The Contraindication
In medical aesthetics, it’s easy to feel like you’re guessing - what actually works, what’s changing, and what no one’s saying out loud. The Contraindication brings you the conversations most people keep behind closed doors. Real insight into the business, marketing, and culture of the UK aesthetics industry - without the fluff, and without the filter. Whether you’re trying to grow, stand out, or simply keep up, this is where you get clarity.
Episodes
Are you unknowingly crossing the line where artificial intelligence stops being a helpful tool and starts becoming a serious legal liability for your aesthetic clinic?
In this episode of The Contraindication, I dive into the high-stakes reality of using AI in medical aesthetics. Moving beyond the generic content trap, I share the critical clinical line where patient safety, medical records, and treatment outcomes intersect with AI t...
Are you letting artificial intelligence strip the personality out of your aesthetic clinic's brand?
In this episode of The Contraindication, I kick off my six-part mini-series exploring the role of AI in medical aesthetics. We dive into the "creation trap" and why relying on AI for patient-facing content is costing you trust, authority, and potentially even your compliance with advertising standards.
What You’ll Discover
- Detec...
Every year it happens. The diary gets a little quieter. Enquiries slow down. And that familiar panic sets in.
The summer slowdown is real, it's industry-wide, and it's coming regardless of what you do. What you can control is what you do with it.
In this Marketing Monday I give you both sides. Three tactics to keep bookings and revenue moving through the slow months and four things to get done while the diary gives you room to breath...
This is the first ever guested episode of The Contraindication and a quick note before we get into it: I have no commercial relationship with either guest or with Wish Skin Health UK.
The aesthetics industry is saturated with brands promising the world, yet so many practitioners are left feeling completely exhausted when it comes to actually clearing acne long-term.
In this episode, I am joined by Hannah Nelson, UK distributor of Wis...
This week I want to talk about one of those quiet, under-the-radar things that’s probably holding your local visibility back without you even realising it.
In this Marketing Monday episode of The Contraindication, I explain why citation consistency matters so much for aesthetic clinics and the simple fix that most clinics are missing.
What You’ll Discover
- What Citations Actually Are and Why Google Cares: Mentions of your...
This week I want to talk about something that doesn’t involve Google at all.
In this Marketing Monday episode, I shift the focus from online visibility to the power of local referral partnerships - the trusted relationships that turn other local businesses into your best source of high-quality patients.
What You’ll Discover
- Why Personal Recommendations Convert Better: How word-of-mouth from someone a patient already know...
I wanted to record this episode because I see the same thing happening again and again. Clinics invest in incredible new technology, the expectations are high, the finance agreement starts ticking, and then… it just doesn’t land.
In this episode of The Contraindication, I break down how to market a new device properly, not just once it arrives, but from the moment you start thinking about investing. This is about buildi...
This week I want to talk about the massive opportunity most aesthetic clinics are still missing.
In this Marketing Monday episode of The Contraindication, I dive into why local search is now the entire game for clinics and what the numbers really mean for your diary.
What You’ll Discover
- The Scale of Local Intent: Why 46% of all Google searches have local intent and how 1.5 billion “near me” searches happen every m...
This week I want to talk about the one thing most aesthetic clinics are still missing when it comes to being found by patients in their local area.
In this Marketing Monday episode of The Contraindication, I break down why local SEO matters more than ever and the simple but powerful fix that most clinics overlook - making it crystal clear to Google exactly where you are and who you serve.
What You’ll Discover
- Why Local SEO Is ...
Google just dropped something HUGE and I believe it’s going to change how aesthetic clinics show up online for years to come.
In this episode of The Contraindication, I break down Google’s new official guidance on AI search and what it really means for visibility, trust, and patient acquisition in aesthetics.
What You’ll Discover
- The Scale of the Shift: AI Overviews now appear in up to 48% of searches, with massive...
This week I’m staying with Google because your reviews only work properly when the rest of your profile is pulling its weight.
In this Marketing Monday episode of The Contraindication, I talk about why so many beautiful, premium aesthetic clinics are quietly losing patients at the final decision point - their Google Business Profile. I walk through the common signs of neglect and exactly what to refresh in 15–30 minutes ...
I know this is something every clinic worries about because it feels personal when it happens. In this episode, I talk about bad reviews and how easy it is to let them knock your confidence or trigger an emotional response. But here’s the shift I want you to hold onto. It’s not the review itself that matters most, it’s how you respond to it. And when you get that right, you can actually build more trust, not lose ...
Marketing Monday: Turn Patient Reviews into Powerful Content
It’s Marketing Monday. Five minutes. One small fix. Because small changes compound.
In this episode of The Contraindication, Elly shares one of the most underused content strategies in aesthetic clinic marketing: turning patient reviews into powerful marketing content.
Most clinics work hard to collect Google reviews but then leave them sitting quietly on their profile...
Marketing Monday: Where to Place Testimonials for Maximum Impact
It’s Marketing Monday. Five minutes. One small fix. Because small changes compound.
Most aesthetic clinics have testimonials. Very few are using them where they actually influence bookings.
In this episode, Elly breaks down how to use patient testimonials strategically to improve website conversions, increase trust and strengthen your aesthetic clinic marketing wit...
It’s Marketing Monday. Five minutes. One small fix. Because small changes compound.
In this episode of The Contraindication, Elly breaks down one of the most underused assets in aesthetic clinics: your reviews.
Most clinics collect them sporadically. Few systemise them. Even fewer use them properly.
This episode covers:
• Why reviews remove more doubt than any Instagram post ever could
• The one moment you should always as...
Welcome to The Contraindication
Hosted by Elly Makinson, marketing strategist and long-time industry insider, this podcast is your space for honest conversations about aesthetic medicine, the news, the nuance, and the marketing that actually drives growth.
The aesthetics industry moves fast. New devices. New injectables. New skincare. New regulations. Endless trends. It can feel noisy and overwhelming.
This podcast slows things down.
E...
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