Someone sees your latest colour transformation, asks about availability, and says they would love to book. Three messages later, you are still agreeing a time. Then you send payment details and wait for a deposit.
A booking link can bring those steps together. Clients follow the link from Instagram, choose a service and an available time, read your terms, and pay a deposit during checkout. Instagram starts the conversation; your booking page handles the reservation.
This guide is for UK salon owners, barbers, nail technicians and lash artists who already attract enquiries on Instagram and want a clearer route from interest to a confirmed appointment.
Ready to set up your own link? Start a seven-day Salonier trial. No card is required to start the software trial.
What you need before you share a booking link
Prepare your service names, prices, appointment lengths and opening hours. Decide what the client needs to know before paying: where the appointment takes place, how much is due now, what remains to pay, and how cancellations or changes work.
Keep the first version manageable. Start with a clearly described service you want clients to book online, then expand once you have checked the experience from their side.
For a deposit booking, the client should be able to answer four questions without sending another message:
- What am I booking, and what is the full price?
- How much am I paying today?
- When and how do I pay the balance?
- What happens if either of us needs to change or cancel?
1. Set up a booking page that matches your Instagram offer
Use the same business name and recognisable service names that clients see on your profile. If your posts advertise a “gel manicure”, a booking menu with three unexplained abbreviations creates unnecessary uncertainty.
Make service descriptions specific. Explain whether removal, consultation or extra nail art is included. For services that need an assessment before pricing, direct clients to a consultation instead of promising a fixed-price treatment you may not be able to deliver.
With Salonier, you can create a branded booking page and share a booking link or QR code. Connect Stripe for deposit checkout and configure the services and availability you intend to offer.
2. Make the deposit and balance easy to understand
A deposit is part of the service payment. Present the total, the amount due now and the remaining balance together.
For example, a £60 appointment with a £15 deposit leaves £45 to pay at the appointment. That is an illustration of how the payment splits, not a recommended deposit for every business.
Choose an amount with your own appointment length, costs and cancellation risk in mind. Also check which rules your software plan supports. Salonier offers fixed or percentage deposits; its current pricing page lists service-level deposit rules on Growth and Pro.
Do not describe every deposit as “non-refundable, no exceptions”. UK cancellation terms must be fair, and retaining money should reflect the loss caused by the cancellation and reasonable steps to reduce it. Making a term visible does not, by itself, make it fair. See the CMA’s guidance on fair customer contracts when writing your terms.
3. Show the policy before the client pays
An Instagram Highlight can explain how booking works, but the client should also see the relevant terms in the booking journey.
Use plain language to explain your notice period, how to request a change, when a refund may be available, and what happens if you cancel. Make sure the settings in your booking system match the policy you communicate.
For a simple payment explanation, you could write:
“Your appointment is £60 in total. Pay £15 when booking and the remaining £45 at your visit. Please read the cancellation and rescheduling terms before confirming.”
Adapt the figures and balance-payment arrangement to your actual service. This payment explanation does not replace your full cancellation policy.
4. Put the booking link where clients already look
Give your profile a clear next step: “Appointments and deposits: book through the link below.” Use your public booking-page URL as the destination.
If your profile has several links, label this one “Book an appointment” and place it prominently. A visitor looking for a haircut should not have to choose between vague labels such as “Discover more” and “My links”.
Use the same destination when replying to booking enquiries. You can still answer questions personally while letting the booking page show availability and handle payment.
A reply you can adapt:
“Thanks for getting in touch! You can see my services, available appointments and deposit details here: [your booking link]. If you are unsure which service to choose, tell me what you have in mind and I’ll help.”
Replace the placeholder with your client-facing booking link, not your account dashboard or the Salonier software signup page.
5. Check the journey on a phone
Open your link from your Instagram profile and review it as a new visitor. Check that the business name, service price, available times, deposit and terms are easy to find.
Then verify how your system distinguishes an unfinished checkout from a confirmed booking. A client opening a payment page is not evidence that payment succeeded. Use the booking and payment status in your dashboard when confirming an appointment.
When testing payment completion, use a supported test facility if one is available. A live card payment may incur processing charges, including costs that a refund does not reverse.
Check the confirmation message too: it should give the client enough information to attend and explain how to contact you or request a change. Review the experience after changing prices, services or policies.
What does Salonier cost for this setup?
At the time of writing, monthly plans are £24 for Starter, £48 for Growth and £96 for Pro, excluding VAT where applicable. Deposit platform fees are 2%, 1% and 0% respectively. Stripe processing charges are separate. Starter includes up to 100 bookings per month, Growth 400, and Pro unlimited bookings.
As an illustration, a £15 deposit carries a 30p Salonier platform fee on Starter, before Stripe processing. This is not the full cost of using the software: the subscription also applies.
Check the current plans and fees before choosing. Start with the features and booking allowance you need; a lower percentage fee does not automatically make a more expensive plan cheaper overall.
Measure confirmed appointments, not just link clicks
Track how many Instagram visitors reach your booking page, how many complete a deposit booking, and how many attend. Use your available analytics and booking records; do not assume every system records every stage automatically.
If people click but rarely book, review service descriptions, availability, total pricing and the payment experience. If appointments are booked but missed, review communication and your cancellation process.
Avoid counting every deposit as extra revenue. When the client attends, it is already part of the service price. Compare completed appointments, collected service revenue and costs over similar periods to understand whether your new process helps.
Common questions
Does Instagram collect the deposit?
In this setup, Instagram sends the client to your booking page. The deposit is collected through that booking flow; Salonier uses Stripe checkout. This guide does not depend on a native Instagram booking integration.
Can I still accept enquiries through DMs?
Yes. Use DMs for questions and service advice, then send the booking link when the client is ready. This keeps a personal conversation while giving both of you a clear booking record.
Will introducing deposits reduce my bookings?
It may change how clients respond. Explain the amount and purpose clearly, keep the payment journey straightforward, and measure completed appointments as well as enquiries. There is no guaranteed conversion rate or no-show reduction for every business.
Turn your next enquiry into a clear booking
Set up a service, choose an appropriate deposit, explain your policy and check the booking journey on your phone. Then share the link with clients who are ready to book.
Create your Salonier booking link with a seven-day free trial, or compare the plans first.