Small Class? Maybe It Isn’t Your Fault…
What if you discovered, after struggling with a consistently small class, that the problem wasn't you or your teaching, but that people simply couldn't find your studio when searching online?
Now you may be thinking; “John, my studio has a web site.” “When someone Googles [indoor cycling class or Spinning class + your city] I'm certain we show up.”
You know what they say about making assumptions…
I teach for a large “Big Box” health club and I always assumed that they were great marketers. They would never make the simple mistake of not being Findable online.
So for fun I decided to try a search for myself. I Googled [Indoor Cycling Eden Prairie, MN] and the results floored me. None of my clubs showed up on the map Google showed. NOT ANY OF THEM! Just two bike shops. Please forgive me when I tell you that my initial reaction was WT_ is this!
Click here to see a map I made showing all the Indoor Cycling Studios missing from the results in Google from my little corner of the world. This isn't Google's fault. It's a complete oversight by my club's management and/or whoever is responsible for online marketing.
Now if I have you just a little curious, try this Online Findability Test on your studio or club…
Pretend you woke up this morning and decided to take your very first Spinning Indoor Cycling Class. Two questions you need answered are; “where can I find a class” and “what times are the class”
Most people nowadays will do a simple Google (or Yahoo or Bing) search for indoor cycling & the name of your town. Try it now and see what you find. If you also teach another format try that as well.
What did you find? A Map listing? Search results listing? Nothing?
If you did find your studio or club on the (hopefully) first page, click on the link and see where is takes you. Does it obvious answer those two questions; “where is it” and “what time is the class” ???
Leave me a comment with the results of your search.
Now many of you know that I'm all about solving problems for myself and other Fitness Professionals. So I have started a new blog and Podcast all about solving this problem of Online Findability for the studios where many of us teach.
Check it out at Fitness Studio Marketing if you are interested… or maybe forward the link to someone who has some work to do 🙂
