With so much attention focused on social media today, many fitness businesses are neglecting something equally important: their websites. Unfortunately, this can hurt both your business and your bottom line. 

Here’s a closer look at why your website matters, along with five key components every fitness business website should have. 

Why Websites Matter

Your business has an abundance of marketing tools at its disposal. While some of these are new and flashy, this doesn’t mean they supersede others in terms of their worth. There’s no better example of this than your website. Websites continue to serve a vital purpose for businesses today, including helping your fitness business get found online, delivering sought-after information, engaging and inspiring members and potential members, driving search results, and introducing your products and services.

Still not convinced that your website matters? Here are some eye-opening statistics that say otherwise: 

• Nearly 40 percent of people will stop using a website if it doesn’t work properly.
• Two-thirds of people would rather interact with beautiful design than a plain design.
• 44 percent of website visitors will leave a website if there’s no contact information.
• 47 percent of website visitors view a company’s products/services before any other content.
• Once on a company’s homepage, 86 percent of visitors are looking for information on products and services.

Perhaps AllBusiness puts it best in concluding, “if you’re a business, every YouTube video, Tweet, Facebook update, and blog post you create should have a single goal: convince readers or viewers to take some kind of action (buy something, make a call, sign up, etc.) These types of direct actions (aka the outright sales pitch) are going to take place on your website. So you need to think of your website as the last, and most important, step in closing the sale or driving whatever type of action you’re after.” 

Key Website Elements

Of course, it’s not just about having a website. It's also about having a website designed to effectively achieve all of the above. For fitness businesses, this means including the following five things:

1. Valuable and useful content

Fresh content is good for SEO, but it’s about much more than that. Your blog is also an opportunity to inform your community members about what’s happening at your gym. This can include everything from sharing recipes to introducing members of your personal training team to spotlighting member success stories. 

2. A reviews page

Today’s consumers aren’t going to fall for a trumped up sales pitch. If visitors to your website are trying to determine whether or not to join your gym, they’re not going to trust your advice on that matter. So who will they trust? Your members. Collecting reviews from Facebook, Yelp, Instagram and other sources and sharing them on your website gives visitors the positive social proof they crave.

3. An easily accessible email opt-in

In addition to including your contact information on your homepage so visitors can quickly and easily reach you, include an email opt-in here, as well. This helps you increase conversion rates while building your contact list. Not everyone will jump at the chance to enroll. Sweeten the deal by offering perks, such as a free visitor pass or a downloadable e-book, in exchange for completing the email opt-in form.

4. Professional photography

Your website should convey your gym’s unique value proposition. What makes it different from its competitors? High-quality photography can help you boost your brand by showcasing your products and services.

5. Mobile optimization

Mobile devices now account for the vast majority of time spent online. Is your website optimized for mobile use? If not, you’re losing visitors and potential members. Speaking of optimization, your website should also be SEO-optimized for your local area. They are your target market, after all. 

“All social roads lead to your website,” asserts AllBusiness. Will the destination be a satisfying one once your visitors arrive? This question brings us to one last benefit of your website. Unlike social media, your fitness business completely controls the narrative on your website. Incorporating these five elements can help you ensure that your website tells the story you want it to tell in the most compelling way to best attract and retain members.

Speaking of attracting and retaining members, wearable technology remains one of the fitness industry's top trends. Request a demo today to learn about how Accuro can help your fitness business reach its membership goals.