Optimising Your Social Media Profiles to boost your Social Presence
Social media platforms play a vital role in building a brand's online presence. Instagram, Facebook, Google Business (formerly Google My Business) and LinkedIn are popular and highly effective for your Pilates studio to find your clients and post meaningful content.
However, merely having a profile on these platforms is not enough. It is essential to optimise your profile to maximise its potential and reach your target audience. Here are some tips to optimise your Instagram, Facebook, Google My Business, and LinkedIn profiles.
Think of Instagram like a business card. Short and concise.
Let’s start with the basics. Your profile picture and bio are the first things people notice when they visit your profile. Use your logo (if it is not too detailed when small) or a photo of yourself.
Your username and name are important. Don’t make them the same! You have a limited number of characters and they contribute to Instagram's Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), so use them wisely! An example the “name” is considered an Insta keyword - (just like Google) so it is important to put information here that people will search for when looking for Pilates. For example, Username is at the very top, for example the “Pilates Workshop” and the name below would be “Reformer Pilates & Mat classes + 1:1”. Due to the limited number of characters you have in the username and bio, use the & and + symbols to give you more characters.
Craft a short, concise bio that describes who you are and what you do. You have 150 characters only and approximately three seconds to capture a person’s attention. Keep it simple, dot point is great and use emojis to create bullet points – It is easier for someone to read. Include a call to action (CTA) – tell them where to go. For example, visit website for classes👇🏼 and include the website.
Set up a landing page on your website to track where your leads are coming from. Set up a hidden page for your links for each profile… /Instagram /facebook /LinkedIn.
Pin your most important posts to the top and don’t forget to add your popular stories to the highlight areas.
Tech to help with the links are Linktree, Lnk.Bio, Milkshake.
Use the same profile picture for Instagram (and all your profiles) for brand consistency.
The cover photo is the first things people notice when they visit your Facebook page. Update it regularly and include a special offer you have one for the month.
Fill out your “about section” and keep it up to date. It provides essential information about the business, such as its mission, contact details, hours of operation and location, your team and you.
Pin Posts: Pin the important posts and updates, making it easy for followers to stay up-to-date with the latest news and information.
Customise the tabs, to make it easy for people to find out information. Some suggestions are adding:
A “call-to-action” button to your page. Use this to encourage visitors to take action, such as visiting your website or signing up for your newsletter.
A Photos and Videos tab which allows pilates studios to showcase their visual content, such as product images, promotional videos, and behind-the-scenes footage.
A Reviews tab allows customers to leave feedback and rate your business, which can help to build trust and credibility.
An Events tab is essential for pilates studios that host events, as it allows you to promote upcoming events, share event details, and track RSVPs. It also comes up in people’s feeds when they respond to your event, and reminds people that the event is coming up.
A Shop tab is important for studios that sell products, as it allows them to create a Facebook Shop where customers can browse and purchase products directly on the platform.
A Services tab is important for studios that offer services, as it allows them to showcase their services and provide pricing information.
A Booking tab – enables people to book into your services at any time.
Google My Business
Google is an underutilised social platform. More than five billion searches happen there every day!
Make sure to provide accurate and up-to-date information about your business, including your address, phone number, and hours of operation. This helps customers find you more easily and improves your visibility on Google.
Google My Business allows you to add photos to your profile, including your logo, cover photo, and images of your products or studio services. Use high-quality images that showcase your brand and attract potential customers, also increase your SEO.
Encourage your customers to leave reviews on your Google My Business page. Positive reviews can improve your online reputation and attract new customers and also increase your SEO.
Email Marketing and List Building
Building your database is a cost-effective way to introduce new products, services and information. It means you have a database of people that are interested in what you offer, sell services and information. You can have all the great content and post in the world but if you are only talking to 50 people, it makes it harder for your launches to be a success.
There are some free and very cost-effective apps, that are easy to use, to capture your audience and send out a newsletter.
Mailerlite and Mailchimp are the two popular options, they have free plans, as well as low-cost options, and also integrate into your website and are easy to use. It is worth investing in this area.
In our next article will we will look at unlocking the power of more tech to help you save time and money.
I would love to see your optimised bios – feel free to tag me on Insta so I can check you out https://www.instagram.com/michelle.vogrinec
Michelle Vogrinec is a business and marketing strategist with over 20 years of experience. She co-founded GAIA natural baby, an iconic Australian baby skincare brand, that she grew from the ground up and sold in 2019. Now, she works with small business owners as a coach, mentor, and supporter, helping them build trusted brands and long-term, profitable businesses.
You can reach out to Michelle for business advice at michellevogrinec.com.au