How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Hair Salon

For hair salons, Google reviews aren't just nice to have — they're how new clients decide who to trust with their hair. When someone moves to a new city or wants to try a new stylist, the first thing they do is search Google and read reviews.

If your salon has fewer than 50 reviews, you're likely losing clients to competitors who have more social proof, even if your work is better.

Here's how to fix that.

Why Salons Struggle to Get Reviews

Most salon owners know they should ask for reviews, but it feels awkward in person. You've just finished someone's hair, they love it, they're heading out — and stopping them to ask for a Google review feels like you're begging for a favor.

The result? Most clients who would have left a review never do. Not because they don't want to, but because they forgot by the time they got home.

The Best Time to Ask

Timing is everything. The ideal moment to ask for a review is right after the service, when your client is sitting in the chair admiring their new look, or as they're checking out.

At that moment:

They're happy and engaged
The experience is fresh in their mind
They're already on their phone (looking at themselves in the mirror photo)

A simple line like: "If you love it, I'd really appreciate a Google review — it makes a huge difference for our salon" works well. Then send them a direct link.

Make It Easy: The Direct Link Trick

Don't just say "go leave us a review on Google." Most people won't bother searching for your salon. Give them a direct link that opens the review form immediately.

To get your Google review link:

Search for your salon on Google
Click "Write a review" on your Business Profile
Copy the URL from your browser
Shorten it with bit.ly or similar

Save that link in your phone. Text it to clients right after their appointment.

Automate the Follow-Up

The manual approach works, but it depends on you remembering every time. A better system:

After every appointment, automatically send a text message with your review link — triggered 30-60 minutes after checkout.

Tools like ReviewPull connect to your booking system and send review request texts automatically after each appointment. For a busy salon doing 20+ appointments per day, this can mean 5-10 new reviews per week without any extra effort.

Handle Negative Reviews the Right Way

More reviews means occasionally getting a negative one. Here's what to do:

Respond within 24 hours — always
Stay calm and professional — future clients are reading your response more than the review itself
Offer to make it right — "We'd love the chance to fix this, please call us at..."

A thoughtful response to a 1-star review can actually build more trust than a page full of 5-star reviews.

How Many Reviews Do You Need?

For most markets, 50+ reviews with a 4.5+ star rating puts you in a strong competitive position. Once you cross 100, you're likely to show up consistently in the local map pack for searches like "hair salon near me."

If you're at 10-20 reviews right now, focus on getting to 50 first. With a consistent ask system, this is achievable in 2-3 months.

Quick-Start Checklist

[ ] Create your Google review direct link
[ ] Save it in your phone
[ ] Train all stylists to mention reviews at checkout
[ ] Set up a text automation (or do it manually to start)
[ ] Respond to every existing review this week
[ ] Set a goal: 10 new reviews per month

Getting reviews isn't about gaming the system — it's about making it easy for happy clients to share what they already feel. Start asking consistently, and you'll see your review count grow steadily.

Want to automate your salon's review collection? ReviewPull sends review requests automatically after every appointment — try it free.