Using Social Media to Increase Your Online Class Attendance
Are you a fitness professional who’s pivoting your business to an online model as a response to COVID-19? Focusing online with on-demand classes and livestreaming while you’re temporarily closed is the way your business will survive this pandemic. But, how can you get your numbers up and stand out from your competition
Use social media to spread your message, attract a new crowd and stay engaged with the community you’ve already built – that’s how you’ll fill your classes! Each medium has its own distinct function, so keep your message consistent, adjusting your strategy slightly to help you get the most from each platform.
At WellnessLiving we are here to help you in any way we can, so we’ve developed this list of platforms and the best ways to use them:
Create a Facebook event where people have to RSVP to get signed up. This will get them to commit and stay connected to you. As an added bonus, when they comment or respond, their friends will get a notification – generating even more attention for your business and upping the number of potential attendees.
Another great way to use Facebook would be to create your own group to help build up your community. This allows you to share relevant content with people who are already clients, while prospects learn about the service you provide. You’d be surprised how creating a group will expand your audience and ultimately, help grow your business. You can also join other groups relevant to your industry and share posts with them – if they already have a significant following, this can be an easy way to connect.
Get attention on Instagram by posting content or including an Instagram story about your live classes. Include all relevant details for your classes, as well as stunning visuals. Make it easy for them to find your classes by including the link in your Instagram bio. To further increase your exposure, tag your friends and community in your posts and create user-friendly hashtags, so people searching for livestreams or online classes will be directed to your account. Consider checking out some free hashtag generating apps to help you get started.
YouTube/IGTV
Videos still command a lot of attention on social media, so post teasers with a preview of your upcoming class or snippets of a past live class on YouTube and Instagram. If you plan to offer content to people that you would normally charge for, just make sure you don’t give the whole show away for free! These videos should be designed to intrigue prospects while still increasing your bottom line. Give people an idea of what’s to come so they want to check out your next class! If you’re posting your full videos on YouTube, don’t forget to encourage people to subscribe to your channel so they’re notified each time a new video is posted. Or better yet, store your full videos on WellnessLiving with FitVID on Demand and really take control of who can view your content.
Twitter is perfect for last-minute announcements, like a new spot that just opened up in today’s virtual class! Post a reminder for your upcoming class with a link for easy access. You can tag your friends and add hashtags here for more exposure and to take advantage of search results. You should also include a photo with your posts to help you stand out. Twitter is a fast-moving platform, so whatever you can do to grab people’s attention is good.
TikTok
Attract the interest of a younger crowd with a promotional video on TikTok! Videos last 9 to 15 seconds, so you don’t have much time to make an impact. Make the video fun, use trendy music and include the link to your classes or videos so people can check them out. More and more parents are on TikTok, so you never know who you may reach.
Tips for posting on social media
Use social media to get attention for your classes and boost attendance like a pro! Here are a few simple tips to help you master your social media game:
- Post event notices 48 hours before going live to help attract last-minute sign-ups. You can also resend the invite to those who haven’t responded in case they just need a little push to get them to commit to a class.
- Cross-promote your livestream. Partner with like-minded businesses who offer their own livestreams, promote your live classes on all social channels, and include reminders or alerts on your website to let others know about your classes.
- Encourage others to sign up for your email and text alerts, as well as subscribe to your channels so they don’t miss any important news or updated content.
- Create polls and questionnaires to keep the momentum going, increase engagement and build excitement for your next virtual class.
- Create video clips of your recorded events and post them on social media. Ask people to tag themselves, or a friend they want to share it with, to extend your reach and build excitement.
- Encourage your community to post content about your business – ask them to tag you so you can share on your own channels. Posts reviewing your services or videos of themselves in your online classes can really help you get attention on social media. When they tag you, it gives their followers a quick way to check out your business!
Take it to the Next Level
COVID-19 has changed the fitness industry forever and the bar’s been set high with clients expecting virtual classes as part of the new norm. Use this time to become the best! Focusing on social media and boosting attendance for your online classes will take your business to the next level, so you can keep the momentum going when your doors reopen.
Don’t stop with social media! How can WellnessLiving help get your business where it needs to be? From rewarding clients who book your online classes to making automating marketing easy, our all-in-one software has everything you need to grow your business! Want to learn more? Book a no-commitment demo today!
