Digitally Fit

Ah, the beloved Facebook page. Anybody who’s anybody has one, at least as indicated by the website’s 750 million active users, 50% of which log in to their account on a daily basis. So, unless you have lived under a rock for the past 3-5 years, you probably have a Facebook profile too, and chances are so do your closest friends and relatives, even ol’ Grandma Fay.

Enter the corporation. From a business standpoint, Facebook and its massive number of devoted, somewhat fanatical members represent a marketer’s dream: Millions upon millions of people in one (virtual) spot, constantly sharing, ideas, opinions, and, most importantly, preferences. To tap into this invaluable, endless store of information, many international, national, and even local organizations have created Facebook profiles or “Fan” pages to supplement their actual websites. By constructing such accounts, marketing teams have the ability to conduct profitable consumer research, generate product and service awareness, initiate market-specific advertising campaigns, build an online community of brand loyalists, and maintain meaningful customer relationships, all in real-time, at a substantially low cost. So, even though your Grandma Fay’s comments about those “rosy-red cheeks” in your profile picture may embarrass you, her Facebook presence has played a small, yet valuable role in the process of entwining the business world with the social realm.

The use of Facebook for business purposes has also sprung up in the Health and Fitness industry, and many companies that offer a variety of nutrition and/or exercise goods, services, and information have made the seemingly wise choice of cultivating a presence on the social networking site. In addition to displaying content that normally appears on a company website (i.e. mission statement, contact information, product/service lists, etc.), organizations utilize Facebook for more specific purposes. To illustrate a few of the more commonly used marketing tactics on Facebook, I have collected a few examples from the profile of 24-Hour Fitness, the largest fitness club chain in the world (by membership).

Click the photo for Facebook profile access!

Common Facebook Function #1 – General Announcements (i.e. “Status Updates”)

Many companies in the industry utilize Facebook to make important announcements that customers may otherwise miss, such as new product arrivals, merchandise discontinuation, service availability, or, as shown below, changes in operating hours.

Common Facebook Function #2 – Sales Promotions

A more focused form of general announcements, organizations frequently update their Facebook profiles with various coupons, specials, and other forms of discounts. Most companies also provide exclusive offers to those users that “Like” the firm’s Facebook page and utilize its interactive content.

Common Facebook Function #3 – Motivating Content

For individuals to reach their targets for weight loss and/or improved athletic performance, they must have the proper motivation to do so. Because customer goal achievement translates directly into company success, firms in the Health and Fitness industry use a variety of methods to keep people motivated and on track, including print and television advertisements, exercise/nutrition seminars, and, more recently, their Facebook profile. In regards to Facebook, many businesses frequently post inspirational/informational articles, photos, and videos on their page, and actively encourage the sharing of client “success stories" and fitness tips.

Common Facebook Function #4 – Reviews

As stated above, Facebook provides users with the ability to share their opinions and preferences—a valuable source of information for businesses. To obtain such insight about their products and services, and to learn what steps they can take to improve them, Health and Fitness firms frequently add the “Reviews” feature to their Facebook profile. The application gives customers the opportunity to rate a company on a 1-5 scale, and also allows them to write a short description of their experience with the organization and what it has to offer. Additionally, this form of customer interaction facilitates a significant amount of Word-Of-Mouth promotion, which, as seen below, has the potential to make or break a business

Business Maker

Business Breaker

These 4 common “Facebook Functions” represent just a portion of the tactics used by Health and Fitness organizations that market their products and services via Facebook. Firms utilize many other profile applications as well, including customizable options available through the Facebook Developers program. As Facebook continues to expand its membership pool and improve its features, businesses in the Health and Fitness industry will likely take advantage of the numerous marketing opportunities that the social networking website has to offer.

Next Issue: The Social Media Saga: Twitter 1

Can Health And Fitness Firms Tweet Their Way To The Top?

ANDREW'S ADVICE - Healthy Habits, Nutrition Notes, and Training Tips

Healthy Habit/Training Tip (September 10, 2011)

Little things contribute in a BIG way.

Engaging in frequent physical activity is extremely important when trying to lose weight, improve your athletic performance, or simply increase your general level of health. However, due to the hustle and bustle of daily life, as well as numerous other issues, many individuals struggle on their quest to exercise regularly and remain active. To help you add a little movement to your life, I have listed 3 simple activities you may want to consider adding to your daily routine. When thought of in isolation they don’t seem like much, but combining their use on a regular basis can help you improve your fitness level, especially if you can’t make it to the gym for whatever reason.

1. Ride your bike to school/work. Wake up a few minutes earlier in the morning, dust off your ol’ two-wheeler, hop on, and pedal your way to your destination. Cycling improves your cardiovascular endurance and burns calories, and getting outside in the fresh air will help prepare you for the day ahead. Biking will also help reduce your gas bill, allowing you to save some of your hard earned money for more meaningful purposes!

2. Take the stairs. Although the elevator may offer convenience, skip it and take the stairs instead. Stair-climbing is an excellent way to build your leg muscles, especially for those of you that lug around 20-30 pound backpacks each day. Additionally, opting for their staircase leaves the elevator open for those people who actually need to use it, such as individuals with physical disabilities, extremely large packages, or infant children.

3. Go for an evening walk. Take a 30 minute break from your television, video games, Facebook profile, or Twitter account and go for a walk. (That includes you UNI Digital Advertising students, your Klout score isn’t going to drop from a half hour recess from Social Media). Walking is a great form of low-impact exercise, and can also help you cope with the many stresses that daily life can bring. If you find yourself bored on your stroll, consider inviting a friend to join you, bring along your favorite four-legged pal, or plug in your headphones and walk to the beat of the music.

These are just 3 of a nearly infinite number of things you can do to increase your daily physical activity. Many other simple exercises exist as well, and as they come to mind you should add them to your list of healthy habits. Remember, the little things do count, and over time they lead to satisfying results.

Keep on moving!

Andrew Snyder

Have a fitness tip you would like to share? Feel free to message me via E-mail (snydeaab@uni.edu), Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn!