When someone is choosing a new stylist or esthetician, your reviews are often one of the first things they check. But some tactics, like thank-you gifts for reviewers or staff commissions for 5-star reviews, go against Google and Yelp policies. The 6 tips below can help you earn more salon reviews within those rules.
1) Fostering customer connection through review-worthy experiences
Positive reviews start with a visit clients want to talk about. That might come from a thoughtful add-on or a personal touch that makes the appointment feel like theirs.
In a 2024 Mangomint interview, Brett Foreman of Pony Studios Co. described the Oakland salon's culture of ongoing education. Its classes let stylists practice new techniques under expert guidance, giving them a safe space to stretch their skills.
No training covers every mishap, but practice like this can help your team handle surprises in the chair with more confidence.
Training helps preserve culture in the salon. But what about what happens before they even arrive?
The right tech can also help prevent client frustrations that might show up in a review later. Mangomint's online booking embeds on your website so clients can book in just a few clicks without a login.
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With Mangomint's Virtual Waiting Room, clients check in from their phone when they arrive. They can wait wherever they're comfortable until you text them that their provider is ready.
2) Setting up your business for positive reviews
When upset customers need an outlet to express their concerns, they often turn to public review platforms. In some cases, it is the only way they feel heard.
While it might seem counterintuitive, opening the door to criticism can help limit negative reviews. For example, you may consider these outlets:
Train your receptionist to ask for honest feedback after every appointment. Clients might feel uncomfortable offering criticism to their stylists directly. Closing out with a different salon staff member can unlock more honest discussions.
Leave a feedback or suggestion box at your front desk. While these systems might seem outdated, they can help customers express their frustrations and allow you to contact the client directly after noticing them leaving a note.
Set up a support email address and encourage disgruntled customers to send details about incidents.
Add a post-visit feedback form. With Mangomint's integrated Forms feature, responses can go straight to an internal email so a manager can follow up quickly.
These outlets give unhappy clients a private place to share concerns. That leaves you room to correct an oversight or offer a fix before they feel the need to post about it. Just keep sending review requests to every client, since Google's Maps content policy doesn't allow businesses to selectively ask for positive reviews.
3) Automating your salon review requests
Asking every client for a review by hand is tough to keep up on a busy day. Even happy clients often need a prompt, so automating requests helps fill the gap.
Recency matters, too. In BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey, 74% of respondents said they only care about reviews written in the last three months. Last spring's glowing reviews may not carry much weight today, but steady requests after every visit can help you keep adding new ones.
In Mangomint, a review request flow can text clients a link to your Google review page after each completed appointment. Add a time delay step if you'd like to give them a day to enjoy their results first.
4) Making reviews easy for customers
Every extra tap between a happy client and your review form is a chance for them to get distracted. So send them straight to the form instead of your general Google listing.
Google's Business Profile help center lists the path: Read Reviews > Get more reviews. From there, you can copy a direct link or download a QR code (QR codes only generate on a computer browser). Add the link to your review requests, and print the code for your front desk.
For clients who search for you instead, keep your Business Profile claimed and up to date. Leave Yelp out of your review requests, though. Yelp's business support center tells businesses not to ask anyone for reviews, so let clients find you there on their own.
5) Incentives for reviews: The dos and don’ts
The short answer: skip them. A thank-you gift can feel fair, since clients have already paid and tipped by the time you ask for one more favor. But the rules point the other way, and each covers something a little different:
Google's policy for Maps reviews prohibits reviews paid for "directly or in kind," which includes free products or services.
Yelp's guidance for businesses rules out paying clients or giving them freebies for reviews.
What you can do is ask every client for an honest review, with no reward and no hint about the rating you're hoping for. Then tell them why it matters, like how reviews help a small team get found by new clients.
6) Get your staff in on the fun
Your providers are right there when a client is admiring a fresh color, so train them to mention reviews at checkout. Use the same ask for every client, just like your automated requests.
Keep reviews out of their pay, though. Google's Maps policy restricts two staff practices:
Asking staff to collect a set number of reviews.
Asking staff to request reviews that mention them by name.
Yelp goes a step further, saying staff should never compete to collect reviews. These rules make a commission for every 5-star review a bad idea. Reward great service another way instead, like recognition or a bonus tied to rebooking.
What to do about bad salon reviews
Even well-run salons get the occasional bad review. Here's a 5-step plan for handling one.
1) Look for review violations and file a report
Generally speaking, you cannot get genuine reviews removed from platforms like Google Business Profile. However, there are a few exceptions:
Reviews must reflect a real experience. Fake ones can be hard to prove, but report any you suspect came from a competitor or former employee.
Harassment and hate speech are prohibited.
Reviews must stay on topic. Social or political commentary, like a complaint about your pride flag, is subject to removal.
Reviews cannot share someone's personal information without consent.
To flag a review, use the reviews section of your Business Profile, then track the report in Google's Reviews Management Tool. Google asks owners not to report reviews they simply dislike or disagree with, so save reports for clear violations.
2) Detach from the review
Getting a bad review can be incredibly stressful.
For many salon and spa owners, it feels like a personal attack. You might be tempted to fire off a quick reply, but it's worth taking a minute to detach first. An angry response tends to confirm the reviewer's point for everyone else reading.
Some helpful reminders:
Don't panic. Just 10% of consumers in BrightLocal's survey said they'll only use five-star businesses, so one bad review is unlikely to sink you.
You're not alone. Plenty of great salons and spas have a critical review, and seeing how other owners reply can make yours feel less dire.
Keep it in perspective. These reviews can sting, but each one reflects a single visit from one client's point of view.
Turn to your support system. Lean on people who get it, like a trusted friend in the industry or an online group of other owners.
3) Learn from the feedback
A one-off poor review could come from a disgruntled or unreasonable customer who might be having a bad day. Don’t give the review more power than it deserves, but don’t ignore it entirely.
Try to look through a curious lens and explore what led to the customer’s frustration. Was it a one-off problem that couldn’t be helped (like a power outage or staff emergency)? In those cases, note what happened and move on.
Other times, poor reviews can give you points of improvement you might consider in the future. If you receive multiple critical reviews about the same issue or team member, it could be worth taking action.
4) Respond to the client
Once you have had a chance to detach from the review and understand the situation, consider writing out a professional reply to the customer. Here are some tips for writing your response:
Taking the high road can show readers that this review is not a reflection on your business.
Explain any misunderstanding or unusual circumstance behind the experience, and share what you're doing to prevent it next time. This gives future readers context and reassurance.
Consider offering a resolution in your reply. You might simply request a call back to discuss the issue and potential solutions. Or, you may suggest something more concrete, like, “Let’s get you scheduled for a free repair to the damaged nail.”
It's worth replying to your 5-star reviews, too. Among the consumers BrightLocal surveyed, 89% said they expect business owners to respond to reviews. Write each reply for that client instead of pasting a template, so it sounds like you.
Worried a reply will start a public argument? Keep it short and move the details to a call or email. Google notes the reviewer is notified when you reply and can still change their review afterward.
5) Mobilize your community
If a review can't be removed, fresh feedback from other clients can help balance it out. Add your Google review link to your next email campaign so your whole client list has an easy way to share their experience.
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Mangomint can help you create visits clients want to write about, then handle the follow-up. Automated Flows in Mangomint, part of the Marketing add-on, can text every client a review link after their appointment.
Emily Holzer is a Content Marketing Manager at Mangomint. She has a master’s degree in English and a passion for helping salons, spas, and other local beauty businesses thrive. When she is not writing, you can find her playing chess or tending to her houseplants. Fun fact: Emily has donated 8 ponytails (so far) across 5 hair loss charities in the U.S.
