July 25, 2021
Thanks to our work with the Squash Players App, it’s become very apparent that few squash clubs and venues are taking full and easy advantage of all that the online world has to offer.
With a minimum amount of effort or expertise, and little-to-no financial cost, your venue or club can significantly improve how it markets and promotes itself to existing and (most importantly) prospective new squashies.
If you do nothing else, do the following 3 things. All are quick, easy, and free:
Tip #1. Is your squash venue or club listed on Google Maps? For example, here’s the Google Map listing for Marconi Tennis & Squash in NSW, Australia. If it isn’t, Google’s instructions are here: Add a missing place to Google Maps.
Why get listed on Google Maps? It’s the world’s most commonly used, publicly accessible, online map and directions/navigation software. You’d be mad not to. Unless your squash court is in a super-secret spy base, and you don’t want to reveal its hidden location. Oh, and because you can’t do Tip #3 unless you’ve taken care of Tip #1.
Tip #2. Does your squash venue or club have a Facebook Page or Group? For example, here’s the Facebook Page for Black Ball Sporting Club, Cairo, Egypt. If not, Facebook’s instructions are here: How do I create a Facebook group? See also: Facebook Page vs. Group: Which One Is Right for You?.
Why get a Facebook Page or Group? It’s the biggest social network on the planet. Squashies are social creatures by nature. It takes at least two to tango. Facebook makes it super quick and easy to share, promote, collaborate, inform… and tango.
Tip #3. Is your squash venue or club listed in the Squash Players App for Android and Apple/iOS, the biggest and most accurate database of squash venues on the planet?! Here’s a how-to article, including a video demonstrating the addition of the Loftus Leisure Centre, UK, to our database. Hint: you have to make sure that Tip #1 is done before you can do Tip #3.
Why get listed on the Squash Players App? Ever heard of a movie that’s NOT listed on IMDB? LOL π
Bonus Tips
Tip #4. Are all the above optimised? True, if you want to go full monty, then optimisation is a multi-layered thing (for future articles). But the easiest form of optimisation is simply ensuring that all the latest available information about your club or venue is a) present and b) up-to-date on Google Maps, Facebook and the Squash Players app. Do they all state your website address, your opening hours, your social media accounts, your email address, your location, etc?
Tip #5. Does your squash venue or club have its own website, or at least a page on a bigger website? For example, here’s the website of Squash Para Todos in El Salvador, the outdoor squash guys. Interested in getting a website? Chat with us, or your local friendly website design/developer!
Why get a website or page? Unlike Facebook, you have 100% control, and it’s 100% accessible to the public. Not everyone likes or uses Facebook.