For some, a website serves as an online business card that a trainer send a potential client to even now and then. But for others, their personal trainer website is the epicentre of their online marketing strategy. They use it as a focal point for all of their content, social media posts and ads.
Not to mention the leads they get from ranking on page one of Google when potential clients look for their service in their location.
In other words, your fitness website design can serve as a central powerhouse for all other marketing strategies. But in the words of Uncle Sam, with great power comes great responsibility.
That responsibility can be stressful so the first question to ask yourself if you’re thinking of getting a revamping a fitness website is…
Do You Even Need a Website?
The short answer is no.
I know, I know. I run a web design company so I’m supposed to say "yes, you do". But the fact of the matter is that some trainers do amazing with a PT website while some trainers do even better without one.
Take Patrick as an example. While he takes advantage of our Managed Website service, it's only for show if potential clients Google his name.
I know, I know. I run a web design company so I’m supposed to say "yes, you do". But the fact of the matter is that some trainers do amazing with a PT website while some trainers do even better without one.
Take Patrick as an example. While he takes advantage of our Managed Website service, it's only for show if potential clients Google his name.
Patrick runs a huge Facebook group with tens of thousands of members and he builds most of his client base from there.
To me, this means that a website isn’t the common the denominator when it comes to business success.
The common denominator is pretty much exactly the same as what it is for your clients to get results. Consistent effort over extended periods of time.
And to get a consistent effort over an extended period of time, you need to pick a strategy that you’re either good at, or enjoy enough to get good at.
Which leads us on to the next question…
What Goes Into a Successful Fitness Website?
Unsurprisingly, design is a pretty major factor in terms of establishing trust when someone lands on your site. Crappy website, less trust.
But design is only part of the whole user experience. Other areas in which you’ll need support include:
But design is only part of the whole user experience. Other areas in which you’ll need support include:
- Layouts - Website visitors expect to see certain things in certain places. This is called Design Convention. So your layouts need to match the expectations of a potential client to reduce their cognitive load and help them take the next step, becoming a lead.
- Copy - Copy refers to the content of your website. Ideally, it would be written with your ideal client problems and solutions in mind.
- User Experience - Does the pop up in the home page really service your website visitor, or does it serve you? A site that caters to the needs of a company doesn’t necessarily cater to the needs of the client but a site that caters to the needs of the client also caters to the needs of the company.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) - SEO is a long term strategy but should be integrated from the outset so that you don’t need to pay expensive fees to get it done later.
The Hidden Costs of Managing a Website
We often tell our clients that a website is never finished. Even when the design, copy, layouts and user experience are all created and your website goes live, that’s only the beginning.
A brand new personal trainer website only gets you to the start line. Each month a website needs maintenance. Changes to copy, adding success stories, managing technical updates, security updates and revisions.
A brand new personal trainer website only gets you to the start line. Each month a website needs maintenance. Changes to copy, adding success stories, managing technical updates, security updates and revisions.
When you consider the average web designer charges $50 per hour to do these things for you, you’ll need to factor in those costs in to your yearly spend.
So Why Not Just Use a DIY Website Builder?
Some personal trainers should. For some people, usually people with average or above average tech skills, managing their own website is no problem to them.
They have the skills to create a website and the time to manage it.
If you can write half decent content, you can add your own images or stock images and you have a basic understanding of SEO.
The only potential downside to managing your own website is the loss of time.
They have the skills to create a website and the time to manage it.
If you can write half decent content, you can add your own images or stock images and you have a basic understanding of SEO.
The only potential downside to managing your own website is the loss of time.
Not just from building the website but from also having to figure out what works, making changes and dealing with multiple service providers to keep the site up and running.
It can be done, but when your business grows and your time starts to run out, like all successful business owners, you’ll eventually need to outsource.
The Cost of a Fitness Website
We ran the numbers by researching all of our major competitors to see what it costs to build and manage a personal trainer website.
It turns out there are pros and cons to every route you take.
Going it alone costs way less but you need some level of expertise or be willing to learn. You’ll also need plenty of time to figure things out and keep your website maintained.
Outsourcing for the main build of your site and then managing it yourself is a great option for someone who just wants a fitness website to make them look great. Actually using the website can often be more difficult and the learning curve is pretty steep.
Managed solutions, like My Personal Trainer Website are ideal for personal trainers who would rather leave the tech stuff to the experts or are at the stage of their business where they need to outsource and get some of their time back.
It turns out there are pros and cons to every route you take.
Going it alone costs way less but you need some level of expertise or be willing to learn. You’ll also need plenty of time to figure things out and keep your website maintained.
Outsourcing for the main build of your site and then managing it yourself is a great option for someone who just wants a fitness website to make them look great. Actually using the website can often be more difficult and the learning curve is pretty steep.
Managed solutions, like My Personal Trainer Website are ideal for personal trainers who would rather leave the tech stuff to the experts or are at the stage of their business where they need to outsource and get some of their time back.
