Improving your social presence
Lets talk about how you can improve your social media presence and increase your reviews
Why do we need to focus on social media?
Think of social media as another type of 'signpost' for your club, only this one lives online and is accessible to your entire community.
Social media platforms are where people spend their free time, search for recommendations, and connect with local businesses.
By maintaining an active social media presence, you're placing your club in front of potential students right where they're already looking.
If your social media content is engaging, informative, and shows what your club is all about, you'll attract more attention and drive more foot traffic to your website or location. From showcasing training sessions and student testimonials to posting community events, social media can act as a powerful tool to amplify your club's message.
If your social media content is engaging, informative, and shows what your club is all about, you'll attract more attention and drive more foot traffic to your website or location. From showcasing training sessions and student testimonials to posting community events, social media can act as a powerful tool to amplify your club's message.
What social media accounts you need
It can be tempting to create accounts on every social media platform, but not all of them may be right for your club.
Think about where your target audience spends their time.
You don't need to be on every platform, but make sure you're fully utilizing the ones that work best for your audience. Each platform has unique features that can help you communicate specific aspects of your club, so choose carefully and focus on creating quality content rather than quantity.
- Facebook: Good for parents and older adults
- Instagram: Ideal for teens and young adults
- TikTok: Popular with teens and young adults
- LinkedIn: Great for professionals
You don't need to be on every platform, but make sure you're fully utilizing the ones that work best for your audience. Each platform has unique features that can help you communicate specific aspects of your club, so choose carefully and focus on creating quality content rather than quantity.
Do you really need them all?
No, you don't need to be on every social media platform.
The goal is to build a presence on the platforms that give you the best return for your effort.
It's more valuable to have one or two active, engaging accounts than to be spread thin across multiple platforms with inconsistent updates.
Take the time to research which platforms are most relevant to your audience. Pick the ones where you can be active and engage effectively, and then focus on posting content that resonates with that specific group. Remember, it's about quality over quantity.
Take the time to research which platforms are most relevant to your audience. Pick the ones where you can be active and engage effectively, and then focus on posting content that resonates with that specific group. Remember, it's about quality over quantity.
What tools you can use to make it easier
Managing social media accounts can feel overwhelming, especially if you're focusing on a few different platforms.
Fortunately, there are plenty of tools that can help.
Tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or Later allow you to schedule posts in advance, manage interactions, and track performance metrics all in one place.
If creating content is time-consuming, tools like Canva make designing professional-looking graphics quick and easy, even if you don't have a background in design. By using the right tools, you can simplify your social media efforts and stay consistent with your posts without burning out.
A good tip to avoid burnout is to batch your content creation. Spend one day a month creating all your posts for the upcoming weeks, then schedule them in advance. You can always add in real-time updates or news as needed, but having a content calendar will help you stay organized and on track.
If creating content is time-consuming, tools like Canva make designing professional-looking graphics quick and easy, even if you don't have a background in design. By using the right tools, you can simplify your social media efforts and stay consistent with your posts without burning out.
A good tip to avoid burnout is to batch your content creation. Spend one day a month creating all your posts for the upcoming weeks, then schedule them in advance. You can always add in real-time updates or news as needed, but having a content calendar will help you stay organized and on track.
Why do we need to focus on Reviews?
Customer reviews are more than just testimonials; they're social proof that builds credibility for your club.
When potential students—or parents, in the case of kids classes—see positive feedback, they feel reassured that your club is reputable and worth visiting.
Positive reviews can increase inquiries and bring in students who might be hesitant otherwise.
Encouraging your current members to leave reviews, whether on Google, Facebook, or Yelp, can go a long way. Each review not only builds trust but also helps improve your visibility on local search engines. The more positive reviews you have, the easier it will be for potential members to trust that your club is the right choice for them.
Recently, Google has been prioritising sites that review your business in the search results. So if you are missing out from these main directories and social sites, you will be missing out on free advertising from Google.
Encouraging your current members to leave reviews, whether on Google, Facebook, or Yelp, can go a long way. Each review not only builds trust but also helps improve your visibility on local search engines. The more positive reviews you have, the easier it will be for potential members to trust that your club is the right choice for them.
Recently, Google has been prioritising sites that review your business in the search results. So if you are missing out from these main directories and social sites, you will be missing out on free advertising from Google.
Is it just Google and Facbook reviews?
Google and Facebook are great starting points, but diversifying where you collect reviews can broaden your club's reach.
Platforms like Yelp, ClassPass (if applicable), or even industry-specific forums can help you connect with a broader audience.
Other sites are like those sign posts and posters we talked about in improving your online sign posts, which means you can leverage the traffic they get to point back to you.
Each platform attracts different types of users, so consider where your potential members are likely to look when researching local clubs. Google and Facebook provide a solid foundation, but by branching out to additional platforms, you're more likely to capture new members who may not use those two exclusively.
Other sites are like those sign posts and posters we talked about in improving your online sign posts, which means you can leverage the traffic they get to point back to you.
Each platform attracts different types of users, so consider where your potential members are likely to look when researching local clubs. Google and Facebook provide a solid foundation, but by branching out to additional platforms, you're more likely to capture new members who may not use those two exclusively.
What next?
Hopefully, you have an e-mail list of all your members.
You can leverage that and send them a request to leave a review on Google or Facebook.
Additionally, you can reach out on your social media platforms, ask them to leave you a review and check in on them to see how they are doing in life (your students that is, not your reviews).