Have you ever said this? I just can’t write a blog. What would I say that anyone wants to read? If you have a Pilates Studio — you absolutely can and should start a blog.
A study by Social Media Today in January of 2017 said that companies who blog acquire 67% more leads than those who do not blog AND internet users in the US spend 3x more on blogs than they do on email!
First let’s talk about the benefits of a blog for you:
- A blog raises awareness for your business.
- A blog drives traffic to your website.
- A blog lets people get to know you. People buy from people they trust.
- A blog establishes your expertise with your readers. What makes your studio unique?
- A blog gives you an opportunity to enter a call to action for the reader. You can send them to another blog, your schedule, or ask them to leave their email to learn more!
- A blog increases your SEO.
Think of a blog as a conversation with a potential customer. It’s the same type of writing or news that you would put in a newsletter, and it doesn’t have to be pages and pages long. Potential clients don’t have time to read long blogs. 3 or 4 paragraphs (300-500 words) targeted toward your clients and potential clients will make a great blog because potential clients want to know why they should choose your business. That doesn’t mean you should blog saying “choose this studio because…..”. Give them information that addresses their pain points. Pilates improves your posture by doing a, b, and c. Our XYZ Studio is made up of _______. You’ll fit right in. Don’t be afraid to be a beginner. It’s ok if you haven’t worked out in months or years. We’ll help you get started. What should I wear to Pilates. Am I “techie” enough to do virtual Pilates?
If you can’t think of anything to blog about start with your FAQ. If it’s on the frequently asked question list — it’s probably a great blog topic. You can also keep a notepad in your studio and by your studio phone. Write down the questions people are asking about Pilates, about the studio, about staying safe during COVID. For every question that a client asks, there are probably 5-10 clients who wonder about that topic, but are afraid of asking a stupid question!
Some studio owners have said to me — my clients would never find a blog or my clients would never read a blog. I agree, many ideal clients probably don’t know what the heck a blog or vlog is! But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t read the page on your website that contains a blog! Your clients don’t have to be “versed in blogging” to make blogs efficient for you. One of my most popular blogs (read by the most people) was about a friend of mine who passed away from cancer. Many of the people at the celebration of life had read the blog, and were giving a lot of positive feedback because it allowed them to get to know my friend through my eyes. A lady said to me, “I want to read your blog, how do I do that?” I said — “I posted a link on Facebook, did you read this story about my friend and I?” She said “yes, but I didn’t know that was called a blog.”
If you post the link to the blog on social media with a great caption that drives people to read what you wrote — no one has to know it’s called a blog but you! If you would like some topic ideas for Pilates Studios — read this!