Why this matters for a tattoo shop
A tattoo is permanent. Before someone lets a stranger put a needle in their skin, they want to know three things: is the place clean, is the artist good, and will they be treated well if they are nervous. Your portfolio answers the second question. Reviews answer the other two, in the words of people like them.
Reviews show up next to your name on your Google Business Profile, right where people land when they search "tattoo shop near me" or "walk-in tattoo." First-timers read them closely. So do parents of adult kids, people planning a group tattoo, and collectors checking out a shop before they travel for a guest spot.
Your replies matter just as much. Someone reading a mixed review is watching how you handle it. A calm, kind answer shows them how you will treat them in the chair.
What you need
- A claimed Google Business Profile (see C1 if you don't have one yet)
- Your short Google review link
- A QR code that points to that link
- Your printed aftercare sheet, with room on the back for the QR code
- A small counter sign at checkout
- Saved text and email templates on your phone or in your booking software
- Ten minutes a week to read and answer new reviews
Step-by-step setup
- Get your review link. Sign in to Google Business Profile. Look for "Ask for reviews" or "Get more reviews." Copy the short link and save it in a note.
- Make a QR code. Use any free QR code maker and paste in your review link. Scan it with two different phones to make sure it opens your review page.
- Add it to your aftercare sheet. Every client already leaves with written aftercare. Put the QR code and short link on the back: "Healed up nice? Tell people how it went." Clients keep aftercare sheets for weeks, which is exactly when they are ready to review.
- Put a sign at checkout. A small card by the register with the QR code and "Reviews help a local shop. Good or bad, we read every one."
- Save your templates. Put the text and email requests below into your phone's text shortcuts or your booking software's follow-up messages. Fill in your link once.
- Make it part of checkout. Add "review ask" to the end-of-session list, right after the wrap, the aftercare talk and the payment. If it's on the list, every artist does it.
- Turn on review notifications. In your Business Profile settings, turn on alerts for new reviews so you see them the same day.
When and how to ask
At checkout
The client just saw the finished piece in the mirror and they're happy. Go over aftercare, hand them the sheet, then ask. Point to the QR code on the back. Keep it to one sentence.
At the healing check-in
Many shops text clients a few weeks later to see how the tattoo healed. That's a great moment. They can review the whole experience, healing included. If they haven't left a review yet, add the link to that text.
After a walk-in or flash piece
Walk-in clients are quick in and out, so the aftercare sheet and the counter sign do most of the work. Ask anyway. Walk-in reviews are what the next walk-in reads.
After a long custom project
For a sleeve or back piece, ask after a milestone session or when the piece is done, not after the first outline. They'll have more to say.
Piercing, touch-ups and laser
These clients come back often. Ask once, not at every visit.
How often
One ask and one reminder. Then stop.
Request templates
Say it at checkout
"Thanks for sitting with me today. Most people who come in found us on Google and read the reviews first. If you have a minute once it heals, would you leave an honest review? The link is on the back of your aftercare sheet. Good or bad, I read every one."
Text, same day or next day
Hi [Name], it's [Artist] at [Shop]. Thanks again for coming in for your [piece]. Keep following the aftercare sheet, and text me if you have any questions while it heals. If you have a minute, would you leave an honest Google review about your visit? It helps people in [Town] find a shop they can trust. [short link]
Healing check-in text (a few weeks later)
Hi [Name], [Artist] from [Shop]. How is your [piece] healing? If you want a touch-up, just reply and we'll set it up. And if you haven't had a chance yet, here's the link for a quick review: [short link]. Thanks!
Subject: How is your new tattoo healing?
Hi [Name],
Thanks for trusting [Artist] and [Shop] with your [piece]. Your aftercare instructions are below so you have them in one place.
[Aftercare instructions]
Would you take a minute to leave an honest Google review? Say how the visit went: how you were treated, how clean the shop was, how the piece turned out. That's what the next person wants to know.
[short link]
If anything doesn't look right while it heals, reply here or call us at [phone].
Thanks,
[Artist]
[Shop] · [Phone] · [Address]
Reminder (send once, about a week later)
Hi [Name], quick reminder in case my last text got buried. If you have a minute for a Google review, here's the link: [short link]. No worries if not. Thanks again!
The rules. Break these and you risk reviews being removed, your profile being restricted, or trouble with the FTC.
- No paying for reviews. No discounts, free touch-ups, merch, flash credits or "enter to win" for a review. Google doesn't allow incentives for reviews, and the FTC has rules against buying them.
- Ask everyone, not only the happy ones. Asking "Love it? Great, here's the link" and only sending it to pleased clients is called review gating. Google doesn't allow it. Send the same request to every client.
- No fake reviews. Don't write your own, don't have artists, friends or family pose as clients, and don't post bad reviews of another shop.
- Ask before posting photos. If you share a client's review next to a photo of their tattoo, get their written OK first. Never show their face or anything that identifies them without it.
- Keep private things private. A client's placement, health questions and anything from their consent form stay out of public replies.
How to answer reviews
Answer every review within a few days. Keep it short, use their first name, and name the artist and the style so it reads like a real person wrote it. Don't mention placement unless they did, and never share anything from their paperwork.
Good review
Thanks, [Name]! [Artist] loved doing that [fine-line floral / traditional panther / cover-up]. Glad the visit felt easy. Send us a healed photo when it's settled in. [Your Name], [Shop]
Mixed review
Thanks for the honest review, [Name]. Glad you're happy with the piece. You're right that [the wait for walk-ins was longer than we said]. We've changed how we [give wait times at the front desk] so that doesn't happen again. If there's anything else I can do, call me at [phone]. [Your Name], owner
Bad review about the work
[Name], I'm sorry you're not happy with your tattoo. That's not what we want for anyone who sits in our chairs. I'd like to see it and talk about options. Please call me directly at [phone] or email [email]. [Your Name], owner
Bad review about healing
[Name], I'm sorry the healing has been rough. Please reach out to me at [phone] so we can take a look. If you see signs of infection, like spreading redness, heat, swelling or fever, please see a doctor right away. [Your Name], owner
Turned away for ID or because they'd been drinking
Hi [Name], I understand that was frustrating. We check a government photo ID for every client and don't tattoo anyone who has been drinking. It's the law and it keeps everyone safe, and we do it the same way for everyone. We'd be glad to see you another day. [Your Name], owner
Review you don't recognize
Hi [Name], I take every review seriously, but I can't find a visit under this name. If you were in, please call me at [phone] so I can look into it. [Your Name], owner
Wait an hour before answering a bad review. Never argue, blame the client's aftercare in public, or go back and forth. Say sorry, give a way to reach you, and take it offline. Never give medical advice in a public reply. If a review breaks Google's rules (spam, someone who was never a client, hateful language), you can report it. Don't report reviews just because they're negative.
Keep it going: the weekly routine
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Every client | Ask at checkout, hand over the aftercare sheet with the QR code, send the text or email that day. |
| Once a week | Send the one reminder to anyone from last week who hasn't reviewed. Answer every new review. |
| At healing check-ins | Include the link if they haven't reviewed yet. Offer the touch-up. |
| Once a month | Read the month's reviews with your artists and front desk. If the same complaint shows up twice (wait times, a rushed consult), fix it. |
Checklist
- Short review link saved and tested
- QR code tested on two phones
- QR code and link on the back of the aftercare sheet
- Counter sign at checkout
- Review ask on the end-of-session list for every artist
- Text, email, check-in and reminder templates saved
- New-review notifications turned on
- Asking every client, the same way
- No incentives offered anywhere, in any wording
- Written OK on file before any client photo is posted with a review
- Every review answered within a few days
Common mistakes
- Leaving it to each artist to remember, instead of making it part of checkout.
- Offering a free touch-up or a discount "if you leave us five stars."
- Only asking the regulars and the happy ones.
- Sending a long link that breaks on a phone. Use the short one.
- Copy-paste replies that say "Thanks for the review!" on every one. Name the artist and the piece.
- Arguing about aftercare or a healing problem in a public reply.
- Mentioning a client's placement or personal details in a reply.
- Asking five times. One request and one reminder is enough.
Notes by kind of work
| Work | What's different |
|---|---|
| Custom and large-scale | Ask after a milestone session or when the piece is finished. Ask them to name the artist and the style. Collectors searching for a black-and-grey realism artist or a Japanese back piece read for exactly that. |
| Walk-ins and flash | Lots of quick visits means lots of chances. Lean on the counter sign and the aftercare sheet. For groups, ask each person, not just the one who booked. Reviews that mention a friendly first-timer visit help the next nervous first-timer. |
| Fine-line and minimalist | Ask at the healing check-in. Fine-line buyers worry about how the lines settle, so a review written after healing carries weight. Ask if they'd share a healed photo too, with written OK. |
| Piercing, touch-ups and laser | Repeat local clients. Ask once, after a visit that went well, not every time. For laser removal, ask after a few sessions when they can speak to the process, and keep treatment details out of your reply. |
Next: turn happy clients into return visits with C7 Go after repeat clients, and keep in touch with C10 Keep a list of past clients.
Want Annie's to do this for you? We can set up your review link, QR aftercare sheets and saved request messages, and write replies to new reviews for you to approve before they post.