Gymshark’s social listening data reveals how it has become a social media heavyweight

Gymshark has become an activewear heavyweight in only eight years. What started out as a group of friends with a sewing machine, a printer and some frustration that they couldn’t find appealing sportswear, has been transformed into a global business now valued at over £1 billion. Impressive.

So, how did Gymshark achieve this success? In short, they had a great product and above all else, they used social listening to understand how best to serve their products to their potential customers via their social media channels. 

Don't forget you can compare your social media performance with any brand using Maybe*.

Compare your social media performance to Gymshark

Just like training your body, getting results from social media is about flexing several of your muscles at once. Listening to customers, engaging with customers, creating for customers, delighting your customers. Consider Maybe* your social media personal trainers. 

Just like lifting weights or holding a plank, everyone has to start somewhere. By using the social listening data to understand how Gymshark communicate, where they communicate and how they have built a community of influencers, you too can use the same tactics to get your social media in elite form.

Don't forget you can compare your social media performance with any brand using Maybe*.

What works for Gymshark?

Gymshark creates an average of five posts per day across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But those posts drive an average of 16,600 engagements each. That a serious return on investment for the time and effort that goes into creating that content. 

In order for your content to be successful it needs to be engaging. Knowing what works for your audience helps you create the right content for them. You don’t have to create hundreds of posts, just create ones that resonate with your customers, that will drive an action.

Don't forget you can compare your social media performance with any brand using Maybe*

Listening and engaging with customers

There are 331 conversations about Gymshark created over a five day period from customers. That’s 12 times the content they create themselves.

The content created about Gymshark comes from fitness lovers who tag the business into their posts. Gymshark has excelled at engaging this audience, so much so, that these days it's their customers that do their marketing for them. Now that's social media at it's best! 

Don't forget you can compare your social media performance with any brand using Maybe*.

What does the social listening data about Gymshark’s conversation reveal?

The social listening data reveals that Gymshark is so in tune with what its customers engage with that the conversation topics they create and the ones its customers create are practically identical. Don't forget you can compare your social media performance with any brand using Maybe*.

How to replicate this technique

Listening to the conversation about you will give you clues as to your customers’ perception of you and the kind of language they use about your brand. Using the same types of language to build your own tone of voice will ensure your messages resonate more.

How do customers feel about Gymshark?

There’s a lot of love for Gymshark globally. Understanding the sentiment of the conversation helps the brand identify advocates, influencers, and the best content to reshare. While engaging with the negative helps them deliver great customer service and make improvements.

How to replicate this technique

Listening to the conversation about you will help you identify positive content that you can engage with and reshare to build brand loyalty and advocacy. Engaging with negative feedback shows your customers that you are listening and that their opinion matters.

Who’s influencing the conversation about Gymshark?

Partnering with influencers was a Gymshark tactic from the get go in order to reach and grow a wider customer base. The business partners with social media influencers, fitness businesses and its squat obsessed customers. They partner by resharing and engaging with content. And they do this based upon a shared love of lifting, crunching and achieving goals.

 

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Influencing the 'influencers'

Being part of the Gymshark community is clearly something businesses and customers want to align themselves with. It is a source of pride, identity and camaraderie. It is a supportive, positive community that celebrates getting it done, transforming yourself and being your best.

How to replicate this technique

Partnering with influencers and customers who you have things in common demonstrates empathy and that you are authentic about what you say you and what your brand stands for. It will also help you build a community of customers who love your product and see you as a part of their way of life.

Key takeaway

In eight years Gymshark has triumphed in building a business and a brand through social media content and building a community of fitness fanatics.

The brand has done this by knowing its customer and ensuring they communicate to them in a relevant way; market to them through the appropriate channels; and get their product worn by the right influencers.

There is no doubt that Gymshark is a true and authentic brand. It’s clear what it stands for and what its purpose is, and it delivers on it. Its customers are so engaged that each one embraces becoming a brand ambassador - wearing the Gymshark brand as a badge of honour both in the gym and across their social channels.  

New to Maybe*? When you sign up to Maybe* you can add Gymshark's social media data to your Maybe* dashboard. You can then keep track of the heavyweights, benchmark their performance against your own and learn from their success.