DIGITAL MARKETING PLAN COMM 464, Section 102 Instructed By Paul Cubbon

Jessica Greschner 27722107

U L TRA F I T BOOTCAMPS D I G I T A L MAKR E T I NG P L AN T AB L E O F CONT EN T S

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY pg. 1 II. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS pg. 2 - 5

Company Background Industry Analysis SWOT

III. ULTRAFIT IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT pg. 6 - 7

Current Digital Marketing Mix Key Challenges in the Digital Environment

Objectives & Goals

IV. WEBSITE/SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION pg. 8 - 15

Hypothesis 1 Improving the Website

Hypothesis 2 - SEO Procedure Analysis Recommendations

V. PAID SEARCH (GOOGLE ADWORDS) pg. 16 - 20

Hypothesis 1 Driving Traffic with Google AdWords- Procedure Analysis Recommendations

VI. SOCIAL MEDIA pg. 21 - 37

Facebook pg. 21 - 26

Hypothesis 1 & 2 Content & Timing of Posts Procedure Analysis Recommendations

Hypothesis 3 - Influencers Procedure Analysis Recommendations

Twitter pg. 27 - 32

Hypothesis 1 Content Procedure Analysis Recommendations

Hypothesis 2 Influencers Procedure Analysis Recommendations

Social Media Expansion pg. 33 - 37

Hypothesis 1 Using More Platforms Procedure Analysis Recommendations

VII. CONCULSION pg. 38 VIII: APPENDIX pg. 39 - 54 IX: BIBLIOGRAPHY pg. 55 - 56

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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ultrafit Bootcamps is a Vancouver based company in the health and fitness industry. Founded in July 2003, Ultrafit has grown to include programs in Kitsilano, Burnaby, East Vancouver, and North Vancouver. But as the competitive environment of the fitness industry in Vancouver intensifies, Ultrafit is looking for new ways to attract customers. Currently, Ultrafits promotional strategies consist primarily of word of mouth (offline). Provided Ultrafits loyal client base, this has proven to be effective over the past ten years. However, Ultrafit is currently underutilizing their online social media outlets and has the opportunity to improve all aspects of their digital marketing mix. Therefore, the primary objective of this digital marketing plan is to progress Ultrafits digital marketing mix to better appeal to both current and potential customers while contributing to its overall success as a fitness bootcamp. In this plan, we will discuss various tactics and strategies on how to effectively employ different digital and social media channels and tools to accomplish the main objective. The three primary components of our digital marketing plan includes:

Company Website Improving website in regards to key characteristics (context, content,

communication, commerce, community, connectivity, customization, usability, and strategy)

Identifying tactics that would improve Ultrafits current organic search results Paid Search

Investing paid search by implementing Google AdWords Campaign to drive traffic to website

Social Media

Strategically leveraging the social connecting power on new and existing social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest

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II. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS COMPANY PROFILE

Ultrafit Bootcamp is a Vancouver based company founded by Annilou Verge-Marion in Vancouver Island and has been in operation for over ten years. Ultrafit calls itself an accelerated Fitness & Nutrition program which consists mainly of outdoor physical activity paired with a nutrition plan monitored by Ultrafit. They are now based in Vancouver and have outdoor locations in Kitsilano, Burnaby, East Vancouver, and North Vancouver. Ultrafit offers a bootcamp style fitness class with nutritional coaching and goal setting guidance included with each membership. Each bootcamp class is 60 minutes long and offers cardiovascular, strength, core and balance training. With regular attendance benefits include: weight loss, stress relief, strength, increased energy, and increased confidence. Ultrafits fitness program can be adapted to different ages and fitness levels and as a result Ultrafit has a wide variety of clients. All clients are interested in leading a healthy and active lifestyle. Demographically, most current clients are females between the ages of 30 and 50. In the future, Ultrafit is looking to grow and capitalize on their current target consumers and to better connect with younger audiences. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Category Definition Ultrafit operates in the fitness industry. This industry includes fitness activities and recreational sports which feature various forms of physical activity. Ultrafit is a bootcamp style of fitness program, and the primary function of its service is to offer a form of exercise to consumers in Vancouver. Ultrafit competes directly with dozens of other Bootcamps in Vancouver and indirectly with services offering some form of exercise or fitness. Such services include gyms, fitness clubs, yoga classes, adult sports leagues, running clubs, cycling clubs, Zumba, Pilates, exercise classes, swimming pools, home gym equipment, and even fitness mobile apps. This industry has a low level of market share concentration. This is because there are so many small-scale, single location players in the market. In 2012, about 82.2% of all fitness establishments employed fewer than 20 people (Schmit, 2013). The percentage of small-scale firms is substantial because demonstrates the industry's low barriers to entry as it is a relatively easy industry to enter. Health & Fitness in Canada According to a study done by The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, Canadians are some of the most physically active people in the world (International Prevalence Study on Physical Activity). And today Canadians are caring more about their health and wellbeing than ever before. In 2009, 48% of Canadians were considered moderately active, and the Canadian fitness industry grown into a $2.2 billion industry (Lets Get Active, 2013). In Canada, 16% of the population has a membership to a sporting or fitness institutions, with community programs being the most popular; these figures reflect Canadas ongoing awareness of health and fitness. Within the next five years, population growth and demographic changes will influence industry revenues. The mature market (people aged 55 and older) is expected to

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live more active lifestyles and put more emphasis on their health, physical appearance and weight. The retiring baby-boomer generation will create opportunities fitness businesses. As baby boomers get older they will put more of a burden on healthcare costs. This will create an incentive for the government to promote preventative practices like physical activity (Schmit, 2013). The younger segment of the population (under 20) also has a strong opportunity for growth. This is largely due concerns over childhood obesity. In particular, British Columbia ranks as Canadas most active and health conscious province, and with Vancouver being most active city in Canada (Bauman, 2010). And because demand is so high, the market is almost saturated with various health and fitness services. Fitness industry trends are dynamic with typically short lifespans. Within the past few years Crossfit (a power based fitness regime), yoga, and dance-based exercise classes have experienced the highest growth rates, while Pilates, spin classes, and aquatic classes have experienced a decline. Specifically in Vancouver, the top three most popular workout trends are dance-inspired workouts, yoga, and bootcamps. There has been a growing preference towards group fitness classes opposed to individual exercise especially among women (Cikes, 2012). SWOT

Strengths Ultrafit Bootcamp has already been largely successful in their past ten years in operation. They have established a good reputation and a sustainable business model. In the process of gaining experience and earning reputation they have gathered a very loyal customer base. Some clients have been regular attendees for up to six years. The trainers at Ultrafit are very enthusiastic and many customers are drawn to the bootcamp because of their expertise. They are well educated on multiple facets of health and wellbeing and know when and how to push participants. Trainers are able to offer a full service health program for clients which is included in their membership fee. They then monitor the progress of each client. Customers are therefore able to go to one place for all their fitness and nutritional needs. Many clients are drawn to the social aspect of bootcamp and group exercising. They find it motivating, and a way to distract themselves from what is often an undesirable activity. Classes that can be adapted for each customers individual fitness levels enable the group aspect to work particularly well. Furthermore, a strict schedule can help people remain committed to a consistent exercise routine. Ultrafit has an impressive success rate for helping clients reach their fitness goals. Vancouver and Kitsilano compliment the outdoor aspect of Ultrafit. With a moderate climate Vancouverites are able to exercise outdoors twelve months a year. For many, exercising outdoors is an enormous advantage of Ultrafits. Weaknesses Although Ultrafit has been successfully operating for ten years, we have identified some areas to be improved. Ultrafit charges at a premium rate which limits itself from reaching to broader range of clients such as younger demographics.

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Furthermore, while the group and class style of program offered by Ultrafit is a strength, it is also a weakness. Ultrafit clients must go to class when it is offered, while some competitors, like gyms, are open about 16 hours a day that gives their members more flexibility. Compared to other competitors, Ultrafit also lacking amenities such as private training facilities, weights, and exercise equipment. Ultrafit is in need of a strategic online digital marketing plan, as they currently acquire members mainly through word of mouth. Ultrafit is under utilizing their social media and web presence as effective marketing tools relative to competitors. Their social media activity could be more engaging and relevant for consumers, and is limited to only two platforms (Facebook and Twitter). Their website could be updated to be more appealing and yield better organic search results. Opportunities Vancouverites have proven that they value fitness, health, and wellbeing and have earned Vancouver the title of being Canadas Healthiest City (Ebner, 2012).. There is an opportunity to capitalize on the demand and interest in the fitness industry. As stated, there is also the opportunity to capitalize on key demographic trends. The mature markets including the baby boomer population is expected to place more and more emphasis on living healthy and physically active lifestyles. Younger segments are also expected to become more involved in the fitness industry which is a market Ultrafit can better reach in the future. Ultrafit also has the ability to leverage their very loyal existing client base. Through word of mouth, online and offline, their loyal clients can act as brand advocates bringing new customers in. Having this strong existing network is paramount for extending their reach further, especially on social media. Ultrafit is also a small, local company, and many people endorse these small local companies over those of national or international in scale. They feel like they are supporting the community and are able to develop a personal relationship with the firm. Threats Because Vancouver is such a healthy and fit city, competition is fierce. Directly, Ultrafit must compete with over dozens of bootcamps. But indirect competition includes yoga, gyms, running clubs, hiking, skiing, biking, swimming; as well as free mobile apps, exercise DVDs, and even YouTube. This is primarily the result of an industry with low barriers to entry. And although the industry is concentrated with small-scale firms, there are also larger competitors such as the YMCA, GoodLife Fitness, and YYoga that can (in some cases) achieve economies of scale. These competitors have more sophisticated marketing resources and budgets. Sometimes, these larger firms can overwhelm the messages being sent by smaller firms such as Ultrafit. And while being an outdoor fitness program is one of the positive attributes of Ultrafit, it is worth recognizing the degree of vulnerability this places on the firm. Because Ultrafit is an outdoor fitness program they are subject to their natural surroundings. This includes the noise

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restrictions in neighborhoods especially in early mornings or late at night. Complaints over the use of these public spaces could be detrimental to Ultrafit. Ultrafit relies on convenient locations to make their service accessible. Another threat is the weather. Many potential customers may be deferred by the idea of having to go out in less than favorable weather conditions and may therefore turn to other indoor alternatives.

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III. ULTRAFIT IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT CURRENT DIGITAL MARKETING MIX

Ultrafits current digital marketing mix is currently two pronged, and includes a web and social media presence:

The website aims to add value to both current and potential clients. Potential clients are provided with an overview of Ultrafits services, prices, trainers, and testimonials. They are also able to register and pay for bootcamp memberships. Current customers are provided access to schedules, nutritional coaching, and the opportunity to renew their memberships at any time.

Ultrafits social media presence is limited to Facebook and Twitter. Here, they have acquired a relatively modest following of friends, family, and clients. They contribute content relating to health, fitness, and living a healthy lifestyle.

KEY CHALLENGES IN THE DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

As stated, Ultrafit competes in a very concentrated fitness environment. This situation only intensifies online and in social media. In the digital landscape, there are many messages directed at consumers on a continuous basis. Different players therefore compete for the attention of the same target audience. Almost all competitors in the fitness industry in Vancouver have an online presence. Standing out in such situation can be difficult. Therefore, to reap the benefits of social media, strategies must outperform competitors to be more effective and more relevant to consumers. OBJECTIVES & GOALS

Our goal is to refresh and revise Ultrafits online marketing mix to better utilize the tools and practices available. We have made recommendations that will help Ultrafit accomplish these goals. Objectives involve Ultrafits website, paid search campaigns, and social media. OBJECTIVE KPI DATA SOURCE INSIGHT ACTION

PAID SEA

RCH Increase website

traffic using Google AdWords campaign

Click through rate (CTR) (Goal: Achieve CTR of 1.5%)

Google AdWords, Keywords Metrics

A higher CTR rate means more people are clicking on the ads and therefore match customer searches. This helps drive website traffic

Increase CTR rate through use of various keywords and ad descriptions

WEB

SITE

Increase number of inquiries, brand awareness, and attract new clientele on the website

Visits Bounce rate (Goal: Increase # of daily visits by 15%, bounce rate of 50%)

Google AdWords, Keywords Metrics

More inquires mean more potential customers

Increase Visits, Decrease Bounce rate

Improve organic search results

Search rank on Google (Goal: Achieve 2nd position on Boot Camp Vancouver search)

Google Efforts to improve the quality score given by Google will make the website more searchable

Increased search rank through website improvements

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SOCIAL

MED

IA Improve and foster

engagement of online community

Engagement Score- total likes, comments, retweets, replies, likes, and repins (Goal: Improve engagement score by 25%)

Facebook: likes, comments, engagement rate, reach Twitter: retweets, replies Instagram: Likes, comments Pinterest: likes and repins

Increased engagement will help develop online community which will improve existing customer loyalty, and also attract new customers

Increase rates of engagement by improving content and timing of tweets

Extend reach of social media to a broader audience

Social connections (Goal: Increase to 60% of total customer base)

Facebook: page likes Twitter: Followers Instagram: Followers

More likes, followers on social media pages indicates greater social influence

Increase number of social connections

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IV. WEBSITE/ SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION Having good a good website is paramount for attracting and retaining customers. Ultrafits current website design is dull and unappealing, and does not optimally present what Ultrafit has to offer. After analyzing Ultrafits website, the following hypotheses and recommendations have been formulated. HYPOTHESIS 1 - WEBSITE

By improving Ultrafits website in regards to key characteristics (context, content, communication, commerce, community, connectivity, customization, usability, and strategy) the websites bounce rate will decrease by 20%, and the average visit duration will double. PROCEDURE

By conducting secondary research on websites and their best practices, and by evaluating the websites of Ultrafit and their competitors, we have provided recommendations to improve Ultrafits website accordingly. Google Analytics data will also be used to determine and evaluate the website, and consumer behavior patterns. Due to limited ability and time constraint, we are unable to test our hypothesis by physically altering the website. ANALYSIS New visitors account for 95% of all Ultrafit website traffic. This means that 95% of all website traffic is potential customers. Furthermore, the website earns a bounce rate of just 53% which is considered quite impressive (Smarty). The average duration of a visit to Ultrafits website is just 56 seconds, but because this is just an average, and therefore includes visitors who left quickly, and those who visited for a long time, it should not be used to make definitive conclusions (APPENDIX 1.0). Aggregated, these statistics give the impression that the Ultrafit website is doing well relative to industry standards. However, in order to properly analyze and evaluate the website, other characteristics need to be assessed. Context (Webpage design): Ultrafits website layout and design appears outdated, and does not immediately engage the viewer. There is a lot of text that is consolidated in the middle of the page and has few surrounding graphics. There are consistency problems regarding font. Furthermore, graphics and logos are of poor quality [APPENDIX 1.1]. Content: Information is insightful however it is not structured in a user-friendly manner. There is limited use of graphics and videos. The schedule is clear and appealing. There are detailed descriptions of trainers, and of courses so clients are able to know what to expect from a bootcamp class. Poor quality images do not leverage other information as well as it could. The video on the homepage provides a nice, brief overview of the class offered. There is also inconsistency with the quality of the photos of the staff members and customers who gave reviews APPENDIX 1.2]. Communication: The Ultrafit website communicates with users through its content and through a blog, a user interface, and contact information. The blog allows for clients to leave comments

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however no comments are present. Other contact information includes a phone number and a generic email. Based on the nature of the business no address is provided. The user interface that supports nutritional and coaching services is not used [APPENDIX 1.3]. Commerce: There is the ability to register, schedule, and purchase bootcamp sessions. You are able to see what instructors will be conducting which bootcamp, which class works for your schedule, and then proceed to checkout online [APPENDIX 1.4]. Customization: There is limited customization except for choosing the class and membership type on Ultrafits website. There is an online interface for clients of the nutritional and coaching services to login, journal, and receive advice. However, many clients are not utilizing this service, and some are alternatively using mobile applications [APPENDIX 1.5]. Connection: The only links present are Ultrafits Facebook page and Google+ page. The Facebook page is relatively quiet, and the Google+ account does not exist. The blog entries are also not shareable on any other web pages or social media platforms [APPENDIX 1.6]. Community: Although there is a system where clients can comment on blog posts and spark discussion. It is not currently being utilized. However, the testimonials that are provided on the website do add a communal aspect to the site [APPENDIX 1.7]. Usability: The Ultrafit website is well laid out, and is relatively easy to find anything you may need. Clear headings are located in the top right hand section of the screen where the eye is naturally drawn. Most of the content on each page can fit in the screen without having to scroll. This helps people find what they need as easily as possible. The only portion that could be improved is the scheduling part, as it is not clear that clicking the calendar will prompt you to register in the class [APPENDIX 1.8]. Strategy: Ultrafit has some well thought-out elements on their website. They have a column that explains what makes Ultrafit different to demonstrate their value-added services. They also have descriptions of the trainers (with photos), and a specific description of the classes. Because client-fitness trainer relationships can be very personal this is an important feature. Also, explaining exactly what the bootcamp entails may make first time clients more willing to give it a try because they know what to expect. The FAQ section can also aid with this same issue. Testimonials are genuine, relevant, and from a variety of users [APPENDIX 1.9]. Ultrafits website is a good website in an ugly outfit. It excels in terms of usability, content, and strategy; however, improvements to context, connection, and community are required. Particularly, the poor design may distract users from many other strong points in the website. Upon evaluation of key competitors, we noticed that websites such as that of Bootcamps Vancouver gave a great first impression because of the web design and style but fell short in many other aspects. Although we did not think the Bootcamps Vancouver website was as good as Ultrafits, its visual appeal may be more enticing for consumers [APPENDIX 1.10].

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RECOMMENDATIONS

Excellence in all categories present in our website analysis would create an ideal website and excelling in many different facets all contribute to a positive consumers experience. However, from our analysis and secondary research we have concluded that there are characteristics that are more important than others in the industry. Therefore, we suggest that Ultrafit takes measures to improve their website with emphasis on context, content, and usability to be most important:

Context is important because people do judge a book by its cover. Good design and stylistic consistency at the very least, is important in convincing visitors to stay on the site. We were turned off by Ultrafits website because it was unattractive and in turn we made false assumptions about the company as a whole even though other website components were quite strong. Perhaps work with an agency to redesign the website in terms of colors, logos, fonts, and media would improve the overall appeal.

Content is important, especially for fitness website where visitors are often looking for information about services, schedules, and pricing. Ultrafit currently has thorough yet concise information. Everything that you needed to know on both sites was very clear and left few questions unanswered. This needs to continue to be executed well. One recommendation would be to include a more thorough explanation of the nutritional services offered by Ultrafit. This is value-added component of the business that is not being described or capitalized on optimally.

Intuitive usability is also imperative for a fitness website (this characteristic could also include the commerce functions). Content is useless unless it can be found. Ultrafit is a smaller company with a simple business model, the content of their website can be easily organized. Again, Ultrafit is currently executing this quite well. We do however recommend better use of white space (which will likely be addressed if the website is redesigned) to facilitate easier browsing.

Other improvements that would further improve the Ultrafit website include: Communication: We suggest that Ultrafit continues its use of their blog. It is currently being updated on a consistent basis with relevant content. Although viewers are not actively responding or commenting on posts we feel that the most valuable asset of this blog is portraying expertise. That is to say, Ultrafit is proving to a potential customer that they are in fact experts in their field and are therefore able to offer them a great fitness program. Blogs also can have a positive effect on organic search results. Commerce: The checkout system is very user friendly. However, Ultrafit could further improve this experience with booking confirmations that send the customer a schedule they can print or save to their desktop for their reference immediately after purchase. This will contribute to the overall user experience and allow the customer to be better informed. Customization: The customization on the Ultrafit website is currently limited to the customers online profile. One way to enhance this feature is if the website were able to recognize different customers based on their visiting habits. For example, a customer with an online profile would be remembered and perhaps shown advertisements or suggestions based on their past purchases. Furthermore, the user experience could be enhanced if they were recognized when

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visiting the site. For example, subtle things such as Welcome Sue at the top of the window could be a nice touch. Although a subtle suggestion, these things make a big difference in the mind of consumers. Also, this is relatively easy to achieve in web development today. Visitors who have not visited the site (or do not have an online profile) would not get the same advertisements or promotions as those with online profiles. Instead, they would receive first time offers and the like. Connection: The connectivity of a website can help both add value and improve organic search results. Firstly, we recommend Ultrafit links their website to all their social media platforms. Secondly, we recommend that Ultrafit include links to other websites that would be of interest to their customers. For example, a link to the weather network for Vancouver could be integrated into the scheduling page, or a fitness tips website (that is not a competitor) could be integrated into the blog. Community: To increase the communal aspect of the website, we suggest the continued use of testimonials from a wide range of customers. Pictures of Ultrafit customers having fun and working together could also achieve this same effect. Strategy: We recommend that Ultrafit continue to promote their value-added or differentiating factors the way they are currently doing. However, to build upon these strategies, highlighting that Ultrafit has been operating for ten years, and has a very loyal and long-standing customer base (this can be done via testimonials) may also be effective in attracting new customers. With fitness services in Vancouver being such a competitive industry, it is important that websites give no reason (or minimize the possibility) for visitors to defect to a competitors website. While different website factors will contribute to a better website, the driving force behind every decision must involve optimizing the user experience. ______________________________________________________________________________ WEBSITE - HYPOTHESIS 2

By revising content (text, graphics, links, and social media connection), organic search ranking will improve from page five to page one when searching for Bootcamp Vancouver. PROCEDURE

We will conduct secondary research on relevant terms, phrases, and links to be included in website content to increase organic search rankings. We will analyze the content of competing websites, and research search behaviors in order to develop content that will optimize search engine results. ANALYSIS

Search engine optimization is the process of getting traffic from the free, organic, editorial

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or natural listings on search engines. Search engines like Google, evaluate your website to determine where your website will rank in search results. Google ranks websites on key word relevancy, landing page, historical performance, click through rate and other relevancy factors. Their model continues to improve and change. Currently, Ultrafit is ranked in tenth position when searching Bootcamp Vancouver on Google, and fifth when searching Bootcamp Kitsilano. However, when searching fitness classes Vancouver, or group fitness Vancouver, Ultrafit was not easily found [1.11]. RECOMMENDATIONS

In the first hypothesis, the Ultrafit website was discussed in detail. In general, improving the overall website as recommended above will improve the organic research results of the website. This is because Google evaluates a website based on a wide variety of factors. For example, quality of content, freshness of content, historical performance and click through rates, all contribute to the overall score given by Google. Some strategies for improving the score of your website on the above ranking characteristics, are listed below. These traits will also increase the likelihood that a viewer directed from a paid ad will return to your website in the future. Context: As discussed earlier, visual appeal is important. Users are drawn into well designed, and visually appealing websites. Good design gives your site credibility and is often the basis for first impressions. Bootcamps Vancouver for example, excels in terms of context. Improving and updating the design of the Ultrafit website in general, will therefore have this effect. Content: Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any of the other factors. Content includes keywords included in the text, information provided, and any other website components. Keywords are essentially what potential site visitors may search in a search engine. They are highly reflective of searching behavior, and one must anticipate the differences in their users. For example, people with different expertise levels, age, career, or nationality, may search differently. We suggest working the following keywords into the content of the Ultrafit website to best suit the searching behaviors of different customer segments:

Bootcamp Fitness classes Exercise classes Fun workouts Fun exercise Group fitness Weight loss Weight loss

program Fitness results Fitness goals Experienced

trainers Cardiovascular

workouts Plyometrics

Outdoor fitness Outdoor workouts Strength training Flexibility Agility Healthy lifestyle Intense workouts

The first fifty words on a webpage are a crucial signal of relevance. As such, the tagline on Ultrafits homepage should incorporate as many important keywords as possible.

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The recommended tagline incorporates more keywords and synonyms, which may result in higher search rankings. Different types of content (text, images, videos) will also increase the traction of a website. Adding a greater number of high quality images and videos to the Ultrafit website, will help improve this aspect of the sight. A website which creates new, fresh, and unique content for users will also be more search optimal than those that do not. The Ultrafit blog can help accomplish this. By creating blog posts on the website, you are creating new content which Google will consider in their evaluation of your website. Content should be clear and concise (as discussed earlier). Users should be able to find what they are looking for but should not be overwhelmed with information that is not of value to them. Also as discussed earlier, connecting Ultrafits site to other sites will improve your search ranking. It also shows that you are in the same conversation as other linked sites. Link blending is a tactic used by hyperlinking certain words or phrases in your website to another website. One way, Ultrafit could use link blending is demonstrated below:

Sites built around user integration and sharing have made it easier to match interested groups of people with relevant content. As recommended earlier, this can be achieved by linking social media platforms to the website. Further facilitating, or encouraging users to comment on blog posts may also help promote your website and build the reputation of your brand. Usability/Navigation: Make your site as easy to navigate as possible. Not only will this enhance the user experience but will also help search engines understand what content the Webmaster thinks is important. Google best understands flowing hierarchy, and using text for navigation. Ultrafit currently has a very usable and easy to navigate website [APPENDIX 1.12], however a few changes have been suggested which may improve Googles navigation and evaluation of your website, and the users navigation of the website as well. These changes include:

BLOG POST (August 13, 2013): Whole Grain vs. Wheat

Be careful that you check your labels. If it says wheat, that doesnt mean its whole wheat. It could just be wheat flour with some molasses, very tricky*! Be sure that it says whole before wheat!

*This statement could be linked to the Mayo Clinic website for more discussion on the matter http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whole-wheat-bread/AN01512

Ultrafits current tagline is: Ultrafit Bootcamp is an accelerated Fitness & Nutrition program. We are here to motivate you & help you achieve your goal towards becoming a fitter & healthier individual.

Recommended tagline: Ultrafit Bootcamp is an accelerated Fitness & Nutrition program. Our trainers will guide you through a full-body workout, and motivate you to exercise and stay healthy.

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Current Website Heading Recommended Website Headings Home Home Blog About Bootcamp Fitness Bootcamp Ultrafit Team Schedule/Register Schedule/Register Success Stories Membership Prices Ultrafit Team Success Stories FAQs Blog Contact Us FAQs Contact Us URL Names: Shorter URL names perform better in Google search rankings than longer ones. Ultrafits URL names are all short and concise, usually containing only one word after www.Ultrafit.ca. For example, success stories from customers are under www.Ultrafit.ca/Stories, while class information is under www.Ultrafit.ca/Bootcamp. While these short URL names are advantageous, they could incorporate more relevant keywords that will also increase search rankings. The proposed changes are as follows:

CURRENT URL RECOMMENDED URL DESTINATION www.Ultrafit.ca/Bootcamp www.Ultrafit.ca/Bootcamp-Class Class description www.Ultrafit.ca/Team www.Ultrafit.ca/Fitness-Trainers Description of trainers www.Ultrafit.ca/Stories www.Ultrafit.ca/Customer-Testimonials Customer Testimonials www.Ultrafit.ca/Blog www.Ultrafit.ca/Fitness-Blog Blog www.Ultrafit.ca/Schedule www.Ultrafit.ca/Class-Schedule Bootcamp Schedule www.Ultrafit.ca/Membership www.Ultrafit.ca/Membership-Fees Prices Page Titles: Page titles, similar to URL names, should be a short and concise description of a pages content, and also include relevant keywords. Ultrafits page titles are currently well labeled and give a clear idea of what the webpage will be about. For example, Schedule/Register - Ultrafit Bootcamp, and Contact Us - Ultrafit Bootcamp accurately describe the content of the page. The only recommendation involves the www.Ultrafit.ca/Bootcamp page, which is currently For All Fitness Levels - Ultrafit Bootcamp. This should be changed to About Bootcamp Ultrafit Bootcamp. We think that this may be a better description because it better explains what the page is about. Although, For All Fitness Levels may send the message that boot camp

www.Ultrafit.ca/Bootcamp www.Ultrafit.ca/Bootcamp-Class

www.Ultrafit.ca/Team www.Ultrafit.ca/Fitness-Trainers

www.Ultrafit.ca/Stories www.Ultrafit.ca/Customer-Testimonials

www.Ultrafit.ca/Blog www.Ultrafit.ca/Fitness-Blog

www.Ultrafit.ca/Schedule www.Ultrafit.ca/Class-Schedule

www.Ultrafit.ca/Membership www.Ultrafit.ca/Membership-Fees

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can be in fact for anyone, it does not concisely explain the page and therefore may be more effective as a subtitle or tag line elsewhere [APPENDIX.13]. Meta-Descriptions: Meta-descriptions appear under the page title in search results, and should compel the viewer to click on the link [APPENDIX 1.14]. These should include the relevant keywords, and be kept short and concise. Some of Ultrafits existing descriptions are effective, such as What to Expect. Here are some Real Results that our members have experienced. 3-15lbs loss; 2-5% drop in body fat; 25-200% strength increase; Inches lost... for www.Ultrafit.ca/Bootcamp. Others such as Owner & Operator of Ultrafit Bootcamp Ltd. BCRPA Group Fitness Leader; Sports Nutrition Specialist; Bootcamp Instructor Trainer; Level 1 Kickboxing Instructor... appears to have just automatically been taken from the webpages content on www.Ultrafit.ca/Trainers. A better description could include something that is more easily understood by potential customers. These customers may be intimidated or simply not understand fitness expert vocabulary. An alternative could include: Our professional team of trainers hold certificates and experience in the field of fitness and health. We are energetic and enthusiastic....

Another suggestion is to revise the www.Ultrafit.ca/Schedule meta-tag that should describe what to expect about when Ultrafit offers its Bootcamp. Instead of the current meta-tag: What makes Ultrafit Unique? Access to online Nutritional & Fitness journal; Nutritional Coaching; Health & Nutrition topics at each class; Weekly home workout..., it may be more valuable to describe how Ultrafit can accommodate your schedule as it offers over twelve classes a week to chose from. Search engine optimization is not a simple phenomenon. It is complex, dynamic, and relative to the practices of your competitors. When making decisions regarding search engine optimization, the top priority is to optimize the experience of the customer. If the customer likes your site, explores your site, and finds what they are looking for this will be translated into a good organic search ranking.

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V. PAID SEARCH (GOOGLE ADWORDS) HYPOTHESIS 1 DRIVING TRAFFIC WITH GOOGLE ADWORDS

A $100 spend in AdWords will provide 60 clicks, and therefore direct potential customers to the website. PROCEDURE

Using Google AdWords, we developed a pay per click ad campaign to promote the Ultrafit website. The campaign extended for a period three weeks, with an aggregated total spend of $225. Although our targeted spend was $100, a technical difficulty (human error) forced us to spend more*. Variables such as keywords, ad descriptions, and ad titles were manipulated and the consequential effect on click through rate and impressions were observed. * Although we were carefully monitoring our spending on Google AdWords, we failed to notice that what we thought was total spent was actually weekly spend. This may be something Ultrafit should look out for if they complete their own AdWords campaign. ANALYSIS

Analysis of Current Practices: Ultrafit initially did not include paid search in their digital marketing mix. However, we feel that provided the competitive nature of the fitness industry in Vancouver and the degree of saturation in the digital landscape paid advertising has huge potential for Ultrafit. Some of the benefits for Ultrafit using the paid search, and particularity Google AdWords are listed below:

To Attract Customers: In North America, 90% of people search for a product or service on Google. When a customer makes a search relating to Ultrafit, boot camp, and fitness in Vancouver, the results will include your competitors, so its important that youre included too. Using Google AdWords, you increase your likelihood of being seen and clicked on when potential consumers are searching. In fact, World Stream Research concluded that sponsored results account for64.6% of clicks for high commercial intent keyword searches.

Immediate Results: As soon as your AdWords account is activated your ad starts to appear to users searching for your product or service. Instantaneous implementation yields faster results than many other traditional marketing tactics.

Measurability: You are easily able to see how many people have seen and clicked on your ads. Weekly and monthly ads are also provided to evaluate the success of your campaigns.

You only Pay for Results: Google AdWords offers a Pay Per Click system so that you only pay if a user clicks on your ad to visit your website. This means you are not paying to rent space but merely to reap the benefits of a potential customer viewing your website.

Flexibility and Control: Google AdWords allows changes to keywords or ad descriptions to be made at any time. Therefore, if certain keywords are not being clicked they can be

17

removed and new ad words can be included. The termination of a campaign is available at any time. AdWords campaigns can be customized to target different local geographic locations or language groups.

Accommodates a Small Budget: On Google AdWords there is no minimum spend, and therefore can be as small as $1 a day. Therefore, an AdWords campaign does not have to be a huge financial commitment.

AdWords can Improve Organic Traffic: A visitor that got directed to your site from a paid advertisement may become a repeat visitor and return to your website from an organic search in the future. This will improve your organic search results and therefore improve the accessibility of your website.

AdWords is Easier than SEO: Although search engine optimization is a very important aspect of your digital web presence, AdWords is often much easier to implement. SEO requires altering your web content that may include working with a web developed. For many small businesses, like Ultrafit, this is simply not realistic. Therefore, paid search can be used in order to achieve better search results, however without the hassle of altering your web content.

(Gabbert, 2012) Google AdWords Campaign Analysis:

Campaign Launch: When developing the ad that would be viewed by searchers we knew we had to keep our target consumers, how they might search, and what they find appealing in mind. We began by running tests on Google to see how competitors approached their ads. When searching boot camp Vancouver ads from Contenders training studio, Kalev Fitness Solutions, and other appeared in promoted ads. Fitness classes Vancouver brought ads for Downtown Vancouver Bootcamp, Richmond Oval, and others. Because these were all direct competitors, we knew that using some of the tactics they employed would be a good starting point. Key takeaways from examining other promoted fitness ads helped us develop Ultrafits as well:

Headline: The headline must communicate the benefits of the company in a detailed manner. This may involve a call to action or value proposition. Using your brand or company names were not as common (and presumably not as effective).

Description lines: The description lines must describe your benefits, value proposition, or call to action in more detail. For example, for our first ad we chose: Improve your fitness & overall health; Try is out, 1 week unlimited $30

Display URL: The display URL needed to be short and simple. We chose to make the display URL www.ultrafit.ca. We chose this, as it is the only part of the ad that has the company name.

Destination URL: This needed to direct the consumer to what the ad was talking about. In our case, the destination URL took searches to the pricing page of Ultrafits website.

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The first ad in our campaign looked as follows:

When first launching our Google AdWords campaign, our keyword strategy was based on demographic and geographical segmentation in order to ensure we were attracting the right consumers. We used the keyword generator to identify some recommended terms while also keeping in mind that these are simply suggestions from Google. We then took these recommendations and further defined them based on our target market. For example, boot camp for moms was a term that we chose because we identified mothers as a key target audience for Ultrafit. To better understand our keyword selection process, below are some examples from the beginning of our campaign along with our thought process behind each:

Boot Camp: This term along with variations of the term was the first we agreed on, as it is the name of the service Ultrafit offers. Furthermore, it is in the name of the company. When searching the term, we also noticed that there werent many bootcamps in Vancouver (relative to other fitness services) so bidding on this term would be a great way to improve Ultrafits ranking.

Fitness Classes: Our second thought when designing search terms was what kind of similar services would people looking to stay fit be searching. We identified fitness classes as a broad term that consumers would likely search if they were looking to get fit.

Lose Weight: We also chose terms based on what consumers would want to get out of a bootcamp. We identified weight loss as a key goal for many and included this in our keyword portfolio.

To compliment these search terms, we segmented our campaign based on geographical region so that we were only dealing with those in the Vancouver area. We also honored the regions multi-cultural nature by including various languages such as English, French, Mandarin, Japanese and Chinese in order to capture those who might have browser settings in other languages. Because we had not run an AdWords campaign before, we decided that a small amount of search terms would be used to start so that we could conduct further analysis after a couple of days and adjust our terms accordingly. This proved to be beneficial as many of the terms we included in our campaign were not specialized enough or had too high of a bid price compared to our allocated budget.

[APPENDIX 2.0]

Kitsilano Bootcamp Improve your health & overall fitness Try it out, 1 week unlimited $30 www.ultrafit.ca

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Day 5: After our first evaluation, we concluded that with the exception of a few, the original keywords we chose we much too broad. We did however identify three key words we wished to further define by including target audiences or segments. These three keywords were: fitness, boot camp (and bootcamp), and weight loss. To modify fitness we added fitness classes, group fitness, fitness for mom, fitness for women, and others. To modify bootcamp we added boot camp for moms. And to modify weight loss we added weight loss tips. We took out terms such as health consultation because we noticed that there were no impressions or clicks. We also thought that these terms were not indicative of user search behavior. Other terms we added at this time included fun workouts, couples workouts [APPENDIX 2.1].

Day 10:

After day 10, we were still not impressed with our results as we had not yet reached our goal of a 1.5% CTR. To our surprise, keywords we thought would be used by potential Ultrafit customers such as fitness for women, or workouts for moms were unsuccessful in both impressions and clicks. We drastically increased the number of keywords [APPENDIX 2.2]. Our approach to keywords in this phase was quantity. We were clearly missing the terms that our target audience was searching, and therefore we increased the number of keywords included in the campaign again. These keywords were based upon value-sought attributes of our audience. Some of the keywords we added were: health and fitness, quick weight loss, fast weight loss, exercise plan, personal trainer, weight loss for brides, boot camp for brides, and others.

We revised our bid strategy multiple times to see if it could help us generate more clicks. With a goal to increase the number of click we were receiving, we altered the bid strategy for the keywords that were generating the most impressions. These keywords were fitness classes, fitness trainer, boot camp, and weight loss bootcamp. For these keywords, we employed the maximize clicks strategy that is set by Google. After a few days, this strategy did not bring a significant increase in clicks. Therefore, we tried the manual cost-per-click bid strategy and set the bid for our best perform keywords slightly higher than they had been previously set.

To generate additional clicks and potentially appeal to more people, we created another ad that would represent our campaign. It was inspired by the high impressions generated by our weight loss key words and also by what we thought appealed to our audience. The new ad appeared as follows:

Day 15 (End of Campaign):

Based on the changes we made to the campaign on Day 10, we saw a significant increase in impressions and clicks on a few keywords. They were the following:

Weight Loss Bootcamp Health & Fitness Results Guaranteed Try it out, 1 week unlimited $30 www.ultrafit.ca

20

KEYWORD CLICKS IMPRESSIONS Fitness Classes 12 1586 Fitness Trainer 3 693 Boot Camp 12 1220 Bootcamp 6 786 Fitness Trainer 3 693

We feel the significant increase in clicks and impressions was largely due to the increased minimum cost per click we bid, but also the relevance of the keywords to our target audience.

By the end of the campaign we had made 269,871 impressions and a total of 215 clicks. This means, we can say that our campaign directed 215 potential customers to the website that would have otherwise not visited. Our initial goal of 60 was long surpassed. We did not reach our goal of a 1.5% CTR. We achieved a CTR of 0.08% and an average position of 2.5. Upon reflection we were satisfied with this result considering the number of companies bidding for ad space in the industry, and have acknowledged that a CTR of 1.5% may have been too ambitious. Therefore; we were pleased with out attempt at this short AdWords campaign.

RECOMMENDATIONS

If Ultrafit were to begin including Google AdWords into their digital marketing mix, we would recommend that they make decisions based on key insights we gained through our trials. Furthermore, December and January when people being to make their new years resolutions, which often involve fitness, would be a great time to start running an AdWords campaign. They would be therefore able to take advantage of a potentially increased number of searches.

1. Keywords: Relevancy is key in this industry. Keeping keywords connected with the service offered, outcome desired, and benefits of the company were all important in order to maximize clicks. Terms must not be too specific nor too broad. For example, Boot Camp (and bootcamp) was our strongest term with a click through rate of .88%. Terms that were too specific such as Boot Camps for moms did not perform nearly as well. Terms that were too broad in scope such as fitness, required a much higher bid price and were less specialized to the specific demographic we were trying to target.

2. Bid Strategy: Googles bid suggestions- auto bid prices, are a good place to start. In general, it at least allows your ad to compete for a display position. However, if you identify keywords in which you believe will lead to further inquiry or even purchase, increasing the bid manually can be a good approach. This increase in bid price can be based upon the average CPC that is displayed in the AdWords dashboard. Remember that you are able to set a maximum spend for the day in order to control you AdWords expenditure.

3. Ad Design: With regards to how to design the specific ad, there are a number of important things to keep in mind. First of all, it is important that the headline is company specific and contains relevant terms. The description lines should offer insight into the product or service offered and how it can benefit the consumer. Finally, the link should be short and link directly to the page that is most relevant to the description.

21

VI. SOCIAL MEDIA Ultrafits current social media presence includes activity on Facebook and Twitter. Despite limited engagement on these platforms, Ultrafit is active and posting consistently. FACEBOOK Ultrafit currently has 95 likes on Facebook and are posting content on a regular basis. Ultrafit is making efforts to engage their audience on Facebook however adjustments can be made to refine their strategies. HYPOTHESIS 1 - TIMING

By creating a timeline for social media posts, posts reach and engagement will increase by approximately 50% HYPOTHESIS 2 - CONTENT

Strategically chosen content will increase social media engagement among clients and Ultrafit by 10%. PROCEDURE

We will analyze past Facebook data using Facebook Insight tools to determine the best time and best content to post on Facebook to achieve the greatest levels of engagement. This will be supplemented by analyzing best practices on Facebook and drawing conclusions from our secondary research. [Actual tests regarding content and timing on Facebook were not performed, as we did not have posting authority] ANALYSIS

Statistics show that Canadians are the most active Facebook users globally, and about 74% of users check their news feeds daily which is about 14 million of population. This demonstrates how Facebook would be a great platform to advertise, expand, and reach many customers (Wadsworth, 2013). Ultrafits Facebook page is their most active social media platform. We believe that there is huge potential for Ultrafit to leverage its Facebook page to strengthen its position in the digital environment. The most important Facebook metrics include volume, reach, engagement, influence, and share of voice. Volume is a simple counting metric, which can be measured by the number of total page likes and the number of posts likes. Reach refers to the spread of a social media conversation; therefore it measures the potential audience size. Engagement metrics involve the extent in which people participate in the conversation about your brand. Influence is a vague metric that considers the impact from your Facebook fans. Finally, the share of voice

22

considers what percentage of the overall conversation about your industry is focused on your brand in comparison to your main competitors (Davis, 2012). Since the main goal of Ultrafit is to increase the brand awareness and attract more potential clients, we believe that volume, reach and engagement should be the three key indicators for us to improve on. A recent study points out that an average Facebook users have 229 friends (An average Facebook, 2013), therefore considering the large amount of information an average Facebook user receives each day, if the post are not strategically chosen in terms of timing and content, they may be washed out from its targeted clients news feed before being seen or it will get ignored. Timing

On Facebook, to gain desired levels of engagement it is important for your posts to show up on the news feeds of your audience. Currently, 50% of Ultrafits Facebook posts are posted at around 10:00am and the rest are posted at various times throughout the day. Through secondary research we found out that most posts that were posted in the evening around 6:00pm generate more reach and engagement. Furthermore, we compared two of Ultrafits posts with similar content that were posted at different times of the day. We saw that they resulted in significant differences in terms of reach and engagement. In fact the post posted around 10:00am had 70% less reach and 800% less engagement compared with that of the 6:00pm post [APPENDIX 3.0]. Generally speaking, it is usually the least effective to post during the work day (9:00am-5:00pm), and more effective to post in the evenings or early mornings (Cormier, 2013). However, Ultrafit needs to determine what the prime time is for reaching their target market on Facebook. Therefore, we suggest that Ultrafit posts at different times throughout the day with similar content to determine the time that reaches the largest number of people. Reach is shown to the admins of the Facebook page at the bottom of a post.

Content

A recent study revealed that photos posted on Facebook Pages receive 53% more Likes than the average post. Comparison also illustrated that each businesses' average comments-per-photo to their overall average comments-per-post and found that photo posts attracted 104% more comments than the average post, too. (Corliss, 2012) Experts also indicate that that engaging, relevant content is the most important tool small business owners have in creating a meaningful Facebook relationships with their target audience (Karol, 2013). Currently, most Ultrafit posts are pictures. However, the content sometimes appears irrelevant and attracts very few people. For example, we believe that the Friday Fun posts are a great way to demonstrate personality and lighthearted humor, however we think that they would be more effective if they were a little more on topic (had something to do with living a healthy lifestyle) [APPENDIX 3.1]. In order to accurately define the content that would attract most attention from Ultrafits Facebook fans, we suggest to using scheduled posting plan with different relevant topics and recording how they are recieved to test which topics are most effective.

23

RECOMMENDATIONS

Since post content and timing are closely related, we suggest a combined Facebook posts schedule for a three-week cycle is shown below. This cycle can be used over and over again if the times are adjusted. This will be a good start for Ultrafit to determine the type and timing of Facebook posts that are most effective. Ultrafit will need to continue monitoring how their target audiences perceives their Facebook activity. This can be determined by observing how many people like which type of posts, what generates discussions, what topics are particularly relevant to the people attending bootcamp?

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

Wee

k 1

10:00am - Motivation Post

6:00am - Picture of the client of the day

8:00am - Picture of Instructor of the day

11:00am - Healthy eating recipe

7:00am - Sports gear recommendation

10:00am - Quick workout Routine

9:00am - Workout ideas

Wee

k 2

6:00pm - Motivation Post

12:00pm - Picture of the client of the day

2:00pm - Picture of Instructor of the day

3:00pm - Healthy eating recipe

12:00pm - Sports gear recommendation

11:00am - Quick workout Routine

5:00pm - Workout ideas

Wee

k 3

9:00pm - Motivation Post

7:00pm - Picture of the client of the day

10:00pm - Picture of Instructor of the day

11:00pm - Healthy eating recipe

10:00pm - Sports gear recommendation

7:00pm - Quick workout Routine

11:00pm - Workout ideas

The tables cells highlighted in grey indicate the posts content/time combinations we believe will be the most engaging for consumers. These predictions consider who Ultrafits audience is (working women over the age of 30) and typical social media usage patterns of adults in Canada. Some of the popular content we have identified are picture of the day, training pictures of instructors, healthy eating recipes, workout ideas, workout tips, motivate images, and sports gear recommendations. With these seven categories, Ultrafit could try to make daily posts based on the themes and cultivate viewers to anticipate and follow different posting regimes. The reasoning for identifying these topics of Facebook content along with sample posts are shown below: STRATEGIC REASONING SAMPLE POST

Motivationa

l Po

st Sometimes even the most committed customers are

going to need some encouragement. A motivational post will therefore be relevant and relatable to customers.

Sally lost 5 pounds by working hard at bootcamp. You can too! (Post picture of Sally looking fabulous) Youre one workout away from a good mood!

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Client of

the Day

Picture

Choose someone who is working hard, or who has a great attitude in class. Ask if you can take a picture. This is likely to spark conversation from other bootcamp clients and also bring the bootcamp community in to the sphere of social media.

[Insert picture of a client] *A variety of clients of different demographics will establish relevance a large portion of customers

Instructor

Picture

In any company, the people are the most valuable asset. Show off the Ultrafit trainers on Facebook doing something interesting. This not only appeals to customers, but also to your customers friends (potential customers) who may think the trainers could be of value to them as well.

[Insert picture of a trainer doing a handstand or something novel to grab attention of audiences]

Hea

lthy

Eatin

g Re

cipe

Those people concerned with living an active lifestyle are also likely concerned with eating right too. Posting recipes that are suggested by experts (trainers) would be particularly valuable to Ultrafit customers.

[My favorite snack: Apples with unsweetened peanut butter! Satisfying and delicious!]

Sports Gea

r Re

commen

datio

n

Again, this is a relevant and perhaps value-added post. It further establishes the expertise Ultrafit holds. Speaking directly to local sports gear companies in could also be effective (See hypothesis 3).

Whether your workout involves running, walking, sports or gym equipment, a decent sport shoe is a must. Injury caused by inappropriate shoes can needlessly derail your fitness or weight loss attempt

Quick W

orko

ut Id

ea In our busy lives we are pressed for time. Quick

workout ideas can encourage a health and active lifestyle even when our busy schedules get the best of us. This continuous promotion of an active lifestyle are important in maintaining and establishing the values of the Ultrafit brand. Posting exercises that have been done in bootcamp may also spark conversations and get you audience talking!

Adding wall sits to the end of every run will strengthen your quads, hamstrings and glutes, improving your speed and endurance

Worko

ut

Tips These simple tips are things consumer may find

interesting or try during a workout of your own. You may even wish to post tips

"Don't strive for perfection or an improbable goal that can't be met, focus instead on increasing healthy behaviors!"

______________________________________________________________________________

HYPOTHESIS 3 INFLUENCERS

By expanding our network to include key influencers we will engage in 20% more conversations. This will help Ultrafit acquire exposure and credibility. PROCEDURE

We will monitor and analyze to identify key influencers on Facebook that are relevant in our community. We will explore how to develop relationships with them which may help increase our own exposure, connectivity to the community, and further establish Ultrafits credibility.

25

ANALYSIS

Key influencers are the people who can actually drive sales and awareness convincingly. It's the size of their potential impact that makes them key influencersand it's their access to your target market that makes them key to Ultrafits success. At the present time, Ultrafit only follows six company pages and does not make any effort to interact with them. However, unlike Twitter or Instagram, on Facebook you have to be bilateral friends to be able to post or comment on personal pages. As a business page, it would be unreasonable to directly add opinion leaders personal page. Therefore, identifying influencers that are other businesses and interacting with them will be the most effective, and feasible approach to expand its circle of influence. RECOMMENDATION

The fitness and healthy lifestyle communities in Vancouver are large. They include many players that very in expertise, approach, and behavior. Ultrafit should follow local, small to medium sized sport gear stores such as The Run Inn. These businesses largely share the same market as they all targeting people who are looking to be fit but providing products and services to them at different aspects as supplementary partners. Therefore, by interacting with each other on Facebook, they could leverage each others existing market and grow it to a bigger one. Specifically, Ultrafit could refer to these gear stores when posts are relevant to sports gear or simply commenting on partners page when they post a new product to initiate conversation actively. Ultrafit should also follow local community based health pages such as Kitslano.ca. Most of these pages are publishing daily posts to support the community in terms of better living. This is in line with what Ultrafit believes in and can provide to clients. For example, some key influencers we suggest Ultrafit connects with include: FACEBOOK INFLUENCER POTENTIAL INTERACTION*

Mountain Equipment Co-op (local page)

MEC: What food do you love eating outdoors? Ultrafit: Bananas! They are one of the best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. And they come in their own prepackaged shell!

The Run Inn

The Run Inn: Storm Shelter Jacket: Seam-sealed and water resistant. (product promotion) Ultrafit: What a great choice for bootcamp on a cool November day!

Racket & Runners Ultrafit: @racket&runners, our bootcamp-ers are looking for a great, comfortable shoe to be used for bootcamp (all sorts of activities)- do you have any suggestions?

LiveSuperWell LiveSuperWell: [photo] Your health. Your life. Your way. Ultrafit: A simple like can show that you are similar values.

Vancouver is Awesome

Vancouver is Awesome: Watch CBC News: The National tonight for a feature on Artisan SakeMaker & CMC Sake + Wine Merchants, the ONLY sake maker in Canada (located on Granville Island in #Vancouver) and from the first ever organic rice grown in our country (out in the Fraser Valley)! Ultrafit: We love that he is experimenting with variety of table rice.

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Always a great, healthy alternative!

VancouverMoms [Ask VancouverMoms to offer its users enter to win a free trial week of Ultrafit boot camp. To enter simply like the post. This seems to be acceptable on the page.]

Kit House

Kits House: Join us for a Healthy Living Educational Session on Nutrition & Action Planning. Tues Nov 19th 10.30 at the Kits House Seniors Resource Centre. Ultrafit: We love this session @kitshouse! Ultrafit will be dropping by.

Kitsilano.ca Kitsilano.ca: A free, magical Christmas tradition! [photo of skating rink at Robson Square] Ultrafit: One of the highlights of spending Christmas in Vancouver!

Healthy Families BC

Healthy Families BC: Many of us ask how we can better include physical activities into our busy day. The first easy step is Ultrafit: Because this page involves families, you may not want to comment, as it is more or a sensitive environment. Therefore, a like or a share would be best to subtly engage in conversation

Semperviva Yoga [Organize a cross promotional event. I.e. A free week of bootcamp with the purchase of a yearlong Semperviva pass!]

*An inbox or email message may first be used to introduce yourself as a fellow community member

Read more on suggested accounts to follow [APPENDIX 3.2] Increased engagement essentially means more exposure and more word of mouth. This is exactly what Ultrafit needs to grow its customer base. In sum, to better engage customers on Facebook we recommend that Ultrafit bases all their Facebook decision with the following tactics in mind:

5 Tactics for Increasing Engagement on Facebook

1.Get connected. Establish direct connection with current client on Facebook by choosing to follow them. This will increase engagement and enhance credibility.

2. Get personal. Actively initiate real time discussions and get current client more engaged and creating a reliable image.

3. Crowdsourcing the content. Encourage testimonials. Encourage clients to submit their body transformation or health insight through submitting testimonials, which can help making current clients stay motivated by being connected and attracts prospective customers by feeling reliable and credible.

5. Ask feedbacks. Ask questions in posts to get real insights of authentic information of clients. It would also encourage the development of an online community by allowing clients to help answer questions.

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TWITTER Ultrafit currently has forty-three followers and is following just sixteen other people. Ultrafit appears to be active on Twitter, posting on a consistent basis. They typically tweet anywhere from one to four times per day. HYPOTHESIS 1 - CONTENT

By improving the content of tweets to be more interactive, consumer engagement, replies, retweets, and favorites will increase by 20%. PROCEDURE

We have evaluated the Ultrafit Twitter account and sought secondary research on best practices to evaluate Ultrafits current efforts. We have observed, recorded, and categorized tweets based on their content. To confirm this hypothesis, a simple test could be performed by changing the content of Ultrafit tweets, and observing any changes in engagement with their audience. This procedure does not include the testing of different tweets, as we did not have tweeting authorization. Currently, Ultrafits tweeting schedule is consistent and repetitive. They have employed guidelines to which their content adheres:

Monday Motivation: a link to a motivational photograph Tuesday Tips: A tip on nutrition, fitness, or lifestyle Wednesday Workout: A short workout Thursday Picture of the Week: A link to a photograph from a bootcamp class Friday Funny: A link to a light hearted image

[APPENDIX 3.3] The Monday Motivation tweets are great because they contribute to uniting a community of exercisers. Ultrafit recognizes that their bootcamp (and exercise in general) is hard work recognizing this hard work and providing encouragement to their followers, is a tactic worth continuing. Similarly, Tuesday Tips and Workout Wednesday tweets also provide information that their followers would find relevant, while more importantly reaffirming the expert knowledge Ultrafit can offer. However, it is important to keep in mind user behavior when utilizing Twitter. Users typically scroll through their Twitter feed browsing for any cool information, with most people finding useful information at that time. This means that workouts that a customer would have to go back and refer to, may not add value to the user experience. The Thursday Picture of the Week tweets are especially personal, allowing customers to relate to people in the photographs and recognize their classmates. This personal approach can help foster a more engaged online community. Lastly, Friday Funny tweets are lighthearted content that can simply make viewers smile. They also provide an opportunity to demonstrate Ultrafits personality as a company. While there are a few tweets that do not pertain to the described categories, they are not common.

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After analyzing Ultrafits Twitter activity over a four-week period, we observed that approximately 60% of tweets made by Ultrafit, included links to photos already posted somewhere online [APPENDIX 3.4]. Although these links are curated content that is often relevant and interesting, we recognize the benefits and drawbacks they impose. Curating content on Twitter (often through links) allows Ultrafit to post, and choose from, an abundance of interesting and relevant content that has already been posted elsewhere. It takes less time than creating your own content and can offer your audience an array of perspectives on a given subject. On the other hand, curating content can have some negative implications. According to Baur, Posting too many links, means posting nothing at all (Baur, 2013). While this may be an extreme opinion, too much curation fails to demonstrate your capabilities, expertise, or experience. Engagement in the form of replies and retweets can be lower than content you have created yourself because your audience does have the ability to get the same (or similar) content from another source (Peneycad, 2013). We have observed that Ultrafits Twitter activity did not make use of hashtags or mentions. A mention is when your tweet is directed specifically at another person or organization. Mentions can make tweets more personal, and can often encourage interaction with the mentioned party. This interaction helps foster an interesting and dynamic Twitter community. Hashtags are a way to label tweets so that other users can see tweets on the same topic. Hashtags contain no spaces or punctuation and begin with a # symbol. The use of hashtags is often not optimized, especially in the context of a small business such as Ultrafit. General hashtags such as, #workout would be lost among thousands of tweets worldwide. But more specific hashtags can be lucrative for small businesses (see below) and can grant your access to an audience who finds your topic relevant. RECOMMENDATIONS

The categories of tweets that Ultrafit has chosen to employ are relevant, and on brand. Above, the positive attributes of the tweets are discussed. However, if these posts start becoming repetitive, followers will tune out. Below are some suggestions for keeping content both fresh and relevant, while still maintaining Ultrafits approach: SUGGESTION (S) EXAMPLE TWEETS

MOTIVA

TION

(Motivation Mon

day)

In general it can be easy for motivation to become clich. Clichs can easily be tuned out. Pretend you are speaking directly to your customers. What words of encouragement might your customers need on a rainy day? How could you get your tired customers to come out?

Another great tactic could be to use the accomplishments of some of your customers to motivate others. This also can prove the benefits of the bootcamp.

Too tired for bootcamp? NO! Exercise is much more likely to boost energy levels rather than lead to sleepiness.

Studies indicate that working out in nature boosts your mood and lowers tension, anxiety & stress levels. See you at bootcamp!

@nameofcustomer Held her plank for the full 90 seconds for the first time this morning!

@nameofcustomer Came to 5 bootcamp classes this week. Way to go!!

29

TIP

(Tue

sday Tip)

Continue offering expert health and fitness tips. Try to cater them to your target market. What would the large numbers of middle-aged women find interesting? What could help attract more men? Tips with shock value will be more likely to be shared.

Make sure to drink 8-10 glasses of water daily to decrease bloating and avoid confusing thirst with hunger.

Switch it up! Doing the same workout continuously will stifle weight loss and muscle building!

WORK

OUT

(Wed

nesday

Worko

ut)

Post workout ideas in addition to specific workouts. Workout ideas that a user will be able to remember after reading it on Twitter may be more valuable to the user.

Take the jump rope challenge. Jump-rope is one of the best cardio workouts. Try double jumps too!

Build more muscle on your run. Add a few 10 to 60 second sprints to your run, slowing down just long enough to catch your breath between them.

PICT

URE

(Thu

rs. P

ic of the

Wee

k) Bootcamp pictures that demonstrate a

variety of activities and customers will register with more people. Pictures of customers having fun, or having completed a challenging task will appear appealing to Ultrafits audience.

Bob leading the way in our morning run [photo]

Playing with the kettle ball [photo]

JOKE

(Frid

ay Fun

ny) Continue posting fun, light-hearted content

that reflects Ultrafits brand personality. Creativity, authenticity, and witty content will be appreciated.

If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.

I have to workout early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing

Within the tweets contributed by Ultrafit, it may be worthwhile to reevaluate the balance of created and curated content. As stated, currently about 70% of Twitter posts made by Ultrafit are curated. By increasing the amount of created content and decreasing the amount of curated content to about 40%, followers may become more invested in the social community. Content that is created often appears more genuine, and feels as though the brand is speaking directly to their consumers. Curated content is a great way to share images or articles that others have made, with personal conversations perhaps especially fitting for a small business such as Ultrafit with a relatively small customer base. Including hashtags and mentions will expose Ultrafit to a larger audience. Reaching out to customers is a direct call to action (reply) that can help create an active, fun, community-centered atmosphere see the second hypothesis for reaching out to influencers. Hashtags that will be particularly relevant for Ultrafit are those that will put their name (Ultrafit) amidst relevant conversations in the community. So when choosing hashtags, a good approach is to think about what potential customers, may be talking about. Below are a set of suggested hashtags, and an example of how they can be used:

#sunrunvancouver, #vancouvermarathon, #seawheeze, #toughmudder etc. These hastags grant you access directly to your target audience people who are interested in living an active lifestyle. People already making efforts to be fit or active, may also be looking for new fitness activities like bootcamp.

Suggested Tweets: o Good luck today #seawheeze runners!! o Supplement your #sunrun training with bootcamp! Check us out!

#kitsilano, #yvr, #vancouver etc.

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Purely geographic hashtags can connect you with members already active or living in your geographic area. Exposing yourself to these people puts your name in the mind of potential consumers.

Suggested Tweets: o Wednesday Workout If you want to run improve your strength and speed run

hills #yvr #kitsilano #running o Thursday Picture of the Week Working hard in beautiful #vancouver [photo]

Maintaining a consistent, strategic, and overall valuable position on Twitter can be difficult. Especially in the context of a busy small business owner, there is often not time to be worrying about your next tweet (not to mention the other social media duties). It is recommended that Ultrafit use their HootSuite account to simplify their Twitter activity. HootSuite is a valuable tool for managing the social media channels of a company (APPENDIX 3.5) (APPENDIX 3.6). Taking some time to consolidate all Twitter content in the near future, (or any desired time period), will help the task become more manageable. Bringing other Ultrafit staff members on board to manage the Twitter account (or any other social media platforms) can help distribute the workload. However, all members involved must understand the goals and approaches Ultrafit chooses to employ. Using the tweet scheduling function on HootSuite, you can assign dates and times that your tweet will be posted. You can do this manually, or you can use the auto schedule feature. AutoSchedule chooses a time, grounded on the date selected, to schedule tweets based on when your tweets perform the best. ______________________________________________________________________________ HYPOTHESIS 2 INFLUENCERS

By improving Ultrafits network to include key community influencers, we will be able to engage in 20% more conversations and therefore increase Ultrafits overall social media exposure and credibility. PROCEDURE

Through the process of analyzing Ultrafits current Twitter network, and identifying influences in the industry, we will make recommendations that will increase the number of conversations and therefore exposures within the industry. To accurately test this hypothesis, Ultrafit would need to make connections with identified community influencers and measure the effect on the number of conversations they are engaged in. Reach can then be estimated by aggregating the number of impressions the interaction received. ANALYSIS

It is apparent that Ultrafit has a great social media presence, especially on Twitter, as posts are regular and diverse. A great area of potential that is lacking, however, is the clients interaction with key influencers within the companys industry. Currently, Ultrafit is only following 14

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accounts; out of these accounts we have identified only 3 that could be influential to the business. They are the following:

Elements Wellness (@elementscentre): With over 1600 followers, this local wellness centre offers various services to its clients including acupuncture, massage therapy and counselling services. A partnership with this company could be a great way to further engage Ultrafit clients to live a healthy lifestyle.

Lady Sport (@ladysportstore): This account, too, has a large following with over 1800 followers. Lady Sport, an athletics store for women located in Kitsilano, perfectly aligns with one of Ultrafits largest demographics that are middle-aged women. Ultrafit could further engage with this influencer by tagging Lady Sport in posts that offer tips for fitness apparel.

Vancouver Chiro (@chiro_vancouver): This chiropractic clinic in Vancouver has a decent following with around 350 followers. It regularly tweets with statistics regarding pain and health tips. This could be a great multifunctional influencer for Ultrafit as the client could suggest that those experiencing pains should seek chiropractic help. In return, we could hope that Vancouver Chiro would suggest regular exercise to prevent some of these issues.

Some of the other accounts that Ultrafit follows are much too large in scope to be influential to the local brand. For example, Bob Harper, an author and fitness enthusiast from California, has over 400,000 followers and is not active in the Vancouver market. This limits its influential status and should therefore not be a focus of Ultrafits social media efforts. Furthermore, accounts like the Vancouver Canucks will likely offer little support to local businesses as they have such a large following. There is however no harm following them to develop your brand personality or values. RECOMMENDATIONS

There are many potential opportunities for Ultrafit to engage with influencers in a way that will be beneficial for both parties. The