Building an Online Presence

Social media is powerful, but it's rented land. Platforms change algorithms, suspend accounts, or decline in popularity. A complete online presence includes assets you own and control - your website, your email list, your Google Business Profile.

This chapter covers everything beyond social media that establishes your credibility online and helps potential clients find and trust you.

Your Website: Foundation of Credibility

When someone googles your name or business, your website should be the first thing they find. A professional website signals legitimacy in a way social media profiles alone cannot.

What Your Website Must Include

1. Clear Value Proposition

Within seconds of landing on your homepage, visitors should understand:

What you do
Who you help
What makes you different

Example homepage headline: "Calisthenics coaching for busy professionals who want to build strength without a gym membership"

2. About Page

Tell your story. Why did you become a coach? What's your training philosophy? What credentials do you hold?

Include:

Your professional background
Your personal fitness journey
Your coaching philosophy
Your certifications and qualifications
A professional photo (even if you're camera-shy)

3. Services Page

Clearly explain what you offer:

One-on-one coaching
Group training
Online programming
Workshops or other services

For each service, include:

What's included
Who it's for
Pricing (or "starting from" ranges)
How to get started

4. Testimonials/Social Proof

Potential clients want to see that others have succeeded with you:

Written testimonials with names (and photos if possible)
Before/after transformations
Video testimonials
Case studies showing specific results

5. Contact Information

Make it easy to reach you:

Contact form
Email address
Phone number (if comfortable)
Links to social profiles
Physical location (if you have a studio)

6. Call to Action

Every page should guide visitors toward the next step:

"Book Your Free Assessment"
"Schedule a Consultation"
"Get Started Today"

Website Platforms and Options

You don't need a custom website or developer. Modern platforms make it easy:

Simple and Free/Cheap:

Carrd ($19/year) - Simple single-page sites
Wix (free tier available) - Drag-and-drop builder
WordPress.com (free tier available) - Blogging platform with site features

Professional:

Squarespace ($16-27/month) - Beautiful templates, easy to use
WordPress.org (hosting costs vary) - Full control, steeper learning curve
Webflow ($14-39/month) - Design flexibility, professional results

With Booking Built-In:

Acuity Scheduling + landing page
Calendly + simple website
Trainerize (includes client management)

Starting out, a simple one-page site with your value proposition, services, testimonials, and contact information is sufficient. You can expand later.

SEO Basics for Coaches

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps people find your website when they search for relevant terms. Basic SEO practices:

1. Target Relevant Keywords

Think about what potential clients search for:

"Calisthenics coach [your city]"
"Personal trainer [your neighborhood]"
"Bodyweight training classes near me"

Include these phrases naturally in your website content.

2. Local SEO

If you train locally, include:

Your city/neighborhood in page titles and content
Your address and service area
Location-specific pages if you serve multiple areas

3. Technical Basics

Mobile-friendly design (essential)
Fast loading speed
Secure connection (HTTPS)
Clear page titles and descriptions

4. Content

Adding a blog with helpful articles improves SEO and demonstrates expertise:

"How to Start Calisthenics as a Complete Beginner"
"Best Calisthenics Parks in [Your City]"
"5 Exercises for Your First Pull-Up"

You don't need to obsess over SEO. The basics go a long way, especially for local search.

Google Business Profile: Local Visibility

If you serve clients in a geographic area, Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is essential. It's free and puts you on Google Maps and local search results.

Setting Up Your Profile

Go to business.google.com
Create or claim your business listing
Choose appropriate category: "Personal Trainer," "Gym," or "Fitness Center"
Add your information:
- Business name
- Address (or service area if you travel to clients)
- Hours
- Phone
- Website
- Photos
Verify your listing (usually via postcard or phone)

Optimizing Your Profile

Photos: Add professional photos of you coaching, your training space, client sessions (with permission), and any equipment you use.

Description: Write a compelling description using relevant keywords and explaining who you help.

Services: List all services you offer with descriptions.

Posts: Google allows you to create posts about offers, events, or updates. Use these regularly.

Q&A: Answer common questions proactively and respond to any questions visitors ask.

The Power of Reviews

Google reviews significantly impact local search visibility and trust:

How to Get Reviews:

Ask satisfied clients directly: "Would you mind leaving a review on Google? It really helps others find me."
Send a follow-up email with a direct link to your review page
Make it easy by providing the exact link

Responding to Reviews:

Thank positive reviewers personally
Respond professionally to any negative reviews (rare for personal trainers)
Never argue publicly; take concerns offline

Five genuine reviews with thoughtful responses can dramatically improve your local visibility.

Building Your Email List

Email remains one of the most effective marketing channels. Unlike social media, you own your email list - it can't be taken away by algorithm changes.

Why Email Matters

Direct access to people who've expressed interest
Higher conversion rates than social media
Full control over content and timing
Personal and private (not public like social posts)
Most people check email daily

Getting Email Subscribers

Lead Magnets: Offer something valuable in exchange for email addresses:

Free workout guide
"How to do your first pull-up" PDF
Video tutorial series
Assessment checklist
Challenge or mini-course

Promote your lead magnet on:

Your website
Social media bio
At the end of content
At free workshops or events

Simple Opt-In: Sometimes a simple "Join my newsletter for weekly training tips" is enough.

At Free Events: Collect emails at park workouts, workshops, and other events.

Email Platforms

Start with free tiers until you grow:

MailerLite (free up to 1,000 subscribers) - Excellent free option
Mailchimp (free up to 500 subscribers) - Well-known, easy to use
ConvertKit (free up to 1,000 subscribers) - Creator-focused
Brevo (formerly Sendinblue) (free up to 300 emails/day)

What to Send

Weekly or Bi-Weekly Newsletter:

Training tips
Personal updates
Client success stories
New content links
Occasional offers

Automated Sequences: When someone downloads your lead magnet, send a welcome sequence:

Day 0: Deliver the lead magnet + introduce yourself
Day 2: Share your story and philosophy
Day 4: Provide additional value (tip or resource)
Day 7: Invite them to book a consultation

Keep emails valuable. Every email should have a purpose beyond "stay in touch."

Email Best Practices

Be personal: Write like you're emailing a friend, not broadcasting to thousands.

Be consistent: Pick a schedule and stick to it (weekly is common).

Be valuable: Every email should teach, inspire, or help.

Be clear about offers: When you do promote services, be direct about it.

Respect unsubscribes: Make it easy to unsubscribe. Quality subscribers matter more than quantity.

Testimonials and Social Proof

Social proof - evidence that others trust and benefit from your services - is one of the most powerful marketing tools available.

Collecting Testimonials

When to Ask:

After a client achieves a significant goal
At the end of a successful training package
When a client spontaneously expresses appreciation

How to Ask:

Simple version: "I'm so glad you've had a great experience. Would you be willing to write a short testimonial I can share with potential clients?"

Guided version (often gets better testimonials): *"Would you mind answering these three questions for a testimonial?

What was your situation before we started working together?
What results have you achieved?
What would you say to someone considering calisthenics coaching?"*

Formats for Testimonials

Written testimonials: Easy to collect and display. Get permission to use their name and photo.

Video testimonials: More powerful but harder to collect. Keep them short (30-60 seconds).

Before/after photos: Powerful for transformations. Always get explicit written permission.

Case studies: Longer-form stories of client journeys. Excellent for your website.

Using Testimonials Effectively

On your website: Dedicated testimonials page + quotes throughout the site

On social media: Regular posts featuring client wins

In emails: Share success stories with your list

In consultations: Reference relevant client results

On Google: Encourage reviews that include specific results

Ethical Considerations

Always get explicit permission before sharing
Never fabricate or exaggerate testimonials
Be honest about typical results
Include disclaimers if needed ("results vary based on individual effort")
Respect clients who prefer privacy

Before/After Strategies

Before/after photos are powerful but must be handled ethically.

Collecting Transformation Photos

Build it into your process:

Take baseline photos at the start (with explicit consent)
Explain you may want to use them for marketing (get written permission)
Take progress photos regularly
Share results with clients at milestones

Photo Guidelines:

Same lighting, angle, and distance
Simple, uncluttered background
Consistent attire
Clear, well-lit images

Ethical Before/After Practices

Be honest:

Don't manipulate lighting or poses to exaggerate differences
Include realistic timeframes
Acknowledge that individual results vary
Don't promise identical results to prospects

Respect privacy:

Some clients don't want photos shared
Some are willing to share anonymously
Get written permission before any public use

Context matters:

Include the work the client put in
Mention the timeframe
Note any relevant factors (nutrition changes, lifestyle factors)

Alternatives to Physical Transformations

Not all results are visible:

Strength achievements (first pull-up, handstand progress)
Performance metrics (hold times, rep counts)
Lifestyle changes (energy levels, habit formation)
Testimonials about non-physical benefits

Managing Your Online Reputation

Your online reputation extends beyond what you post. It includes what others say about you and what appears when someone googles your name.

Monitoring Your Reputation

Regular Google searches: Search your name and business name monthly. See what comes up.

Set up Google Alerts: Get notified when your name or business is mentioned online.

Monitor review sites: Check Google, Yelp, Facebook, and any relevant fitness platforms regularly.

Handling Negative Feedback

Negative reviews or comments happen to everyone eventually. How you handle them matters:

Don't react emotionally: Wait before responding. Draft a response, then review it later with fresh eyes.

Respond professionally: "Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry your experience didn't meet expectations. I'd like to learn more about what happened - please reach out directly at [email] so we can discuss."

Take it offline: Resolve issues privately whenever possible. Public arguments never look good.

Learn from legitimate criticism: Sometimes negative feedback highlights real areas for improvement.

Don't obsess: One negative review among many positive ones won't destroy your business.

Building Positive Reputation Proactively

Consistently deliver excellent service
Ask satisfied clients to share their experiences
Respond to all reviews (positive and negative)
Create content that pushes down any negative results in search
Build relationships with local media and community

Creating a Cohesive Brand

All your online assets should feel connected:

Visual Consistency

Same colors across website, social media, and materials
Consistent logo usage
Similar photography style
Matched fonts and design elements

Message Consistency

Same positioning and value proposition everywhere
Consistent tone of voice
Aligned content themes
Coherent story across platforms

Cross-Linking

Social profiles link to website
Website links to social profiles
Email includes social and website links
All platforms have consistent contact information

Your Online Presence Checklist

Essentials (Do These First)

Simple website with services, about, testimonials, and contact
Google Business Profile (if serving a local area)
Professional email address (yourname@yourdomain.com looks better than random@gmail.com)
At least 3 testimonials collected
Consistent information across all platforms

Next Level

Advanced

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. No website: Social media alone isn't enough for professional credibility.

2. Outdated information: Check that services, pricing, and contact info are current everywhere.

3. Inconsistent branding: Different logos, colors, or messages across platforms confuse people.

4. Neglecting Google Business: Free visibility that many coaches ignore.

5. Not collecting testimonials: Waiting until you "have more" means never having enough.

6. Ignoring email: Building on rented platforms without owning your audience.

7. No call to action: Great content without a clear next step wastes opportunity.

Your Next Steps

Before moving to Module 3:

If you don't have a website, set up a simple one using Carrd or similar
Claim or create your Google Business Profile
Set up a basic email list with one lead magnet
Collect at least 3 testimonials from past clients or training partners
Ensure your contact information is consistent everywhere

Your online presence doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to exist, look professional, and make it easy for interested prospects to take the next step with you.

In the next module, we'll shift focus to the delivery side of your business - how to price your services, onboard clients effectively, and deliver exceptional training experiences.