How do you get more Google reviews as a hairdresser?
The general method (review link, QR code, daily routine, rules) is covered in our guide to getting more Google reviews. This guide applies it to salon life: back-to-back appointments, regulars who come back every few weeks, and barbers who take walk-ins as well as bookings.
Salons have a real advantage over many businesses: the client sees the result straight away, and often says so out loud. A “that’s exactly what I wanted” at the mirror is the best opening you will ever get to ask for a review. The only trick is not letting that moment pass.
Why do reviews matter so much for a salon?
Switching hairdresser is a big step. People are trusting a stranger with how they look, and a bad cut shows for weeks. Before booking, they look for proof: the star rating, the number of reviews, how recent they are, and above all what other clients say about listening, the precision of a skin fade, how long a colour lasts or whether appointments run on time.
Reviews also affect where you appear on Google Maps. Google says in its help page on local ranking that prominence counts, and that more reviews and positive ratings can improve your local ranking. On a high street with three salons in a row, that is often what decides which one gets the call.
Salon reviews are also very descriptive: they name a stylist, a technique (balayage, scissor cut, beard trim) and the atmosphere. Those are selling points you cannot write yourself without sounding boastful. Show them off on your website: our hair salon website guide and our guide to displaying Google reviews on your website explain how.
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Google review calculator
How many 5-star reviews does your salon need to raise its rating? Run the numbers for free, no sign-up.
When should a salon ask for a review?
A salon visit has one clear high point: when you hold up the mirror to show the back of the cut. That is when satisfaction peaks. During the wash or while the colour develops, the client has neither free hands nor the right frame of mind.
| Stage of the visit | Ask? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival, wash, colour processing | No | The result is not visible yet. |
| At the mirror, cut finished | Yes, in person | The client sees the result and reacts: the best moment. |
| At the till | Yes, with the QR code | The phone is often already out to pay or rebook. |
| That evening or the next day | Yes, by email | They have seen the cut at home; the memory is still fresh. |
| Several weeks later | No | The hair has grown, the memory has faded: few replies. |
What about colour or a big change?
After a dramatic restyle, a balayage or a wedding look, clients sometimes need a few hours to get used to it. Do not push at the chair: just say you will send a short message, and let the email do the work the next day.
Walk-in barbershops
In a barbershop that takes walk-ins, you often do not have the client’s email. Everything then relies on asking at the chair and on QR codes at the till and on the mirrors. Regulars who come in every two or three weeks are the easiest to convince: ask them first.
Where should you put the review QR code in a salon?
A QR code saves the client from searching for your listing: they scan it with the phone camera and land on the review form. In a salon, it belongs where people look when they are happy and have their hands free.
| Format | Placement | Text next to it |
|---|---|---|
| Table stand | Reception desk, next to the card machine | “Love your hair? Tell Google.” |
| Small sticker | Bottom corner of each station mirror | “A review in 30 seconds: scan me.” |
| Appointment card | Handed over with the next booking date | “See you soon! Your review helps us:” |
| Receipt or invoice | At the bottom of the printed receipt | “Thanks for visiting. Leave us a review.” |
| Window | At eye level, near the door | “Our clients talk about us on Google.” |
Skip the basin area (nobody gets their phone out with their head in a sink) and the back of the waiting area: someone who is waiting has not experienced anything yet. Test every QR code with several phones before printing in bulk, especially behind glass or on a mirror that reflects light.
The Voxtya Review collection service gives you this QR code with your business name, plus print-ready displays.
How do you ask for a review by email after the appointment?
If clients book online or give you their email address, a follow-up email is the perfect partner to asking in person. It catches clients who were in a rush at the till, and those who wanted to see their colour in daylight before judging.
- When? That evening for a simple cut, the next day for colour or a restyle.
- Who? Every client of the day whose address you have, without exception.
- How often? One message, possibly one reminder a few days later. No more.
- What? A personal thank-you, the stylist’s first name, and the direct link to the review form.
Subject: Thanks for visiting [Salon name]
Hi [First name],
Thank you for coming in today. [Stylist’s name] really enjoyed looking after you. If you are happy with your hair, a few words on Google would help other people find us: [link]
And if anything is not quite right, just reply to this email and we will sort it out.
See you soon,
The [Salon name] team
Email rules depend on where you are. In the UK, the ICO explains that you can email existing customers about similar services without fresh consent (the “soft opt-in”) only if you gave them a chance to opt out when you collected their details and in every message (ICO guidance on email marketing). EU countries have similar rules. Whatever your country, use only addresses clients gave you, always include an unsubscribe link, and check local rules. Our GDPR guide for small businesses goes further.
Does a prize wheel suit a hair salon?
Yes, salons are one of the trades where it makes most sense: clients come back regularly, and a small prize to use at the next appointment gives them one more reason to come back to you rather than someone else.
Here is how it works with Voxtya: the client scans the QR code, enters their first name and email, opens your Google review page, then comes back to spin the wheel. Their rating is never asked for, and nothing checks what their review says: the prize never depends on the rating. The email is only used to send their prize code and to stop the same person playing over and over. The client shows the code at the salon and you mark it as used.
Which prizes for a salon?
- a free deep-conditioning treatment at the next visit (a few minutes, not a whole slot);
- a discount on the next service;
- a travel-size product;
- for a barbershop: a quick beard tidy or a hot towel;
- a “Thank you, see you soon” slice with no prize.
Avoid a free haircut: it blocks a whole slot. Codes are valid for 30 days by default: extend that if your clients come back every six to eight weeks, or the code will expire before they return.
Keep it within the rules: the game must be open to everyone, unrelated to the rating, and you must never promise a prize for “5 stars”. In the US, the FTC’s rule on reviews bans incentives that come with an express or implied requirement for a positive review (FTC Q&A). We cover this in prize wheel and Google reviews: the rules, and the salon settings on our prize wheel page for hair salons.
What should you say at the chair to ask for a review?
The sentence should come naturally, right after the client reacts. Pick one or two for the whole team and adapt them to your tone: a barbershop does not talk like a neighbourhood salon.
“You like it? Great! If you have a minute, a quick Google review would really help us. The QR code is at the desk.”
“Feel free to mention my name in your review, it always makes my day.”
“We’re a small salon, and reviews are how new clients find us. Thanks if you have time to leave one.”
“I’ll send you a short email tomorrow with the link, so you can judge the colour in daylight.”
“If anything’s ever not right, tell us straight away and we’ll fix it. And if you love it, tell Google!”
“Happy with the fade? A photo in your Google review helps other people see our work.”
What not to say
- “Give us 5 stars”: it makes people uncomfortable and feels like pressure.
- “Leave a review and your next blow-dry is free”: Google forbids offering anything in exchange for a review (Google help on reviews).
- “Can you do it now on our tablet?”: several reviews typed on the same salon device may be filtered by Google.
- Asking your stylists, their families or your friends to post reviews: Google treats these as a conflict of interest (Google content policy).
How should a salon reply to Google reviews?
Replying shows future clients that you read every review and care about each person. Google advises being polite and concise, never sharing personal information and signing your replies. In a salon, mention the stylist when the client did, but never a detail about the client. All our advice is in the guide to replying to Google reviews.
Positive review
Thank you so much, [First name]! [Stylist’s name] is delighted you love your new cut. We look forward to your next trim. [Your name], [Salon name]
Mixed review (waiting, running late)
Thanks for your feedback, [First name]. You are right, the wait on Saturday was not acceptable and we are sorry. We have reworked our weekend schedule to keep better time. We hope to see you again in better conditions. [Your name], [Salon name]
Negative review (disappointing result)
Hi [First name], we are truly sorry the result was not what you expected. We would like to put it right: call us on [phone] or drop by the salon and we will find a solution together. [Your name], manager of [Salon name]
To save time, our free AI review reply generator drafts a reply from the review text. The Voxtya Review replies service drafts every reply in your tone: you read it, then paste it on your Google profile.
Which mistakes should a salon avoid?
- Asking during the service. Under the dryer or at the basin, the client can do nothing. Wait for the mirror.
- Leaving it to the owner. The stylist who did the cut has the best relationship with the client: everyone on the team should ask.
- A QR code hidden behind retail products. Bottles for sale often end up in front of the stand. Check every morning that it is visible.
- Offering a discount for a review. Even “just to get started”, Google forbids it and the review may be removed.
- Chasing three times by email. One message and one reminder at most.
- Replying to a bad review in the heat of the moment. Wait until you are calm, reread, and offer to continue privately.
- Revealing a client detail in a reply. No “your colour to cover the greys”: keep it general.
- Forgetting barbers and juniors. Everyone should know the sentence and where the QR code is.
For the legal side of reviews (fake reviews, staff reviews), see our guide to online review laws.
What does a typical week look like in a salon that collects reviews well?
Review collection works when it becomes a habit, like tidying the stations at night. Here is a simple routine for the whole team.
- Monday: check the QR codes at the till and on the mirrors are visible and scan properly.
- Every day: ask every happy client in person, at the mirror.
- Every evening: check the thank-you email has gone out to the day’s clients.
- Twice a week: reply to every new review and sign it.
- Saturday rush: one team member makes a point of showing the QR code at the till.
- End of the week: count new reviews, note recurring topics, congratulate the team.
Summary
| Channel | For whom | When |
|---|---|---|
| Asking in person | Every client | At the mirror |
| QR code | Clients in the salon, booked or walk-in | At the till |
| Clients who booked or gave their address | That evening or the next day | |
| Prize wheel | Any client who wants to play | At the till, via the QR code |
| Review replies | Every reviewer | Within a few days |
To find out how many reviews you need to reach a target rating, use our Google review calculator. And if you also run a beauty room, read our sister guide on Google reviews for a beauty salon.
The steps at a glance
The steps for a hair salon or barbershop to get new Google reviews every week.
- Get your review link. In your Google Business Profile, use “Ask for reviews” to copy the direct link to the review form.
- Put up the QR codes. Place a stand at the till and a small sticker on each mirror, then test them with several phones.
- Pick the team’s sentence. Agree on a short sentence to say at the mirror, when the client sees the finished cut.
- Send the follow-up email. That evening or the next day, send a thank-you with the link and a simple way to unsubscribe.
- Add a game if you like. A prize wheel open to everyone, with prizes for the next visit, unrelated to the rating.
- Reply to every review. Say thank you, mention the stylist if the client did, sign it, and stay calm with criticism.
- Review progress weekly. Count new reviews, read recurring topics and share compliments with the team.
Do it without spending your evenings on it
Voxtya Review collection
A QR code with your name for the till and mirrors, an automatic email after each appointment and a prize wheel with your salon prizes. €29/month, 30-day free trial.
Google reviews: the guide for your trade
When to ask, where to put the QR code and what to say change from one trade to another:
- How to get more Google reviews for your restaurant
- How to get more Google reviews for your bar or café
- How to get more Google reviews for your bakery
- How to get more Google reviews for a beauty salon
- How to get more Google reviews as a tradesperson
- How to get more Google reviews for your garage or auto repair shop
- How to get more Google reviews for your hotel or B&B
- How to get more Google reviews for your shop
- Google reviews for a healthcare practice: what is allowed and how to reply
This guide for your trade
Go further
- How many Google reviews per month? Free calculator
- Google review reply templates, by trade
- How to get more Google reviews: the complete guide
- Get more Google reviews for hair salons
- Google review software for hair salons
- The prize wheel for Google reviews
- Responding to Google reviews for hair salons
- Hair salon website: the complete guide
Sources
The rules quoted in this guide come from these official pages, checked on October 17, 2026.