Why Health & Fitness Clubs Should Be Active on Social Media

Key Points

• Health and fitness clubs benefit from an active social media presence by increasing brand awareness, fostering community engagement, and driving sales through targeted ads and organic interactions.
• Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer cost-effective tools for promoting programs, recruiting staff, and recognizing achievements, enhancing both member and employee loyalty.
• Regularly posting engaging content and leveraging social media features like tagging, shares, and calls-to-action boosts website traffic, improves SEO, and attracts prospective members.

Table of Contents

The importance of having an active presence on social media may be undervalued by health and fitness clubs. Creating profiles on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram is important; however, clubs can’t just stop at creating social media accounts — they must also be active.

While your club might not be active on social media, its likely that most of your members and prospective members are. Let’s look at some data:

Facebook – The Facebook Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2018 Results noted the Facebook community as having 232 billion monthly active users, which was a 9% increase from the previous year [source 1.] Additionally, Facebook reports 1.6 billion people worldwide are connected to a small business on Facebook [source 2.]

Instagram – Instagram reports that there are over 1 billion Instagram accounts worldwide that are active every month and 80% of Instagram users follow at least one business on Instagram. [source 3]

These statistics validate why it’s important to open business pages, make sure your business’ information is current and post engaging content weekly, if not daily.

Benefits of Being Active on Social Media

Cost

Social ads are a low-cost way to promote your club and programs and distribute targeted content. You can be selective about where your ads are being served by choosing your target area, desired age, gender, and more. Plus, organic posts shared and commented on by members and followers of your page are FREE advertising for you!

Community

Think of social media as an outlet where your members can connect, share and learn. Members and followers can interact with you and each-other. With simple social posts such as highlighting members’ achievements, encouraging their fitness and health goals, not only will your members find a sense of community, but prospective members may be more encouraged to join your “tribe.”

Shares

Build your club’s brand awareness and loyalty through simple social interactions like encouraging members to tag themselves on group pictures and share special club offers with their friends. If your club is present on Facebook, you could be tagged in “local recommendations,” allowing community members to refer prospects to your door.

Sales

Increasing your club’s sales is also a benefit of being active on social media. Use social media to promote specials and new programs or amenities. Include a call-to-action, such as submitting a form for more information, calling the club, or visiting, which will drive leads and ultimately sales.

Increased Search-ability

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of increasing traffic to your business’s website by increasing the visibility of your site to users of online search engines. While social media doesn’t directly increase search engine ranking, through paid advertising and interactions with your posts such as links and shares, it can increase traffic flow to your website.

Recruiting

A company is only as good as its staff. Looking for new employees with a certain skill set? The social media platform, LinkedIn, allows for you to both post open positions as well as search, connect, and recruit.

LinkedIn reports they have more than 630 million users, and many LinkedIn members say they are open to the right job opportunity. The LinkedIn platform is like an online talent pool available to source candidates with specific titles, experience, and more in your area. Professionals with profiles can also note if they are looking for new opportunities.

Staff Recognition

Create a positive work environment of your Club by recognizing your outstanding employees for milestones, new certifications, positive member reviews and more.

No matter what your goal, managing and maintaining your club’s social media will lead to increased traffic, better SEO, improved brand awareness, customer and staff loyalty, and much more!

[1] MENLO PARK, Calif., Jan. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ https://investor.fb.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2019/Facebook-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2018-Results/default.aspx

[2] https://www.facebook.com/business/ads August 14, 2019

[3] https://business.instagram.com/ August 14, 2019

[4] https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions#  August 14, 2019

Key Takeaways

• Actively managing your club’s social media presence helps you connect with members, build a sense of community, and attract new prospects through engaging and shareable content.
• Use platforms like Facebook and Instagram to promote special offers, highlight member achievements, and encourage organic sharing to expand your reach and brand visibility.
• Leverage LinkedIn to recruit skilled staff, recognize employee milestones, and create a positive work environment that supports your club’s growth.
• Consistently update your social media profiles, post relevant content, and include calls-to-action to drive website traffic, improve SEO, and generate leads for increased sales.

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