Guide
How to take bookings online
7 steps · about 15 minutes, free
Answering the phone to fix appointment times eats your day — and clients who can’t reach you book somewhere else. An online booking page lets them pick a free time themselves, day or night, and sends you both an email. This guide walks you through setting one up. Make yours as you read with the free Owlvix booking page builder.
Before you start
- Your services: what people can book, how long each takes and the price.
- Your opening hours, including breaks and days you’re closed.
- Your rules: how much notice you need and how far ahead people can book.
- Where you meet: your address, or “online / video call”.
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1List what people can book
Add each service with its length and price — for example “Haircut, 45 minutes, £35”. The length decides which times are free, so be realistic, and keep names short and clear.
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2Set your opening hours
Pick the days you work and your hours. Add a lunch break as two ranges (9:00–12:00 and 13:00–17:00) so nobody books you while you eat.
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3Add rules that protect your time
Choose how much notice you need (a few hours stops surprise bookings), how far ahead people can book, and a short gap after each appointment to tidy up or travel.
Tip: a 10–15 minute gap after each booking keeps you from running late all day.
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4Block your days off
Add holidays and days you’re away, so those dates simply show no free times.
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5Write a short welcome and what to expect
One or two lines at the top of the page, and a message clients see after booking — like “Please arrive 5 minutes early” or the video-call link.
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6Publish and share your link
Put your booking link in your Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, email signature and WhatsApp replies. Add it to your website with a “Book now” button, or embed the booking page on a page of your site.
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7Keep an eye on your bookings
Each booking arrives by email, and clients get a confirmation with a link to cancel — plus a reminder the day before, which cuts no-shows.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too many choices. Five clear services beat twenty. Group similar ones.
- No notice time. Without one, someone can book a slot that starts in ten minutes.
- Forgetting breaks and holidays. Block them first so you’re never double-booked with your own lunch.
- Hiding the link. If clients can’t find it, they’ll still phone. Put it everywhere you’re seen.
More free guides
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Good to know
Online bookings, explained
Is an online booking page worth it for a small business?
Yes. Clients can book at any time — many book in the evening — and you stop spending your day on calls and messages arranging times.
How do I stop no-shows?
Send a reminder the day before, ask for a phone number, and make cancelling easy so people free the time instead of not turning up.
Can clients cancel their booking?
With Owlvix, yes: the confirmation email has a link to see or cancel the booking, and you get an email when they do.
Can I put the booking page on my website?
Yes. Link to it from a “Book now” button, or paste the embed code to show it inside a page of your site.
What if I work in a different time zone from my clients?
Times are shown in your time zone, and the page says which zone that is, so nobody turns up an hour early.
Do I need to take payment when people book?
Not to start. Many businesses take payment at the appointment. You can show prices on the booking page so there are no surprises.
More free tools: see all free tools.