5 Ways To Use Social Media To Promote Your Gym
When’s the last time you evaluated your gym’s social media footprint? Sure, your club might have a Facebook Page that’s used every few weeks--or an Instagram account that posts new equipment, class schedule updates, and employee introductions. But are you really using your social media to its full potential?
Let’s face it, social media is no longer a young person’s game. In fact, according to Statista.com a staggering 38.2% of US Facebook users fall between the ages of 45-65+. So while the majority of users fall in the younger demographic, social platforms like Facebook and Instagram are an increasingly effective (and free) marketing tool to reach gym members of all ages.
Here are our top 5 ways to use your gym’s social media to help your facility grow!
1. Promote User Generated Content
Sure, you can sing your own praises ‘til the cows come home, but nothing builds trust like sharing honest user content and testimonials from your existing customers. Sharing people’s photos, videos, and experiences from your facility not only shows them gratitude, but it also shows your other followers that people are proud to work out at your gym. You never know if the perfect User Generated Post will push that new follower to come in and sign up. Don’t forget to ask for permission before posting anyone else’s content!
2. Keep It Organized And Efficient
These days, there are tons of effective social media platforms to choose from, and you should really consider creating accounts for your gym on all fronts. But it can get a little overwhelming. We recommend using an affordable (and sometimes free) social media management tool so that you can schedule posts, follow engagement metrics, and communicate with your followers easily. At The Abs Company, we recommend trying Hootsuite--an easy to use and intuitive social media management tool to make your life easier!
3. Show Some Love!
What better way to show that you care about your members than featuring them in your posts? Many clubs have seen success by doing ‘Member Of The Week’ spotlights to show that their club is the perfect fit for members of all ages and fitness experience levels. To your existing members, it’s a nice way of being recognized, but to potential members it's a surefire way to show them ‘if this person can do it, so can you!”. Of course, always check with your members before featuring them in any posts.
4. Don’t Underestimate A Giveaway!
Whether it be free personal training sessions, tanning, or a month of free membership, a giveaway/contest is a tried and true way to boost engagement with your social media accounts. You can invite existing or potential members to follow your social accounts for a chance to win, or you can invite members to post something fun and creative for their shot at the prize. Want to get more creative? A physical fitness contest (most push ups or best monthly MyZone score) can provide incredible content for your social media accounts to show followers how much fun your gym community really is.
5. If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It
The day has finally arrived; you’ve cleared the appropriate floor space, and you’ve scheduled your delivery, and it’s almost time to unveil your brand new gym equipment to your members. Be sure to drum up excitement with fun ‘Coming Soon’ posts on your social accounts, and grab plenty of video testimonials from your members when the equipment finally comes. Need a hand finding the right, exciting equipment to wow your followers? Check out our Ab Zone as a great, affordable place to start.
In reality, we’ve only just scratched the surface of social media’s potential for helping push gyms and fitness centers to thousands of potential new customers. With the right content and social media management, you can capitalize on absolutely FREE marketing and get results that might otherwise cost you thousands of dollars. Looking for more free tips? Email me any time at Ryan@TheAbsCompany.com