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FITNESS, HEALTH, WELLNESS

features

Fit Tech People: Devi Mahadevia

With Facebook paid online events, publishers can charge viewers to attend a video livestream on their Facebook pages or a third party video service

Published in Fit Tech 2021 issue 1
Mahadevia says we’re in a new era of fitness, which is creating deeper online connections
Mahadevia says we’re in a new era of fitness, which is creating deeper online connections

How can fitness providers use paid online events to their best advantage?
We’re excited to provide a menu of products that can help fitness organisations make money, no matter what type of business or business model they have. Many of these products mirror traditional fitness revenue generators, which makes them a natural fit for our partners.

With paid online events, publishers can charge a fee for viewers to attend a video livestream on their Facebook pages or a third party video service (eg. Zoom). Publishers can create the event, set a price, promote the event, collect payment and host the event, all on Facebook. This is just like charging someone to attend your fitness class on a one-time basis. For example, UK-based fitness instructor Rachel Holmes has used paid online events to earn revenue while broadcasting educational webinars, exercise classes, and other content that would normally have a cost to attend in-person.

Why is Facebook an effective platform for fitness events?
Facebook is a place to build an audience, a community and a business, making it an incredibly important tool for fitness organisations right now. We’re in a new era of fitness, which is in part brought on by COVID-19, but which is also the result of the continued evolution of digital, social and mobile experiences. These experiences are creating deeper online connections and relationships between fitness consumers and businesses.

In this new era, fitness has become democratised and consumer demand is met with accessibility and choice. No matter your fitness level, location, or trainer preferences, you can find the right workout online and, increasingly, find it on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Portal and Oculus.

This democratisation extends to the business side as well. No matter what type of fitness business you manage – whether it’s brick and mortar, event-based, influencer-driven or digital-first – you can now reach a global audience and tap into entirely new revenue streams through our products. This underscores how huge the business opportunity is in this new era — one that can be incremental to the historic model, with the potential to grow into entirely new frontiers of financial success.

Does Facebook collect any fees from paid online events?
We don’t take any fees today from paid online event purchases, and we do not plan on taking fees while communities remain closed for the pandemic – until at least July 2021. We’re committed to providing businesses and creators the tools they need to move their business online and help them maximise their payouts in this uncertain time.

What advice would you give to fitness providers who are considering using Facebook for paid events?
The advice we give all partners is to focus on building an engaged audience. You’re far more likely to make money if you have an engaged community of fans than if you’re starting from scratch. Across our family of apps, we have a number of products that can help publishers build community and ultimately convert that community into customers. Instagram Stories, Facebook Groups, IGTV and Facebook Watch are just a few tools people and businesses can use to authentically connect with and grow their community.

Once you’ve built an engaged audience, you can experiment with different monetisation products. Your fanbase may gravitate towards paid online events, especially if you can offer them something premium and exclusive. Or you may find that our fan subscriptions product, which enables you to charge a monthly recurring subscription fee, resonates better. There are a number of other monetisation products you can try.

Ultimately, whatever product you choose, we’d advise you to treat your followers like family. In other words, engage with them, listen to their feedback, and adjust your strategy accordingly. If you’ve built a meaningful relationship with them, meaningful business results will follow.

Ready to go live?
Devi provides some practical tips for fitness providers who are ready to hold their first paid online event.
Promote your event

Promoting your paid online event can help you increase the number of registered attendees for your event while generating awareness of your event to new audiences.

Start your live stream early

Starting your stream early can help prevent technical difficulties that might occur when starting an event online. It also gives you the opportunity to let your registered attendees know what to expect from your event.

Communicate expectations for your event

Be clear with your guests on what they can expect from your event so that they know what is going to happen. You can post schedules in your event description or in posts on the event itself. If attendees will need special equipment (i.e. a yoga mat) in your live event, you can provide instructions to attendees in advance.

Sign up here to get HCM's weekly ezine and every issue of HCM magazine free on digital.
With Facebook paid online events, fitness businesses can reach a global audience
With Facebook paid online events, fitness businesses can reach a global audience
https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/images/2021/142598_804615.jpg
With Facebook paid online events, publishers can charge viewers to attend a video livestream on their Facebook pages
Devi Mahadevia, Facebook, sports and fitness partnerships,online events
HCM magazine
As more people join clubs to support their mental health, fitness professionals need to be empowered to take a holistic approach. Kath Hudson shares useful tools discussed at the ACE summit on mental health
HCM magazine
Will Orr has been talking to HCM about the company’s new strategy for 2024, as Kath Hudson reports
HCM magazine
Members are telling us they need support with their mental and spiritual health and the industry is starting to see this need. Now’s the time to fast-track our response
HCM magazine
Now mental health is the number one reason for people to join a health club, do fitness professionals need a grounding in counselling to offer a more holistic service? Kath Hudson asks the experts
HCM magazine
As health club operators move to incorporate recovery into their offerings to meet growing consumer demand, Steph Eaves takes a look at what cryotherapy and ice bathing can add to the equation
HCM promotional features
Sponsored
We saw a 58 per cent growth in companies launching one of our schemes from 2022 to 2023, which demonstrates prioritisation of employee health and wellbeing
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D2F had updated its brand styling to keep pace with business growth. MD, John Lofting and operations director, Matt Aynsley, explain the rationale
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The New Keiser M3i Studio Bike brings ride data to life to engage and delight members
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GymNation is pioneering the future of fitness with software specialist Perfect Gym providing a scalable tech platform to power and sustain its growth
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Nuffield Health has worked with ServiceSport UK for more than ten years, ensuring the equipment in its clubs is commercially optimised
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Francesca Cooper-Boden says health assessment services can boost health club retention
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Operators, prepare to revolutionise the way members connect with personal trainers in your club, with the ground-breaking Brawn platform.
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The partnership between PureGym and Belfast-based supplier BLK BOX is transforming the gym floor
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University of Sheffield Sport has opened the doors of its flagship Goodwin Sports Centre following a major refurbishment
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features

Fit Tech People: Devi Mahadevia

With Facebook paid online events, publishers can charge viewers to attend a video livestream on their Facebook pages or a third party video service

Published in Fit Tech 2021 issue 1
Mahadevia says we’re in a new era of fitness, which is creating deeper online connections
Mahadevia says we’re in a new era of fitness, which is creating deeper online connections

How can fitness providers use paid online events to their best advantage?
We’re excited to provide a menu of products that can help fitness organisations make money, no matter what type of business or business model they have. Many of these products mirror traditional fitness revenue generators, which makes them a natural fit for our partners.

With paid online events, publishers can charge a fee for viewers to attend a video livestream on their Facebook pages or a third party video service (eg. Zoom). Publishers can create the event, set a price, promote the event, collect payment and host the event, all on Facebook. This is just like charging someone to attend your fitness class on a one-time basis. For example, UK-based fitness instructor Rachel Holmes has used paid online events to earn revenue while broadcasting educational webinars, exercise classes, and other content that would normally have a cost to attend in-person.

Why is Facebook an effective platform for fitness events?
Facebook is a place to build an audience, a community and a business, making it an incredibly important tool for fitness organisations right now. We’re in a new era of fitness, which is in part brought on by COVID-19, but which is also the result of the continued evolution of digital, social and mobile experiences. These experiences are creating deeper online connections and relationships between fitness consumers and businesses.

In this new era, fitness has become democratised and consumer demand is met with accessibility and choice. No matter your fitness level, location, or trainer preferences, you can find the right workout online and, increasingly, find it on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Portal and Oculus.

This democratisation extends to the business side as well. No matter what type of fitness business you manage – whether it’s brick and mortar, event-based, influencer-driven or digital-first – you can now reach a global audience and tap into entirely new revenue streams through our products. This underscores how huge the business opportunity is in this new era — one that can be incremental to the historic model, with the potential to grow into entirely new frontiers of financial success.

Does Facebook collect any fees from paid online events?
We don’t take any fees today from paid online event purchases, and we do not plan on taking fees while communities remain closed for the pandemic – until at least July 2021. We’re committed to providing businesses and creators the tools they need to move their business online and help them maximise their payouts in this uncertain time.

What advice would you give to fitness providers who are considering using Facebook for paid events?
The advice we give all partners is to focus on building an engaged audience. You’re far more likely to make money if you have an engaged community of fans than if you’re starting from scratch. Across our family of apps, we have a number of products that can help publishers build community and ultimately convert that community into customers. Instagram Stories, Facebook Groups, IGTV and Facebook Watch are just a few tools people and businesses can use to authentically connect with and grow their community.

Once you’ve built an engaged audience, you can experiment with different monetisation products. Your fanbase may gravitate towards paid online events, especially if you can offer them something premium and exclusive. Or you may find that our fan subscriptions product, which enables you to charge a monthly recurring subscription fee, resonates better. There are a number of other monetisation products you can try.

Ultimately, whatever product you choose, we’d advise you to treat your followers like family. In other words, engage with them, listen to their feedback, and adjust your strategy accordingly. If you’ve built a meaningful relationship with them, meaningful business results will follow.

Ready to go live?
Devi provides some practical tips for fitness providers who are ready to hold their first paid online event.
Promote your event

Promoting your paid online event can help you increase the number of registered attendees for your event while generating awareness of your event to new audiences.

Start your live stream early

Starting your stream early can help prevent technical difficulties that might occur when starting an event online. It also gives you the opportunity to let your registered attendees know what to expect from your event.

Communicate expectations for your event

Be clear with your guests on what they can expect from your event so that they know what is going to happen. You can post schedules in your event description or in posts on the event itself. If attendees will need special equipment (i.e. a yoga mat) in your live event, you can provide instructions to attendees in advance.

Sign up here to get HCM's weekly ezine and every issue of HCM magazine free on digital.
With Facebook paid online events, fitness businesses can reach a global audience
With Facebook paid online events, fitness businesses can reach a global audience
https://www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/images/2021/142598_804615.jpg
With Facebook paid online events, publishers can charge viewers to attend a video livestream on their Facebook pages
Devi Mahadevia, Facebook, sports and fitness partnerships,online events
Latest News
There is speculation that Basic Fit will sell the five Spanish Holmes Place clubs it ...
Latest News
While British adults are the most active they’ve been in a decade, health inequalities remain ...
Latest News
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and ...
Latest News
Nuffield Health’s fourth annual survey, the Healthier Nation Index, has found people moved slightly more ...
Latest News
Short-term incentives to exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead to ...
Latest News
With the launch of its 49th John Reed, RSG Group is looking for more opportunities ...
Latest News
PureGym saw revenues rise by 15 per cent in 2023, with the company announcing plans ...
Latest News
Following three disrupted lockdown years, the European fitness market bounced back in 2023, according to ...
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Charitable trust, Mytime Active, has removed all single-use plastic overshoes from its swimming pools and ...
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Operator Circadian Trust has launched a five-year growth drive designed to support health and wellbeing ...
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Sibec EMEA to blend fitness with luxury at Fairmont Monte Carlo
Experience the pinnacle of fitness and luxury at the premier industry event, Sibec EMEA, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Fairmont Monte Carlo this Autumn.
Featured supplier news
Featured supplier news: Webinar: Building a new energy future for the leisure sector
As one of the most energy-intensive industries in the UK, leisure facilities face a critical challenge in balancing net zero goals, funding and increased costs.
Company profiles
Company profile: Balanced Body®
Balanced Body is the global leader in Pilates equipment and education. Founded over 47 years ...
Company profiles
Company profile: Panatta Srl
Panatta's mission is to create machines that are aesthetically pleasing, functional and competitive in price ...
Supplier Showcase
Supplier showcase - Jon Williams
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
Featured press releases
Greenwich Leisure Limited press release: ‘FAB’ freebies for Barnet carers!
Being a carer – whether that’s looking after a young person, a senior citizen or someone with a long-term illness or disability – can be rewarding but stressful at times. These responsibilities may also limit the carer’s ability to find paid employment.
Featured press releases
FIBO press release: FIBO 2024: Billion-euro fitness market continues to grow
11 to 14 April saw the fitness industry impressively demonstrate just how innovative it is in fulfilling its responsibility for a healthy society at FIBO in Cologne. Over 1,000 exhibitors and partners generated boundless enthusiasm among 129,668 visitors from 114 countries.
Directory
Cryotherapy
Art of Cryo: Cryotherapy
Snowroom
TechnoAlpin SpA: Snowroom
Flooring
Total Vibration Solutions / TVS Sports Surfaces: Flooring
Lockers
Crown Sports Lockers: Lockers
Spa software
SpaBooker: Spa software
Salt therapy products
Himalayan Source: Salt therapy products
Property & Tenders
Loughton, IG10
Knight Frank
Property & Tenders
Grantham, Leicestershire
Belvoir Castle
Property & Tenders
Diary dates
10-12 May 2024
China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
Diary dates
23-24 May 2024
Large Hall of the Chamber of Commerce (Erbprinzenpalais), Wiesbaden, Germany
Diary dates
30 May - 02 Jun 2024
Rimini Exhibition Center, Rimini, Italy
Diary dates
08-08 Jun 2024
Worldwide, Various,
Diary dates
11-13 Jun 2024
Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore, Singapore
Diary dates
12-13 Jun 2024
ExCeL London, London, United Kingdom
Diary dates
03-05 Sep 2024
IMPACT Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand
Diary dates
19-19 Sep 2024
The Salil Hotel Riverside - Bangkok, Bangkok 10120, Thailand
Diary dates
01-04 Oct 2024
REVĪVŌ Wellness Resort Nusa Dua Bali, Kabupaten Badung, Indonesia
Diary dates
22-25 Oct 2024
Messe Stuttgart, Germany
Diary dates
24-24 Oct 2024
QEII Conference Centre, London, United Kingdom
Diary dates
04-07 Nov 2024
In person, St Andrews, United Kingdom
Diary dates
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