The review count that puts a spa in the top quarter, and how to close the gap before the holidays
One number from our benchmark data tells most spas exactly how far they are from the top quarter on Google. What it is, and what to do about it this week.
When someone searches "massage near me" in December, they are often shopping for a gift card, not booking for themselves. They pick fast. They look at the map, compare a few star ratings and review counts, and tap the one that looks busiest and safest.
So here is a useful number. In our benchmark report, a spa with 76 Google reviews sits at the line of the top quarter. The median is 22. If you are somewhere between those two numbers, the gap is probably smaller than it feels, and you have about six weeks before the holiday searches peak.
What the number means
The median tells you where the typical spa is. Half have more reviews, half have fewer. The top quarter line, 76, is where you start to look clearly established next to the typical competitor on the map.
A few other numbers from the same data help with the picture:
- 33.8% of massage and spa businesses have fewer than ten reviews.
- 11.4% have none at all.
- The average rating is 4.8, and 50.3% sit at a perfect 5.0.
That last point matters. Ratings in this niche are high across the board. Almost everyone looks good on stars. That makes the review count, and how recent the reviews are, the thing that separates you on a phone screen.
Why count beats a perfect rating
A 5.0 from six reviews tells a gift-card shopper very little. A 4.8 from eighty tells them people keep coming back. Shoppers do not reason this out in detail. They just trust the listing that looks like it has a track record.
Recency matters too. A spa with a lot of reviews but nothing new since spring can look like it has gone quiet. A spa that gets a few new reviews every week looks open and busy, which is what someone buying a gift wants to see.
What to do this week
You do not need a big campaign. You need a steady ask, built into the visit. Here is a plan that fits in a normal week.
1. Find your number. Look up your own profile and write down your review count and your newest review date. Then search "massage" from your front door and note the counts of the three spas that show next to you on the map. That is your real competition, not a national average.
2. Set a weekly target. If you see 40 clients a week and ask every one of them, even a small share saying yes adds up over six weeks. Set a modest weekly goal and track it on a sticky note at the front desk.
3. Ask at the right moment. The best moment is right after the session, when the client is relaxed and back at the desk. A simple script works:
"I'm so glad that helped your shoulder. If you have a minute later, a short Google review really helps people find us. I'll text you the link."
Then send the link within the hour, while the feeling is still there:
"Thanks for coming in today, [name]. Here's the link if you have a minute: [link]. It means a lot to a small spa like ours."
4. Ask your regulars first. Your monthly members and long-time clients are the most likely to say yes, and many of them have never been asked. Send them the same text this week.
5. Reply to every review. Thank them by first name and mention something real, like the service they booked. It shows new shoppers that someone is paying attention. Keep replies private-safe: never confirm health details a client did not share themselves.
Our Google reviews guide covers more scripts and the timing that works best.
Make the profile ready for holiday shoppers
More reviews bring more clicks. Make sure those clicks land somewhere useful.
- Add gift cards as a product or service on your profile, with a link that goes straight to the gift card page, not your homepage.
- Post once a week through December with one clear offer, such as a gift card bundle or a holiday hours note.
- Check your hours. Many shoppers search on weekends. 39.3% of spas in our data list Sunday hours. If you are open Sundays, say so.
Our Google Business Profile guide walks through each of these.
What not to do
Do not offer a discount or a free add-on in exchange for a review. Google's rules do not allow incentives for reviews, and it can put your profile at risk. Do not ask clients to write the review in the spa on your tablet either. Reviews posted from one device and location can get filtered out.
Just ask every client, make it easy with a direct link, and keep doing it after the holidays are over. A steady habit beats a burst.
If you want the review texts set up and sent for you, the free 14-day trial covers any one service, no card. Text or call (385) 386-3176.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, massage therapists and spas among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor