Establishing a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any spa. Stephanie Smith, CEO of Cogwheel Marketing & Analytics, during the 2025 iSPA Conference offered valuable insights and actionable strategies for spa directors and operators looking to maximize their online visibility and attract more clients.
Balancing Operations and Marketing
Many spa professionals struggle to find the right balance between operational duties and marketing efforts, often compounded by a limited budget or budget that could be better aligned with priorities. It’s important to develop a clear marketing plan with concrete steps to effectively utilize available resources.
Understanding Spa Demand and Market Trends
It’s fundamental to analyze market data to make informed marketing strategies. Tools like Google Trends can provide valuable insights into search behavior for terms like “massage near me” and “spa near me,” revealing fluctuations in demand and emerging trends. For example, recent trends indicate a growing interest in head therapy, head spa treatments, and scalp massages. Additionally, services like massage therapies, body scrubs and wraps, facial treatments, and medical/cosmetic procedures are projected to experience continued growth.
Creating a Marketing Plan: Five Key Steps
Here’s a five-step process for developing a comprehensive marketing plan:
Audience Segmentation:
- Know Who You Are
- Define the spa’s unique identity and target audience for effective marketing. Answer the question “Why Your Spa?”
- Gather The Data
- Use the available data from reservation systems, CRMs, and other technology.
- Gather data on current clients, including demographics, service preferences, and booking patterns to help in identifying key segments and areas for growth.
- Align offerings and messaging with the needs and expectations of the target audience.
- Set Data Driven Goals
- Set specific, actionable, realistic, and time-bound goals.
- Establish both short-term and long-term goals to provide a roadmap for progress and allow for adjustments along the way.
Shopping Behavior:
- Patterns and Profit
- Align marketing efforts with customer purchase preferences and take into account the customer journey.
- Marketing should target both the 5% of customers who are ready to buy and the 95% who are still in the research and consideration phase.
- Different customer segments and spa types (e.g., hotel spa vs. freestanding spa) may exhibit distinct booking patterns.
- Aligning Offerings with Market Demand
- Analyzing data to identify gaps in the schedule and underutilized services allows spas to tailor offerings and promotions to meet demand.
- Strategic pricing and promotions can be used to incentivize bookings during slower periods without negatively impacting profitability.
Boosting Visibility:
- Establish a strong online presence across multiple platforms, which is crucial for attracting potential clients.
- Ensure consistency in website URL, name, address, and phone number URL (UNAP) across all online listings for search engine optimization and customer clarity.
- Optimize Google My Business listings, including claiming ownership, completing all sections, and actively encouraging reviews.
- Verify and correct spa information across various GPS sources (e.g., Uber, Lyft, Bing Maps) to ensure accurate navigation for potential customers.
- In competitive markets, consider listing the spa on local blogs and industry sites to increase visibility.
- Showcase the spa’s unique differentiators through clear messaging, high-quality photos and videos, and customer testimonials to help attract the target audience.
- Actively manage and solicit online reviews, as they significantly impact search rankings and customer perception.
Marketing Investments and Strategies
Start with small, test-based marketing investments to determine the most effective strategies.
- Social Media Marketing:
- Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer cost-effective ways to reach target audiences through targeted advertising.
- Encouraging user-generated content and engagement can significantly expand reach.
Read about how to run a Facebook ad campaign.
- Google Advertising:
- Google Ads can be effective for reaching customers actively searching for spa services in their area.
- Display and Programmatic Advertising:
- These strategies can be used to build awareness by targeting potential customers based on their online behavior and location data.
- Remarketing Campaigns:
- These tactics help nurture existing customers and encourage repeat business through targeted ads and communications.
Collaboration and Partnerships
Collaboration is key, both within the hotel (for hotel spas) and with external partners, to maximize reach and effectiveness. This includes:
- Strategic Alliances:
- Partnering with agencies, online platforms (e.g., SpaFinder, ResortPass), and local businesses to expand reach and attract new customers.
- Data Sharing and Communication:
- Open communication and data sharing between the spa and its partners are essential for optimizing marketing efforts.
Here are some of the questions you should discuss with your team:
Marketing Case Studies for Spas
By implementing these strategies and continuously analyzing the results, spa directors and operators can build a powerful online presence, attract more clients, and fuel business growth. This tailored approach shows in results, just like with our Teacher Tuesday Discount Promo, which generated over $12K in incremental sales by targeting soft periods and offering a community give-back, or the Exclusive Locals Card campaign at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, which boosted appointments by 30% month-over-month, these efforts can create lasting, meaningful results. With the right approach, you can not only enhance customer engagement but also drive long-term success and brand loyalty.