About 57% of the global population or more than 4 billion people are active on various social media platforms today. Furthermore, the average social media user spends approximately two to three minutes on these platforms every day.
Therefore, marketing on these social media platforms, through quotes or other strategies, is more important than ever for all businesses, including gyms, fitness centers, boutique studios and fitness studios. They provide a cost-effective and powerful means of reaching and engaging with potential fitness clients.
But like any other marketing channel, you will need a well-crafted social media fitness marketing strategy to stand out from the competition, build brand awareness, attract new members and retain the existing ones.
In this article, we will walk you through the benefits of using gym social media marketing and give you tips on how to leverage social media fitness marketing to grow your fitness business. We will also explore some fitness content ideas to help you get started.
1. Benefits of Using Gym Social Media Marketing
As noted above, social media marketing remains one of the most cost-effective methods of growing your fitness business. It’s currently a necessary part of every business's digital presence. Here are some of the benefits of using gym social media marketing.
1.1 It’s Where Your Target Clients Are
Approximately 53% of adults in the U.S get news from various social media platforms. And you can expect this to be the situation in most parts of the globe. The reason behind this is that most people are spending a considerable amount of their time on tablets and phones, scrolling through social media.
Whether they are having lunch, taking a break or simply getting ready to sleep, a day cannot go without people checking their favorite social media platforms. Besides following the latest news, people also use social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for entertainment and keeping in touch with their friends. Simply put, it’s where your target fitness clients hang out. And you also need to have a strong presence on those platforms.
By posting workout videos, fitness quotes, workout diets or any other fitness-related content, there’s a high chance you will attract prospective fitness clients, who may be interested in signing up for a gym membership. You simply need to determine which fitness social network your target audience likes using, create a page and post content regularly.
1.2 Build Social Proof
Consumers these days are increasingly cautious when it comes to choosing a service. And the same applies to fitness centers and gyms.
Before deciding whether to choose whether to sign up for your gym or not, they will first visit your website and check your social media presence.
And if you only have a handful of followers on Facebook or Instagram, they will assume that your gym isn’t popular or doesn’t attract enough customers. Consequently, they will assume your personal training services are substandard. Hence, you will end up losing hundreds of potential clients.
A robust social media fitness marketing strategy can help to address such issues. It will help to boost your following, build your following and enhance your online reputation, leading to more fitness clients.
1.3 Increase Brand Awareness
Gym social media marketing can also help to increase brand awareness. The reality is, some prospective fitness clients are not ready to sign up for your gym membership. For instance, they may have a busy work schedule, making it hard to create time for gym sessions.
But as soon as their schedule clears and they want to join a gym, your fitness brand should be the first that comes to mind. And having a powerful social media presence is an effective means of being on top of your prospect’s mind.
2. Fitness Social Media Marketing Ideas and Tips
The importance of gym social media marketing cannot be overemphasized. But contrary to popular opinion, it doesn’t need to take too much of your time or break your bank. Whether you are the social media manager of a Pilates studio or you are a personal trainer looking to promote your fitness classes on social media, there are plenty of ways to do so.
2.1 Leverage User-Generated Content
User-generated content can help to humanize your gym’s marketing efforts. Therefore, it’s a vital part of your social media fitness marketing strategy. So, can you leverage user-generated content? Well, there are several ways of doing so.
For instance, one of your personal training clients can mention you on their Facebook account, showing their before and after photos. When they do so, you should also share their post on your profile. You can also share the same Facebook post on your fitness Instagram page.
Posts shared by your personal training clients will be seen as an honest reflection of how your fitness studio looks like or your personal training approach. And when you feature such content on your social media platforms, they can have a considerable impact on your potential clients’ decisions, since they appear relatable and genuine.
2.2 Tap Into Social Broadcasting
Your social media fitness marketing strategy should also feature social broadcasting. According to a survey conducted by Livestream, 82% of the participants said they would prefer watching live videos instead of ordinary social posts.
So, with such massive popularity, you should tap into social broadcasting platforms like Facebook Live, Instagram live streams, YouTube live or Twitter live streams to showcase your workout sessions, gym equipment, Q&A sessions, and behind the scenes, among others.
Tapping into social broadcasting will help you to push your gym's social media marketing message to global audiences while connecting with your target audience wherever they are.
2.3 Leverage Ephemeral Content
Ephemeral content is any type of content, be it videos, GIFs or images, which last for 24 hours and then disappear from the timeline.
Almost all social media platforms have a provision for ephemeral content. Instagram has Instagram stories while Facebook has Facebook stories. Snapchat was one of the earliest social media platforms to introduce this feature.
What makes this type of content so effective in gym social media marketing is its limited availability window. Since it self-destructs within 24 hours, most people will be inclined to interact with it, for fear of missing out (FOMO).
By posting time-limited discounts and offers on your Facebook Stories or Instagram Stories, it’s highly likely you will convince some of your followers to sign up for your personal training sessions.
2.4 Don’t Forget Video Content
Video content has been gaining popularity over the years. Currently, it’s one of the most effective forms of marketing across all digital channels. And going by recent trends, video content is not going anywhere, anytime soon.
Video content grabs people’s attention faster than plain text. Furthermore, it’s highly engaging in nature, not to mention its versatility. For instance, you can either post pre-recorded videos or simply go live.
Hence, when setting up your health club social media marketing plan, you shouldn’t forget video content. On social media, you can use videos to promote new workout classes, post client testimonials, post a workout video, or even share diet tips.
2.5 Use Social Media Ads
While you should always strive to build your social media following organically, that process can be slow. If you rely on it alone, it may take you close to a year or even more before you can build a sizeable following. At the same time, you will also find it quite hard to reach more potential fitness clients, if you only rely on an organic following.
To counter this challenge, you should also consider using social media ads as part of your fitness social media marketing plan. Whether you opt for Facebook ads for gyms or Instagram gym ads, this method will help you to target your target audience directly.
When properly crafted and personalized, gym ads can help you to grow your membership fast, thus improving your bottom line. You simply need to come up with creative ways, which can help to position your fitness brand successfully online.
3. Fitness Content Ideas
Posting high-quality, relevant fitness content regularly and engaging with your followers will go a long way in building your reputation, spreading brand awareness as well as attracting more clients. It will also help you to retain the current ones.
The problem is, creating the content that you need to post regularly can be stressful and time-consuming. Fortunately, we are here to help. Here are some fitness content ideas that can help to inspire your gym social media content strategy:
- Testimonials
- Upcoming events
- Giveaways
- Healthy eating and recipes
- Celebrating member achievements
- Running a challenge
- Quotes and sayings
4. Wrapping It Up
Gym social media marketing is an effective means of increasing your fitness brand’s exposure, attracting new members, engaging with your target audience as well as positioning yourself as an expert in the fitness industry. And by using the tips and ideas we’ve shared in this article, you can maximize the power of social media to grow your fitness brand. So, if you are a fitness professional, a fitness business owner or a personal trainer without a strong social media presence, you are missing out on its huge potential. Get started today and watch your gym membership grow.