How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Grooming Salon

When someone searches for a groomer nearby, the first thing they see is usually a map with a list of salons and their star ratings. A salon with dozens of recent, positive reviews will get the call before one with three reviews from years ago, even if the grooming is just as good. Reviews are one of the cheapest and most powerful marketing tools a salon has.

Why reviews matter so much

Reviews do two jobs. They help you appear higher in local search results, and they convince people to choose you once they find you. Pet owners are trusting you with a family member, so they read reviews carefully, especially the recent ones.

Ask at the right moment

The best time to ask is when the client is happiest: at pick-up, when they see their freshly groomed dog. A quick "We'd love it if you could leave us a review, it really helps a small business like ours" is enough. Most happy clients are glad to help; they just need to be asked.

Make it easy

Every extra step loses people. Send the direct link to your Google review page by text or email the same day, ideally within a couple of hours of pick-up. In your Google Business Profile, you can copy a short link that opens the review box straight away.

In PetConnect, review requests are one of the built-in message templates, so the request can go out automatically after an appointment instead of relying on someone to remember.

Personal beats generic

"Thanks for bringing Milo in today, he looked fantastic! If you have a minute, we'd really appreciate a review" works far better than a generic message. Using the dog's name reminds the client of the good experience, and makes the request feel personal rather than automated.

Reply to every review

Thank people for positive reviews by name, and mention something specific if you can. For the occasional negative review, stay calm, apologise for the experience, and offer to talk privately. Future clients read your replies as much as the reviews themselves, and a thoughtful response to criticism often builds more trust than a perfect score.

Stay within the rules

Google doesn't allow businesses to pay for reviews or offer rewards in exchange for them, and it can remove reviews or penalise profiles that do. Don't write reviews for yourself or ask staff and family to post them. Simply ask every happy client, consistently. It is slower, but it is safe and it lasts.

Use reviews everywhere

Good reviews are great content. Share a favourite review on Instagram with a photo of the dog (with the owner's permission), add a few to your booking page, and print one or two for the salon wall. It shows new clients that people like them already trust you.

Make it a habit

A burst of reviews followed by nothing for a year looks odd. A steady flow of new reviews every month is what helps most. Set up the automatic request once, remind the team to mention it at pick-up, and check your profile once a week to reply to new reviews.

Track your progress

Note how many reviews you have and your average rating at the start of each month. Seeing the number climb keeps the team motivated, and it shows you whether your asking habits are working. If the number stalls, look at whether requests are still going out and whether the link still works.

What to do about a bad review

Every salon gets a disappointing review eventually. It might be a misunderstanding about price, a style the owner didn't expect or simply a bad day. Don't reply straight away when you are upset. Wait a few hours, then write a short, polite response: thank them for the feedback, apologise that the visit didn't meet their expectations, and invite them to contact you directly to sort it out. Keep private details, including the dog's behaviour or health, out of the public reply.

If a review breaks Google's rules, for example it is clearly spam, abusive or from someone who was never a client, you can flag it for removal from your Business Profile. Otherwise, the best answer to one bad review is a steady stream of good ones.

Ask the team to help

Your groomers and front desk staff talk to clients every day. Make asking for reviews part of the pick-up routine, and share new reviews with the team when they mention a groomer by name. People love hearing that a client noticed their work, and it keeps everyone keen to ask.

Setting up your Google Business Profile properly is the first step. Our guide to online booking for groomers shows how to add a booking link to it, and you can see how messaging works in PetConnect on our grooming management page.