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Welcome to another episode of the Med Spa Success Strategies podcast. Today, we are diving deep into the best lead generation and marketing strategies for med spas in 2025. This is one of the most common topics our clients ask about: “Where do I start?” and “Where should my ad dollars go?” Whether you’re a new med spa owner or a multi-location practice looking to scale, this breakdown is intended to give you clear, practical direction based on what we see every day.
We’ll walk through the options, what works, when to use each channel, and how to prioritize them in a way that maximizes both growth and ROI.
INTRODUCTION: SO MANY OPTIONS, SO MUCH CONFUSION
There are more marketing channels than ever before, and every vendor claims that their approach is “the best.” Here are just a few of the top options med spa owners constantly hear about:
• Organic social media
• Paid social media ads
• Google organic SEO
• Google Ads
• TikTok organic
• TikTok Ads
• Email marketing
• SMS marketing
• Influencer partnerships
• Online directories
• Print advertising
• Direct mail
• Radio and TV ads
• Outdoor and billboards
• Podcast ads
• Event sponsorships
• Community outreach
• Referral programs
• Loyalty programs
• Guerilla marketing
You can realistically do all of these—but not all at once, and not all with the same ROI. So the question becomes: what actually matters most, and at what stage?
FOUNDATIONAL MARKETING EVERY MED SPA SHOULD HAVE
Before spending a single dollar on advertising, every med spa needs these foundational elements in place:
- Organic social media (Instagram + Facebook)
- Basic SEO and Google Business Profile optimization
- SMS and email marketing
- A referral program, loyalty program, or membership
These are not optional. These are the entry-level basics of running a modern med spa. They are required whether you ever run a paid ad or not.
Let’s break them down.
ORGANIC SOCIAL MEDIA: WHAT TO POST AND WHERE TO BE
We tell all clients the same thing: Instagram is priority #1 for organic social. Facebook is second. You can duplicate posts to save time.
Organic social is not about going viral. It’s about:
• Creating personality
• Displaying expertise
• Showcasing results
• Building trust
• Helping prospective patients feel comfortable choosing you
Content types that work best:
• Before-and-after photos
• Short talking-head videos
• Quick provider tips
• Treatment demonstrations
• Team features
• A balanced tone (not too goofy, not too stiff)
Most importantly: consistency. People come to your social pages to see what type of experience they’ll get in your practice.
GOOGLE ORGANIC: EASY WINS FOR SEO
There are many things you can do for SEO that cost nothing except time:
• Make sure your website is up to date
• Create a separate page for each service
• Ensure your Google Business Profile is fully optimized
• Add strong photos and in-office images
• Gather Google reviews consistently
This alone puts you ahead of most competitors.
EMAIL + SMS MARKETING: WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS
SMS is more powerful than email because:
• The open rate is nearly 100%
• Deliverability is nearly 100%
• It’s instant
• It’s easy to respond
Email should still be used, but break it up into multiple, focused messages instead of one long newsletter. For example:
• Monthly special
• Treatment spotlight
• Team spotlight
• Event or announcement
For SMS, avoid discount fatigue. Use it for:
• Last-minute openings
• Schedule fillers
• One-off surprise promotions
• Seasonal offers
• High-intent call-to-actions
REFERRAL + LOYALTY + MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS
Every med spa needs some version of:
• A loyalty program
• A referral incentive
• A membership option
This is essential for retention and long-term value.
ADVERTISING DECISIONS: WHERE TO ACTUALLY SPEND MONEY
Here are the 13+ advertising channels you could invest in. But in reality, only a few should receive your money early on.
THIS IS WHERE PRIORITIZATION MATTERS.
OPPORTUNITY COST: THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPT
Every dollar you spend somewhere is a dollar you’re choosing not to spend elsewhere. Opportunity cost means we must choose the channels that give us the highest, most predictable ROI first.
So here is our framework.
THE MOMENTUM MAP: THE FOUR PHASES OF MED SPA MARKETING
Phase 1: Under $100k/month → Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram Ads) Only
Phase 2: $100k–$167k/month → Add Google Ads
Phase 3: $167k–$250k/month → Add Proactive SEO
Phase 4: $250k–$3M+ per year → Begin Omnipresence Strategy
Let’s walk through each one.
PHASE 1: META ADS (FACEBOOK + INSTAGRAM ADS)
This is the highest ROI channel for med spas. Eight out of ten times, this is where your first advertising dollar should go.
Why Meta Ads?
• Predictable
• Scalable
• Wide audience
• Local targeting
• Proven offers
• The best cost-per-acquisition
• Works for injectables, skincare, lasers, packages, and more
Meta Ads paired with:
• A strong lead intake system
• Automated follow-up workflows
• Tracking
• Lead-to-appointment conversion
• CAC and ROI monitoring
This alone can grow a med spa to $100k+ per month.
The only exception: niche services like laser hair removal and tattoo removal may perform better on Google Ads first.
PHASE 2: ADD GOOGLE ADS (FROM $100k TO $2M PER YEAR)
Once Meta Ads are fully maximized, the next best advertising channel is Google Ads.
Why not Google first?
Because:
• Google Ads are more expensive
• The customer acquisition cost is higher
• The arbitrage advantage of Meta is better
• Google has fewer opportunities to scale affordably
But Google Ads are excellent for:
• Laser hair removal
• Tattoo removal
• Body contouring
• High-ticket medical services
• Treatments people search for by name
PHASE 3: ADD SEO (FROM $2M TO $3M PER YEAR)
This will surprise many people: we do not recommend ongoing SEO retainers until a med spa is doing at least $2M in annual revenue.
Why?
• SEO moves slowly
• SEO is unpredictable
• SEO results are incremental
• Many SEO agencies sell fluff
• You can do the basics in-house
Only invest in proactive SEO once you already have:
• Meta Ads running
• Google Ads running
• Foundational SEO completed
• A strong reputation and reviews
• An established brand
SEO is fantastic for strengthening omnipresence, but not for driving fast patient acquisition early on.
PHASE 4: OMNIPRESENCE ($3M+ PER YEAR)
Once Meta Ads, Google Ads, and SEO are fully optimized, now you expand into the “nice to have” channels:
• Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)
• Influencer partnerships
• Creator content
• Radio ads
• TV ads
• Niche print magazines
• Outdoor advertising
• Local sponsorships
• Community events
• Sports leagues
• Podcast ads
• Guerrilla marketing campaigns
This is where you stop chasing growth—and start dominating your market.
WHY WE DO NOT RECOMMEND TIKTOK ADS (RIGHT NOW)
TikTok currently has major limitations:
• Poor local targeting
• Low-quality leads
• Low close rates
• Strict ad policy restrictions
• Weak medical aesthetics filters
• Broad DMA targeting (way too wide)
However, TikTok is excellent for:
• Organic social content
• Personality-driven videos
• Behind-the-scenes content
• Building awareness
But not reliable for patient acquisition—yet.
EVENT SPONSORSHIPS & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
This is an underrated marketing channel and can also support SEO if backlinks are included. Examples include:
• Youth sports leagues
• Women’s groups
• Charity events
• Local magazines
• Professional organizations
• School sponsorships
Community engagement is especially important because med spa success is relationship driven. If you’re not visible locally, customers will forget about you.
FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS (THE SIMPLIFIED PLAN)
- Start with Meta Ads until you reach ~$100k/month in revenue
- Add Google Ads and run both until ~$2M/year
- Add SEO and run the “big three” until ~$3M/year
- Once all three are maximized, expand into omnipresence channels
This protects your ROI, minimizes waste, and ensures you are investing in what actually grows a med spa in 2025.
CLOSING
Whether you’re a new practice trying to get off the ground or a multi-location brand trying to scale, the key to marketing success is prioritization. Avoid the noise, understand opportunity cost, and focus on the channels that give you the most predictable path to new patient acquisition.
If your med spa is in need of advertising, lead generation, or digital marketing support, visit medspamagicmarketing.com.
