In the post-pandemic world, personal trainers and boutique gym owners stayed afloat by offering digital fitness training and exercise classes. In response, people transformed their lives, renewing their approach to health and wellness.
This digital evolution also led personal trainers and boutique gym owners to connect with their audiences in unique ways.
One tool was — and remains — key to their success:
Video marketing.
Why Video Marketing Steps Up Your Personal Training Business
Even before the pandemic, video marketing had become one of the most effective ways businesses attracted and connected with their audiences. But its popularity and effectiveness have only grown.
A few brief stats:
- 78% of people view videos online weekly, and 55% view videos online daily. 54% of consumers even want more video content. (Social Media Week)
- 54% of consumers desire more video content from the brands they love. (HubSpot, 2018)
- 86% of businesses use video marketing, an increase from 63% over the previous three years. (Wyzowl)
As gyms and personal trainers reopened and adopted a hybrid model of business, investments in video marketing have become paramount.
Bigger brands might be able to invest in technology to produce uber-snazzy videos, but that doesn’t mean that the boutique gym owner or the solo personal trainer is out of luck.
It’s still possible to produce and optimize your videos in a way that markets your business effectively.
Here’s how…
5 Tips for Optimized Video Marketing
Whether you’re a personal trainer or a boutique gym owner, you can harness the full power of video with some simple strategies.
1. Perform Keyword Research
Find out what words and phrases are popular search terms as they relate to your video’s topic. When you land on one or two keywords, use these in your title and descriptions (more on that later).
A simple way to do this is to go to Google’s search bar and type in your search term. When you do, Google will pop-up a drop-down list of popular related search terms. Use these to help you decide what is the best, most related keyword to use for your video.
Other simple keyword tools are SEMrush and Moz Keyword Explorer. Free accounts offer limited views, but they can be helpful in giving you initial guidance. Aim for keywords that have high volume and low competition.
2. Optimize Your Video’s Title and Description
Now that you have your keyword(s) identified, use them in your title and your metadescription in your SEO plugin. This will help Google (and searchers!) find YOUR VIDEO when they’re looking for a wonderful way to exercise!
When you create your title, do your best to make it catchy. Use words that make it specific, incite curiosity, or communicate a benefit.
3. Choose an Appealing Thumbnail
Your thumbnail, meaning the frozen image that viewers see when they scroll through videos, could be your deciding factor. It’s an image that invites attention – for better or for worse.
When you select a thumbnail, follow these rules:
- Relevant: is the image directly related to your title and topic?
- Engaging: does the image invite people to click?
- Clear: is the image obvious and understandable?
4. Hook ’em at Home
Presenting a link to your videos on your web site’s home page is a great way to gain traction. If people see a video when they first land on your site, they will be more inclined to view that first. So, this video can become an excellent marketing tool to convert potential clients.
5. Improve SEO with Backlinks
One part of great SEO is backlinks, that is, another web page linking back to your web site or video. To increase the opportunities for this, you want to produce valuable, shareable videos.
So, follow the 3 Es:
- Educational: does your video provide helpful, valuable instruction or information that assists viewers in meeting their fitness goals?
- Entertaining: is your video engaging and fun to participate in?
- Empathetic: do the people featured in the video connect with your audience in an emotional way? Do they show that they understand your audience’s challenges and successes?
Optimized video marketing doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking. By reviewing five simple strategies, personal trainers and boutique gym owners can revitalize this effective tool, connect to their audiences, and watch their businesses boom!