Why Most Vets Are Failing at Marketing, and How to Fix It
Would it be unfair to say that vets are terrible at marketing? Diaries are full, yet practices are missing clients, and that’s costing them. Enrique Murio saw it firsthand, and he’s not afraid to call it out.
And if numbers tell a story, here’s what they say: the global veterinary hospital market alone was valued at about US $65.9 billion in 2024, a reflection of rising pet ownership and spending on care. Yet despite this growth, fewer than 55 per cent of practices maintain an active presence on even one social platform. That means nearly half of the clinics aren’t showing up where pet owners are looking.
We spoke to Enrique, the founder of Vet Leads, as part of the Best Practice Summit. He didn’t stumble into veterinary marketing by accident. It all began on a train, chatting with a vet frustrated by empty appointment books. He shared a few tips over a drink, and by the end of the month, the practice was flooded with new clients. That experience lit a spark, and VetLeads was born. Today, Enrique helps practices nationwide turn social media into a predictable, ethical, and effective client acquisition system.
Stop gambling, start predicting.
The problem for many vets isn’t effort; it’s knowledge. Most practices rely on random posts, hope for word-of-mouth, or think that putting up a billboard is enough. Marketing is seen as a “nice to have” instead of a core function. Enrique’s approach flips that mindset.
Using paid social media adverts, he brings the right clients to the right practice, slotting them into diaries without disrupting care. It’s not flashy or superficial; it’s direct response marketing, where every pound spent is tracked, measured, and tied to actual appointments. No guessing. No wasted budget.
Care first, ROI second
Enrique is clear: it’s not about upselling or exploiting pet owners. Practices that focus solely on revenue see poor results, and he won’t work with them. “If I feel someone isn’t giving the highest level of care, I turn off the campaigns and refund them,” he says. His campaigns succeed because they solve real problems, respecting both pets and their owners.
Predictable growth, not chaos
One of the biggest myths in vet marketing is that more clients automatically means better business. Too many new patients can overwhelm a practice, affecting care quality. VetLeads handles this by syncing marketing campaigns with each clinic’s diary, ensuring growth is manageable. The result is predictable, sustainable client acquisition that doesn’t compromise standards.
Independents have an edge
Against the backdrop of the CMA report, there is a major opportunity for independent clinics: authenticity. Many new practices try to look corporate, polished, or “professional,” but pet owners value connection and consistency. Independents can thrive by leaning into their personal touch, offering care that corporate chains often can’t match, all while using modern marketing tools to reach more people.
The marketing gap is real.
Some might say that vets are falling behind industries like dentistry and beauty salons. Those sectors use data, social media, and paid campaigns to generate predictable growth. Veterinary practices have lagged, but Enrique sees 2026 as a turning point. His message is simple: just because it hasn’t been done doesn’t mean it can’t work, and the time to act is now.
Marketing isn’t optional. It’s not just about likes, posts, or vanity metrics. It’s about bringing pet owners into practices where care is delivered at its best, and giving independent vets the chance to thrive in a competitive landscape.
Over 79 per cent of the UK population now uses social media, with ad spend projected to be nearly £10 billion by 2025, making digital engagement hard to ignore. Data from broader healthcare shows educational and human-centred content drives 3–7× higher trust when providers post regularly and authentically. Meanwhile, 63 per cent of pet owners follow at least one pet influencer on Instagram or TikTok, showing where attention really lives.
Our conversation further highlighted the importance of vet teams stepping up when it comes to marketing and community engagement.
About Vet Leads
Enrique Murio and the Vet Leads team help veterinary practices attract clients ethically and predictably through modern marketing strategies tailored to the realities of veterinary care. Vet Leads focuses on aligning marketing campaigns with clinic diaries to ensure growth is manageable and emphasises care and high standards as part of their approach.
👉 Learn more about Vet Leads and explore their services via the link below.
Watch Enrique’s session at Day 2: Making Sense Of Marketing