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  • How Much Should a Med Spa or Esthetics Business Spend on Marketing?

    “How much should I spend on marketing?” is one of the most common questions we hear from esthetics business owners. The honest answer: it depends on your goals, your market and your numbers. But you don’t have to guess. Here is how to build a budget that makes sense for your business.

    Start with what a client is worth

    Before setting a budget, know your client lifetime value: your average ticket × visits per year × years a typical client stays. A waxing client who comes in monthly for three years is worth far more than her first $60 appointment suggests. That number tells you how much you can afford to spend to acquire a client.

    Then work backward from your goal

    • How many new clients do you need each month to hit your revenue goal?
    • What does it realistically cost to acquire one in your market? (Your ad data or a free audit can tell you.)
    • Multiply the two. That is your starting acquisition budget.

    A healthy business keeps lifetime value at three times or more the cost to acquire a client. If acquisition costs more than that, fix your offer, landing page or retention before spending more.

    Separate the budget into its parts

    • Ad spend: what you pay Google or Meta directly
    • Management: what you pay an agency, consultant or team member to run it
    • Foundations: your website, Google Business Profile, photography and tracking

    Many esthetics businesses start ads with $500–$1,500 a month in ad spend. Med spas in competitive markets often need more. What matters most is that every dollar is tracked to bookings.

    Don’t forget the free channels

    A strong Google Business Profile, a steady review system and a rebooking script at checkout cost little or nothing and make every paid dollar work harder. Paid ads amplify good foundations. They can’t replace them.

    Review it every month

    Your marketing budget isn’t a one-time decision. Look at cost per booking, return on ad spend and new-client revenue every month. Scale what is working and cut what isn’t.

    Want help setting a budget for your business? Our free business and marketing audit includes an honest recommendation based on your goals and market.

    Request Your Free Audit

  • How to Optimize Your Google Business Profile as an Esthetician

    When someone searches “esthetician near me,” the first thing they usually see isn’t a website. It’s the map pack: three local businesses with their ratings, photos and a “Book” button. Those three spots come from Google Business Profiles, and a complete, active profile is one of the most effective ways to earn one.

    1. Get the basics exactly right

    • Use your real business name as it appears on your signage. Adding keywords to your name can get your profile suspended.
    • Choose the most accurate primary category, such as Esthetician, Waxing Hair Removal Service, Eyelash Salon or Medical Spa.
    • Add secondary categories for each core service you offer.
    • Confirm your address or service area, hours, holiday hours, phone and website.

    2. List every service

    Add each service with a short description written the way clients talk. “Dermaplaning: removes peach fuzz and dead skin for smoother makeup application” beats a one-word listing. These descriptions help Google match you to more specific searches.

    3. Upload real photos, and keep adding them

    Upload at least 10 photos to start: your exterior, your treatment room, you at work and real results (with client permission). Then add 2–3 new photos every month. Fresh photos signal an active business.

    4. Connect your booking link

    Add your booking URL so clients can book straight from Google. Every extra click between search and booking costs you appointments.

    5. Build a steady review system

    Review count, recency and your responses all matter. Pick a consistent moment to ask (at checkout, or a text the next day), use a direct review link or QR code, and reply to every review, positive or negative.

    6. Post weekly

    Google Business Profile posts are underused. Share a seasonal offer, a new service, a skin tip or a recent result once a week. It takes five minutes and keeps your profile active.

    7. Keep your listings consistent

    Your name, address and phone number should match exactly across Google, Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Facebook and booking directories. Inconsistent listings quietly undermine your ranking.

    The bottom line

    A complete, accurate, active profile outranks an incomplete one, regardless of how long you have been in business. Most of these steps take an afternoon, and the results compound for years.

    Want the full step-by-step list? Download the free Local SEO Checklist, or let us optimize your profile for you.

    Get the Free Checklist

  • Google Ads vs. Meta Ads for Estheticians: Which Should You Start With?

    If you have a limited marketing budget, the question isn’t “should I run ads?” It’s “where should my first dollar go?” For most esthetics businesses, the answer comes down to Google Ads or Meta (Facebook and Instagram) Ads. They work in completely different ways, and choosing the right one first can be the difference between a full book and a wasted budget.

    The core difference: intent vs. attention

    Google Ads captures existing demand. Someone types “brazilian wax near me” or “hydrafacial [city]” into Google. They already want the service and are deciding where to book. Your ad shows up at that exact moment.

    Meta Ads creates demand. Someone is scrolling Instagram. They weren’t looking for lash extensions, but your before-and-after Reel stops them, and suddenly they are. Meta reaches people based on who they are, where they live and what they engage with.

    When to start with Google Ads

    • Your services are things people actively search for: facials, waxing, laser hair removal, injectables
    • You want bookings quickly from people ready to buy
    • You are in a market where competitors are already showing up on Google
    • You have a website or booking page that clearly lists your services and prices

    Google tends to bring higher-intent clients, but clicks can cost more in competitive markets, especially for med spa treatments. Tight geographic targeting and a strong negative keyword list are essential.

    When to start with Meta Ads

    • Your work is highly visual: lashes, brows, skin transformations
    • You are launching a new service people don’t yet know to search for
    • You have strong photo or video content (phone content works)
    • You want to retarget people who visited your site or engaged with your profile

    Meta is often the more affordable way for solo estheticians and lash artists to start, and its retargeting can recover clients who looked but didn’t book.

    The mistake to avoid: boosting posts

    Boosting a post is not running a Meta ad campaign. Boosts have limited targeting and no booking-focused objective. Real campaigns use custom audiences, conversion tracking and tested creative. If you have boosted posts and decided “ads don’t work,” you haven’t really tried ads yet.

    The best answer for most businesses: both, in order

    Once your first platform is profitable, adding the second usually makes both work better. Google captures the people already searching. Meta builds awareness and retargets the people who visited your site from Google and didn’t book. Together, you cover the full client journey.

    Before you spend a dollar

    • Install tracking (Google conversion tracking, the Meta Pixel and Conversions API) so you can measure bookings, not clicks
    • Make sure your booking page loads fast on a phone
    • Have a clear offer, not just “book now”
    • Know your numbers: what a new client is worth to you over a year

    Not sure which platform fits your business? Our free business and marketing audit reviews your market, website and any current ads, then recommends where to start.

    Request Your Free Audit