Many Gyms across the country are missing the MARKet on online traffic and searches. The numbers are significant.
The latest consumer surveys suggest that 83% of prospective gym members are researching their options online before ever stepping into a gym. They are searching for you on Google, Yahoo and Bing, and unfortunately many gyms are missing out on that traffic by not being consistent with their business listing information. Google and other search engines search third-party directories and databases to see where the business is listed and how it is listed. The more places it finds the business, the higher it will rank the site in search and make it more visible for the consumer to see.
Your business listing information is a platform that allows new customers who are searching for you to see key information. A potential customer probably won’t know to search for your website, but they may very well find your business in a local or industry directory. If your business name, location, phone, and hours of operation aren’t readily available and listed correctly on the dozens of online directories, the consumer will probably not find you and move on to a gym that does appear.
Even when gyms have an online presence, they aren’t doing a great job protecting their brand. Through our research, we have found 87% of the gyms in this country contain inaccurate information online resulting in customer losses each year because they can’t be found. Trust me, your online reputation and business listing information counts if you want to get a high acceptance score with Google and the rest of the big named players.
Increasing your online visibility can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. When developing a marketing strategy and budget for your gym, you should become familiar with the term, “directory listings service.” From a budget perspective, you don’t have to break the bank. Most directory services charge a month reoccurring fee of $149.00 to $299.00 per month for their services, totaling thousands of dollars. Ouch!
You can increase your online visibility without the monthly reoccurring fees. Here’s how: You can get discounted rates through the Global Fitness Association, which offers wholesale pricing to members through the online marketing firm Social5.
Global Fitness Association members and non-members alike can participate in this directory listing service through Social5, a trusted partner, for a one-time fee of $129.00 that covers account setup and online cleanup, plus a one-time fee of $349.00 for listing your gym information on over 100+ directories with ongoing updates, for a total investment of $478.00.
You will also receive access to an individual control panel that allows for live updates to directory information, analytics that allow performance-based tracking of your gym’s visibility across online directories, telephone support, and a guaranteed annual renewal at the same price, less the setup fee.
So where does your gym stand in the online marketplace? We’d recommend running a free analysis to establish a baseline. The online visibility report is a free service for all gyms. The report is available by emailing your business name, physical address (city, state, zip) and company phone number to info@globalfitnessassociation.com. The report will be completed within 48 hours and returned to you at no charge or obligation. A $79.00 value.
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For more information on this subject, give us a call at 925-672-4800 and we will gladly do our best to answer your questions. You can also visit our website at www.globalfitnessassociation.com/info for more information.
