Running a gym or fitness center is all about being seen. You want people to see your locations, see the people coming in and out, and see themselves inside. But getting that important visibility online is easier said than done. When you are competing in a competitive online environment for valuable real estate, knowing the different channels that might work best for you is important.
Social media can help you gain followers, share your story, interact with customers, and get new leads. But in order to get social media to work for you, you first need to know some important social media tips for gym and fitness centers that are different from using social media personally.
In this article, we’ll talk about why social media is an important digital marketing channel to pursue for gyms and fitness centers, and give you some tips on how you can take your social media marketing to the next level without too much trouble. We’ll also help you understand how using a marketing platform like Surefire Local can help you track, post, and engage on social media more effectively.
Why is Being on Social Media Valuable?
Being active on social media is important for a few reasons. As a gym owner or operator, you know how important it is to be consistent with your workouts and make sure that you are constantly mindful of your health. Social media works similarly. When you are dedicated to posting and put in the effort to grow a following, you will see results.
Social media provides key benefits, like direct communication with your audience and a chance for you to showcase content, both from you and from users who tag your location or your profile. But why else is it important to be on social media? Here are a few key reasons.
People Expect You To Be There
If you Googled a business name and nothing showed up, you would think that was odd. The same is true for social media. If someone goes to look up a business on a social media platform, they expect to find that business there. If they can’t find a trace of your gym, it can make them feel uneasy or suspicious about the legitimacy of your business.
And it’s more than just having a profile. If you don’t actively post on social media, then potential customers might wonder if your gym is still open or if you are taking in new customers. But when you post regularly, they see that your business is active and that it is part of a community that is available to them. Without a social media presence, you might struggle to get leads through digital channels.
People Rely on Peer Validation
Another reason why social media is so important is that it helps leads and potential new members get peer validation about your gym. Social media helps you get recognized by the larger community in your area and get feedback from customers. If someone comes across your profile online and sees that customers are tagging you and showing off photos from your gym, it makes them feel validated that the business is worth their time.
Peer validation is an important part of how modern consumers make business decisions. Think about the last time you ordered something online. Did you just throw it in your cart and check out? Or did you go and look at the star rating, the customer reviews, and any customer photos of the item? Odds are you take the opinion of others into consideration before you make any sort of purchase online, including signing up for a gym membership.
People Use Social Media to Research and Discover
Most people think of Google as the biggest search engine, which is true. But people do their research and discovery online with more than just search engines. People also use social media platforms as a place to learn more about a business before they make a purchase decision. By being active and present on social media, you can help potential new members make that decision with you.
Someone who is looking for a gym to join might go on social media to search for a gym in their area. From there, they might explore your profile to see how big your gym is, what type of equipment you carry, what classes you offer, or how busy you get at certain times of day. If you have a strong social media presence and are regularly posting, you can answer those questions for visitors before they ever come to your gym in person.
People Want Insights to Their Experiences
There is a large group of people who enjoy knowing what they can expect before they actually experience it. Going to the gym is one of those cases where many people want to familiarize themselves with what is going to happen or what the layout is before they make a visit. People use social media to explore spaces and get a feel for a business before they go and visit it.
Social media also helps people know what to expect when it comes to the community you have at your gym. People want an insider view of what life is like at your business, so posting things like staff photos, group classes, and personal trainer information can help people feel more comfortable and confident about visiting your business.
People Want to See Results
A final reason why being active on social media is so important is that it helps people see results. This is true for any type of business. People who visit dermatologists or pet groomers also want to know that the results of working with your business are positive. But for a gym, it can be even more close to home and impactful as a marketing tool to show before and after people have gone to your gym.
When someone finds success in a gym or fitness center, it means that they have gotten visible results that are great to share online. It shows potential customers that your gym is capable of getting them to the next level with their physical appearance and health. This resonates deeply with gym-goers and newbies alike, and social media can be the vehicle you use to showcase success stories.
Social Media Tips for Gyms
Now that you know the reasons why being on social media and having it in your marketing strategy is so important, let’s explore some of the most important social media tips for gyms and fitness professionals that you can use to boost your social media strategy and get a jump-start on social media marketing success.
1. Post Consistently
Consistency is key in many things, and social media is one of them. By posting consistently your followers know when to expect new content from you. It also is important to share visually appealing content like images and videos about:
- How to use equipment
- The strength or abilities of trainers
- Healthy recipes or eating plans
- Testimonials from customers
- Gym challenges
- Staff goofing around and having fun
- Before and after pictures
- Your team at an event
- New changes at the gym
- Classes that people can join
- Motivational posts
2. Treat Platforms Differently
Every social media platform is different and has different values for people who use it. You wouldn’t want to have the same type of social content on Facebook as you do on YouTube or vice versa. Instead, focus on building followers on each account separately based on the algorithm of each platform.
3. Respond to Comments and Questions
Social media is a great way to interact with customers one-on-one with direct messages, post comments, and shares. Make sure to respond to your followers when they tag you with a question or send you a DM. That helps you build community online.
4. Educate Your Community
As a gym, you can use social media to help educate your community about the importance of working out and being active, living a healthy lifestyle, and challenging yourself. By posting educational information as well as fun posts you can help your community learn more.
5. Be Authentic
Don’t worry too much about trying to create an image online. It’s more important to be honest and authentic with your audiences than to be overly professional and polished. People prefer knowing accounts are run by real people and your brand’s image will reflect that naturally.
6. Set Goals and Be Strategic
Social media is part of marketing. You shouldn’t post without a goal in mind, like getting more engagement or getting more calls from social posts. Set clear goals and be strategic, so you know when to call it quits with a platform that isn’t working for you.
Attend a Surefire Local Marketing Platform Demo
At Surefire Local, we understand how important it is for gym owners to boost their social media presence. That’s why our business intelligence and marketing platform brings social media together into one location for gym owners to easily navigate and post. To learn more, get a demo of Surefire Local today.