If you’re up to date on our Afterclass posts, you’ll notice we’ve already covered several aspects of social media marketing: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. All of these media outlets are pretty user-friendly and have convenient features for adding filters to photos and reaching an audience quickly. But if you want to go one step further, creating a studio blog can allow you to connect even more intimately with your community. Fitness and health buffs are always looking for fresh information from sources they trust – ideas for changing up their routine, preventing injury, eating right, and more. Why not spread your expertise – and your branding – throughout the blogosphere?
Starting a blog can be a daunting undertaking and we’ve all seen our fair share of unoriginal examples. In the fitness world, it’s important not to retread old or false information, or create a blog that is purely promotional.
But coming up with fresh new topics isn’t as hard as it seems. Most successful studio blogs produce interesting posts within a few broad themes, and many get the whole studio involved in the writing process – including instructors.
FITNESS AND NUTRITION TIPS
These posts are where you can share your expertise on how to reveal that hard work put in at your studio through time in the kitchen and at home. The advice can include anything from protein/carb ratios in meals to stretching techniques to use after class. You can recommend combinations of your studio’s classes to perfect a certain move, beat a PR, or train for a race. You can share tips on how to prevent injuries or workout strategies for those who are already injured.
Just make sure you can back up your advice with reputable sources. You don’t want to be in the position of sharing a new technique to afterward find out its negative effects. This is also a great type of post to get your instructors involved in. Each of them likely have their own specific styles of healthy living, and most are happy to share their techniques with the rest of the world — that’s why they became instructors, after all!
RECIPES
Being in peak physical condition doesn’t mean reducing your intake to fad diets and ultra-restrictive regimens. Share some of your favorite recipes that are healthy, delicious, and most importantly, photograph well. When putting up a recipe, always use a photo and make sure you took the time when photographing it to make it appealing. Sometimes our favorite meals just don’t look good on camera.
Other than the photo, this type of post is pretty easy – all you need is a recipe and an introduction. Is this for post-workout? Pre-workout? Carbo-loading? Adding in the optimal time for eating the recipe will be much appreciated by your readers.
PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON CLIENTS & INSTRUCTORS
Nothing is more inspiring than the true stories of your clients that found healthier and happier lives through your studio. Profiles of clients don’t necessarily have to be before-and-after weight photos – they can be women who worked out throughout their pregnancies, or people whose lives have positively changed because of the centering elements of yoga. Maybe it’s someone with a back issue that strengthened their core enough in your classes that they can now go for runs pain-free. You can feature a quick interview with the client, or even ask them to write a couple of paragraphs.
The same goes for instructors. Post a “day in the life” article that showcases what workouts they do, when and what they eat, and how they socialize. These posts can act as a great way to introduce members of your fitness community to one another.
MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT
One of the best parts of class can be the soundtracks instructors create to keep the energy level high. Create a portion of your blog where instructors can post their playlists or new favorite artists, or even different genres of music for different types of exercise.
These examples of categories for your blog are just the beginning – there are plenty other aspects of a healthy lifestyle to explore. We’ll leave you with these three final pointers: stay positive, update regularly, and proofread, proofread proofread. A copy editor, or anyone with a great grasp of English grammar, will be your best friend.
