Running a gym is demanding, and squeezing in time to create content can be challenging. But as we all know, having consistent, engaging content is crucial for growing your gym’s presence on social media.
A well-planned content strategy is key to gaining more leads, increasing sales, and nurturing brand loyalty.
And it might be easier than you think…
In this article, we’ll show you four simple tricks you can follow to help you build a more effective content strategy. These steps will save you time, get you ahead on content, and strengthen your gym’s online presence without overwhelming your busy schedule.
Four Key Steps to a Winning Content Strategy
Let’s dive into the four key steps that will take your gym’s content strategy to the next level.
Step 1: Brainstorm Engaging Gym Content Ideas
Start by organizing a 1-2 hour brainstorming session with your team each week. This is a great way to gather at least a month’s worth of valuable content ideas, saving you from the last-minute rush of deciding what to post for the sake of posting.
Remember, consistency is key to a strong social media presence for your gym. During these brainstorming sessions, try to come up with 8-12 content ideas. This will set you up nicely to post 2-3 times a week, keeping your gym’s social media channels active and engaging.
To streamline this process, focus on a specific theme for each week, and ensure that these posts are relevant and resonate with your target audience. Doing so, you’ll give your gym’s social feed a cohesive and professional look.
Here’s a quick summary:
- Weekly brainstorming sessions for 1-2 hours
- Plan for 8-12 content ideas each month (around 2-3 posts per week)
- Choose one theme per week for consistency
💡 Tip: Struggling with ideas and need some inspiration? Look at other fitness-related accounts to see what you like about their content, and think about how you can adapt these ideas for your gym.
And if you need more help with brainstorming, consider using AI tools. See our guide, Unleashing the Power of AI in Your Gym: The Ultimate Guide to Using ChatGPT for Fitness Professionals, for more insights.
Step 2: Plan Your Gym’s Content Calendar
Once you’ve brainstormed your ideas, the next step is to organize them into a well-structured content calendar. This can include elements like:
- The concept for each post
- Where you got the inspiration for the post
- Caption ideas
- A list of what you need for each post, like specific photo or video shots
Cassie Day, Founder and CEO of All Day Fit, uses a content calendar to keep her team’s content organized. Here’s a look at how they plan:
A well-planned content calendar lets you easily see what’s needed for your posts. It also helps you assign tasks to your team, ensuring clarity on who’s responsible for each part of the content creation process. This way, no task gets overlooked.
💡 For a full breakdown of Cassie’s content strategy, check out The BEST Instagram Strategy for Gym Owners
Remember, a content calendar doesn’t have to follow a specific formula. As long as it includes what you need and helps you manage your content creation process, it will work. The key is to find a format that works best for you and your team.
Here are a couple other content calendar examples:
Source: Semrush
Source: Backlinko
Step 3: Shoot and Create the Content
With your content calendar in hand, use it to guide your content creation. Set aside a couple of hours with your team to capture all the photos and videos you need from Step 2.
Having everything mapped out beforehand makes shooting content much easier. This organized approach lets you to focus on producing high-quality, valuable posts without feeling overwhelmed.
💡 Tip: Consider hiring a professional photographer. High-quality visual assets can make a big difference in catching people’s attention and making your gym stand out from the competition.
Step 4: Organize and Schedule Your Gym’s Social Posts
Now that you have all your content pieces ready, it’s time to bring everything together. The next step is to plan out when each post will go up on your gym’s social media. A calendar, like the one below, is a great tool for this, helping you visualize your entire week’s content plan at a glance.
Source: creately
Once your schedule is set, go ahead and schedule your posts. Different social media platforms tend to have built-in scheduling features, or you can opt for third-party tools for added convenience. Scheduling your posts in advance means you won’t have to manually post each one, saving you time and ensuring consistency.
Additional Content Strategy Tips
To further enhance your gym’s online presence, consider these tricks:
Post Casual Content for More Engagement
Having a structured content strategy is key to maintaining a consistent and valuable online presence. However, adding casual, in-the-moment content, such as Stories on Meta platforms, can boost engagement. You can share things like:
- What goes on behind the scenes at your gym
- Your members’ success stories and achievements
- Quick news or updates
- Posts your members make about your gym (user-generated content)
- Interactive elements like polls or Q&As for audience feedback
And so much more. Mixing these casual posts with your scheduled content creates a better experience for your audience. It’s a great balance between professional and personal, making your gym’s online presence more relatable and engaging.
Optimize Your Gym’s Google Business Profile
Just like your social media, it’s important to keep your gym’s Google Business Profile updated regularly. This helps your gym appear in Google searches and get more people to find you. So, try to update it at least once a week.
Here are some easy ways to optimize your profile:
- Complete every section of your Google Business Profile
- Update your operating hours and contact info as needed
- List products and services your gym offers
- Post high-quality photos of both the interior and exterior of your gym
💡 For more detailed guidance, read How To Rank Your Gym Higher on Google Maps in 4 Easy Steps.
And if you need an extra hand with optimizing your Google Business Profile, Kilo’s Done-For-You Business Set Up can take care of it for you.
Rank Your Gym Higher with Local SEO
Local SEO makes your gym more visible in search results around your area. It helps potential clients nearby find you more easily when they search for keywords like “gyms in [your city]” or “personal trainer near me.”
With effective Local SEO strategies, your gym might just be the first they see in their search results. One way to achieve this is by creating content that is relevant and appeals to your local community. Share tips that are specific to local events, like preparing for a community run, or highlight the best outdoor workout spots in your area.
This type of content connects with the right local audience, and those are the very people you want walking into your gym as clients.
💡 To dive deeper into Local SEO strategies for your gym, check out our guide: 7 Local SEO Tips Every Gym Should Implement Immediately
Take Your Gym to the Next Level with a Winning Content Strategy
And that wraps up our guide on four time-saving content strategy tricks to grow your gym’s social media presence. Let’s quickly review what we’ve covered:
- Brainstorm Ideas: Regularly gather new content ideas with your team.
- Plan a Content Calendar: Organize your ideas to keep track of what to post.
- Create the Content: Set time aside to take photos and videos.
- Schedule Posts: Arrange when to post your content for consistent activity.
By being organized, planning ahead, and following these steps, you’ll save time and create consistent, valuable content. Now, it’s your turn to try these out!
And if you need help with growing your gym, creating content, or just making things easier as a gym owner, book a free call with our team. We’ll help you find out if Kilo is right for you.
