What are typical marketing benchmarks for medical weight loss and GLP-1 clinics?
The typical US medical weight loss clinic has 42 Google reviews and a 4.79-star average, and 53.8% have fewer than 50 reviews (n = 632, September 2026). On cost, our planning estimates put GLP-1 programs at $28 to $72 per qualified lead and $95 to $260 per booked consultation.
- Google: median 42 reviews, 4.79★ average; only 4.1% have 500+ reviews.
- More than half (53.8%) are under 50 reviews: the field is young and thin.
- 48.4% list a weekend day, between med spas and clinical specialties.
- GLP-1 leads: $28–$72; booked consult $95–$260; January to March costs 30–45% more.
- Dallas, Texas LLC
- US client team · Central Time (CST)
- 25+ US healthcare clients
- BAA signed with every client
- HIPAA compliance training across client and delivery teams
- Contracts and invoices in USD
-
Primary Care · North Dallas, TXCase study →
-
MedSpa · North Dallas, TX
-
Skin Care · Beverly Hills, CA
-
Dental · Christiansburg, VACase study →
-
Pediatrics · Blacksburg, VACase study →
-
Pediatric Dentistry · Blacksburg, VACase study →
-
Dental · Roanoke, VACase study →
-
Functional Medicine · Telehealth · USACase study →
“When I first approached Ichelon Consulting, my YouTube channel was stuck and despite my own efforts, it was not growing. They created a specific strategy which was based on SEO, and completely evaluating the channel, which worked great and has propelled our YouTube channel to new heights. Because of the channel growth, we have seen new patient consultations coming on a regular basis.”
A young, thin field on Google
Our Medical Weight Loss Google Benchmarks 2026 measured 632 clinics across 20 US metros. Ratings are high, as in every specialty we track (4.79 stars on average). Review depth is not. The median clinic has 42 reviews, against 148 for med spas and 319.5 for dental practices.
Share of 632 US medical weight loss clinics by Google review count, September 2026.
More than half the field (53.8%) has fewer than 50 reviews and only 4.1% has 500 or more. That is what a fast-growing category looks like: many recently opened clinics, few established ones. For a clinic that builds a steady review routine now, the bar to stand out is unusually low.
Where competition is deeper, and who opens weekends
| Metro | Clinics | Median reviews | Avg rating | Open a weekend day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 33 | 117 | 4.84 | 63.6% |
| Scottsdale | 33 | 103 | 4.9 | 48.5% |
| San Diego | 29 | 62 | 4.78 | 58.6% |
| Orlando | 32 | 60.5 | 4.88 | 34.4% |
| Philadelphia | 25 | 26 | 4.68 | 32% |
| Seattle | 36 | 25.5 | 4.7 | 33.3% |
| Los Angeles | 38 | 23 | 4.83 | 71.1% |
| San Francisco | 33 | 13 | 4.52 | 45.5% |
| United States | 632 | 42 | 4.79 | 48.4% |
Four deepest and four thinnest metros by median review count (groups of 10+ clinics). Full table: benchmarks report.
Nationally, 48.4% of clinics list a weekend day, and the average clinic is open 5 days a week. That puts weight loss between cash-pay aesthetics (med spas at 74.2%) and clinical care (dental at 25.5%). Patients on a monthly program value convenient check-ins, so published weekend or evening slots are a real selling point.
GLP-1 lead and consultation cost benchmarks
For acquisition costs, we use the GLP-1 category in our US Aesthetic CPQL Benchmarks 2026. Weight loss leads are the cheapest of the nine aesthetic categories we track, because demand is broad, but they are the most exposed to the new-year peak.
| Benchmark | 2026 range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per qualified lead (GLP-1 program) | $28–$72 | Blended across Google, Meta, TikTok, YouTube |
| Cost per booked consultation | $95–$260 | About 2.5–4× the lead cost |
| Consult to first treatment | 45%–64% | Share of booked consults that start |
| Lead cost by metro tier | $55–$95 / $34–$60 / $28–$48 | Tier 1 / Tier 2 / Tier 3 metros |
| Seasonal swing, January–March | +30% to +45% | Versus baseline; the sharpest Q1 lift of any aesthetic category |
| Typical program value | $450–$1,200 a month | Usually 9–14 months of monthly revenue |
Planning estimates, USD. Tier 1 = prime metros such as Manhattan, Los Angeles and Miami; Tier 3 = metros under about one million people.
Cheap leads are not the same as cheap patients. With 45% to 64% of booked consultations starting treatment, the conversion step and the follow-up sequence matter as much as the ad budget. And because program value accrues monthly, retention is part of acquisition: a patient who stays nine months is worth several times one who stops after one.
What this means for your clinic
- Get past 50 reviews quickly. In a field where most clinics are under 50, depth is the easiest way to stand out. Compare your metro in the benchmarks.
- Plan the calendar around January. Budget for higher lead costs in Q1, when demand peaks.
- Track cost per started patient, not per lead, and monthly retention alongside it.
- Publish convenient hours, including any weekend or evening check-in slots.
- Clear every claim before it runs. Medication and results claims carry federal, state and platform rules.
Where our US team can help: weight loss clinic marketing · Meta ads · paid search · local SEO.
Get the full Medical Weight Loss dataset + PDF summary
The numbers behind this page, ready for your own spreadsheet or slide deck.
- CSV, 21 rows: national figures plus every metro with at least 10 medical weight loss clinics.
- Fields: average Google rating, median review count, review-count bands, website, phone and hours listed, weekend opening, days open per week.
- PDF summary with the tables, methodology and a citation line.
Public Google Business Profile data for 632 US medical weight loss clinics, September 2026. Aggregates only. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.
How we know: source, sample, date and limits
Sources: Medical Weight Loss Google Benchmarks 2026 (Ichelon Consulting US): public Google Business Profile data for 632 medical weight loss clinics found through Google searches in 20 US metros, collected September 2026. Lead-cost, conversion and seasonal figures from the US Aesthetic CPQL Benchmarks 2026: an 18-month rolling sample of aesthetic media we manage, cross-checked against published industry benchmarks.
- Cost figures are planning estimates, not guarantees.
- Clinics were found through Google searches for medical weight loss in each metro; some also offer other services.
- Metro groups under 10 clinics are not reported.
Want this benchmarked for your practice?
Send a short note and a member of our US team replies within one US business day with next steps. No obligation.
Prefer to talk? Book a 30-minute call or call +1 (724) 612-3694.
Related research and services
Medical weight loss Google benchmarks 2026
632 clinics, city by city.
US Aesthetic CPQL Benchmarks 2026
GLP-1 and aesthetic lead costs.
Weight loss clinic marketing
How our US team markets weight loss clinics.
Weight loss clinic compliance (2026)
What you can and cannot claim.
Medical weight loss statistics
Every citable figure with its source.
Meta ads for healthcare
Policy-safe creative.
Common questions
How many Google reviews does a medical weight loss clinic have?
The median US medical weight loss clinic in our 2026 benchmark has 42 Google reviews, and 53.8% have fewer than 50. Only 4.1% have 500 or more. Based on 632 clinics in 20 US metros.
What is a good cost per lead for a GLP-1 weight loss program?
Our 2026 planning range is $28 to $72 per qualified lead, blended across Google Search, Meta, TikTok and YouTube. Prime metros such as Manhattan and Los Angeles run $55 to $95, smaller metros $28 to $48. A booked consultation typically costs $95 to $260.
When is the most expensive time to advertise a weight loss clinic?
January to March. In our seasonal data, GLP-1 lead costs run 30% to 45% above baseline in the first quarter, the sharpest new-year lift of any aesthetic category, with a second rise of 18% to 28% in October to December.
Are medical weight loss clinics open on weekends?
48.4% of the clinics in our 2026 benchmark list at least one weekend day on Google, compared with 74.2% of med spas and 25.5% of dental practices.
What compliance rules affect weight loss clinic marketing?
Claims about prescription medications, before-and-after results and testimonials all carry federal and state rules, and ad platforms add their own restrictions. Our weight-loss clinic compliance guide covers them; confirm specifics with your counsel.
A note on this article: it reports aggregate research and explains marketing practice. It is not legal advice, and cost figures are planning estimates, not guarantees of results.
Building a weight loss program that fills its consult calendar?
A free 30-minute call with the US team. We compare your reviews, hours and lead costs with these benchmarks and your metro.