When it comes to using social media, it’s often easy to feel like we have to be present on every single network that might hold the slightest promise of a new client or two. However, I’ve found that harnessing the power of the social web is a bit like fishing a large pond.
You might be able to spread your nets as far and wide as possible, covering the pond from shoreline to shoreline -or you could focus your energies on a few select spots that tend to have the most fish (and the specific kinds of fish that you’re trying to reel in). At this point, the question is not necessarily your fish-count by the end of the day. A good marketing strategy takes time and energy into account.
Before we go on, Here is the NESTA Pinterest page
It’s Not the Size of the Net, It’s Where You Cast Your Line
It’s best to go with methods and strategies that will make for the best use of your time -which is why I’d advise against the ‘casting the oversized net’-option. You might take home more fish that way, but for the hours, the complexity, and the energy exerted to snag them, it just won’t be worth it in the end. Your best bet is to cast a few lines where you know the fish are going to be, using the type of bait that has a proven track record of catching the ones you want.
Here’s another post you will want to read about marketing your fitness business.
So, in light of this fishing analogy, is getting on Pinterest going to make for the best use of your fitness business’s time and energy? Or will it end up giving you a low-ROI for your efforts exerted? Well, what you don’t want to end up with is a self-defeating marketing strategy.
To further answer this question, I’d say it depends on your fitness training business model, your clientele demographics, and what you’d consider to be worth the trouble. The point here is simple: you have to run your business, and can’t (shouldn’t) spend 100% of your time on marketing.
So, What Is Pinterest Exactly?
Pinterest is an image-based social networking site that was launched in March of 2010. Since then, the site has exploded in popularity, which I believe is due to it’s overall model and ease of use. According to online marketer Heidi Cohen, Pinterest is basically “social media scrapbooking on steroids.”
When someone signs up for an account, they begin creating ‘boards’, on which to pin the images that they’d like to stash on their Pinterest profiles. A user can have both private and publically viewable boards; however, most boards are simply made public. Also, users can ‘favorite’ images that they like, which I believe, increases the image’s relevancy in Pinterest’s own search algorithms.
Thus, what you have are essentially bulletin boards that are full of images, which display the interests and tastes of each user. For instance, if a user enjoys travelling, then their boards will likely be loaded with photos of beautiful travel destinations from both the Pinterest site -and also from users that have pulled said travel photos from other sites all over the web, which can be done via the Pinterest Chrome/Firefox app/extension.
Ok, now what does this have to do with your fitness business? Well, again, it depends on how you’re running it.
When Fitness Trainers Should Use Pinterest (and When They Probably Shouldn’t)
Between 2013 and 2014, Pinterest increased its user-base by 7%, according to Pew’s stats. In the last few years, it’s grown exponentially more. However, that’s certainly a stark difference from the previous year, having seen a whopping 145% in growth. So it seems like the site’s growth might be coming to a slow cruise at this point. But here’s the interesting kicker…
In 2013, Pinterest held a massive faction of female traffic from the US, coming to a staggering 48% of all women web users. At the same time, only 13% of men would admit that they were doing any ‘pinning at all’. However, in 2014, their percentage of males using the site increased by 73%, which could indicate the beginning stages of a Pinterest that’s growing to be more gender-balanced. Taking this into account, Pinterest holds a special place in the hearts of online retailers. DigDay cites several statistics to illustrate this fact. One of which said that…
“Pinterest shoppers are spending significantly more per checkout averaging between $140-$180 per order compared with consistent $80 and $60 orders for Facebook and Twitter shoppers, respectively.”
So what’s the takeaway? I personally believe that every fitness business owner must do what she or he feels is right for their own company -however, here are a few key points to consider:
- Pinterest will offer a strong platform for fitness trainers that cater to female clientele, between the ages of 25-34 at this time.
- The site will be best used if the fitness trainer is also selling his or her own merchandise via an online store, because Pinterest has been proven to be most optimally leveraged for retail brands.
- If you’re up for risks, then you might just come out with a win if your fitness business caters mostly to men -given the very big possibility of a male population boom.
Yet still, if your fitness training company has less of a focussed market niche, it doesn’t have an online store (with products that would make sense to showcase on someone’s social media scrapbook), or you’re not feeling like blowing your time and energies on a risk that might not pan out in catering to your male-dominant clientele …then Pinterest might not be for you.
Here are some fitness business and marketing resources to complement your Pinterest account.
Best QuickTips on How to Proceed…
For those of us that feel like Pinterest offers some promising potential, here are just a few tips that could help you squeeze the site for what it’s worth. At the end of the day, you need to think like one of your potential clients that will find you through your act of stuffing an online scrapbook.
- Pinterest tends to be more active on Wednesdays and Saturdays, between the hours of 2pm-4pm and 8pm-1am. So make sure that your activities follow suit to snag the fish, while their biting.
- Be sure to list your website (which will show up below your own name and avatar). Unfortunately, you won’t be able to substitute your name for that of your business’s, but you CAN work your company name into the Pinterest username.
- If you do list your website, then make sure you get it verified, as this will not only improve the SEO strength of your backlinking -but it will also add validity in the eyes of those visiting your Pinterest’s profile, because they’ll see a special badge icon to indicate this.
- Make sure that you NEVER appear to be spamming on Pinterest, because they will not be too thrilled about this kind of tactic. However, if you’re a fitness trainer that loves what you do, then you’ll probably be ‘pinning’ images that would be fitting for your company regardless. Just be yourself, and pin accordingly.
- For your company products, be sure to have photo quality as a major priority, since Pinterest is an image-based site. You don’t want to be ignored, because the picture next to yours just happened to have better quality.
- Linking to your Twitter account is actually fairly easy (even though it does very little, and won’t autopost to your feed). If you link to your Facebook page, then be aware that your pinning activity will show up on your own personal Facebook wall -and the only way to post on your Facebook Page is to do this in the mobile Pinterest app.
- Make sure you’re interacting with users that take an interest in your profile’s boards, because that’s common courtesy and a surefire way to build a following.
Truthful: What to Expect Out of Pinterest for Personal Trainers and Fitness Pros
Overall, Pinterest is going to work amazingly well if you’re client-base is mostly female and does online retail. If this is the case, then Pinterest would be one piece of fruit that’s just too darn ripe not to pick.
However, aside from the possibility that you’re awaiting the rapid expansion of the site’s male user population, you could probably make better use of your time by committing to a site like Instagram, as I discussed last week (and hooking up their auto posting feature to your fitness business’s Facebook Page). In review, the reason for my take on this is simple…
You should do what will make the best use of your fitness business’s time.
