Med spas are one of the most marketing-driven businesses in Scottsdale: high-margin treatments, an affluent clientele, and results that are visual by nature. That also makes it a crowded field, so the question of how much to spend comes up a lot.
The benchmark
According to the American Med Spa Association, med spas spend about 7% of revenue on marketing on average, within a range of roughly 2% to 15%, and the association recommends 7% to 10%. A newer practice building its client base, or one entering a competitive market, will usually sit toward the top of that range. An established practice with strong repeat business can sit lower.
Where the money tends to go
Instagram and TikTok carry most of the weight, because treatments are easy to show and the audience is already there. Short video of the experience, provider introductions, and client testimonials (with written consent) build trust before anyone books. Paid social and search fill the calendar for specific treatments, and email to existing clients drives rebooking, which is usually the cheapest revenue a med spa has.
Be careful with before-and-after
Before-and-after photos are the most persuasive content a med spa has, and also the most regulated. Ad platforms restrict how they can be used in paid ads, organic posts follow different rules from ads, and claims about results need to be honest and typical. Get written consent for every client image, keep lighting and angles consistent so comparisons are fair, and check the current platform policies before putting money behind a post.