Social media has transformed the way society interacts, and fitness facilities are no exception. Social media is a valuable tool for influencing consumers, promoting your facility, and also building your brand. Not only is it a great way to increase your member base; it is also a great way for your trainers and current members to interact and stay engaged with your facility. Given the current COVID-19 concerns that have resulted in many fitness facilities having to close their doors, keeping your members engaged and your brand alive is more important now than ever.

Let’s take a look at how the power of social media can support your core business strategy and keep your brand thriving.

Social Media Basics

Social media success often relies on the strength of your facility’s brand – the collectiveness of all aspects coming together with one unique voice and personality. A solid social media foundation can help a club engage with its members and influence brand awareness for the organization.

Facility owners and gym operators can effectively and practically take on social media marketing without big budgets and the resources third-party agencies offer. An independent facility or studio owner can, without an elaborate infrastructure of people and money or an extensive marketing team, establish social media basics, develop simple strategies, concentrate efforts, and effectively engage existing resources.

A simple yet effective strategy amplifies the facility’s best advocates to create social media content. Your personal trainers, dedicated staff, and amazing members are an unlimited resource for content. They have wonderful success stories and valuable insight your social media can leverage to influence and retain membership.

Build Your Brand

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter make it possible to reach and market to thousands of people within seconds. They can greatly affect the success of your business if used correctly. Social media allows you to reach current and potential members from anywhere in the world, and we all know that people tend to rely more on the recommendations and thoughts of their peers rather than advertisements. Having a strong online social media presence generates interest and keeps people engaging with your brand without actually having to be in your facility.

Engage Your Community

Harness the power of social media marketing by striving to create an active online culture and community of people who will continue to engage with your facility regularly. Sharing valuable content builds relationships, enforces brand awareness, and creates a solid following on social media platforms.

Instead of making every post focused on selling memberships, also engage with your followers by posting content that they would find interesting and relevant. Posting some free content, such as workouts, exercise ideas, and nutrition tips, is a great way to build a relationship with your followers and keep people loyal to your brand.

Your social media presence should have a community feel to it, where current and prospective members can find helpful information, plus support and engage with each other. Your social media profiles should resemble the layout and style of your website. All platforms should contain elements that tie them together so prospective and current members can easily associate them with your brand. Include bright and engaging pictures and videos, products that fit within your brand, and other material relevant to your facility, its offerings, and culture.

While this is a great way to advertise your gym, do not overwhelm your followers with sales and offers. Your social media profiles should be filled with quality and helpful videos, photos, articles, and posts. For example, during this time that a lot of people do not have access to a gym, it is a great time to post content that will help them stick to their goals while not being on their normal schedule. This can mean posting at-home workout plans, nutrition info, and mindfulness tips.

Promote Your Programming

Use this downtime to start an online community by creating Facebook groups for different goals and programming options. Whether it is for weight loss, muscle building, strength training, or boot camps, focus on building a strong community feeling. Host Facebook or Instagram live classes with your trainers and allow for ongoing conversations and posts where people can share their own tips and workouts with one another. This kind of social engagement can improve member retention by fostering accountability within the community. The social aspect of a program will keep members motivated and interested while they are not able to step foot into the facility.

Support for brands spreads through word of mouth, and also in this case, through online communities. Members will share information about the programs and content you are offering on social media pages and groups, and possibly post pictures and stories about their own experiences. This results in free advertising that reaches numerous people within a very short amount of time. This kind of social exposure can often generate increased interest in your business, which can lead to increased member retention and even an increase in new membership and revenue when the doors of your facility can open once again.