In an industry often judged by surface-level results, the LTF Leg Up Foundation was created to focus on something deeper: confidence, dignity, and well-being.

Launched by LTF, the Leg Up Foundation exists to support medical aesthetic clinics that have the skill, compassion, and desire to make a difference, but not always the financial means to invest in high-level digital marketing. At the same time, it creates access to pro bono aesthetic treatments for patients whose lives have been impacted by medical trauma, illness, or scarring, and who would otherwise be unable to afford care.

This is marketing with meaning, and Rediscovered Skin Clinic is a powerful example of what’s possible when growth and purpose work together.

 

The Scholarship That Turns Growth Into Impact

Through the Leg Up Foundation Scholarship Programme, LTF offers one selected clinic each year a full year of Done-For-You (DFY) digital marketing, including strategy, execution, and a brand-new website, all completely free of charge.

In return, the clinic commits to delivering 5% of their aesthetic treatments on a pro bono basis to patients who have experienced:

The result is a model where business growth directly funds human impact.

 

Rediscovered Skin Clinic: A Clinic With Heart

Rediscovered Skin Clinic was awarded the Leg Up Foundation scholarship following a rigorous evaluation and judging panel in September 2025.

From the outset, they embodied everything the foundation stands for: a patient-first mindset, clinical excellence, and a genuine desire to help people feel more like themselves again.

Since winning the scholarship, LTF has rolled out its full DFY marketing package for the clinic, including:

This support removes the financial pressure of marketing investment, allowing the clinic to focus on both growth and giving back.

 

Pro Bono Treatments That Change Lives

As part of their scholarship commitment, Rediscovered Skin Clinic has already delivered nearly £3,000 worth of pro bono aesthetic treatments, supporting both new and existing patients.

So far, this includes:

These treatments aren’t about vanity; they’re about restoring confidence, easing emotional distress, and helping people reconnect with their sense of self.

And this is only the beginning. More pro bono treatments are planned as the partnership continues.

 

Why This Matters

The Leg Up Foundation proves something important:

Ethical practice, commercial growth, and social impact don’t have to compete; they can fuel each other.

By helping clinics grow sustainably, we create the capacity for them to support patients who need it most. Everyone wins: the clinic, the patients, and the wider industry.

 

Industry Recognition: Aesthetics Awards Nomination

We’re incredibly proud to share that LTF has been nominated at the Aesthetics Awards 2026 for this initiative, specifically for the Zenoti Award for Best Initiative / Strategic Project in Aesthetics.

This nomination recognises not just marketing performance, but innovation, ethics, and long-term impact. All values that sit at the very core of the Leg Up Foundation.

To be acknowledged alongside such inspiring work across the industry is an honour, and it reinforces why this programme matters.

 

Looking Ahead

This is just the start!

LTF is committed to expanding the Leg Up Foundation, supporting more clinics, and reaching more patients whose lives can be meaningfully improved through medical aesthetics, when access is made possible.

Because sometimes, all a clinic needs is a leg up, and all a patient needs is someone willing to help.

If you are a medical aesthetic clinic that would like to be considered for the next LTF Leg Up Foundation Scholarship, please keep an eye on the website, applications will open in April 2026.

Let me be brutally honest.

When I first got the invite to spend a week on Necker Island with Richard Branson, I felt a tidal wave of imposter syndrome. Despite building LTF Digital into a thriving agency, the thought of sharing a table with entrepreneurs, tech moguls, surgeons, and Shark Tank stars made me question what on earth I was doing there.

But that trip changed me, fundamentally. And not in a fluffy, motivational poster kind of way. I came home thinking bigger, feeling grateful, and more importantly, driven by purpose over profit. Here’s the story.

Landing in Paradise (and Letting Go of Self-Doubt)

I was invited by Dr. Felix Bertram, the powerhouse behind SkinMed Switzerland and a Shark Tank judge, after speaking at his Inner Circle event in 2024. The retreat was invite-only: a blend of fitness, business workshops, beach dinners, and surreal conversations.

Still, when our little boat pulled up at Red Dock, I wasn’t sure if I belonged, until I saw him. Richard Branson, in his classic tennis kit and a massive grin, was there to greet us personally. He gave me a hug like an old friend and asked about my background, joking about his old record shop in Brighton, where my dad used to buy vinyl in the ‘70s.

And just like that, the imposter syndrome disappeared.

“Rick, you’re not thinking big enough. You’ve not realised what you’re capable of.” – Richard Branson

           

A New Kind of Success

Necker Island acts like a natural filter. If you’re willing to hop on multiple planes and a boat just to have your mindset challenged, you’re probably in the right place. Our group was wildly diverse—Colombian entrepreneurs, Miami property developers, plastic surgeons, robotics founders, TV personalities, and more.

Yet, despite the credentials flying around, there was zero ego. Richard sets that tone. He listens far more than he speaks and somehow makes every single person feel seen.

He’s also the most present leader I’ve ever met. Whether we were talking about global issues, marketing, or hiking up Virgin Gorda, he was never distracted. Always focused. Always in swim shorts.

It reminded me of why I started LTF Digital in the first place—to build something successful on my own terms, without the tie and boardroom nonsense.

Purpose Over Profit: A Simple Idea That Changed Everything

One night, after a charity auction and a few drinks at the Great House (we won a Virgin cruise and a trip to Kasbah Tamadot—our honeymoon spot 15 years ago), Richard said something that stopped me in my tracks:

“You’ve not realised what you’re capable of. You’re not thinking big enough.”

When someone like Branson says that to you, it cuts deep, in the best way. It led me to a conversation about how to extract myself more from the day-to-day of my business. He shared a simple framework:

I Do → We Do → They Do.
First, you do it. Then you do it together. Then they take it and run. That’s how you lead without becoming the bottleneck.

Big Ideas, Bigger Energy

There were so many conversations that sparked something lasting:

All of it fueled me. But none more than Richard’s relentless optimism and sense of adventure, something that doesn’t stop at business. This is a man who kite-surfs between his islands, swims 8km before breakfast, and plays tennis like he’s still 25.

I began to realise: physical energy feeds mental sharpness, and it’s a competitive edge.

Even more humbling? Watching Felix—who has a prosthetic leg and a broken shoulder—swim a 3-hour channel between islands. Absolute legend.

The Birth of the LTF Leg Up Foundation

Perhaps the most tangible outcome of Necker was this: I came home and launched the LTF Leg Up Foundation.

Every year, we’ll give one medical aesthetics clinic a £100,000 full-service marketing programme, completely free. The only ask? They commit to treating patients in real need, from trauma survivors to post-cancer care.

When I announced it to the team, there were tears. It was one of those rare moments in business where everything clicks: We’re not just here to grow. We’re here to give.

“Purpose over profit.”  That single idea changed my business—and my life.

Final Thoughts: What Necker Gave Me

I left Necker feeling like I’d tapped into a different frequency. More ambitious, more purposeful, more grateful.

It wasn’t just a luxury retreat, it was a mindset shift. A deeper connection to why I do what I do. And sharing it all with my wife, Saffron (who, by the way, led the cycling pack with Richard chasing her up the mountain), made it even more unforgettable.

So was it worth it? Without question. Life-changing in every sense—and yes, I’ll be going again.

Yeah, give me a break…!!

There’s a massive mindset problem in Medical Aesthetics and Dental Practices, exacerbated by a lot of the “fly by night” marketers targeting this industry, and this mindset problem is losing a lot of you tens of thousands of pounds/dollars per year in missed opportunities.

Understanding the Lead Journey and Lifetime Value in Medical Aesthetics

When it comes to digital marketing for medical aesthetic clinics, one of the biggest mistakes is chasing quick wins. It’s easy to expect instant results from ads or Instagram Reels, but here’s the reality: people take their time. A lot of time.

Most new patients spend 3 to 18 months thinking about a treatment before they actually commit. That’s not a typo. Months, not days. Especially for high-value treatments like injectables, lasers or body contouring. So if your whole strategy hinges on someone clicking and booking immediately, you’re basically trying to microwave a Sunday roast. It’s not going to end well.

To see real growth and proper return on investment, you need to understand the patient journey — and know what kind of content supports each stage. Get that right, and you’ll not only win the booking but keep them coming back for years.

The Myth of Instant Conversions

It’s comforting to believe that someone sees your ad, clicks a button and books in. But it doesn’t work like that — especially in aesthetics. Most people need 6 to 12 interactions before they trust you enough to enquire, let alone hand over their card.

They’re watching from afar. Quietly. Checking your Instagram. Reading your reviews. Googling things like “How long does Botox last?” or “Best skin clinic near me”. You’ve probably had dozens of would-be patients circling your brand for months — they just haven’t made a move yet.

That’s why your job isn’t just to generate leads. It’s to nurture them. Consistently.

Your Team Needs to Get This Too

This can’t just live in the marketing team’s head. The people on your phones, at front of house and in the treatment rooms need to be on the same page. Here’s what they should be doing by default:

• Always plan treatments in advance, and rebook before the patient leaves. Even if it’s just pencilled in.

• Ask new enquiries when they’re actually hoping to be treated. If it’s not this week, that’s fine — just make sure there’s a follow-up in the diary.

• Send a quick WhatsApp before you call. No one wants a surprise phone call about something they feel self-conscious about.

• Keep the patient source accurate in your CRM. Someone might have found you via Google, disappeared for a year, then come back because of an email campaign. That’s two key moments — log both.

What the Patient Journey Really Looks Like

Let’s break it down. Because most clinics stop marketing too early.

1. Awareness (0 to 6 months)

They’ve just spotted your clinic for the first time — maybe from an ad, a Story share, or a mate’s recommendation.

What works:

• Quick Reels showing results or busting myths

• Behind-the-scenes footage of the team or the treatment process

• Friendly, non-pushy ads that educate rather than sell

2. Consideration (3 to 12 months)

They’re now lurking. Researching. Comparing you to competitors. Reading reviews. Asking in WhatsApp groups.

What works:

• A blog post or Instagram carousel answering “Is Profhilo right for me?”

• Patient journey content showing the emotional side of treatments

• “Which treatment is right for me?” quizzes

• Educational email sequences with FAQs and treatment explainers

3. Decision (1 to 6 months)

They’ve filled in your form, sent a DM, or even called — but they might still hesitate.

What works:

• Warm WhatsApp follow-ups with clear next steps

• Consult availability and treatment prep guides

• A video walk-through of “what happens at your first visit”

• Case studies showing what your patients invested and why they stuck with it

4. Booking and First Visit

They’re in. But it’s not job done — this is where you cement the relationship.

What works:

• Automated reminders and pre-treatment tips

• A relaxed, structured consult that builds a long-term plan

• Starter product bundles or aftercare add-ons

5. Retention and Loyalty

The long game. This is where profit lives.

What works:

• Monthly “Skin Club” check-ins or tweakment reviews

• Loyalty rewards or referral perks

• Periodic before-and-after comparisons to track progress

How LTF Digital Supports This Long-Term Play

At LTF Digital, we don’t just capture leads. We work with clinics to guide people from “maybe one day” to “booked and loyal”.

Our Done For You (DFY) Digital Marketing Programme supports every stage of the journey — so you get more than just short-term spikes. You build proper value.

Email Marketing That Actually Nurtures

We run full-funnel email campaigns that feel like a conversation, not a sales pitch. From educational guides and real patient stories to special consult invites — every email is designed to build confidence and push things forward gently.

Chatbots, Pipelines and Lead Management

Our lead management systems make sure no enquiry slips through the cracks. Even if someone filled out a form 9 months ago, they’ll get followed up with in a way that feels human. Not spammy. Plus, pipeline tracking shows your team where each patient is in their journey — and what they need next.

Paid Campaigns That Match How People Buy

We don’t just throw up an offer and hope for clicks. Our ads are tailored to where your ideal patient is in their journey:

• Early-stage? They get tips, education, and friendly brand awareness.

• Mid-stage? They see real case studies and FAQs.

• Ready to act? They get a reason to book now, like seasonal timing or limited consults.

Everything is built to move the right people forward at the right time.

SEO That Pulls Your Ideal Patient In

We create content that ranks and converts. Think “How long does laser hair removal really last?” or “What’s the difference between skin boosters and Profhilo?” These posts show up in search, build trust, and warm up leads before they even click “enquire now”.

Case Study: From Ghost to Gold

A London-based clinic came to us with loads of website traffic but hardly any bookings. We didn’t just throw more ads at the wall. We launched a full nurturing strategy:

– Educational email drip

– Soft-sell consult invites

– Relatable patient stories

– And consistent social proof

One lead who first enquired in January finally booked in August. By year-end, she’d spent £4,500. Without the right follow-up? She’d have been forgotten.

Final Thought: You Can’t Rush Trust

You wouldn’t expect someone to get married on the first date. Yet that’s how a lot of clinics treat lead generation. They want a stranger to book, show up, and commit—without any build-up.

Play the long game. Respect the timeline. Put the right content in the right places, and treat every lead like they could be worth £10,000. Because many of them will be.

And if you want a partner who understands this inside out?

That’s us. LTF Digital. We’ve helped some of the UK and Ireland’s fastest-growing clinics do exactly that, as well as many practices from the U.S., Canada, and the Middle East, and some of the worlds largest Medical Aesthetics Manufacturers and Pharma Companies too!  — and we can do it for you.

How Clinics and Manufacturers Can Win in a More Competitive, AI-Driven, and Noisy Market

Introduction: Why This Guide Matters

The medical aesthetics market is booming—but with that growth comes saturation, increased competition, and a flood of low-quality marketing. Many clinic owners struggle to attract the right patients, while manufacturers and pharma brands find it harder than ever to stand out to clinics and injectors.

I’ve seen this shift firsthand. With 26 years in digital marketing and 16 years specialising in medical aesthetics, I’ve consulted for some of the biggest brands in aesthetics, coached hundreds of clinic owners, and spoken on stage in 15 countries about digital strategy in this industry. I also built LTF Digital, an award-winning, 30-person agency dedicated to medical aesthetics. We’ve worked with some of the world’s largest brands—including Merz, Alma, and Crown—helping them navigate the digital landscape and drive real results.

This guide is designed to cut through the noise. No fluff, no jargon—just practical, battle-tested strategies that both clinics and medical aesthetics brands can use to attract better patients and customers, convert more leads, and grow sustainably in 2025.

  1. Search Everywhere Optimisation

“People aren’t just Googling anymore—so you need to be everywhere they search.”

This phrase, coined by Digital Marketing genius Neil Patel, sums up what’s happening perfectly.

What this means for clinics…

Patients don’t just search on Google—they’re using TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, review sites, and even voice search. If your clinic only focuses on ranking in Google, you’re missing massive opportunities.

How to take advantage:

What this means for manufacturers & pharma…

Clinics Google everything—from the best fillers to side effects and training opportunities. If your products and educational content don’t show up, you’re losing out to competitors.

How to take advantage:

  1. Website Design That Converts (Not Just Looks Pretty)

“Your website isn’t an online brochure—it’s your best salesperson or your biggest bottleneck.”

What this means for clinics:

Many clinics overspend on design but ignore performance. Your website must convert visitors into actual bookings.

How to take advantage:

💡 Pro Tip: At LTF Digital, we design high-converting clinic websites that don’t just look good—they bring in actual patients.

What this means for manufacturers & pharma:

Your website isn’t just about listing products—it needs to educate, build trust, and drive clinic sign-ups.

How to take advantage:

  1. Lead Management: Why Most Clinics Are Wasting 50% of Their Enquiries

“Getting leads is one thing. Converting them is another.”

What this means for clinics:

Many clinics lose half their leads because they don’t follow up properly.

How to take advantage:

💡 Pro Tip: I cover lead nurturing in-depth in my book, Black Belt Digital—because most clinics are burning potential bookings without realising it.

What this means for manufacturers & pharma:

Clinics are busy. If you don’t respond quickly, they’ll move on.

How to take advantage

  1. Online Booking & Automation: The Future of Aesthetics Scheduling

“If patients can’t book online, you’re making it too hard for them.”

What this means for clinics:

People want instant booking options—forcing them to call during office hours loses potential clients.

How to take advantage:

What this means for manufacturers & pharma:

Automation isn’t just for clinics—manufacturers should streamline training sign-ups, distributor access, and clinic orders.

How to take advantage:

Final Thoughts: 2025 Will Be Won by the Smart, Not the Loud

Most clinics and manufacturers waste money on ineffective marketing. The winners will be the ones who optimise every step—from lead generation to conversion and automation.

At LTF Digital, we help clinics and aesthetic brands navigate this changing landscape with data-driven digital marketing strategies.

Want to go even deeper? My book, Black Belt Digital, breaks down how to master lead generation, patient retention, and sustainable digital growth in aesthetics.

The choice is simple: Stay ahead—or get left behind.

The Cost of Short-Termism in Pharma’s Digital Transformation & Digital Marketing Journey

By Rick, Digital Transformation and Marketing Expert with 24 Years Experience

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, companies across various sectors are racing to implement digital transformation and innovative marketing strategies. The Pharma industry, including those in the Medical Aesthetics sector, are no exception. But there’s a growing concern in this sector: the short-term approach, particularly the frequent re-tendering of digital agencies every 24 to 36 months. While on the surface, this approach might seem like a pursuit of the best talent and strategies, it often results in damage, lost momentum, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. Much like the way the political cycle of government usually means, at best, 12 to 18 months of modest productivity, and the remainder of the 4 year term focused on winning the next election. Imagine what a government with a 10 year clear roadmap could achieve…

The Damage Caused By Short-Termism

  1. Lost Momentum and Inefficiencies: Every time a company switches to a new digital agency, there’s an inevitable period of adjustment. New relationships are formed, strategies are redefined, and the entire ecosystem undergoes a reshuffle. This transition period often results in lost momentum, causing projects to be delayed and strategies to be re-evaluated.
  2. Lost Learnings: With each transition, valuable insights and learnings from the previous agency are often discarded. The new agency starts from scratch, re-evaluating strategies that might have been previously analyzed, leading to repeated efforts and missed growth opportunities.
  3. Cost Implications: Constantly onboarding a new agency is not only time-consuming but also expensive. Training, re-strategising, and integration costs add up, diverting resources that could be used elsewhere.
  4. Employee Morale and Burnout: Continual changes can lead to employee fatigue, as they constantly need to adapt to new agency styles, personalities, and strategies.

Reasons Pharma Companies Opt for Short-Termism

  1. Pursuit of Innovation: Companies might believe that by frequently changing agencies, they are exposed to fresh ideas and innovative strategies.
  2. Cost Considerations: On paper, re-tendering might seem like an opportunity to get a better deal financially.
  3. Stakeholder Pressure: Sometimes, decisions are influenced by stakeholders who push for change, believing a new agency might yield better results.

Reasons Against the Frequent Re-Tendering Approach

  1. Continuity is Key: Continual relationship building with an agency often results in better understanding, smoother workflows, and ultimately, better results.
  2. Retaining Institutional Knowledge: Sticking with an agency for the long-term ensures that the lessons learned are retained, resulting in more efficient strategies.
  3. Stability Ensures Growth: A stable partnership can lead to more calculated risks and innovative strategies, as both parties have a deep understanding of the brand and its objectives.

Conclusion

While the allure of fresh perspectives and potential cost savings might make frequent re-tendering seem attractive, the hidden costs and disruptions often outweigh the benefits. Pharma companies must weigh the pros and cons and consider the long-term implications of their decisions. By fostering long-lasting relationships with digital agencies, they can ensure continuity, retain valuable insights, and ultimately drive their digital transformation and marketing efforts to new heights.

It was already the case that Mobile User Experience was important for businesses in the Aesthetic Sector, but now it’s going to be critical to survival and to growth. But what are the common mistakes made with Aesthetic clinic mobile experiences, and how can you solve them?

Before we get into the problems and solutions, let’s be clear about what exactly “Mobile Experience” means.  Put simply, Mobile Experience refers to any and all interactions between a person on their SmartPhone, and your business in the digital world. This means your Social media content, your website, your online store, your payment portal, your content, your clinic software, your email campaigns and more.

I would be willing to bet my house that you own a SmartPhone, it’s probably either in your other hand, or perfectly placed on top of this copy of Aesthetics Journal right now. It is our “go to” device for initial queries, and of course it’s where we spend our Social Media lives (for more hours each day than any of us would like to admit).

Over 2/3 of website visitors in Aesthetics are on their Mobile…

Statistics from Perficient.com show that over 70% of websites visitors in the Beauty sector are using a Mobile, and Google data shows that over 60% of all Google Searches are done on a Mobile (as at July 2020). The laptop or desktop are no longer the primary device for searching or browsing online.

Yet despite all that evidence and data telling us how important and dominant Mobile is, so many Aesthetic clinics and their web designers still focus the majority of their attention on the experience and look of their website, software, email campaigns, and content on a large screen, and neglect the absolutely crucial Mobile experience.

Think about your own experiences interacting with other businesses online. How patient are you if you come across a website or booking system that either doesn’t work at all, or is very slow and ‘clunky’ on a SmartPhone? Do you stick with it? Or do you move on? Amazon understood this all years ago, and one of their best examples of this was the introduction of the “Buy with 1-click” option.  In that one move they saved users minutes by no longer having to complete their personal and payment details each time.

Mobile Experience: Critical for Reputation, and for Google Rankings…

Mobile Experience is important because it is often the first impression a potential customer has of your business, and it can be off-putting if it’s a slow, confusing, or frustrating experience. Over time this kind of poor experience can affect your brand reputation and customer retention rates.

Mobile Experience is also incredibly important because of Search Engine Optimisation. The “Mobile Friendliness” of your website is one of Google’s most important “ranking factors” that it uses to determine your position in it’s search results. Mobile-optimised websites hold much higher positions on Google than those that are designed only for desktops. Not only that, but it is the mobile version of your website and it’s content that Google indexes by default, not the desktop version.

So which are the most important elements of the Mobile Experience that Google look at in order to determine your “rank”? 1) the content experience – don’t hide content from your main site, on the mobile version. 2) speed! – your site MUST load quickly on a mobile cellular connection (3G or 4G), 3) the visual / interface – your mobile site needs to feel more like an App. Easy to use menu, intuitive navigation and functionality etc.

Local Search is King on Mobile…

According to data from ThinkWithGoogle.com 76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby go on to visit a business within a day.  For Aesthetic clinics, this is absolutely vital.  Therefore it’s not only vital that your website is optimised from a content, speed and interface perspective in order to rank well on Google, but it’s also critical that you ensure it is built to be easily and appropriately indexed by Google Local and Google Business listings (these are the listings that appear at the very top of Google Search results, along with a map).

So, Where to Start?

So with so much riding on your Mobile Experience and Mobile Optimisation, where should you start and how exactly is this all achieved?

Well first, it’s important to understand what state your website is in right now, and there are some free tools you can use to check this within minutes, and they will even give you some pointers as to how to improve the technical performance (Warning: it can get a bit geeky, so you are likely going to need a credible web designer/developer to assist you).

Test 1: Google’s Page Speed Insights Test (Found at https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/)

Test 2: Google’s Mobile Friendly Test (Found at https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly)

These tests will let you know whether or not Google considers your site to be “Mobile” or not, and will also give you a score out of 100 for your website’s performance on both Desktop and Mobile. The ultimate goal is to get the scores for both to above 70. This will take your website and certainly the Mobile Experience to another level in terms of user experience, speed, customer retention, and Google ranking.

In terms of your website’s design and build – it must be “Responsive”. A Responsive site changes it’s layout, content order, and navigational elements according to the screen it’s being viewed on.  When you get beyond that basic premise, there are a number of elements of your design that you need to consider carefully to ensure a strong Mobile Experience:

Make navigation easy and intuitive – consider a consolidated menu structure, and look at how Apps work for the ultimate in User Interface design principles. Everything should be designed for “touch navigation” (remember, Mobile users are not pointing and clicking with a Mouse, they are using their fingertips).   This can also include making sure that phone numbers are “tap to call” (meaning when tapped, a phone call is instantly initiated on the user’s SmartPhone).

Keep a safe distance between functional elements to allow enough space for fingers and thumbs. Neither Users (that’s You and I), nor SmartPhone screens, like it when two functions are too close together. It can get very frustrating when you think you are tapping one thing, but something else happens instead!

Design a “lean” site and make sure that your Web designer or Agency are optimising the code, theme, templates, functionality, imagery and videos for SPEED.

Use short forms – you can always ask for more information in a follow up. The key is to make the visit as convenient and efficient as possible for the user.

Highlight your calls to action (links, buttons, forms etc) – make it easy to identify them on a small screen, and for a finger tip to tap.

Make sure text is a generous size and legible. Keep to just 1 or 2 text sizes on the mobile version of your website’s design. Keep it simple.

Break the text down into bite-sized chunks, and use bullet lists and pull-out quotes to make it easier for the eyes to ‘rest’ on each section. Large blocks of text are unpleasant to find your way through when staring at a SmartPhone screen.

Avoid pop-ups, unless legally necessary. They are just annoying on a Mobile website.

Images and Videos are of course fantastic content and marketing tools, but be careful how these are implemented when it comes to optimising for Mobile. Your video player should be Responsive (change shape on smaller screens), use current technology (no Flash!), and be served by a fast video hosting platform (such as EOOVI.com or Wistia). Ensure images are optimised in terms of their file size and format. Avoid large JPG files, and instead look at SVG formats, or even CSS icons and sprites as alternatives to keep the site very “light”.

Keep the elements and layout super clean and free from clutter. I always ask myself, ‘What would Google do?’ (just look at their homepage – it’s one of the most complex websites in the world, and yet it just has a single word, and a search box. Beauty in it’s simplicity – apply this principle to your own Mobile Experiences wherever possible, whether it be your website, your next email newsletter, or your next Instagram Story.

And Mobile Experience Doesn’t End With Your Website…

Mobile Experience is also your booking software, your eCommerce store, your Social Content, your email Campaigns, and more. So don’t stop once you’ve mobile optimised the website, make sure that optimised user experience designed for the small screen continues through every part of your customer’s journey with you, from when they find you on Instagram, through to booking a consultation with you, through to purchasing skincare products from your online store – the entire process should be an absolute joy and all from the convenience of a SmartPhone.

Make sure your next email campaign is built using a Responsive template. According to data from HubSpot, Mobile accounts for 46% of all email ‘opens’, so don’t risk annoying half of your recipients by not delivering them a beautiful experience of your email content.

Make sure your booking software is not causing unnecessary “abandons” by being a frustrating experience on a SmartPhone, and costing you lost Consultations.

Audit each of these areas carefully. Test them for yourself on your Mobile, and ask a select group of trusted partners and customers to do the same. Take the feedback to your Digital Consultant or Web Agency and carry out a Mobile Optimisation project to sort out the whole lot.

I cannot stress enough the importance of this work, and the ROI it will bring you in the coming months and years. It is vital for any “4th Era*” business to have this level of Digital maturity in order to survive and thrive in the Aesthetics market of 2023 and beyond.

Good luck, and remember to think “Mobile First” with everything you do in your Digital Aesthetics business.

Winning With Google Local

Nowadays, voice-enabled devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home are becoming increasingly commonplace. Additionally, mobile searches for local services (such as aesthetic treatments) continue to rise, and by 2021, mobile devices are expected to drive an eye-watering £1.4 trillion in local sales, globally (according to marketingland.com).

All of that activity is categorised within Google, and in Digital Marketing circles, as a ‘Near Me’ search, a type of search behaviour that has increased by over 900% in the last 5 years. (according to Google’s Consumer Insights Report). This means that as Aesthetic businesses, there is a huge amount of potential interest and demand to be tapped into if you can do the hard yards and optimise your clinic website to achieve top positions in the Google Local results.

There a few key elements to the Google search results that we should be concerned with.  The elements are:

–       The ‘Map Pack’, the first three results shown next to a map at the top of Page 1.

–       The “People Also Ask” section, which is where Google is being very clever and is automatically and continually pulling questions related to the search that has been made and pulling in answers from relevant businesses, either nearby or elsewhere.

–       The main ‘organic results’ are the original (non ad-based) results.

–       And lastly, the ‘Google Business Profile’, which is usually shown on the right hand side of the results page and features a single business, it’s reviews and other key information.

Google use a complex series of ‘ranking factors’ to determine whether or not to position your business listing as a local search result, and where in the pecking order you should sit. I’m going to walk you through the top eight of these ranking factors, listing some of the key things you need to do to give yourself the best chance of ranking on the first page of Google within your local area, for the key treatments and services you offer.

Factor 1: The Google Business Profile

Having a fully populated, verified, and optimised GBP (Google Business Profile) is the foremost method for ensuring your business is ‘in the race’ in those all-important local search results. The key steps to follow are:

–       Create or claim your Google Business Profile listing. Search your business name, if a profile for it appears on the right, but you don’t yet have access to edit/update it, then click “Own this business” and start the process of claiming it.

–       Add all of your business’ information and a description. The GBP platform or App allows you to update a whole host of information about your business from location, opening hours and booking links, to products, offers and much more. Make sure you update and populate as much as you possibly can, and include key phrases on the treatments and services you offer.

–       Upload quality images – a lot of them. A GBP profile with plenty of high quality images of your business will be favoured over one that has less, or has poor quality images.

–       Keep hours updated. Google likes to see business profiles that are continually up to date in terms of the hours of practice.

–       Turn on the messaging feature. Enabling this shows Google you are responsive to customers.

–       Get more Google reviews (and respond to them). They are not always easy to get, but you must incorporate a process for requesting reviews from patients, and having these posted onto your GMB profile will raise your chances of appearing top in search results exponentially.

–       Include appointment, booking or menu URLs, if applicable.

–       Add products, services, or your menu.

–       Use Google Business Profile posts to promote your business. These are like mini social media posts that appear within your GBP profile. They expire every 2 weeks, so make it a habit to post these regularly, and include your key treatments and services in the wording and imagery.

Factor 2: Link Building

The second ranking factor when it comes to local search optimisation is about building links back to your website. This is a really important signal to Google that your business is legitimate, credible, and popular. When focusing specifically on local SEO, there’s a certain way of achieving links back to your website, and a couple of things to avoid at all costs.

As tempting as it might be, Google will likely punish you if you purchase packages promising to build lots of backlinks for you, as very often these links can be of a very dubious nature. So instead, focus on quality. One of the ways that you can do this is through guest posting. Guest posting is offering to be a guest author on someone else’s website. Write a blog article or a guide relevant to the treatments that you offer and offer to feature it on a local lifestyle blog or a magazine site that talks about beauty or cosmetics, or offer to write content for a local hotel or community centre website.

Factor 3: Content

When you’re looking to rank on Google, content is King. Content can mean writing blog articles to post on social media (500 to 800 words), or it can be about producing longer, more authoritative, content.  Google’s algorithm considers content above 2000 words as potentially being more authoritative, so consider writing guides and informational pages on your website that are around 1800 to 1900 words long.

When publishing your content, there is a long list of attributes to include to ensure that Google will index and rank your content over others. These include the Meta Data, a series of tags wrapped around your content, in the code of the page, that shows Google what the content is all about. The Meta Data is made up of a Title, a Description, and a series of Heading tags, Image tags, and sometimes more ‘rich’ Meta Data that uses something called Schema Code to tell Google more about your reviews, your location, and a number of other attributes.

To ensure your content is helping towards your local ranking, it’s important to include locally relevant content across the website. This means mentions of your Town or City, local landmarks, and local businesses.  Google will pick up on that and it will map and understand that you are a business that’s important in your locality.

Factor 4: Citations

So ranking factor number four is a relatively simple, but really important part of local SEO. It relates to your N.A.P information (Name, Address, Phone Number). Not only must it be the same, in fact, identical on every page of your website, but it must be the same wherever it appears on the internet.

Google makes connections between every Citation for your business. Every time, your name and address and phone number appears together in the same format.. So when your business is cited on a local newspaper site, in a business directory, review sites, directories etc – each of those is a Citation that adds to your rank profile with Google.

Factor 5: Reviews

Reviews are a huge deal for aesthetic practitioners because one of the first things a potential patient will do is to check out your reviews, or compare reviews between practitioners/clinics. If you don’t have any reviews, they are going to potentially discount you in favour of a competitor.

If you do not have any reviews, or do not have more than a few, then having a strategy and automated process for collecting them will be critical to your success, and to your achieving a high rank in Google Local results. You can respond to reviews , so make sure you do so, even if they’re positive or negative, it doesn’t matter, respond every time, quickly. This response time is another signal to Google.

Factor 6: On-Page Behaviour

Factor six is all about the on page behaviour of visitors to your website. This also includes the way people respond to your results in the Google listings, whether they click on your listing, whether they click your phone number, and how they behave when they arrive at your website, Google is monitoring all of these things, all the time, to determine whether your business offers a solid experience to people searching.

Using tools such as the Google Search Console will give you insights into where people have clicked on your search result, or you appeared as part of a search, but they didn’t click on you. Studying these insights, and further information that can be gleaned from Google Analytics, and the statistics offered by Google My Business, you can pick up major issues early, and rectify them before they affect your ranking. Things to look out for include your ‘Bounce Rate’ – the rate at which people leave your website after viewing just a single page, the ratio between Mobile and Desktop viewers, and the length of time people spend on your website. One proven way to improve engagement on your website, and reduce your ‘Bounce Rate’, is to include a welcome video on your homepage.

Factor 7: Personalisation (Voice & Mobile)

Personalisation is about mobile optimisation and voice search optimisation of your website. Mobile-optimised websites hold much higher positions on Google than those that are designed only for desktops. Not only that, but it is the mobile version of your website and it’s content that Google indexes by default, not the desktop version. The most important elements of the mobile experience that Google look at in order to determine your ‘rank’  are 1) the content experience – don’t hide content from your main site, on the mobile version, and 2) speed! – your site MUST load quickly on a mobile cellular connection (3G or 4G), and 3) the visual / interface – your mobile site needs to feel more like an App, meaning an easy to use menu, intuitive navigation and well-designed functionality etc.

Voice search is also on a steep rise, and this means your web content needs to be written in a way that aligns with the way people search with their voices. Think about how you speak to your Alexa device, versus what you might type into Google. There are subtle differences. Voice searches are longer, more conversational, so when writing your next FAQ page or Blog, consider a longer, more conversational ‘question’ as the title for that page. For example, “Where can I find the best tattoo removal clinic in Soho”, versus “Tattoo removal in Soho”.

Factor 8: Social Media

The final of the top eight ranking factors is social media. Google looks at a range of signals on social media when determining the authority of a website. These include your size of following, links that people follow from social media to your website, the amount of times your company name is mentioned on social media, and a long list of other factors.

Bear in mind too, that social media profiles also appear in search results, so when writing content for your social profiles its important to ensure that you include the key search terms you are trying to rank for, and post at a consistent and regular frequency.

Beyond Google

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The Ultimate Guide to AI Search, ChatGPT, the New Atlas Browser, and the Future of Aesthetic Clinic Marketing

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