In my 20+ years working in marketing, I’ve helped small businesses, startups, and global brands create and launch new websites. Along the way, I’ve learned that your website, and the work that goes into it, is just as important as your gym’s buildout and physical space. Your site will often be the first impression people have of your gym.

As one of your most powerful marketing tools, a well designed and built website should last at least three years—so it’s worth taking the time to plan it out, from the structure and content to the design and experience.

In this blog, I’ll share some tips, recommendations and examples to help you design and build a website that truly reflects your gym, studio, or martial arts business and helps you attract more members.

And if you want a great resource to go with this blog download our “New Website Launch Checklist”.

Does your gym need a new website?

Your website is often peoples’ first impression of your gym and if it’s not doing its job, you could be losing leads without even realizing it.

If your website…

❌ Looks outdated: Leads might think your gym is also outdated, and look elsewhere.

❌ Lacks SEO: Leads won’t find you and the new AI search results won’t know you exist.

❌ Has broken links and mistakes: You’ll lose leads and create a bad impression.

❌ Fails to show your unique value: It will be hard to justify higher membership pricing.

❌ Makes it hard for new members to sign up: You’ll miss out on high-quality leads.

❌ Isn’t connected to your CRM or marketing tools: You’ll lose opportunities to convert leads.

If two or more of the issues on this list sound familiar, your website is holding your gym back and a new one could make a big difference.

To create a great website, you need a plan

Take a look at some of the best gym websites and they might look deceivingly simple, but a lot of thought went into the objectives, design, SEO, and writing of these sites.

And we all know first impressions count—you’re proud of your gym, and you should be just as proud of your gym website; how it looks and how it performs. Remember the best gym website isn’t just good looking, it’s built to attract new leads, convert those leads into customers, and contribute to the growth of your business.

Take the time to plan your website’s objectives, design, SEO and writing.

What makes the best gym website?

Every gym owner wants a visually-appealing website but looks alone won’t bring new members through your doors. The best gym websites balance style and strategy.

Here’s what that means in practice:

  • Visual appeal: High-quality photos, consistent branding, and a clean, modern layout.
  • Conversion-driven CTAs: Clear buttons like “Book a Free Class”, “Schedule”, and “Get Started”.
  • Easy navigation: Less than five seconds for visitors to find your class schedule, pricing, and sign-up form.
  • Social proof: Member stories, reviews, and good-looking, real photos show your community in action.

Your website should make visitors say, “I want to work out there.” and your site’s design should make it easy for them to take the next step.

To create your website, start with the right strategy

Before you start designing, get clear on your brand story and ideal member.

  • Who are you talking to? Jiu-Jitsu students or Pilates students? CrossFitters or Yogis?
  • Are your customers busy professionals looking for quick classes, or young people looking to be part of the ‘coolest’ gym in town?
  • What’s your tone? Are you hardcore and competitive, or inclusive and welcoming?
  • What makes your gym different? Your class formats, coaches, community?

Answering these questions ensures your website reflects what makes your gym special. Your copy, photos, and headlines should all connect emotionally with your audience.

Use language that inspires and feels authentic:

“Join a community, not just a class.”

“Put yourself first, so you can be a better person to others.”

“Change your routine.”

A clear message builds trust and helps you stand out from every other gym in your area.

Use language that speaks directly to your target audience and compels them to take action.

Design your gym website for conversions

Your website isn’t just a brochure, it’s a sales and sign-up machine. That means every page should have a goal.

  • Your homepage should encourage new customer offers or trial sign-ups, and make it simple for customers to book more classes.
  • Your classes/programs pages should show benefits and lead to booking.
  • Your schedule should be easy to read, so leads and customers can book in seconds.
  • Your pricing page should be transparent and simple to navigate.

The best gym websites make it easy for visitors to take action:

  1. Put your “Book a Free Trial” button above the fold. (This means it can be seen without having to scroll down the page.)
  2. Include simple class schedule integration.
  3. Provide quick sign-up forms that don’t ask for too much information.

The fewer barriers between interest and action, the higher your conversion rate will be.

Make your website mobile-friendly, fast, and integrate it with your class schedule

More than 70% of gym website traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t optimized for phones, you’re losing leads and class attendance from existing customers.

Here’s what to focus on:

  1. Speed: If your site takes longer than three seconds to load, visitors leave.
  2. Mobile-first design: Buttons, menus, and text should be easy to use on small screens.
  3. Integrated booking: Don’t send people to a page that looks completely different to your website. Keep them engaged and connected to your brand when the go to book their class.

And connect your website to your CRM:

When your website’s lead forms and class booking pages connect to your CRM, you can automatically capture leads, track sign-ups, and send personalized follow-ups; no spreadsheets, no manual work. The great thing about Wodify is that makes all this possible.

Design your website to be visually appealing

Forget stock images. Your gym or fitness studio has a unique story and you should show it off. Feature your real clients and coaches in action. Highlight community moments, group classes, and events.

Visual storytelling makes visitors feel the energy and connection that define your space.

Pro tips:

  • Use video banners to show movement and atmosphere.
  • Include transformation stories and testimonials.
  • Spotlight your coaches—people buy from people they trust.

Ultimately, when someone lands on your website, they should instantly feel what it’s like to train with you.

Before your website goes live, you want to make sure people can discover it. Focus on a few simple SEO practices that help attract leads from your local area:

  1. Add proper metadata and schema so Google can easily understand your pages.
  2. If you’re not familiar with these terms, your web developer or agency should be. However, these are important and I would argue you should learn what they are and make sure the work gets done.
  3. Include your city and gym type in key places like page titles and headlines. Example: “Best Group Fitness Gym in [Your City]”
  4. Keep your business info consistent across the web—your name, address, and phone number should match exactly on your website, your gym’s Google Business Profile, and social platforms.
  5. Embed a Google Map and link to your Google Business Profile to boost local visibility.
  6. Post new content regularly, like fitness tips, member success stories, or event updates. Fresh content helps your site rank higher and gives people a reason to return.

Your SEO doesn’t have to be complicated but it does need to be intentional. If you’re new to SEO, take time to learn the basics using Google to find helpful articles and ask ChatGPT to explain the technical details to you in a way that’s easy to understand. You don’t need to become an expert, but understanding the fundamentals will help you ask better questions and work more effectively with your website team.

Keep your site easy to update

Some gym owners make the mistake of hiring an expensive agency that leaves them with a site they can’t easily edit. Then, every small change—new schedule, class photo, coach bio—becomes another invoice.

That’s why more and more gyms are turning to Wodify Sites.

With Wodify Sites, you’ll get:

✅ A professional, conversion-optimized design

✅ Integrated bookings and CRM

✅ SEO done for you

✅ Easy-to-update page templates

✅ Affordable pricing—just $299 setup + $99/month

No agencies. No tech headaches. Just a website that works as hard as you do.

Your Gym Deserves the Best Website

Your website should inspire, attract, and convert—just like your gym does every day.

When you invest in a site that looks great, loads fast, and connects seamlessly to your operations, you turn your digital presence into a growth engine.

Ready to create the best gym website for your business?

Book a call with the Wodify team to see how we handle everything for you—from design to integrations—without the cost or complexity of a traditional agency.

👉 Book a call with Wodify today!