PROGRAM AND SERVICE INNOVATIONS THAT WORK

5 Things Gym Owners Should Do to Update Their SEO Strategy

Google just rewrote the rules for Search, and with Claude and ChatGPT gaining more ground, you need to change your website to win new members in the AI era.

BY ALAN LEACH

On May 20, Google announced the biggest upgrade to its search engine in over 25 years.

Twenty-five years? That's back to the days of dial-up internet and Ask Jeeves.

For years, the local SEO playbook was simple. Get on Google Maps. Get reviews. Make sure your address is right. Repeat. That still matters, but it's no longer enough.

Here are a few stats that should make every health club and studio operator sit up:

● The average AI-powered search is now triple the word length of a traditional search.

● More than one in six searches in the United States now use voice or images.

● Image searches are growing over 40% month to month.

Google's AI assistant now has one billion monthly users, and searches have more than doubled every quarter since it launched. People aren't searching less because of AI; they're searching more. They just aren’t typing “Gym near me” anymore.

Stand Out in the New World of AI Search

The person looking for their perfect gym isn't just searching once. They're comparing options, asking follow-up questions, and looking for a gym that speaks directly to their situation. And AI remembers their chatbot searches as one long conversation.

The gym that answers their real questions—not just a short keyword version or a location search—wins the lead. Here are five ways to do just that.

People aren’t searching less because of AI; they’re searching more. They just aren’t typing “Gym near me” anymore.

Alan Leach, CEO of West Wood Club

1. Write Content That Answers the Questions Your Prospects Actually Ask

Think about your sales calls, your front-desk conversations, and your DMs. What do people ask before they join?

"Do I need to be fit to start?"

"What's included in the membership?"

"Will I feel out of place if I'm older/heavier/a beginner?"

Turn those questions into pages and blog posts on your website. Not just “join our gym” but content that answers specific concerns and questions that a prospect has before they walk through the door. That's the content that gets found when someone is actively deciding.

2. Structure Your Website so AI Can Find and Use Your Answers

AI-powered search pulls answers from websites. But it needs to find them quickly. It needs to find short sections, clear headings, direct answers at the top of each section, as well as FAQ pages and a clear description of who your gym is for. If your answer is buried under four paragraphs of background material, AI skips it. So does the potential member. Every section of your website should be able to stand alone as a clear answer to a specific question.

3. Show That You Know What You're Talking About

Google's new AI doesn't lower the bar for trust; it raises it. This means providing staff bios with credentials, member success stories, and before-and-after case studies. Certifications need to be displayed clearly. Include reviews from real members talking about real results.

These signals tell Google—and your potential members—that you're the real deal. Generic gym websites with stock photos and vague promises get deprioritized. That gap is getting wider fast.

4. Use More Than Just Text

Google now accepts images and videos as search inputs. That means the content on your website and social media needs to go beyond blog posts—to short videos of your facility, trainer introductions, workout clips. Add a virtual walkthrough and member testimonial videos.

Gyms that only exist as text on a webpage will be harder to find in this new environment. Gyms with rich, varied content will have a real advantage.

5. Answer Questions at Every Stage of the Decision, Not Just “Join Now”

Most gym websites only talk to people who are already ready to sign up. But the journey to joining a gym starts much earlier.

Someone might search, “What type of exercise is best for weight loss?” Then, "What should I look for in a personal trainer?” Then, “How do I pick a gym in [your town]?” Then, “What questions should I ask before joining a gym?” Then, “[Your gym name] reviews.”

If your website only answers the last question, you’ll show up once and disappear. Answer all five questions and you're there for the entire journey. You build trust before they even contact you.

Health & Fitness Business is a publication of

Health & Fitness Business (HFB) is the leading health and fitness industry publication. Published monthly by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and distributed free to the industry, HFB offers analysis of the opportunities, challenges, issues, and news that impact the industry.

Subscribe | Advertise | Past Issues | FAQs

70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02210

1627 Street NW, Suite 1210, Washington DC, 20006