How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Therapy Practice (the Right Way)

Most therapy practices have happy families and a handful of Google reviews. Usually nobody asks at the right moment, in a way that's easy to say yes to.

Quick answer: Ask every family or adult client the same way, at a natural high point like discharge or a milestone, and send your review link the same day. Never offer anything in return, never ask only the happy ones, and check your own profession's ethics code first. Reviews are one of the biggest levers in our Google Business Profile guide for therapy practices.

Do this first: check your ethics code and state rules

A lot of the review advice you'll find for "therapists" comes from mental health counseling, where professional codes discourage asking clients for testimonials at all. OT, PT and speech-language pathology have their own codes, and states have their own rules. Read yours before you start, and if anything is unclear, ask your state board or professional association. It takes ten minutes and protects your license.

What Google does not allow

Google's prohibited content policy is specific about reviews. You can't:

• Offer anything in exchange for a review, including discounts, gift cards, free sessions or raffle entries
• Ask only your happiest families while steering everyone else away (this is called review gating)
• Pressure people to leave a review while they're still at your office
• Ask people to include specific words or content in their review
• Write reviews for yourself or have staff, friends or family post them

Breaking these rules can get reviews removed or put your profile at risk, so the habit below stays well inside them.

When to ask

Timing matters more than wording. The best moments in a therapy practice are:

• At discharge, when the family is looking back on everything that changed
• Right after a visible milestone, like a first full sentence, a first independent dressing or a return to sport
• At a progress review or re-evaluation where the parent hears good news

Pick one or two of these and make them part of your routine for every client, so you're never choosing who gets asked.

What to say and send

Ask in person first, briefly: "If you have a minute this week, a Google review really helps other families find us. I'll text you the link."

Then send it the same day:

"Thanks again for today! If you have a minute, here's our Google review link: [your link]. It helps other families find us."

To get your link, open your Business Profile, look for the option to ask for reviews, and copy the short link Google gives you. Put it in three places so it works without anyone remembering: your discharge email, your text templates and a QR code at the front desk or in your therapy bag.

Make asking part of your system

One ask is easy to forget. A habit adds up. Add "send review link" to your discharge checklist, and check your reviews once a week so every new one gets a reply. Google says on its local ranking help page that more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking, and a steady trickle looks more natural than a burst once a year.

When reviews come in, reply to every one without confirming the person is a client. Our post on responding to Google reviews without breaking HIPAA has copy-ready replies. And if reviews are coming in but you still aren't showing up, read why therapy practices don't show up on Google Maps.

Want this handled for you, from review requests to replies? See how we run marketing for occupational therapy practices, or book a free strategy call.

Frequently asked questions

Can I offer a small thank-you gift for a review?
No. Google prohibits any incentive in exchange for a review, even small ones and even if the review could be negative.

Can I send a satisfaction survey first and only ask happy families for a review?
No. Filtering who gets asked is review gating, which Google prohibits. Ask everyone the same way.

Can a parent leave a review for their child's therapy?
Yes. Parents are the ones searching and booking, so their reviews are often the most helpful to other families.

How many reviews does a therapy practice need?
There's no magic number. Aim for a steady flow every month rather than a one-time push.

Keep reading

• Google Business Profile for Therapy Practices: The Complete Guide
• How to Respond to Google Reviews Without Breaking HIPAA
• Why Your Therapy Practice Isn't Showing Up on Google Maps

About Courtney

Courtney Potenti, MS, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist with 10+ years of clinical experience and the founder of Social-OT, a done-for-you marketing company for OT, PT and speech therapy practices. She still treats patients herself, so every strategy she shares is built for clinicians with a full caseload. More about Courtney and Social-OT.