Hello Sugar: How a Fast-Growing Beauty Franchise Became The Top AI-Recommended Brand

Towels in a spa
Towels in a spa
Towels in a spa

In just 12 months, Hello Sugar went from generating roughly 50 reviews a month to nearly 700 — including more than 2,500 new 5-star reviews in total. Review freshness, sentiment patterns, and keyword themes shifted upward across every GEO signal that Google and AI systems rely on.

In just 12 months, Hello Sugar went from generating roughly 50 reviews a month to nearly 700 — including more than 2,500 new 5-star reviews in total. Review freshness, sentiment patterns, and keyword themes shifted upward across every GEO signal that Google and AI systems rely on.

In just 12 months, Hello Sugar went from generating roughly 50 reviews a month to nearly 700 — including more than 2,500 new 5-star reviews in total. Review freshness, sentiment patterns, and keyword themes shifted upward across every GEO signal that Google and AI systems rely on.

Hello Sugar: How a Fast-Growing Beauty Franchise Became a Top AI-Recommended Brand


Results at a Glance


  • 2,500 new 5-star reviews added in the past 12 months


  • Monthly reviews increased from ~50 → nearly 700 per month


  • Top-ranked waxing recommendation in Google Gemini


  • Major lift in GEO visibility across all participating locations


  • Technicians now generate in-studio reviews at point of service with Cheers Smart Badges



Hello Sugar has built its reputation on one thing: delivering one of the most consistent, friendly waxing and sugaring experiences in the industry. Customers loved the brand, referred their friends, and returned month after month. But for years, their digital presence didn’t reflect the reality happening in the studios. Despite strong loyalty and high satisfaction, Hello Sugar’s review pipeline moved slowly — only about 50 reviews a month across the network. That pace wasn’t nearly enough to dominate local search. On Google Maps, some Hello Sugar locations struggled to surface in competitive metros. And in AI search — the fastest-growing channel — Hello Sugar was seldom being mentioned.


The leadership team knew that if they wanted to scale confidently in the era of generative search, they needed a system that captured the everyday excellence happening inside their studios and made it visible everywhere customers were looking.


Step 1: Turning Warm In-Studio Experiences Into Digital Proof


That transformation began when Hello Sugar partnered with Cheers. Every esthetician received a Cheers NFC Smart Badge — a clean, branded tool that made asking for reviews feel natural and on-brand. When a guest finished a service, they could simply tap the badge with their phone, leave a review instantly, and provide feedback tied directly to the technician who served them.


The results were immediate and dramatic. Review velocity exploded almost overnight. Customers who never would have bothered with an email or SMS suddenly left glowing feedback the moment they walked out of the treatment room. Technicians took pride in their scores and saw the direct impact their service had on the brand’s reputation.


In just 12 months, Hello Sugar went from generating roughly 50 reviews a month to nearly 700 reviews a month— including more than 2,500 new 5-star reviews. Review freshness, sentiment patterns, and keyword themes shifted upward across every GEO signal that Google and AI systems rely on.


Cheers Dashboard reflects the growth that Hello Sugar has experienced in the last 10 months alone.


Step 2: Becoming the #1 Waxing Brand in Gemini


As review volume and sentiment strengthened, something remarkable began to happen. Paired with technical GEO, Hello Sugar started appearing not just higher in Google Maps but at the top of Gemini’s recommendations. Cheers implemented multiple things on top of the reviews software to ensure there would be significant AI Search lift.


Hello Sugar Gemini Performance

An example of a classic prompt with Hello Sugar as the answer in a key market.


When customers asked Google Gemini where to go for waxing or sugaring, Hello Sugar started showing up first. And as AI assistants increasingly take the role of personal search engines, being the default recommendation became a massive competitive advantage.


Hello Sugar didn’t buy this visibility. They earned visibility, one tap and one positive experience at a time.



A Beauty Brand Finally Seen the Way Customers See It


For a brand built on comfort, trust, and personal care, visibility has always been the missing piece. With Cheers, every in-studio interaction became a trust signal that strengthened Hello Sugar’s digital presence. Technicians now help build the brand’s reputation every day. Customers see real proof of consistent service across locations. AI engines recognize the brand as the leading waxing provider. And Hello Sugar’s digital identity finally matches the quality of the experience they deliver.


Hello Sugar now leads waxing and sugaring not only in the studio, but everywhere customers search, scroll, and ask.

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