Marketing your fitness centre or business doesn’t mean you have to create all the content. Leveraging user-generated content is an easy way to ensure continuity in your marketing without having to do all of the work yourself.
Find out more about user-generated content and how it can help your fitness marketing below.
What is User-Generated Content?
Put simply, user-generated content is any content that a user generates. It can be text, video, images, reviews, or any other kind of media. If it’s made by a client or customer rather than you then it’s user-generated.
User-generated content (UGC) is a fantastic marketing method that can be used in a whole range of industries, including the fitness industry!
What Kind of UGC Can I Use to Market My Fitness Centre?
So, what kind of UGC can you use to market your fitness business?
You’ll be pleased to know that UGC lends itself very well to fitness marketing, so you’ve got a tonne of options.
#1 Testimonials
One of the best ways to promote your business is to show people how past clients have enjoyed them. Whether the testimonials are text reviews, videos, or reposts, they share what they liked about your business and why others should use it.
Not only can testimonials be shared on social media, but you can create a dedicated page on your website. This means that if anyone wants to find lots of proof that your services are worth it, they’ve got a whole page to scroll through.
Need help building a website with a testimonials page? Rokir can help!
#2 Hashtags
An old and simple trick to find and use UGC is to create a hashtag campaign associated with your brand. This way, clients and customers can add their own images to the hashtag where all the content can be easily viewed. Additionally, when you see content using the hashtag, you can reshare it to your stories or your profile on a range of platforms.
For a successful hashtag campaign, we recommend putting the hashtag in your bio so people know that it is associated with you and your brand.
#3 Member Transformations
Fitness is great for a before and after. This kind of success story really motivates people to engage with your brand. Encourage clients to create before and after pictures that you can reshare and save to your profile so that potential clients can see how your services can work for real-life people.
For clients you’ve worked with for a while, you could even use their content to create a blog where you speak with them about the process. Expanding on UGC can create authenticity while still improving your engagement.
#4 Hosting events and classes
Online classes can be hosted on the live features of both TikTok and Instagram. While hosting the class, encourage your users to document the class, share their experiences, and talk about it on their social platforms.
#5 Member Spotlights
Lastly, making members the social point of your content is a great way to encourage more UGC. If you spotlight a member every week through their UGC then other followers are likely to create more content with the hopes of being featured.
On Instagram, you could create a highlight for this content and on TikTok a playlist, so people can always find this content when they want to see success stories.
What Benefits Does UGC Have?
We’ve discussed what user-generated content is and can be, but you might be wondering what the point of it is after all. Below are some of the top benefits of UGC for your fitness business.
- Trust and authenticity: One of the most obvious benefits of UGC is that it provides authenticity to your content. You can talk until you’re blue in the face about how good your services are, but UGC proves this. Clients often want to see proof with their own eyes, and your clients can show them.
- Community engagement: Through content like hashtag campaigns, member spotlights, and online classes, you can encourage a sense of community in your space. For fitness, community can have a really positive impact, and it will also increase your engagement!
- Cost-effective: While you should never rely solely on users to generate your marketing content, using UGC means that you can have a few days off. Encouraging members to get involved means that on days when you don’t have content to share, you can reshare or repost UGC. This will still have a positive impact on your marketing.
- Participation: Some people may find taking the first steps difficult with exercise and fitness. With members-focused campaigns, they can take that step in a much less intimidating way online. Participation is much easier if all you need to do is use a hashtag. It could encourage more hesitant potential clients to get involved.
- Wider marketing: While we’re talking about how UGC can benefit you and your profiles, there are also the wider results to consider. For example, if a member posts a before and after to their profile, they’re also sharing their achievements and your brand with their circle. This extends your reach to accounts that might not follow you but could be prompted to by UGC.
Final Thoughts
Fitness marketing can be made easier if you harness the power of user-generated content. Not only will it reduce your workload, but it can have a positive impact on your community, your account reach, and your authenticity and credibility as a brand.
If you’re looking for support with your social media strategy or your content creation, then Rokir has got the answer. We offer tailored digital packages for all of our clients so that our service works for their unique needs.
Contact the team today for more information on the services we offer and how they might help your fitness business today.
Hi I’m Alex, Blog and PR Copywriter
