The short answer: the most reliable way to get more Google reviews for your med spa is to ask every patient, every time, with a direct review link sent by text or email shortly after their visit. Do not offer discounts or freebies for reviews, do not only ask happy patients, and never confirm that a reviewer is your patient when you reply. Google's policies prohibit incentives and selective requests, the FTC's rule on consumer reviews bans fake and purchased reviews, and HIPAA limits what you can say in a reply. A steady, honest system that follows those rules is what builds a strong profile over time.
Reviews are one of the first things a prospective patient checks before booking an injectable or laser appointment with someone they have never met. They also feed what Google Maps, Google's AI Overviews, and AI assistants like ChatGPT say about you. Here is how to build a review system that works and keeps your practice safe.
Why reviews matter so much for med spas right now
BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, based on a representative panel of 1,002 US adults, found (BrightLocal):
- 97% of consumers read reviews for local businesses, and 41% "always" read them, up from 29% the year before.
- 47% of consumers will not use a business with fewer than 20 reviews.
- 74% only care about reviews written in the last three months.
- 31% will only use a business rated 4.5 stars or higher, up from 17% the year before.
- 89% expect business owners to respond to reviews, and templated or generic replies make 50% unlikely to choose a business.
- Use of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools for local recommendations rose from 6% to 45% in a year.
For a med spa, the takeaways are clear. You need volume, you need recent reviews, and you need thoughtful replies. A profile with 30 glowing reviews from two years ago looks stale next to a competitor who gets a few new ones every week.
The rules you have to follow
Before you build a system, know where the lines are. This is general information, not legal advice, so loop in your counsel and your medical director on your final policy.
Google's review policies
Google's Maps content policy says merchants may not (Google):
- Offer incentives, such as payment, discounts, or free products or services, in exchange for a review or for changing or removing a negative review.
- Discourage negative reviews or selectively ask only happy customers for reviews. This practice is often called review gating.
- Require or pressure people to leave a review while they are on the premises, or ask for specific content, including content that names a staff member.
Google can remove violating reviews and may restrict a Business Profile, for example by blocking new reviews for a period of time or displaying a warning that fake reviews were removed (Google).
The FTC rule on consumer reviews
The FTC's Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials took effect October 21, 2024. It prohibits fake reviews, buying positive or negative reviews, undisclosed reviews by company insiders, company-controlled "independent" review sites, certain review suppression practices, and buying fake social media indicators like followers (Federal Register). The rule document notes the maximum civil penalty at the time was $51,744 per violation. In plain terms: do not have staff or family review you without disclosure, and do not pay anyone for reviews.
HIPAA and review replies
This is where med spas get into trouble. The HHS Office for Civil Rights settled with a California dental practice that disclosed patient names, treatment, and insurance details while responding to online reviews. The practice paid $23,000 and agreed to a corrective action plan (HHS). If your practice is a HIPAA covered entity, assume any detail that confirms someone was your patient, or what they had done, is off limits in a public reply, even if the reviewer shared it first.
How to ask for reviews the right way
1. Ask everyone, consistently
Make the request a standard part of every visit, not something your front desk does when a patient seems happy. Asking everyone is both fair under Google's policy and better for your profile, since a mix of feedback reads as more trustworthy. Google's own guidance notes that honest and balanced reviews help potential customers decide (Google).
2. Use a direct link and a QR code
Google lets you create a short review link and a QR code from your Business Profile (Google). Put the QR code on a small card at checkout and in your aftercare materials. Put the link in your post-visit messages.
3. Send the request at the right moment
A text or email a few hours after the visit, or the next day, tends to land while the experience is fresh. For treatments where patients see changes over days or weeks, you can also include the link in a later check-in message. Keep the ask short and neutral, such as: "Thank you for visiting us. If you have a minute, we would appreciate hearing about your experience on Google." Do not ask for five stars or suggest what to write.
4. Automate it so it actually happens
Manual review requests fall apart on busy days. Connect your booking system to an automated text and email sequence so every completed appointment triggers a request. This is exactly the kind of workflow we build in our booking and CRM automation work.
5. Keep requests steady, not in bursts
BrightLocal's data shows recency matters, and Google's policy flags unusual volumes or patterns of reviews (Google). A steady flow of requests after every visit looks natural because it is natural.
Want a review and follow-up system built for you? On a free 30-minute strategy call, I will look at your Google Business Profile, your current review count and recency, and how your booking system could send requests automatically. Book your call here.
How to reply to reviews without disclosing patient information
Reply to every review, positive and negative. BrightLocal found consumers prefer businesses that respond to all reviews over those that respond only to positive or only to negative ones (BrightLocal). The trick in a medical setting is to be warm and specific about your practice without being specific about the person.
Replies to positive reviews
Thank the reviewer and talk about your team or your approach, not their treatment.
- Instead of: "So glad you loved your lip filler with Dr. Smith last Tuesday!"
- Try: "Thank you for taking the time to share this. Our team works hard to make every visit comfortable, and we appreciate you."
Replies to negative reviews
Stay calm, keep it short, and take the conversation offline.
- Do not confirm they are a patient, mention a treatment, a date, a provider, or anything from their chart.
- Do not argue the facts publicly, even if the review is unfair.
- Do invite them to contact your practice manager directly by phone or email.
A safe template: "Thank you for your feedback. We take every concern seriously and would welcome the chance to talk with you directly. Please call our office and ask for our practice manager."
Reviews that break the rules
If a review appears fake, comes from a competitor, or contains offensive content, you can flag it for Google to review instead of fighting it in the replies (Google). Document what you flagged and when.
Review mistakes to avoid
- Offering a discount, gift card, or entry into a giveaway in exchange for a review.
- Sending review links only to patients who rated you highly in a private survey.
- Asking staff, friends, or family to post reviews without disclosure.
- Asking patients to mention a specific provider by name or describe their results.
- Replying with the same copy-and-paste message to every review.
- Discussing treatments, outcomes, or any patient detail in a public reply.
How reviews connect to the rest of your marketing
Reviews do not live on their own. They support your local search rankings, they reassure people who click your ads, and they show up in the AI summaries that more patients now read before booking. Our med spa SEO and local search guide covers the rest of your Google Business Profile, and our guide to compliance-safe med spa marketing covers patient consent for testimonials and photos. If you want help across both, see our SEO for med spas service.
How AC Partners helps
AC Partners is a Miami marketing and PR agency specializing in beauty, wellness, and medical aesthetics brands. We help med spas in Miami, New York City, Chicago, and nationwide build review request automations, write privacy-safe reply guidelines for their teams, and connect reviews to local SEO and paid ads. We do not buy, write, or gate reviews, and we will not promise a star rating. We build an honest system that runs every day.
Book a call with AC Partners
If your review count is stuck or your replies make you nervous, let's fix the system together. Book a free 30-minute strategy call, or email me at laurenbarrett@ardormarketing.com.
FAQ
Can a med spa offer a discount for a Google review?
No. Google's policy prohibits offering incentives such as payment, discounts, or free services in exchange for a review, and violations can lead to removed reviews and restrictions on your Business Profile. Ask every patient for honest feedback with no reward attached.
Is it okay to only send review requests to happy patients?
No. Google prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews and discouraging negative ones. Send the same neutral request to every patient after their visit.
How should a med spa respond to a negative review under HIPAA?
Keep it short and general. Do not confirm the person is a patient or mention any treatment, provider, or date. Thank them, say you take concerns seriously, and invite them to contact your practice manager directly. Check your final policy with counsel.
How many Google reviews does a med spa need?
There is no magic number, but BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 47% of consumers will not use a business with fewer than 20 reviews, and 74% only care about reviews from the last three months. Aim for a steady flow of new reviews, not a one-time push.
Can my staff leave reviews for our med spa?
They should not post reviews without clearly disclosing their relationship to your practice. The FTC's consumer review rule prohibits certain undisclosed insider reviews, and Google treats conflict-of-interest reviews as a policy violation.
What is the easiest way to get more med spa reviews?
Automate it. Send a short text or email with your direct Google review link after every completed appointment, and keep a QR code at checkout. Consistency beats one-off campaigns.
Questions? Send me a note.
Lauren Barrett is the founder of AC Partners, a Miami marketing and PR agency specializing in beauty, wellness, and medical aesthetics brands. She leads the agency's strategy and stays involved in client work.