Reviews can make or break your local rankings, build trust with potential patients, and drive more people through your doors. But here’s the catch: if you’re not careful about how you get those reviews, Google could remove them—or worse—wipe out your entire review history.


So today, we’re going to talk about how to get more Google reviews the right way and the best practices to make sure they actually stick around. Let’s get into it.


Listen to Podcast Episode: Avoid This #1 Mistake That Gets Google Reviews Deleted


Related Resources: 


Listen on...

Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
Amazon Music

Get our next podcast episode delivered directly to your inbox: 

We'll email you when we release new episodes. 

How to Get Google Reviews Without Getting Them Removed

When someone searches for a local clinic—whether it’s a chiropractor, acupuncturist, dentist, or physical therapist—there’s one thing they nearly always check: the Google reviews. These reviews play a major role in how potential patients decide who to call, and they also influence your rankings in local search results.

Because of how powerful reviews are, it’s no surprise that many clinic owners are eager to collect as many as possible. But one misstep in how you collect those reviews can result in Google removing them—or worse, wiping out your entire review history. If that happens, your credibility takes a hit, and your visibility in search may plummet.

Here’s what you need to know to protect your reviews, stay within Google’s guidelines, and build a reputation that actually helps you grow.


Why Google Reviews Matter

Google reviews aren’t just nice to have. They influence three key areas:

1. Local SEO rankings

Google considers the quantity, quality, and recency of reviews when ranking local businesses in the map pack and organic results. Businesses with more positive reviews typically outrank those with fewer or lower-rated reviews.

2. Trust and conversion

A clinic with 100+ glowing reviews stands out. Reviews function as online word-of-mouth and give prospective patients reassurance before they ever make contact.

3. Business insights

Reviews—both positive and negative—can provide insights into what’s working well and where you might need to improve the patient experience.


The Risk: Review Gating

One of the most common mistakes we see is something called review gating. This is when a business asks customers to rate their experience privately first—often through a survey or form—and only directs the happy ones to leave a public review on Google. Unhappy ones are diverted to a private channel.

It might sound like a smart way to manage your reputation, but Google has made it very clear: review gating violates their guidelines.

If Google detects that you’re filtering who gets to leave a review, they may remove every review associated with your business. In some cases, they also penalize the business’s visibility in local search.

The worst part? There’s no guaranteed way to recover removed reviews—and in many instances, businesses never fully regain the traction they lost.


What Google Does Want You to Do

Now that we’ve covered what not to do, let’s talk about what works—strategies that are both effective and in line with Google’s policies.

1. Ask all patients for feedback

Whether the patient had a great visit or left with mixed feelings, you should invite everyone to leave a review. This approach helps you stay in compliance and builds a more honest and helpful review profile.

Not every patient will leave a review—but when you make it a regular part of your follow-up process, you’ll see results over time.

2. Make it simple to leave a review

Include direct links to your Google Business Profile review page in your emails, texts, or thank-you pages. Consider creating a short URL that redirects to your Google review form. The easier you make it, the more likely people are to follow through.

For help setting this up, check out our post on how to optimize your Google Business Profile.

3. Never offer incentives

It’s against Google’s policy to offer gifts, discounts, or rewards in exchange for reviews. Don’t say, “Leave us a review and get 10% off.” That could get the review (and possibly others) removed. Worse, if it becomes a pattern, it could put your entire review profile at risk.

Instead, focus on delivering excellent service that naturally encourages patients to want to share their experience.

4. Respond to reviews the right way

Replying to reviews shows you’re engaged and care about your patients. For positive reviews, thank the reviewer and reinforce the value of your care. For negative ones, be professional and respectful. Never argue or reveal private health information in your reply.

Your responses can shape the impression future patients form when reading through your reviews.

If you’re not sure how to respond appropriately, we cover this in our guide on how to manage your online reputation.

5. Keep your Google Business Profile updated

An up-to-date profile with accurate business hours, services, and photos gives patients confidence. It also shows Google that your business is active, which can support your local SEO performance.

Reviews are just one part of the equation. Make sure the rest of your profile is working just as hard as your reviews are.


How to Ask for Reviews Without Crossing the Line

Some clinic owners worry that asking for reviews at all feels pushy. But here’s the thing: if you’re providing a great service, many patients are happy to support you—they just need a little reminder.

Here are a few ways to do it:

  • Follow-up emails: After an appointment, send a short thank-you message that includes a link to your review form. Make it personal and appreciative.
  • Text reminders: If your clinic sends post-appointment texts, include a soft nudge like “We’d love your feedback—leave a quick review if you have a minute.”
  • Printed materials: Add a QR code to your business card, intake forms, or signage at the front desk that takes people directly to your Google review link.
  • In-person prompts: If a patient compliments your team or service during a visit, thank them—and ask if they’d be willing to share those thoughts in a quick online review.

Need help writing review request templates? We cover that in our post on how to ask for reviews the right way.


What to Do If Google Removes Reviews

If you suspect reviews have been removed from your profile:

  1. Double-check for guideline violations – Review your messaging to see if any of your practices could have triggered the removal.
  2. Check for technical issues – Sometimes reviews are filtered out if they come from the same IP address or if users don’t have active Google accounts.
  3. Contact Google Support – In some cases, you can appeal a removal or ask for clarification, though there’s no guarantee they’ll reinstate anything.
  4. Rebuild organically – If your reviews were removed, don’t panic—but do go back to the basics and start fresh with ethical, consistent review generation.


The Bottom Line

Google reviews aren’t just a nice-to-have—they’re essential for increasing trust, improving your search rankings, and attracting new patients. But you have to earn them the right way.

Avoid shortcuts like review gating or offering incentives. Instead, focus on creating a great patient experience and asking for honest feedback from everyone. When your strategy is sound, your reviews will stick—and they’ll work hard for your clinic over the long term.

For more insights into improving your local visibility, read our post on how to rank for “near me” searches or check out our step-by-step guide to local SEO for clinics.