What Your Clients Want to See on Your Pilates Studio Website

This is a guest article by the wonderful Anastasiya Goers from PilatesBridge and S&V Marketing. Read more about her at the end of the article. Enjoy.

Your studio needs a website and it must be easy for your clients (existing and new ones) to navigate. A website is often the first opportunity for the clients to interact with your business and get a feel of your space.

Unfortunately, I see many Pilates studio websites that create a frustrating experience for their clients or do not provide the most essential information that their clients expect to see on the website.

But this is not going to be YOU, because I will share 7 items that all of your clients want to see on your website.

Design your website for mobile devices

Do you know how most of your clients access your website? They view your website on mobile devices, mostly iPhones actually. Your clients will use their phones to access your website 3 times more often than viewing the website on a desktop or laptop.

This data is based on the analysis of over 50 Pilates studio websites that I manage in the US and Canada. This number shouldn’t be surprising to you since as a Pilates teacher you already see so many clients with kyphosis and text-neck issues in your studio.

Action step: check your website on your mobile device right now. Can you easily read the text? Can you see and click the buttons? Is the website menu easy to access on a mobile device?

Your location

When my kids were little they loved the Hidden Pictures magazine and Where’s Waldo? books. They could provide hours of entertainment on long road trips or flights. I see many studio websites that remind me of these cute games because I can spend hours looking for the location of that specific studio, going through every page, after page, after page…

You do not want to make your clients (especially new ones) search for your studio address. Listing your full address also helps your website show up higher in search results on Google.

Action step: List your studio location prominently on every page of your website. The best spot for it is in the footer of your website. If you can, include a map or a link to driving directions.

Easy ways to contact you

Your clients want to get in touch with you to book sessions, reschedule, or ask questions about your services. How can they do it?

• Phone calls and text messages are the #1 preferred way to contact a local business. Is your phone number easy to find on the website? Since most of the clients visit your website on their phones, take advantage of the click-to-call links that can be implemented on any website.
• Contact forms - check your contact forms frequently to make sure that they work. One of the most frustrating experiences for your clients is to send you a detailed message and never hear back from you. When doing audits for Pilates studio websites, I encounter contact forms that do not send emails in 40% of cases. Check your forms monthly.
• Email - even if you have a contact form and a phone number on your website, include an email address as well. Why? Because some people prefer to email you directly.

Action steps: check if your contact details are easy to find on the website. Send yourself a test contact form request.

How to get started

Make it easy for your first time clients to book your services or know the exact steps on how to become a client at your studio. Do you require that all clients take 3 private sessions? Do you have an intro Pilates reformer class on your schedule that is designed for the newcomers? Or do you want to have a consultation with a client before inviting them into your home studio?

Don’t make the clients hunt for information on your website. When you create simple and clear steps you make it easier for new clients to start working with you.

Action steps: Create a page for your new clients that lays out the steps to get started at your studio, answers their questions, and overcomes any objections that they might have. Link to this page from your social accounts and any marketing campaigns that you are running.

List your prices on a pricing page

I believe in the power of transparency in any business setting. But, my beliefs are not the reason for you to list your prices (or not.) A few years ago I started tracking performance of the websites that had pricing pages as opposed to the ones that did not list the prices.

Every time that we added a pricing page to a studio website, it immediately became one of the top-visited website pages by both new visitors and existing clients. Even better, the pricing page that had direct purchase links made it easier to sell packages and memberships for the studio which resulted in higher revenues.

The studios that had their prices listed on their service pages often had to deal with the clients who had trouble figuring out how to purchase packages on the website. After we added the dedicated pricing pages with the purchase links, the clients became more independent and the studio owners received fewer customer service requests about purchasing packages or memberships.

Action steps: Create a pricing page on your website.

Add an online schedule

If your studio operates purely on private sessions then you can skip this tip. However, if your studio runs Pilates classes then an online schedule is a must for your clients.

New clients want to make sure that you have classes that would fit their schedules. Existing clients would appreciate the flexibility of being able to book their own classes or see different times that you have available.
 

Action steps: Add class schedules to your website menu.

If you consider investing in a scheduling software or switching providers, discover the best scheduling software for pilates studios survey results with reviews from other studio owners like you.

Your clients want to see … themselves on your website

No, you shouldn’t fill your website with the headshots of your clients. BUT, when new clients visit your website they must feel the “vibe” of your studio, they must feel that your studio is a place for them. How do you do that? It’s a 2-step process:

1) Clearly communicate to your clients what they can expect at your studio and how you will make their life better. Your clients want to see that you understand what they are going through and that you have the knowledge and skills to help them reach their goals whether it is regaining their mobility after a knee replacement or getting in shape after having a baby. They don’t want to read an encyclopedia-size article about your accomplishments, certifications, or why you teach a specific type of Pilates. 


Action step: throw away 90% of “I” and “we” pronouns on your website pages. Rewrite the content to focus on “You” instead. Explain the services and experiences that your studio provides.

2) Use photos that your clients can relate to. When potential clients visit your website they want to get a glimpse of what it feels like to be a student at your studio. Will they feel at ease in your classes? Will the sessions be fun and supporting? All of these emotions and experiences can be communicated through the photos that you choose for your website. Your clients want to feel that they belong in your studio.


Action steps: review the photos that you are using on your website and see how they compare to the types of clients that you see every day in your studio. Do the photos and exercises represent your current clients and your session dynamics? Use these Pilates photoshoot ideas to plan your next Pilates photoshoot.

I always tell my clients that their website is their #1 employee that can work 24x7 and doesn’t require a paycheck or benefits. When your website is strategically designed and optimized, it will drive more clients to your studio, grow your studio revenue, and streamline several crucial studio operations. Your website is the digital front door of your business, make your clients welcome here!

Would you like more practical ideas and insights on how to turn your studio into a new client magnet 🧲? Sign up for my free email course and start filling your studio with new clients.

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About Anastasiya Goers

Anastasiya combines her passion for Pilates and experience in marketing to help Pilates professionals get more clients for their business. From strategic website design, to SEO and concierge-style website maintenance plans, she helps Pilates studio owners and educators thrive and grow their businesses.

Anastasiya is the founder of PilatesBridge.com, the oldest online community for Pilates professionals that connects Pilates teachers and students while sharing tips, tools, and resources for Pilates pros. Together with her husband, she runs a digital marketing agency S&V Marketing dedicated to helping wellness businesses get more clients and reach more people.

“My mission is to support you and your business so you can empower more clients to move with ease, feel their best, and embrace positive change in their lives.”