How To Identify If My Aesthetics Business Is Ready For Ads?
An Ads Agency's Advice: Don't Run Ads (Yet)
We are a paid ads agency. Our first piece of advice for many aesthetics businesses, from acne experts to medspas, is often this: wait.
Many businesses want to run ads to accelerate growth. But after looking under the hood, we frequently advise them to pause. Before you pay for attention, you must solidify the marketing channels you already own and earn. Pouring ad spend into a business without this foundation is a waste of money.
Let’s define the terms.
1. Owned Media: Your Foundation
Owned media includes the platforms and data you directly control. These are your most valuable, long-term assets.
Client Database: Your email and SMS lists. This is a direct line to your audience that no algorithm can take away.
Search Presence (SEO & AEO): Your organic ranking on Google and AI search engines. This is how clients discover you when they have an immediate need.
Reputation Assets: Your collection of reviews and testimonials that build trust.
Social Community: Your followers on platforms like Instagram. While crucial, this is a borrowed asset—you don’t own the platform or your followers' data.
2. Earned Media: Your Reputation
Earned media is third-party validation that you don’t pay for directly. It’s the organic word-of-mouth that builds authority.
Press & PR: Features in articles, podcasts, or local news.
Creator Content: Unpaid posts from influencers or content creators about their experience at your practice.
Client Advocacy: User-generated content and organic social mentions from happy clients.
Why You Can't Skip to Paid Ads
Paid media (ads) is an amplifier. It works best when it amplifies a system that is already successful. Running ads without a solid owned and earned media strategy is like shouting into the void. Without a strong website, a way to capture leads, and social proof, your ad dollars have nowhere to land and nothing to leverage.
The reality is most new businesses cannot build all three channels at once.
A 3-Point Checklist: Are You Ready for Ads?
Before spending a dollar on ads, you should be able to answer "yes" to the following:
Is your email list over 5,000 engaged contacts?
Are you ranking organically on Google and AI search for your major services?
Is your social community growing by at least 10% month-over-month?
If not, your resources are better spent achieving these milestones first.
Foundation Built? Now, Prepare for Ads.
Once you have momentum with your owned and earned channels, the next step is technical preparation. This means setting up your ad accounts and installing tracking pixels on your website and booking pages. This ensures that when you do turn on your ads, you can accurately measure what matters most: appointment conversions.
Want to talk to us to learn when is a good time to start preparing?
Schedule some time with Nikki and her team here.