Followers Don’t Matter. Here’s Why.
In the early days of Instagram, success was measured in one metric: followers. The more you had, the more “legit” you seemed. But now, especially for medical aesthetics practices, that number is one of the least important indicators of whether your social media is actually working.
If you’ve been stressing about hitting 10K or comparing your numbers to the med spa down the block, the truth is that followers don’t pay the bills; patients do.
Here’s what we mean:
1. You Can’t Take Vanity Metrics to the Bank
A large following might look impressive at first glance, but you have to remember that it doesn’t guarantee appointments. You could have 50,000 followers and zero consults booked. Why? Because the wrong audience won’t convert. It’s not about how many people see your content, it’s about how many of the right people see it and take action. Think about how many of those 50k followers are in your region, and of those people, how many are your target audience? Followers are only as good as their desire to walk through your doors to get treatments.
2. Engagement and Trust Beat Follower Count Every Time
Think of your Instagram feed like your treatment menu. Would you rather have hundreds of people glance at it and walk away, or a handful of people ask questions, share your posts, and book services? High engagement—comments, saves, shares—means your content is resonating with your audience. At the end of the day, 50, 500, or even 5,000 people is a big audience, and creating content that resonates and converts into treatments can fill your books more effectively than trying to resonate with a broad audience.
3. Social Media Works Even When a Post “Flops”
Every post you share (yes, even the one that got 200 views) is doing work for your practice. It’s building a content library that answers questions, showcases results, and makes your audience feel confident in your expertise. Often, patients will scroll for weeks or months before reaching out, meaning those “low-performing” posts could be the ones that ultimately drive them to book.
4. Targeted Marketing Reaches the Right People Faster
If your goal is growth, ads and strategic targeting can deliver your message directly to prospective patients in your area. That’s far more efficient than hoping organic socials will magically multiply followers who turn into clients. Paid campaigns paired with strong, educational content will always outperform chasing a follower milestone.
5. Your Reputation Lives Beyond Instagram
Social media is a powerful tool, but it’s only one piece of your marketing puzzle. A high-quality website, consistent Google reviews, patient referrals, email campaigns, and paid advertisements all work with the brand awareness you build through social media to fill your schedule. The best aesthetics practices know their success isn’t tied to a single number on a single platform, but rather the combination of multiple marketing channels.
If you get one takeaway, let it be to stop chasing followers. Instead, start creating content that serves, educates, and inspires the patients you actually want to see (and who actually want to see you). When your goal shifts from “getting popular” to “getting booked,” you’ll measure success in appointments, not followers. And that’s what really matters.