started attracting high-value clients who rebook and refer

The mindset shifts behind building a sustainable, expanding salon

Balancing roles in business and partnership without burning out

Her advice for salon owners ready to scale with strategy, not stress

About Ceri:
Ceri Connors is the founder of Coastal Blondes, a thriving salon built on strategy, soul, and systems. From humble beginnings to becoming one of Queensland’s most in-demand blonde specialists, Ceri now leads a growing team and thriving client base—proving that visibility and alignment are the ultimate growth combo.

Connect with Coastal Blondes:
Instagram: @coastalblondes_
Salon: coastalblondes.com.au

Want to take control of your visibility?
It’s time to get seen where it counts on Google.
Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today:
👉 sonjathesearchqueen.com/salon-scaling-system

Follow Sonja The Search Queen:
Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
LinkedIn: Sonja Pototzki-Raymond
Facebook: Sonja The Search Queen
| The Search Republic
TikTok: @sonjathesearchqueen
Apple Podcasts: Diary of the Search Queen

Timestamps
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:01:16 – Meet Ceri from Coastal Blondes
00:05:05 – The marketing struggles before Google
00:06:06 – Why Facebook ads failed
00:07:01 – The Google game-changer
00:08:09 – Attracting high-value clients
00:13:25 – Building a sustainable business
00:14:36 – Expanding the salon and team
00:15:05 – Balancing partnership roles
00:16:08 – Advice for salon owners on the fence
00:17:22 – Marketing as a must-have investment
00:18:24 – Why industry-specific marketing matters
00:22:02 – Raising education and quality standards
00:23:02 – How to connect with Coastal Blondes

Loved this episode?
Tag us @sonjathesearchqueen and @coastalblondes_ with your biggest takeaway!

If this episode inspired you to stop relying on social media alone, please leave a 5-star review. Your next client could be searching for you right now.

Here’s to showing up where it matters most on Google. 🧡

From Burnout to Booked Out, How Iris Rebuilt Her Salon & Stopped Doing It All

What happens when your socials are hacked, your ads flop, and your salon feels like it’s stuck on survival mode?

In this episode of Diary of the Search Queen, I sit down with salon owner and coach Iris Van Ikkelberg to unpack how she went from overwhelmed and reactive… to leading a self-sustaining, fully booked salon with 11 stylists and a brand-new premises on the way.

This conversation is a masterclass in trusting the process, investing in the right support, and learning to let go so you can scale up.

We Talk About:

• The hacking incident that made Iris hit reset on her entire marketing approach
• Why trying to do everything herself nearly burnt her out
• What changed when she invested in Google Ads and a new website
• How she went from 5 to 11 stylists (and outgrew her salon)
• The shift from “I am the salon” to “the salon runs without me”
• Her new mission as a coach helping salon owners go from Booked Out to Boss

About Iris:

Iris is the founder of The Hair Chapel in Cleveland, QLD, and host of the podcast Hair, Business and Wine. She’s also a business coach helping salon owners scale their teams, their turnover, and their time freedom, without the burnout.

Connect with Iris:

• Salon: @thehairchapel
• Coaching: @iris.yoursaloncoach
• Podcast: Hair, Business and Wine

Want more?

Follow Sonja on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today
Download the Google Ads + SEO checklist
Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Loved this episode?

Tag us @sonjathesearchqueen
and @iris.yoursaloncoach
with your biggest takeaway!
And if this inspired you to finally stop doing all the things alone, please leave a 5-star review. Your story doesn’t have to end in burnout.

Here’s to letting go so you can grow. 💛

Running three businesses, raising two kids, and leading a community of 700+ members? It sounds like a lot, because it is. But today’s guest, Pumen from Champions Gym, shows us exactly what resilience, leadership, and heart really look like.

From fighting in the ring as a teen to building one of WA’s most respected combat sports communities, Pumen’s journey is about way more than Muay Thai. It’s about purpose, discipline, identity, and staying the course when things get hard.

Whether you’re a business owner, a parent, or someone searching for the next version of you, this episode will land deep.

We Talk About:

The unexpected love story that sparked Champions Gym

How martial arts became a vehicle for confidence, resilience, and purpose

Building a business from the ground up, and the real costs along the way

Losing (and finding) your identity after walking away from something you love

Balancing parenthood, partnership, and purpose without burning out

Navigating the challenges of digital marketing in a sea of “promises” that don’t deliver

Why professionalism, presence, and people-first values built a brand with staying power

About Champions Gym:
Champions Gym has transformed thousands of lives through Muay Thai, boxing, and strength training, with a focus on community, discipline, and inner strength. Founded by Pumen and Whitney, it now spans three locations across Perth.

Connect with Champions Gym:

Website: championsgym.com.au

Instagram: @championsgym

Want more?

Follow Sonja on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today
Download the Google Ads + SEO checklist
Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com
Loved this episode?

Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen with your biggest takeaway! And if it helped you make a smart next step in your strategy please leave a 5-star review. It helps the podcast reach more salon owners like you.

Because resilience isn’t built in perfect moments, it’s forged in the fire. 🔥

Ever wondered if Google Ads or SEO is better for your salon?

In this solo episode, I’m diving deep into the question I get asked the most, “Which one should I do first?”

Here’s the truth: choosing the wrong strategy (at the wrong time) can waste your money and your momentum. But when you get it right? It’s the difference between empty chairs and a waitlist.

Whether you’re a brand new salon or a seasoned business owner planning your next expansion, this episode breaks down exactly how to use Google Ads + SEO to grow without the overwhelm.

In this episode, I share:

• Why Google Ads is a powerful now strategy for bums on seats
• The #1 mistake salons make when running ads (and how to fix it)
• How SEO works differently and why it’s your long-term engine
• What type of salons are ready to use both strategies together
• Why some campaigns flop and others fly (hint: it’s not luck)
• The real cost breakdown and when each is most profitable

Whether you’re stuck posting every day with nothing to show for it or just tired of inconsistent bookings this is your permission slip to stop guessing and start growing.

Want more?

• Book your free Salon Scaling Demo today
• Download the Google Ads + SEO checklist
• Follow me on Instagram: @sonjathesearchqueen
• Explore more at: sonjathesearchqueen.com

Loved this episode?

Tag me @sonjathesearchqueen with your biggest takeaway! And if it helped you make a smart next step in your strategy please leave a 5-star review. It helps the podcast reach more salon owners like you.

Here’s to smart search strategies and fully booked days ✨