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The medical aesthetics industry has undergone major shifts in consumer behavior, leaving many med spa owners uncertain about the best strategies for growth. With search trends fluctuating and industry-wide changes affecting patient acquisition, understanding how these patterns impact your marketing investment is crucial.
This article takes a deep dive into consumer purchasing trends, industry-wide search patterns, and how med spas should adjust their marketing efforts to remain competitive in a changing landscape.
The Rise and Fall of Med Spa Service Searches: What the Data Shows
A key factor in understanding market shifts is analyzing consumer search behavior over time. One of the best tools for this is Google Trends, which provides a relativity chart of keyword searches across the United States. This data helps measure interest levels in different services based on search volume, providing insight into whether demand is growing, plateauing, or declining.
A recent analysis of Google Trends data for core medical aesthetics services, including Botox, laser hair removal, CoolSculpting, and semaglutide, reveals an interesting trajectory. From 2018 to 2021, there was strong growth across the industry, with search demand steadily increasing. However, after reaching a peak in April 2021, searches for many popular treatments have trended downward.
Looking at Botox searches, for example, its popularity on Google’s relativity chart hit its highest point in April 2021 at 100, which represents its all-time peak in search demand. Since then, it has declined, reaching a score of 59 as of fall 2024. Although there are seasonal rebounds, such as an increase in interest leading up to the spring, the overall trend has been downward.
Laser hair removal has followed a similar pattern. In July 2021, searches for this service peaked at 64 on the relativity chart, but by the fall of 2024, it had dropped to 20. There are slight fluctuations in search interest, but the general decline suggests that fewer people are actively searching for laser hair removal services than in previous years.
CoolSculpting, another widely offered med spa service, has also seen a significant drop. Unlike Botox or laser hair removal, CoolSculpting never reached the same levels of widespread consumer interest. At its highest, CoolSculpting-related searches ranked at 25 on Google’s relativity chart. By 2024, this number had fallen to just 8, indicating a sharp decline in demand.
One interesting trend involves semaglutide, which saw a completely different growth pattern. Unlike the other services that had been steadily growing in popularity prior to 2021, semaglutide searches were virtually nonexistent in 2021. However, in the spring of 2023, searches for “semaglutide near me” skyrocketed, reaching a peak of 32 on the relativity chart. Since then, interest has declined, and as of 2024, the search volume for semaglutide has dropped to 21.
One category that has seen an increase rather than a decline is the general search term “med spa near me.” While individual service-based searches have declined, searches for the category itself have risen. This suggests that consumers may be shifting how they search for aesthetic treatments, possibly favoring broader category terms rather than specific services. People who are interested in Botox, laser hair removal, or other med spa treatments may now be searching for a med spa in general rather than looking up specific procedures.
What These Trends Mean for Your Med Spa
Understanding these shifts is critical for med spa owners who are trying to determine the best path for growth. One of the biggest takeaways from this data is that new patient acquisition has become more challenging. Since fewer people are actively searching for popular services compared to the post-pandemic boom, med spas must work harder to attract the same level of attention from potential clients.
Another implication is that marketing efforts must become more aggressive to compensate for the decline in organic search interest. Many med spa owners who experienced significant growth in 2020 and 2021 may have done so without heavily investing in marketing because consumer demand was at an all-time high. However, in today’s environment, maintaining and growing a patient base requires a stronger, more deliberate marketing strategy.
One common issue that practices face is the misinterpretation of marketing investment results. Many business owners assume that if they are spending money on marketing and their revenue is remaining flat, their marketing efforts must not be working. However, the reality is often more complex. Since industry-wide consumer interest has declined, med spas may need to invest more heavily in marketing just to maintain their current revenue. In some cases, a successful marketing strategy may not be increasing revenue, but rather preventing a decline that would have otherwise occurred due to shrinking organic traffic and reduced word-of-mouth referrals.
A key factor in determining whether your marketing investment is working is tracking the right data. Practices that fail to measure marketing performance accurately often struggle to assess their return on investment. Running advertising campaigns without clear data tracking can lead to the misconception that marketing dollars are being wasted, when in reality, those efforts may be sustaining revenue in a market that would otherwise be declining.
How to Adjust Your Marketing Strategy for Long-Term Growth
Given the current state of the market, med spas must shift their marketing approach to focus on measurable, results-driven strategies. Direct response marketing, particularly through platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads, is essential for generating new patient leads. Since search volume for individual treatments has decreased, paid advertising becomes even more critical in ensuring a steady stream of potential clients.
Tracking the effectiveness of each marketing effort is also essential. Instead of only looking at overall revenue trends, med spas should assess key performance indicators such as cost per lead, conversion rate, customer acquisition cost, and no-show rate. By analyzing these metrics, practices can better understand how their marketing dollars are contributing to business growth.
In addition to paid advertising, med spas should consider a broader marketing strategy that includes brand-building and patient retention. Since searches for specific services are declining, it becomes even more important to position the med spa itself as the go-to provider. Loyalty programs, referral incentives, and organic content marketing can all play a role in sustaining long-term growth.
Final Thoughts on Navigating a Changing Market
The med spa industry remains strong, but the way consumers engage with the market has changed. Google Trends data reveals a post-pandemic shift in search behavior, with many core services experiencing a decline in search volume. However, rather than seeing this as a negative development, med spa owners should use these insights as an opportunity to refine their marketing approach.
To continue growing in a changing environment, med spas must focus on strategic paid advertising, meticulous performance tracking, and brand-building efforts that go beyond service-specific promotions. Marketing today isn’t just about bringing in more patients—it’s also about maintaining business stability in an evolving market. By understanding industry-wide trends and adjusting marketing strategies accordingly, med spas can position themselves for long-term success.
How Med Spa Magic Marketing Can Help
For med spa owners looking to refine their marketing strategy, Med Spa Magic Marketing offers a comprehensive approach to patient acquisition and business growth.
To help practices navigate these industry changes, we provide a free 1.5-hour strategy session where we outline a customized marketing plan. This includes a step-by-step breakdown of the exact strategies we use to help med spas generate consistent patient leads through Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. The plan can be implemented independently, with another agency, or with our team. For more information and to schedule a strategy session, visit Med Spa Magic Marketing.
