If you're about to launch a new med spa site — or rebuild an existing one — this is the checklist to run before you hit publish. Fifteen specific essentials. Each one is non-negotiable for a site that converts in 2026.
These aren't "nice to haves." They're the bar. If your site is missing more than 5 of them, you have a real conversion problem regardless of how the site looks.
Design + UX (essentials 1–5)
1. Mobile-first design (not just responsive)
60–68% of med spa visitors come from mobile. Your site should be designed for the phone screen FIRST, then adapted up to desktop — not the other way around. Test every page on an actual iPhone before launch.
2. Booking CTA visible above the fold on mobile
If a visitor has to scroll on mobile to find your "Book Now" button, you're losing the most-motivated visitors. The CTA should be visible immediately on the homepage hero, and the booking page should auto-scroll to the calendar.
3. Loading speed under 2.5 seconds
Google explicitly ranks faster sites higher in local results. The metric is Largest Contentful Paint, target under 2.5 seconds on mobile. Run your site through PageSpeed Insights — if you're below 80 on mobile, fix it.
4. One landing page per treatment
Don't lump all treatments on one "Services" page. Each major treatment (botox, filler, microneedling, laser, body contouring, IV therapy, etc.) needs its own page with unique copy, photos, pricing, FAQ, and CTA. This is the biggest local-SEO leverage you have.
5. Real photography (not stock)
Stock photos of "women with great skin" are recognized as fake instantly and erode trust. Hire a photographer for one half-day shoot of your actual clinic, team, and (with consent) treatments in progress. This single investment pays back faster than most other site work.
Trust + conversion (essentials 6–10)
6. Real before/after gallery (with consent)
The single highest-converting element on a med spa site. Anonymize eyes if needed for consent; never anonymize results. Show 6–12 examples per major treatment.
7. Team page with real bios + credentials
Each provider needs: real headshot, name, title, credentials (RN, NP, MD), years of experience, optional short bio. Patients want to know exactly who is injecting them — anonymous "our team" pages tank conversion.
8. Pricing visible (at minimum, starting-from)
80%+ of patients want pricing before they book. Show ranges or "starting from" prices on every treatment page. Hiding pricing entirely costs you bookings — patients leave for competitors who show it.
9. Reviews embedded near the CTA
Visible Google review count, star rating, and 3–5 recent quotes embedded on the homepage and treatment pages — specifically near the booking CTA. Place trust signals where the decision happens.
10. Booking integration on every page
The booking flow should be reachable from any page in 2 clicks max. Use either an always-visible header CTA, a sticky mobile booking bar, or embed the calendar directly in the page. Don't make visitors hunt for the booking option.
Technical + SEO (essentials 11–15)
11. Schema markup for local + medical
Structured data tells Google exactly what your business is and what treatments you offer. Must-have schemas: LocalBusiness or MedicalBusiness, Service or MedicalProcedure per treatment, FAQPage on FAQs, AggregateRating for reviews, BreadcrumbList for navigation.
12. SSL certificate (HTTPS) — non-negotiable
If your site is still on HTTP, you're flagged "Not Secure" in Chrome and you've already lost the visitor. Every reputable host offers free SSL via Let's Encrypt. Verify the green padlock shows in browser address bar.
13. HIPAA-aware contact forms
If your forms collect any health information (treatment history, conditions, photos), you need HIPAA-compliant form handling. Use a HIPAA-compliant form provider (JotForm HIPAA, Formstack, or a custom-built encrypted form), NOT generic Mailchimp or basic ContactForm7.
14. Conversion tracking + GA4
You can't improve what you can't measure. Install Google Analytics 4 from day one. Set up conversion events for: form submit, calendar booking, click-to-call, click-to-email. Review monthly. Without this, you're guessing.
15. Google Business Profile linked and optimized
Your GBP and your website should reinforce each other. Link to the website from GBP, embed a Google Maps widget on your contact page, and ensure NAP (name, address, phone) is identical across both. Inconsistencies hurt local ranking.
If you can only do 5 of these
Some of the above are foundational, some are polish. If you can only fix five things this month:
- #2 — Booking CTA above the fold on mobile (immediate impact)
- #10 — Booking integration accessible from every page
- #8 — Pricing visible (or at least "starting from")
- #6 — Real before/afters gallery
- #15 — Google Business Profile optimization
If you want a personal audit of your specific site against this list — what's there, what's missing, what to fix first — that's exactly what the free 5-min audit covers. Send your URL and you'll get a 60-second Loom back within 24 hours.