If you’ve been building an email list for your fitness studio, congratulations! You’re already ahead of the curve. But did you know that you can do much more with those emails than just sending newsletters? This blog will introduce you to the concept of lookalike audiences—a powerful tool to help you attract more clients who are likely to love your studio just as much as your current members do.
What exactly is a lookalike audience?
Think of a lookalike audience as a “twin” audience. It’s a group of people who share similar characteristics with your existing customers, making them more likely to be interested in what you offer. These audiences are created by platforms like Facebook, which analyze data from your existing clients—whether it’s their emails, the way they interact with your website, or even how they engage with your social media content.
Example: Let’s say you have a list of 100 customers who frequently attend your spin classes. Facebook can use this list to find thousands of other people in your area who have similar interests, lifestyles, and online behaviors—people who might be interested in joining your classes, too.
Why should you care about lookalike audiences?
If you’re like many local fitness studio owners, marketing can feel overwhelming. You might be focused on running classes, managing staff, or keeping clients happy. Lookalike audiences simplify marketing by targeting the right people—those who are most likely to become loyal customers. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for the best, lookalike audiences help you focus your efforts, saving time and money.
Example: Recently, I used MyStudio, a leading martial arts software, to help tailor a marketing campaign for a local kids' martial arts studio. By creating a lookalike audience based on the studio’s existing young martial artists, we were able to target families with younger children who were most likely to be interested. This strategic approach ensured that our ads reached the right audience, significantly improving the campaign’s effectiveness and delivering a higher return on investment.
How do you create a lookalike audience?
Creating a lookalike audience might sound complicated, but it’s actually straightforward:
- Start with a source audience: This could be your email list, people who visit your website (tracked by a Facebook pixel), or those who engage with your posts on social media.
- Upload or connect your data: Most platforms allow you to upload your email list directly or automatically connect with your website or social media accounts.
- Define your audience: You’ll need to decide how closely you want your lookalike audience to match your source audience. A smaller, more closely matched audience will be more specific, while a larger audience might include more people but be less targeted.
- Launch your campaign: Once your audience is created, you can start running ads directly to these highly targeted groups.
Local marketing made easy
For a local business like a fitness studio, lookalike audiences are incredibly valuable. Instead of spending money on generic ads that may or may not reach the right people, you’re able to focus on individuals who are already predisposed to be interested in your offerings. This can lead to more sign-ups, increased memberships, and a higher return on investment (ROI) from your marketing efforts.
Example: Let’s say you’re launching a new yoga class. By using a lookalike audience based on your existing yoga clients, you can reach people who are likely to be interested in yoga and live within a reasonable distance from your studio. This targeted approach increases the likelihood of filling your class quickly.
Tips for maximizing lookalike audiences
- Quality over quantity: Your source audience doesn’t have to be huge. Even a small, highly engaged list can be an excellent foundation for a lookalike audience.
- Use multiple data sources: Combine your email list with pixel data and social media engagement to create even more accurate audiences.
- Test and optimize: Marketing is all about testing. Try different audience sizes and tweak your campaigns based on what works best.
Real-Life example: How major brands use lookalike audiences to drive revenue
Large companies like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus have effectively used lookalike audiences to significantly increase their revenue. For instance, Saks Fifth Avenue used lookalike audiences based on their top customers to target new prospects who were more likely to make high-value purchases. This strategy helped them increase their return on ad spend (ROAS) by over 20%.
Similarly, Neiman Marcus leveraged lookalike audiences to target potential luxury buyers, resulting in a 2x increase in conversions compared to standard targeting methods. These real-life examples demonstrate the power of lookalike audiences in reaching the right customers and maximizing marketing ROI.
Stats to Support the Strategy
- Facebook Lookalike Audiences: Studies have shown that advertisers who use lookalike audiences can achieve up to a 70% higher click-through rate compared to interest-based targeting alone.
- Improved ROAS: Brands using lookalike audiences report an average increase in ROAS of 15-25%, making it a highly effective tool for both large enterprises and small businesses alike.
Ready to take action?
Lookalike audiences offer a fantastic way to leverage your existing customer data to attract new clients. By focusing on those who are most likely to be interested in your services, you can make your marketing efforts more effective and efficient. Whether you’re promoting a new class, launching a membership drive, or simply trying to grow your studio’s community, lookalike audiences can help you reach the right people.
Learn how you can leverage creating lookalike audiences with MyStudio, a powerful tool that helps you streamline your marketing efforts, target the right people, and grow your fitness business effectively. Visit MyStudio to see how our platform can support your success.
