How to Market Yourself as an Esthetician in 2026
- Kari Jo Patterson
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
If I had to start over as an esthetician today…
No clientele.
No followers.
No reputation.
No existing business.
I would build my business very differently than I did 10 years ago.
And honestly?
A lot of it comes down to one thing:
I would stop relying so heavily on Instagram.
The Esthetician Industry Has Changed
When I first built my aesthetics company, Instagram was still new.
Almost nobody in my area was using it yet.
So when I started posting:
- before-and-afters
- treatments
- skincare education
- behind-the-scenes content
…it worked FAST.
People noticed.
People followed.
People booked.
Back then, social media wasn’t oversaturated yet.
Today?
That’s a completely different story.
## Why Instagram Feels So Hard for Estheticians Right Now
Most estheticians are exhausted trying to grow on social media.
And honestly?
I understand why.
Studies show people scroll past around 95% of the content they see online.
At the same time, businesses are posting more content than ever before.
So now estheticians are trying to:
- post more
- film more reels
- stay consistent
- follow trends
- learn algorithms
…and still feel invisible.
That doesn’t mean social media is broken.
It means attention is harder to earn now.
## The Biggest Mistake Estheticians Make With Marketing
A lot of estheticians believe:
“If I can just get more followers, my business will grow.”
But followers do not automatically create trust.
And trust is what actually books clients.
Clients book when they feel:
- connected to you
- understood by you
- confident in you
- emotionally safe with you
That’s why some estheticians with tiny followings stay fully booked…
while others with large followings struggle to convert clients.
What Actually Grew My Coaching Business
When I started coaching estheticians, I thought Instagram would grow my business again.
So I committed to posting every single day for a year.
I did:
- professional photoshoots
- reels
- graphics
- educational posts
- consistency
And honestly?
It barely moved the needle.
But then I started my podcast.
And everything changed.
The podcast built trust faster than Instagram ever did.
Why?
Because people could hear me.
They could understand how I think.
They could relate to me.
They could decide if they trusted me.
That’s when my business really started growing.
If I Started Over Today, Here’s Exactly What I Would Do
1. I Would Build Trust Before Followers
I would stop obsessing over follower count.
Instead, I would focus on:
- connection
- authority
- relatability
- trust
Because trust converts faster than visibility.
2. I Would Start a Local Community Podcast
This is probably the biggest thing I would do differently.
If my target audience was women in their 40s…
I would create content around:
- motherhood
- stress
- aging
- balancing work and family
- hormones
- burnout
- wellness
Not just skincare.
Because skincare clients do not spend all day thinking about skincare.
They think about:
- kids
- relationships
- stress
- work
- exhaustion
- confidence
- aging
That’s what creates connection.
Then naturally inside the podcast, I would plug my business:
- facial promotions
- skincare solutions
- services
- treatment recommendations
That builds trust before the sale ever happens.
3. I Would Use Instagram Differently
Most esthetician Instagram accounts look exactly the same:
- before-and-afters
- treatment videos
- lash videos
- massage clips
And honestly?
Most consumers do not follow those pages for entertainment or value.
If I were rebuilding today, I would make content that relates to my ideal client’s LIFE.
For example:
- funny mom reels
- relatable stress content
- aging humor
- wellness struggles
- everyday life
Then I would strategically plug my services into that content.
Because people follow personalities now.
Not just portfolios.
4. I Would Prioritize Google Reviews Immediately
Google reviews build trust faster than almost anything else online.
When people are considering booking with an esthetician, they research:
- website
- reviews
And reviews matter.
Consumers trust reviews almost as much as personal recommendations from friends.
That means reviews can dramatically increase bookings.
If I were starting over:
I would aggressively build Google reviews from day one.
5. I Would Build a Website Earlier
If you want long-term growth, you need a website.
A website helps:
- SEO
- Google visibility
- credibility
- authority
- search traffic
Clients search online before booking.
And if you don’t exist online professionally, it becomes harder to build trust.
The Real Goal Isn’t Going Viral
The goal isn’t:
- becoming famous
- getting views
- chasing algorithms
The goal is building trust.
Because trust creates:
- bookings
- retention
- referrals
- rebooking
- long-term business growth
And most estheticians don’t actually need more followers.
They need a better system for building authority.
Final Thoughts
If I were starting over as an esthetician today, I would spend far less time trying to “look successful” online…
…and far more time building:
- trust
- connection
- authority
- systems
- long-form content
Because attention is rented.
But trust?
Trust compounds.
And that’s what actually builds a sustainable esthetician business.
Want Help Growing Your Esthetician Business?
Download the free business tracker at:
And for deeper conversations about:
- marketing
- systems
- profitability
- retention
- business growth
Listen to The Esthetician Podcast.
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