As a jiu-jitsu instructor, you probably want your school to grow. More students not only mean more money, but more chances to affect the lives of budding jiu-jitsu learners.
Luckily, thanks to social media pages like Facebook and Twitter, getting your name out to the public has never been cheaper or easier.
I did social media work for two ONE Championship fighters last year, one of whom was bantamweight title contender, Kevin Belingon. I am by no means an expert, but I was given some excellent advice that helped me bring more viewers to their pages and earn their posts more likes.
Here are five pieces of that advice.
Post regularly
We live in a fast-paced digital age where people demand a constant flow of new information to hold their interest. If you do not want viewers growing bored with your content, make sure you constantly update your pages.
However, do not overdo it. If you update too frequently, your viewers might not see some of your posts.
One to five updates per day is sufficient.
Do not post the same content on all of your pages
Why should I visit your Twitter page if I can see the exact same content on your Facebook page? Why should I visit your Facebook page if I can see the exact same content on your Twitter page?
If you want to make sure all of your pages receive high traffic, post different material on each page.
That does not mean all of your posts must be different. No doubt you will want to share some content on all of your pages.
Just make sure you are not posting the exact same content on each page.
You should also make sure most of your posts are pictures and videos. Humans are visual creatures, and they will be more interested in what they can see than in what they have to read.
Share your wisdom
As an instructor, you are an authority, and people want to hear your opinions.
Upload videos of yourself sharing the wisdom that has come with your years of experience. You might want to talk about what jiu-jitsu means to you or answer commonly-asked questions.
Technique videos are also great ways to increase your viewership.
Not only will these videos earn you a barrage of hits, but you will influence the jiu-jitsu journeys of millions of struggling white, blue, purple, and brown belts all over the world.
For a good example on how to share your wisdom, check out this video from Stephan Kesting.
Let us see you outside your element
One of the best ways to gain new followers is to show everyone the real you – that is, not only who you are on the mats, but who you are off the mats.
Post family or vacation pictures that you are comfortable showing. If you have hobbies outside of jiu-jitsu, show those, too.
By giving your viewers a glimpse of your life outside of class, you are showing them that you are a real, multidimensional human being.
That is the type of person most people want to train under.
Remember that not all publicity is good publicity
As an instructor, you are probably going to want all people of all ages joining your gym, and getting them through your doors requires care in what you post.
Yes, some of us have noticed your killer glutes, but if you want to promote a family-friendly atmosphere at your gym, it might be a good idea to keep your pants on while posting on Instagram.
Oh, and those drunken pictures of you at your friend’s bachelor party in Thailand? Keep those tucked away, too.
No one is saying you have to post dull, boring photos. Quite the opposite. Jiu-jitsu practitioners like Kit Dale have made celebrities out of themselves by posting silly pictures and videos.
Just make sure your posts are tasteful. Ask yourself, “Would the average parent be comfortable having her young child train at my gym after seeing this?” If the answer is yes, go ahead and post.
The post Five Ways Instructors Can Increase Their Social Media Audience appeared first on Jiu-Jitsu Times.