Why use inbound marketing for gyms in 'the golden age of fitness'

With over 80% of the UK population living within two miles of a gym, there are few barriers to people being able to enjoy a gym membership. The real question is – how do they choose? In this blog, we explain the value of inbound marketing for gyms.

The gym sector is a golden opportunity

The 2017 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals there are now over 9.7 million fitness members in the UK, meaning that 1 in every 7 people in the UK is a gym member! What’s more, the industry is continuing to see impressive growth.

However, an annual 5.1% increase in members has been met with an annual 4.6% increase in the number of facilities. As sector popularity grows, so does competition.

David Minton, Director of LeisureDB explained: “It may be premature to call the period to 2020 “the golden age of fitness” but further growth will only be limited to the imagination of those pushing the boundaries.”

The budget option

Consumers are increasingly opting for traditional gyms that focus on providing value for money. In fact, low cost gyms have seen memberships soar by 450% since 2012, and they now account for almost 35% of all private sector gym membership.

Inexpensive options may be tempting people who weren’t always loyal to the fitness market to give it a try and sign up at minimal cost. Some budget options also score highly in terms of convenience, securing central locations and offering 24/7 access.

However, it’s not realistic to expect every gym in the UK to join a race to the bottom! Rather than bankrupt yourself trying to undercut all of the competition on price, it may be better to take another approach. What makes your gym different?

The boutique option

The budget gym is seeing increasing competition from boutique studios offering more specialist training packages.

Fitness enthusiasts, especially millennials, “are developing a diverse fitness palate” according to Fitch Ratings. Spin, barre and calisthenics are all prime examples of niche fitness pursuits which have exploded in popularity over recent years.

Boutique fitness studios often provide a more tailored service to their clients, and foster a closer ‘community’ feel, providing gym goers with an offering that large corporate companies struggle to match. 

How to perfect inbound marketing for gyms

With gyms facing rising competition across the board, its time to make your voice heard. You need to tell prospective clients where you are, what you offer, how you can support them and why they should choose you over all the competition.

First thing’s first – pretty much every business in the gym sector needs an online presence. This is where inbound marketing for gyms comes in.

People are steadily becoming more and more averse to salespeople, as the internet provides them with a wealth of information at their fingertips. For this reason, you need to communicate your business values and offerings through online channels, where prospective clients are likely to find you.

In short, inbound marketing is the process of attracting prospects to you with valuable content, and converting them into customers and advocates for your brand.

So how should you approach inbound marketing for gyms? Well, gym goers want to find places located close to them, offering the discipline they’re interested in, and compare their choices before actually speaking to anyone about signing up. You therefore need to produce and promote content that enables this process.

Social media can make an immediate difference in this - posts can include client transformations, personal trainer profiles, class details or even fitness challenges. You can further engage your audience by starting conversations, using industry hashtags and following related accounts.

Online content on your company website and blog is also key to your online visibility. By producing quality content specific to your offering and location, you can gradually build up your organic ranking for key search terms your prospects will be using (e.g. best spin class in Manchester, or Saturday boot camp in Heaton Park)

Working with an inbound marketing agency

There are huge rewards on offer if your gym can share the right content in the right places, and successfully differentiate its offering from market competitors. If you’re having any difficulties getting your head around inbound marketing for gyms, however, we’d be happy to help. Get in touch!