If you're a personal trainer and you haven’t set up a Google Business Profile, you're missing out!

“Google Business Profile: an underutilized, highly effective free lead generator”

If you're a personal trainer and you haven’t set up a Google Business Profile, you're missing out!

Google Business Profile is a powerful tool that can help you attract new clients and build your business's local presence. Don't worry if you haven’t set up a profile yet, it's never too late to get started – in fact, the sooner you create a profile the better.

So, why is this tool so important for personal trainers? For starters, it's completely free to use. Setting up a Google Business Profile allows you to become discoverable on Google searches and Google Maps, which means potential clients in your area can easily find you when they search for fitness-related services.

What's more, Google Business Profiles typically show up first on Google, making them an incredibly valuable asset for any personal trainer looking to boost their online visibility.

For example, let's say your niche is powerlifting, when a lead searches for a "powerlifting personal trainer near me", your Google Business Profile will be one of the first results they see. This is the type of exposure you would typically have to pay a large amount of money for with Google Ads.

In my opinion, any personal trainer who isn't using this tool is putting themselves at a serious disadvantage. By not having a Google Business Profile, you could be missing out on potential leads and limiting your ability to reach new clients who are looking for your particular skill set.

If you haven't already, I highly recommend taking the time to create a Google Business Profile for your personal training business. It doesn't have to be perfect – you can always make changes later – but getting started now will help Google start building an accurate image of your business and increase your chances of being discovered by potential clients.

Today's post covers a step-by-step guide to setting up your personal training business with a free Google Business Profile.

First, visit Google Business Profile and click on the “Manage now” button.

Enter your business name. In my example, I added a business named “EpicFit” followed by “ | Personal Trainer”. This is a little hack you can use to get some extra search engine optimation points, meaning you’re more likely to show higher in any search results for “personal trainer”.

Select “Local store”

Type “Personal trainer” and add it as your business category. If you can find a category more specific to your type of business e.g. “Women’s Personal Trainer” then use that instead. The more specific the better.

Enter the address that you work from, for example, the address of the gym that you work out of. Don’t stress if there is already a business at this address, Google understands that there can be multiple different businesses within the same building.

You may be prompted if other businesses at your address or even near your address are your business. Make sure to tick “None of these”.

After this step, you might be prompted to Verify your business. You can either complete the steps now or “Skip” and follow along with the verification process we do together later in this post.

Click “Continue”

Add your contact details and website (if you have one) or skip this for now.

Add services you specialize in. For example, if your niche was powerlifting you could enter services such as “Powerlifting” and “Strength Training”.

Add your hours of availability. This is purely to give potential clients an idea of what hours you work. Set this up in a way that works for you, but would also look attractive to your target clientele.

Create a compelling and unique description about your services. You want to capture the attention of potential clients and showcase what sets you apart from other personal trainers in your area. Highlighting your unique value proposition and the benefits of working with you can make a big difference in attracting new clients.

Remember, your description not only helps you rank higher in Google search results but also serves as the first impression of your business for potential clients. So, make sure to craft a description that accurately represents your business and conveys your expertise and passion for helping people achieve their fitness goals. With a well-written description, you can increase your visibility and make a positive first impression on potential clients.

If you’re struggling to come up with a good description I would recommend using ChatGPT to help. Here’s an article I wrote on how to get ChatGPT to help with Personal Training and writing.

Showcase your services and attract potential clients by adding high-quality photos.

Including images of you training your clients not only gives a glimpse into the type of training you offer but also shows your clients' progress and your expertise as a trainer.

Consider hiring a professional photographer to take high-quality photos or even ask a friend to take pictures during your training sessions. Remember that the quality of the photos matters, so choose images that are clear, well-lit, and showcase your training style and the progress of your clients.

If you don't have any training photos yet, don't worry. You can always come back and update this section later when you have some. However, adding images of your work can help increase your chances of converting potential clients and making a positive first impression. So, be sure to include some high-quality images to make your Google business profile stand out.

Click “Skip” on the "Claim your $600 free advertising credit" and "Get a domain name for your website" screens. You can always set these up later if you want to.

Awesome, you're almost done!

Your Business Profile has now been created there’s just one last step which is to Verify your business.

Click on the “Get Verified” button.

Select “None of these”

Enter your phone number

Select either “Call” or “Text”

I prefer the text option as I find it quick and easy.

Enter the 6-digit code you received

Boom you’re done.

You might be prompted with a bunch of screens after this. “Skip” through them all or close the popup.

Congratulations on taking the first step toward getting your business discovered on Google! While it may take up to a day for Google to properly verify your business, once it's verified, your business will be visible to potential clients on Google Maps and in search results.

Having your business listed on Google can be a game-changer for your business's visibility and growth. Your potential clients will be able to find you more easily, learn more about your services, and contact you directly from the search results.

So, sit tight and wait for Google to verify your business. Once it's done, you'll be one step closer to expanding your reach and attracting more clients.

In summary, creating a Google Business Profile is an essential step for any personal trainer looking to increase their online visibility and attract more clients.

But don't stop there. Continuously refining and improving your profile can make a big difference in attracting potential clients and standing out from the competition. Remember to come back to your profile from time to time and make updates to ensure that it's always up-to-date and reflective of your business.

If you're interested in learning more about how to turn your Google Business Profile into a highly effective lead generator, stay tuned for a future post where we'll explore more advanced tactics such as leveraging reviews and honing in on your niche.