Running a successful tennis club requires more than excellent facilities and skilled instructors. Without effective online marketing, potential members may never discover your club or understand what sets it apart.
Many tennis clubs lose valuable opportunities by making simple but avoidable mistakes on their websites and digital platforms. These errors often result in lost leads, reduced engagement, and missed revenue.
I know it from a personal experience, when looking for a tennis academy to enroll my kid. Many of the websites I visited were so badly designed I never took the clubs into account.
Interestingly enough, as we traveled to various tournaments, I discovered the clubs were well-maintained, clean, and had an impressive roster of good instructors.
But it was too late, we already enrolled and were happy there.
Have you ever thought about how many opportunities your club is missing because of an unprofessional or plain ugly website?
No SSL certificate installed
Sorry for jumping into technical issues immediately, but we cannot even talk about design, content, or images when your website doesn’t load!
This error, while a simple certificate mismatch (99.9% of the time, it is not a real security issue), will make the visitors bounce off (meaning they won’t bother clicking anymore). The website will be de-ranked from Google, as it doesn’t offer a secure connection to its visitors.
SOLUTION: Get your SSL certificate adequately matched with your domain name for no additional costs, if you choose our web hosting plans: US-based servers, only $20/month. If you still want to stay with your current web host, ask them to assign a certificate to your website and ensure it works.
Out-of-date information
As I write this, it’s mid-January 2025. The website has absolutely nothing for 2025; it is just information posted almost 1 year ago.
For me, as a parent (so a potential client), not being able to find exact dates and presentations of the ROGY programs it’s a deal-breaker. Unless it’s a very famous academy (and we really want to join them), I won’t even bother call, I’ll just move on to the next website.
SOLUTION: Have a member of your staff take care of the website. We teach our clients how to manage their websites. You can also opt for our website maintenance services or monthly SEO and never have to worry about your website again.
Incomplete details
This is already better, at least we are in the same year 🙂
I still don’t know what type of programs these are or how many hours a week we are talking about. I’d find it more useful to have a short description at least of each session and direct links to the separate pages with more details.
SOLUTION: Build pages for each relevant age-group, add the calendar, number of hours, cancelation policies etc. Information about the coaches, maybe sprinkle in some testimonials. Mandatory: a button for potential clients to book the session or contact you for an evaluation.
No information about the coaches
As a tennis mom, I always look for good coaches to train my child.
SOLUTION: create a page on your tennis website listing ALL your coaches. Then, separate pages with each coach. 1-2 photos, details about their past rankings, certifications, and a few biographical details. Brag about your team; they are the lifeblood of your club.
Poor Website Design and User Experience
A confusing or outdated website can frustrate potential members before they enter your club. Visitors expect easy navigation, quick load times, and precise information. If your site is cluttered, it may drive them to competitors.
A large portion of web traffic comes from smartphones. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re turning away visitors. Test your site regularly to ensure buttons, text, and forms work well on smaller screens. A mobile-friendly design improves search rankings, too.
Ignoring Local SEO
Local SEO ensures your tennis club appears in local search results when people search for terms like “tennis club near me.”
Many club owners fail to claim their Google Business Profile listing or optimize it with accurate contact details, photos, and customer reviews.
Even worse, when looking for a tennis coach around my new location, I found out that the person hadn’t trained there in at least 2 years. Well, guess how silly I looked going to the resort he used to train at and having the receptionist look at me as if I had completely lost my mind.
You are a “brick and mortar” type of business, as members cannot train online, so you need to ace your local SEO game. Otherwise all your potential members are going to join competing clubs.
SOLUTION: Make sure to dominate 20-30 miles around your location (as many parents will be willing to drive this much if your tennis programs are that good). You can start with an SEO audit to find out what needs to be repaired and then either have us manage your website or assign one of your staff members to do it.
Ugly Website
Your website serves as the first impression for many visitors. A slow, outdated, or poorly designed site makes users doubt your professionalism.
Without clear navigation, mobile responsiveness, or quick load times, people may leave before exploring membership options.
I have personally skipped at least 2 local clubs just because their websites were so outdated and ugly as if we jumped back in time in 2002. If they cannot invest in a decent website, what else are they skimping on? Cleanness? Coaches? Amenities? Are we going to get sick from their club? Waste time with unprofessional coaches?
One of the clubs got a new website in the meantime and started promoting their coaches heavily. We noticed a very good new director of junior tennis and met. Let’s just say we’ve been very happy members and the club had increased their member signups dramatically.
No Online Booking System
Modern consumers expect convenience. Without an easy-to-use online booking system for court reservations or lessons, you risk losing members to competitors who provide this feature.
Implement software that syncs availability in real-time, allowing users to book instantly through your website or app. Make sure to offer clear pricing information and make it easy for people to book lessons.
Overlooking Social Media
Social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter allow you to showcase your club’s personality. Many tennis club owners miss the chance to post videos of lessons, highlights from tournaments, or member testimonials.
Consistent engagement on social media builds community and attracts new members. Use platforms to announce events, share tips, and interact with followers. We love tagging our tennis academy and coaches on social media and it’s surely getting the club conversions and signups.
Ignoring Reviews
Online reviews impact decisions. If your club doesn’t actively ask satisfied members for reviews, you miss a chance to build trust. Negative feedback left unaddressed can harm your reputation. Acknowledge complaints publicly and resolve issues quickly to show you value member satisfaction.
Ask your current members about their experience. Whether good or bad, it will allow you to improve your retention rate.
When we decided to leave a well-known academy, only then were we called to discuss our reason for not renewing the contract. It was too late, we already gave feedback, but it was ignored.
Keep communication open with your patrons and address their valid concerns.
Need help with your online marketing strategies? Book a call and let’s see how we can increase your signups!
