For a lot of gym owners, social media is a necessary evil. Our daily task lists are overflowing with things that have to get done right now, so who has time to manage a gym social media channel?
Sometimes it feels like the time investment isn’t worth the reward. And coming up with new content ideas can feel overwhelming.
But what if we reframe our mindset and actually have some fun with it? Then we can use it to our advantage, increasing brand awareness, retention and even revenue. Here are four ways to start improving your gym social media today.
1. Match Your Gym’s Culture Online.
Each gym is unique and has something special to offer for its members. So while there may be an abundant number of fitness businesses out there, there isn’t one with your gym culture, your community and your vibe.
The key is taking that vibe and cultivating it in your gym social media channels.
Remember, prospective members will use social media to do some research about your gym before they ever walk through your doors. So if the culture of your gym is fun, welcoming and uplifting, make sure that’s reflected in your online content.
Start by identifying the brand and vibe inside your four walls. Think through all five senses and ask your members what keeps them coming back daily. Use these answers to create clear brand pillars. These pillars will provide you content parameters to match what’s going on inside the gym.
Random photos of an entire class doing a variety of movements can make classes seem overwhelming. Instead, make a post highlighting one member doing a simple movement that makes someone think, ‘Hey! That person looks like me. Maybe I could do that.’
Here’s another example: If your gym is family friendly and the perfect fit for a new mom, use your gym social media to highlight that. Share a testimonial from another parent or give a quick tour of your kids’ play area. Chances are, a video of a jacked dude snatching 250 pounds is not going to get her to book a free intro.
Don’t make it complicated. If the pillars you defined are truly part of your gym, capturing plenty of content in daily classes should be quick and easy.
2. Think Bigger Than Likes And Followers.
Anything worth doing takes time. Until you develop a larger following, you may be creating posts for a small audience at the start. But if you’re consistently publishing relevant content, people will start to take notice. Just like you’d tell your clients with training, stay the course.
Keep your eyes on the bigger picture: The real play with your gym social media strategy is engagement. Instead of just broadcasting to your audience, find out what makes them respond to your posts. It’s the difference between “look how great we are” and “how can we help you?”
Instead of focusing on 10,000 followers, focus on providing content that helps your first 100 followers, and build from there.
3. Be Authentic.
On social media, just like in real life, people relate to authenticity. If you were procrastinating with your gym social media channels because you thought your posts had to be perfect, it’s time to ditch that thought and get after it.
You still want to create quality posts, but you don’t need a bunch of fancy editing and effects. Here are two tips to achieve the balance of authenticity and quality:
- Set A Standard. Set a rule to never post blurry, grainy or low-quality photos on your gym social media. Most smartphones these days have amazing camera capabilities so you don’t need a professional photographer for daily posts. Also, use natural light to your advantage. Think of afternoon classes or outdoor activities as great opportunities to capture some movement.
- Keep It Real. Remember that real people scrolling your social media channels should be able to envision themselves as a part of your community. Make sure the diversity of your membership based is portrayed: Ages, races, sizes and skill levels! It is often fear of “looking dumb” that keeps potential members out of the gym altogether. Break this fear by sharing the real people in your community. Strive for happy faces, real emotion and honest experiences.
4. Create A Content Plan.
Just like with your gym blog, mapping out a content calendar will help you immensely. Not only does it make sure you’re publishing the right content consistently, it helps you avoid the ‘what should I post’ moments.
Map out a calendar of the content you’ll post on each of your gym social media channels. Remember, each platform has its own “native language,” so avoid posting the same thing on every channel.
Also, plan your posts to match the seasonal cycle at your gym. For instance, the time to post about goal setting isn’t in the middle of the summer, when attendance is low. Instead, try right before New Years, when interest in gym memberships is about to skyrocket.
Pro Tip: Did you know you can automate your gym social media posts? Book a demo with the PushPress Grow team today to find out more!
5. Don’t Forget The Sales Funnel.
Ultimately, your social media channels should all be aimed at accomplishing one thing: Growing your gym. That doesn’t mean your posts should all be promotional. It’s actually quite the opposite. If you’re consistently providing relevant content and value to your audience, they’re more likely to pay attention and share. This leads to a greater following that will hopefully join your gym and support your business.
If you think of paving a road for a potential member to sign up, each social media post is like laying a brick in that road. With each post, you’re actively working on increasing sales.
Therefore, you should use the tools available to make buying as easy as possible for your followers. Make sure the links in your bio are clearly marked and there’s a clear CTA (call to action) everywhere: “Ready to get started? Click the link in our bio to book a free intro session!”
Other tools include things like the link feature on Instagram Stories, descriptions in YouTube videos and hashtags using local keywords. Great content is step one, but the real key is getting people to take action.
In Summary: Get Social. Get Going.
Your gym social media can be used to increase brand awareness, drive retention and raise revenue. Focus on engagement and provide relevant content to establish your brand as a helpful guide to solving their problems. Be authentic and set a standard for quality.
These things combined will help you use your social media channels as a key part of your sales funnel, increasing revenue and ROI for your time. Create a content calendar and remember, the best time to start is now.
