Use this checklist to build high-impact Instagram content for your med spa every time

It’s not easy to come up with fresh, relevant, and intentional content for your practice’s Instagram account week after week.

But with the right strategy in place, you can consistently create engaging stories and posts that resonate with your audience. 

Here’s a checklist you can use to create high-ROI content your followers will love. Following a few basic guidelines can help you post something meaningful every time.

1. Build each post around a goal.

Everything you post to your med spa’s Instagram account should have a purpose behind it.

Before you start uploading photos or videos and designing your post, think through what you’d like it to accomplish.

For example, you may want to:

• Increase bookings for a service that’s new or less popular

• Advertise a promotion or giveaway

• Educate your followers on a treatment or after-care best practice

• Learn more about your followers’ preferences

Once you have a goal in mind, you can develop content that entices your followers to engage with it rather than scrolling past. 

A post we love:

This Instagram post from Franklin Skin and Laser in Franklin, Tennessee has a clear goal: to promote their 3K giveaway. The text in the post is concise and clearly states what followers can win if they enter. It also includes clear instructions in the caption that explain how to enter. To enter the giveaway, followers had to “like” the post, and you can see from the large number of likes that the post successfully achieved its goal.

2. Pique your followers’ curiosity.

Your followers’ Instagram feeds are exploding with interesting content, so you need to think of a way to create excitement or suspense with your posts so they stand out.

Every time you post, pick a topic or subject that will resonate with your followers and find a way to tease it or build anticipation so they’ll be eager to find out more.

For example, if you know semaglutide is popular with your patients right now, post an Instagram story poll that asks an interesting question about the treatment. Your followers will be eager to vote, see how others respond, and find out the right answer.

Or, post a photo of a local celebrity to your grid to tease an upcoming event where the celebrity is presenting or performing. Your followers will be curious to learn why you’re posting about the celebrity and may sign up to attend your event for a chance to meet him or her.

A post we love:

New Medical Spa in Short Pump, Virginia made a series of posts to count down to their big Mother’s Day event. They posted every day for eight days to build anticipation and excitement for the event and encourage sign ups.

3. Use eye-catching visuals.

Instagram users typically make a split decision about whether or not they want to pause and look at a post or story more closely. For that reason, aim to make your content as easy to digest as possible.

Since Instagram is a visual platform, the images and videos you use should be high-quality, clear, and stand on their own even without context.

Your followers should be able to glance at the post or story and immediately know what they're looking at rather than having to decipher it.

Choose images and videos that grab your followers’ attention, make them think, or make them laugh.

Here are a few examples:

• Before/after photos with stunning results

• Funny, silly, or surprising behind-the-scenes photos

• Memes relevant to your audience

• Easy-to-follow tutorials

You may want to start collecting photos and videos you can use for Instagram ahead of time so you always have options to choose from.

A post we love:

These before/after photos from Glowtox in New York City display impressive results. In the before photo, the patient has eleven lines that have been completely erased in the after photo. The images are clear and it’s easy to understand what you’re looking at even before you read the caption. Seeing these photos side-by-side motivates followers with the same concern to visit Glowtox for similar results.

4. Keep text to a minimum.

Since Instagram is all about visuals, use text sparingly.

Wherever you use it, write in clear, simple language and short sentences that followers can understand without much thought or interpretation.

Try to avoid using abbreviations or acronyms that people newer to aesthetics may not recognize.

A post we love:

This two-slide post from Evolve Med Spa in Hoboken, New Jersey asks a question commonly posed to med spa newbies: “Want to try fillers or tox but are unsure?” In the next slide, they promote their new virtual makeover tool, also in just a few words. The images are the main focus of the post and they aren’t hidden under excessive text. The text is concise, doesn’t use any jargon, is written in clear language, and is large enough to read easily.

To craft compelling Instagram content for your med spa every time, all you need is a little creativity and a thoughtful approach. Whether you’re showcasing impressive before-and-after results, teasing upcoming events, or offering valuable educational content, each post should be intentional and tailored to your audience's preferences. With this checklist in hand, you can build a strong Instagram presence that not only delights your followers but also drives meaningful results for your practice.