Welcome to the digital era. Strides in technology have made many business tasks easier and instant. Many companies are switching to the online world because that’s where the future is headed.
Do you feel left behind? I won’t let that happen.
You may not consider yourself a tech-savvy person. It’s ok if you’re not. Try to have an open mind to learn how to promote yourself, your brand, and your fitness expertise. You’ve come to the right place.
Let’s break this down into words everyone can understand.
Why is online marketing important for my fitness business?
Think about what you do when you look for anything in your area. A restaurant, gym, doctor, or nursery, where do you go for recommendations? The internet. It’s quick and simple. You find out what you want to know with a few clicks of a button. Everyone else does the same thing.
93% of people looking for a product or service use the internet to find a local business1. They want something close to home. Local businesses compete with each other. When you have a business online, you compete with the whole world. But don’t let that scare you.
You can market yourself online and offline. Online marketing is critical to a thriving business. Make your brand more visible. Connect with your clients through a well-thought-out plan for your marketing strategy. Everyone has access to the internet. That means they have access to you and the services you provide.
When your fitness business is online, that makes it even easier to meet new clients. You can train, teach, or coach anyone in the world. The sky is your limit. Imagine reaching millions of people because you have a strong online presence. When you know how to market yourself, you stand out in the sea of fitness entrepreneurs. You become a FITprenuer.
How can I promote my online fitness business effectively?
There are a few ways to go about your online marketing strategy. It doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. If you have time, put strategies in place yourself or pay someone to do it. This isn’t an option for everyone. It can save you the headache if you don’t want to be stuck doing everything. You are the boss now. The choice is yours.
Do you have a website?
If you don’t have a website yet, make it a priority. You are shooting yourself in the foot if you don’t start with a website. Start with a URL. Your URL is your web address. For example, www.balletbefit.co.uk is my web address. This should be something that your clients can easily remember, something simple.
Always think like a potential client when you design your website. What would they want to know – home, about, services, pricing, testimonials, contact. What color scheme would you imagine if you were looking for your services? Be true to your brand but keep the people you want to serve in mind. If you have a specialty niche, share that on your website.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization stands for SEO. (I know, It’s a mouthful.) It refers to the words clients would most likely type into Google to find your website and your services. These words can make all the difference for you to show up in search results.
75% of people never look past page one of search results1. Sprinkling keywords into your website and blogs will rank you higher on the first page. Any type of marketing is anybody’s best guess. There are never any guarantees. If someone promises you results in a specific time frame, don’t trust them. Run the other direction. SEO takes time to work. It could take months to start seeing results. But it will pay off.
Are blogs worth the investment of my marketing budget?
Yes, yes, and yes. Blogs are wonderful tools for a few reasons. They put your expertise on display which helps visitors get to know and trust you. They also offer immediate solutions to their concerns and problems. Blogs encourage them to come to you for advice in the future. You are establishing your authority through informative content.
Blogs help you with SEO. Consistent, high-quality content on your website, tells Google you are a reliable source of information. It can be hard to come up with ideas that you want to write about. What did you want to know when you began your fitness routine? Blogs are a great way to explain any specialty services, methods, or beliefs you bring to the table.
What is content marketing?
It is completely online. You create and share material that informs and stimulates your reader to action. This can be in the form of websites, blogs, ebooks, emails, social media ads, or newsletters. A writer can specialize in one type of content or they may do it all.
This is a great way to grow your audience. You show the value you bring into your reader’s life and present yourself as the solution. This earns their trust. By keeping up with your content, you stay engaged with your clients and keep the door open for new ones.
Social Media Platforms
Social media helps current and potential clients get to know you on a personal level. Post encouraging videos and photos to motivate your followers kindly. Show them you are a positive and caring person.
Last year, over 3.6 billion people worldwide used social media2. This number is expected to continue to grow which means you can reach more people. Influence more lives. Social media helps you reach people who may not have been looking for your name. But they are in the market for your services.
Facebook ads are great for getting your brand seen by more people. You can target your ideal clients through personalized marketing campaigns. These kinds of ads can expand the number of people you are reaching.
If you aren’t interested in having an account with every single platform. No worries. Facebook owns Instagram. You can design your ad through your Facebook business page. So you can have ads on Instagram without having an account. One less thing to keep up with.
This marketing platform spreads your tweets around to more people. It brings traffic to your website. Hello number one ranking on Google! Twitter discourages hashtags in your ads. This seems to direct people away from you. So pick a goal for your ad, who your ideal client is, what your budget looks like, and get creative.
Youtube
Videos are a great way to explain things to clients. You can show the correct and safe way to perform an exercise. It’s much easier to take time to explain through a video. Youtube has a feature called “Find My Audience”. This takes out some of the leg work for you. It helps you learn more about your ideal client so you know what to say to catch their attention.
If you are not good with technology, it may take you some time to learn how to market yourself online. But it is possible to do it. Be patient with yourself. Allow yourself to make mistakes because you will learn from them.
Imagine how accomplished you will feel when you don’t have to ask a millennial for help. I know you can do it but you have to believe in yourself too.
