Imagine this scenario: A potential client lands on your gym’s website, eager to start their fitness journey. But after browsing for a while, they don’t know what to do next.
This confusion is a clear sign of having a weak call to action (CTA). A CTA is the most important part of your gym’s website as it tells visitors what to do next. With a strong CTA, they’ll know exactly what steps to take and move down your sales funnel.
But if you have a weak CTA or none at all, you risk losing potential clients who might leave your site and go to your competitor. Don’t let your gym miss out on these opportunities.
🚨 Many gym owners make marketing mistakes that kill their lead flow, and a weak CTA is one of the biggest culprits. To avoid making these fatal errors, be sure to check out this article on how to fix them.
We’ve written this guide to help you understand:
- What a call to action is
- Where to place it on your site
- Different types of CTAs
- How to write an effective CTA
If you’re ready to write a killer call to action that’ll boost your gym’s conversions, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s get started! 🚀
What is a Call to Action?
A call to action (CTA) is your website’s way of giving clear, direct instructions to your visitors. It tells them exactly what step you want them to take next. Some of the most common ones across various industries include:
📝 Sign Up Today
💬 Talk To Us
💡 Learn More
🔓 Get Your Free Trial
🛒 Buy Now
Remember, CTAs guide your audience toward actions that benefit your fitness business, such as signing up for memberships, enrolling in classes, booking personal training sessions, or subscribing to your newsletter. By directing visitors to take these steps, they play a crucial role in driving conversions and boosting engagement.
When and Where to Use a CTA
CTAs are often clickable links or buttons that catch the eye and encourage action. You’ll often find them in various marketing materials like:
- Websites
- Social media posts
- Blog articles
- Emails
- Google Ads and Facebook Ads
But don’t limit yourself—CTAs can be placed anywhere you want your audience to take action. For gym owners, the most important placement is on your website. Your CTA should be:
1️⃣ Easy to locate
2️⃣ Clear about the next step
3️⃣ Visually striking
Here’s an example from our client, Mark Fisher:
Source: Mark Fisher Fitness
Since switching to a Kilo gym website, Mark has seen a dramatic increase in unpaid leads opting into his gym’s funnel. If you want a site like his, book a call with our team.
Types of CTAs
Each type of CTA is designed to engage users and drive specific actions. Let’s explore different CTAs you can implement to perfectly align with your business and marketing objectives.
❓ What type of CTA do you think would make the biggest impact on your gym’s growth?
How to Write a Strong CTA for Your Gym
A powerful call to action grabs attention and makes it nearly impossible to ignore. Keep reading to learn 6 tips on how to write CTAs that will drive conversions and grow your gym’s membership, no matter where they’re placed (did you catch that? 🧐).
1. Keep It Simple
The most successful CTAs are clear and direct, leaving no room for confusion. While phrases like “Book Now” or “Learn More” are popular choices, they can be vague and can leave users guessing what will happen after they hit the button. For this reason, your CTA should spell out exactly what happens when they click.
For example, “Download Your Free Guide” tells users exactly what to expect—a free guide they can access immediately. Other strong CTA examples include “Claim Your Free Workout,” “Talk to a Trainer,” “Book a Free Intro,” and “Claim Your X-Day Challenge.”
It’s also best to keep your CTA short and to the point. Aim for no more than five words.
❓ Consider the CTAs “Start Your Free Trial” and “Start Your Free Trial and Get Access to All Features for 30 Days” — which one is simpler?
2. Lead With An Action Verb
You don’t have much space on your clickable button to get your point across, so every word counts. Let your audience know exactly what you want them to do by starting each CTA with an action verb. These words encourage immediate action, making your CTAs more engaging and motivating. Here are some examples commonly used by gyms:
- Join
- Get
- Book
- Start
- Schedule
- Talk
- Download
- Claim
📣 Pro Tip: Phrasing your CTA positively can make it more appealing. For example, instead of saying “No Membership Fees For The First Month,” try “Enjoy Your First Month Free!” This little tweak adds emotion and can help elicit a response from your audience.
3. Instill a Sense of Urgency
Adding a time element to your CTA can significantly boost its effectiveness. Urgency prompts immediate action by tapping into the fear of missing out (FOMO), a powerful motivator and tool used in marketing. When people feel they might miss out on a great deal or opportunity, they’re more likely to click and engage.
In the fitness industry, several urgency tactics can be highly effective:
Limited-time offers: “Join Now - 50% Off First Month”
Flash sales: “24-Hour Discount”
Seasonal promotions: “Summer Special - Ends Soon”
Limited spots: “Only 5 Spots Left”
Countdown timers on your website or emails
By using any one of these tactics, you can encourage prospects to act fast and engage with your gym before they miss out. This not only drives conversions but also keeps your audience engaged and motivated.
4. Highlight the Benefits
To make your CTA irresistible, clearly tell people what’s in it for them if they click. This can be done by highlighting the value your offer or gym services provide or the problems they solve. And while it’s best practice to keep your CTA button simple and concise, you can elaborate on the value in the surrounding copy. This way, as they read the text around the CTA, they’ll understand the benefits they gain by clicking the button. For instance, are you helping people:
- Lose weight?
- Boost their confidence?
- Increase their energy levels?
On a gym website, this information can often be found under the headline on your home page. Your promise should make prospects feel it’s worth their time.
Source: Fitness Narrative
By promising clear, tangible benefits, you make your CTA compelling and action-oriented.
5. Make It Eye-Catching
When visitors browse your website, they typically read only about 20% of the text. This means that even the most compelling CTA won’t work if it’s not easily visible. So, to ensure your CTA stands out, it needs to be eye-catching and super easy to find. Here’s how:
✅ Increase Size: Make your CTA button larger than other elements on your site to draw attention.
✅ Bold Colors: Use vibrant, contrasting colors from your gym’s branding to make your CTA pop and stand out from the background.
✅ Minimize Distractions: Avoid placing flashy elements nearby that could compete with your CTA. It should be the focal point of the page.
By making your CTA button prominent and visually striking, you’ll guide visitors towards taking action more effectively. Kilo gym websites have helped thousands of gym owners showcase strong CTA buttons following these guidelines:
6. Position Thoughtfully
The placement of your CTA buttons can make or break their effectiveness. Position them where a next step feels natural, but be cautious not to overload your site with too many, as it can feel too pushy and turn visitors away.
Here are are some top spots for your primary CTA, driving your gym’s front-end offer:
Home Page: Place your primary CTA prominently on your home page for immediate engagement.
Main Header: Keep it in the main header so it’s always within reach, no matter where visitors are on your site.
Navigational Flow: Follow the user’s journey. Place CTAs after key sections that naturally lead to a next step, such as explaining how to get started at your gym or showcasing client testimonials.
Footer: Don’t forget the footer—visitors often scroll to the bottom looking for key information.
Blog Posts: Placing CTAs at the end of blog posts is highly effective, as you capture readers when they’re most engaged and interested in your content, increasing the likelihood they’ll take action.
You can also consider placing a secondary CTA lower down on the homepage, offering a valuable resource in exchange for an email address. For example, you could offer:
- A free grocery guide
- 6 tips for better sleep
- The top 5 best health apps
- 10 best health supplements at [store in your city]
Source: Louka CrossFit
By thinking strategically about CTA placement, you can guide your visitors seamlessly through your site, encouraging them to take the next step at just the right moment.
Take Action
No matter where you place them—on your website, in social media ads, blog posts, or newsletters—well-written calls to action (CTAs) can significantly boost your gym’s conversions. Let’s recap the key points to creating effective CTAs that drive action:
1️⃣ Keep it simple
2️⃣ Lead with an action verb
3️⃣ Instill a sense of urgency
4️⃣ Highlight the benefits
5️⃣ Make it eye-catching
6️⃣ Position thoughtfully
Now it’s your turn to put these strategies into practice. Review your current CTAs, make adjustments where necessary, and start seeing the impact of a well-crafted call to action.
If you need help optimizing your gym website to drive more conversions, book a call with a Kilo expert. Let us help you grow your gym and achieve the results you’re looking for.
