A beauty salon's Google Business Profile needs four things done well: accurate basic details, complete categories and services, photos that are updated regularly and described clearly, and reviews requested in a fair way with a reply to every one. When customers look for a nail salon nearby on Google Maps, this is what they read; when AI answers local questions, it often draws on the Business Profile too. One thing to watch closely: offering discounts or gifts in exchange for reviews breaks Google's rules, the reviews may be removed, and in serious cases the profile may be restricted.
1. Get the basic details right first
- Name: use the official name on your sign, and don't stuff keywords like Taipei nail salon recommendation into it, which breaks Google's rules
- Address and opening hours: match your website, and remember to update national holidays and temporary closures
- Phone and booking link: point the booking button back to your website or LINE so bookings reach you
- Description: one or two sentences on what you do, where you are and who you suit
2. Categories and services
Choose a primary category that matches your main business, such as hair salon or nail salon, and add secondary categories for other services. List services one by one, such as haircuts, coloring, perms, gel nails and lash extensions, each with a sentence or two of description.
Descriptions cover what the service involves and roughly how long it takes, with no medical claims. For facial care services, don't write lines like treats acne or removes dark spots; a beauty business isn't a medical institution, and under Taiwan's Medical Care Act it may not run medical advertising. This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice; the latest announcements from the competent authorities prevail.
3. How to handle photos
| Photo type | What to show | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Storefront | Sign and entrance, so customers can find you | Matches how it looks today |
| Interior | Seating, wash area, private rooms | Natural light, no heavy retouching |
| Work | Hair, nails, lashes, makeup | Get agreement before using a customer's photo |
| Team | Stylists at work | Matches the photos on stylist pages |
Add new photos regularly, and remove old ones and services you no longer offer. Portfolio photos don't use before-and-after comparisons to promise results; just say clearly what was done.
4. How to ask for reviews and how to reply
Reviews are one of the things customers and AI use to judge a business. Asking is simple: when a service ends, invite the customer to leave a review in person, or add a review link to the LINE confirmation message.
What not to do: offer discounts, gifts or add-on deals in exchange for reviews, or invite only customers you think will leave a good one. Google's rules don't allow rewards for reviews, and don't allow inviting only people likely to leave positive reviews.
| Practice | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Asking for reviews | Invite every customer, in person or with a link | Invite only people likely to leave good reviews |
| Rewards | None | Discounts, gifts or add-on deals in exchange for reviews |
| Replies | Reply to every review, and say how negative feedback will be handled | Arguing with customers or revealing their personal details |
| Review content | Let customers write their own | Writing good reviews for customers or having staff pose as customers |
Reply to every review. Thank people for positive reviews and mention the service they had; for negative ones, apologize first, say how it will be handled, then ask the person to get in touch by private message. Replies make no promises about results and no medical claims.
5. How the Business Profile relates to AI answers
When AI answers local questions like a haircut in Xinyi, it often draws on Google Business Profiles, websites and other sites. When the three agree, AI can more easily tell it's the same business. To see how AI answers now, use the free quick scan in GEO by TriloAI to see ChatGPT's result in about 1–2 minutes; for the full picture, the five-platform check runs up to 15 customer questions across 5 AI platforms at once, and the same questions are used to compare before and after.
The short version
For a beauty salon's Google Business Profile, get the details right, describe services and photos clearly, ask for reviews fairly and reply to every one, and never trade rewards for reviews.
Frequently asked questions
- Can we offer discounts for Google reviews?
- No. Google's rules don't allow discounts, gifts or other rewards in exchange for reviews; if you break them, reviews may be removed and the profile may be restricted. You can invite every customer in person or with a link on LINE.
- Can we add Taipei nail salon recommendation to our business name?
- We advise against it. Google requires the official business name, stuffing in keywords breaks the rules, and in serious cases the profile may be renamed or suspended.
- Can we delete negative reviews?
- Businesses can't delete reviews themselves. You can reply politely and say how it will be handled; if a review breaks Google's rules (for example it wasn't written by a customer or contains inappropriate content), you can report it to Google.
- Does each location of a chain need its own Business Profile?
- Yes. Each branch gets its own Business Profile, with name, address, opening hours and stylist details written the same way, and each branch replies to its own reviews.