The hardest part of being a new lash artist isn’t the skill. You trained for that. The hardest part is getting your first 20 clients — and then keeping consistent bookings after that initial rush of friends and family dries up.
Most new lash artists default to Instagram. Post your sets, use the right hashtags, hope that followers turn into bookings. Sometimes it works. Usually it gets you likes from other lash artists, not actual clients.
Here’s what the lash artists who build full books in their first year are actually doing.
Understand Where Your Clients Are Looking
When someone wants to book a lash appointment, they don’t scroll Instagram hoping to find someone. They open Google and search “lash artist near me” or “lash extensions [city].” That search — from someone with a credit card, ready to book — is where new clients come from at scale.
If you’re not showing up in those results, those bookings go to whoever is. Every month you’re not visible on Google is a month you’re leaving clients on the table.
The good news: as a new lash artist, you’re competing in a local market. You don’t need to outrank anyone nationally. You need to show up in your city or neighborhood. That’s very winnable, even with a brand new profile.
Set Up Your Google Business Profile Before Anything Else
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is your most important marketing asset in year one. It’s free, it shows up in local search results, and it’s what potential clients see before they ever visit your website or Instagram.
Here’s what to complete on day one:
Business name and category
Set your primary category to “Eyelash salon.” Add secondary categories: “Beauty salon,” “Waxing hair removal service” if you offer it, and any other relevant service categories.
Service area or address
If you work from home or a suite and aren’t comfortable listing your address publicly, you can set a service area instead. Include your city and surrounding areas you serve.
Services section
Add every service you offer with a description and price range. Classic set, hybrid, volume, mega volume — list them all. Clients want to know what they’re booking before they call.
Photos
Upload your best lash photos immediately, even if it’s only 5-10 from your training or first clients. Add photos consistently as you build your portfolio. Profiles with regular fresh photos rank better and convert better.
Booking link
Connect your booking system directly to your GBP so clients can book with one tap. Make it as frictionless as possible.
Getting Your First Reviews — A Specific Strategy
Reviews are the single biggest factor in whether you show up in local search results. A new profile with zero reviews will struggle to compete with an established artist who has 80.
The strategy for getting your first reviews fast:
Start with people you know. Friends, family, fellow students who got lashes from you during training — ask all of them for a Google review. Be direct. “Hey, would you mind leaving me a Google review? It would genuinely help me get my business off the ground.” Most people are happy to if you just ask clearly.
After every appointment, send a follow-up text. About an hour after the client leaves, text them something like: “Hey [Name]! So glad you loved your lashes. If you have a minute, a Google review helps more than you know — here’s the link: [link]”
This timing matters. They’re still in the glow of their appointment, they haven’t gotten distracted by life yet, and the ask feels natural not pushy. Automating this follow-up so it goes out without you manually sending it is a game-changer — that’s something tools like Omnia’s Growth Suite handle automatically.
Respond to every review. When a review comes in, respond to it — positive or negative. It signals to Google that you’re an active, engaged business. It also shows potential clients that you care.
Do You Need a Website Right Away?
A website isn’t your first priority in month one — getting your GBP live and collecting reviews is. But within your first 3 months, you should have something up.
It doesn’t need to be complex. A clean one-page site with your services, pricing, a booking button, and your city mentioned naturally in the copy is enough to start. The most important thing is that it exists, loads fast, and makes it easy to book.
When you’re ready to invest in something more built out, a site designed specifically for beauty businesses — with SEO baked in from the start — will serve you much better than a generic template. Omnia builds websites for lash artists designed to rank and convert.
Instagram’s Actual Role
Instagram has a place in your marketing — just not the place most new lash artists give it.
Think of Instagram as your portfolio, not your client acquisition channel. Post your best work consistently. Use local hashtags. Engage with people in your area. It builds trust with clients who found you on Google and are checking your work before booking.
What it won’t do reliably: bring you a steady stream of new clients who’ve never heard of you. That’s Google’s job. Let each platform do what it’s actually good at.
Referrals: The Fastest Growth Lever
In year one, referrals are gold. A happy client who tells two friends is worth more than a week of Instagram posting.
Make referring easy and rewarding. Tell clients directly: “If you refer a friend, you both get $10 off your next appointment.” Text them a referral link or a simple message they can forward. Don’t assume they’ll remember to refer you — make it easy and remind them.
The Year One Game Plan
Keep it simple. Here’s what to focus on in your first 12 months:
- GBP fully built out on day one
- First 10 reviews within your first 30 days (friends, family, early clients)
- Automated review request after every appointment
- Simple website live within 90 days
- 2 Google Posts per month on your GBP
- Referral offer always active
Follow this consistently and by month 6 you’ll have a Google presence that’s doing real work for you — bringing in new clients who found you in search, not just people from your personal network.
The artists who build full books fast aren’t the most talented or the most followed on Instagram. They’re the ones who got their Google foundation in place early and let it compound.
