I have to confess, most salon blogs leave me feeling a little flat. But today I stumbled across the blog for Sènsé Nail Spa in Seattle, and I was hooked. The high energy and enthusiasm of the owners was obvious. Beyond that I was able to pick out a few factors that made it so engaging.

First, it was about everything — seasonal specials, fish pedicures, being green, current nail fashions, a visit to a tradeshow, you name it. With the broad range of subjects, it didn’t feel like the marketing tool it is. Second, there were tons of photos and even a few videos, giving it a lot of visual appeal. Finally, just about each entry was an opportunity for some kind of interaction. Some posts had videos you could play or photos you could click on to enlarge. Some included an invitation to print an instant gift certificate or sign up for a text message reminder. Some simply asked for comments.

I ask Robert Luu, one of the salon’s co-owners, why he expanded his site to include a blog. He said the website by itself was too static. “Blogs are a dynamic way to get the information out there immediately and instantaneously to our clients. I always tell my sister (and business partner), ‘It’s not about doing it per se. It’s about telling our clients we do it.’”

His advice to others considering blogging for the first time is not to stress about the new technical vocabulary they’ll have to learn and just do it. “Start your blog today. I like Blogger.com because it’s owned by Google,” he says. “Think of it as your diary. Have fun with it. Just write. Your own personality will come through.”

— Judy