How do YOU use social media?

[Pseudonym]

I want to know how Gymnation can work in better with how everyone uses social media. So I’ve spewed out a bunch of questions here, and I’d really appreciate as much feedback from as many people as possible. Best answer gets a Gymnation tshirt.
 

 

How do you use Facebook/Instagram/Youtube/Snapchat/etc?

Is it just for social stuff, or do you post gym stuff there too? Do you post progress photos or training videos? Do you log your workouts there now?

 

If we were to add some extra functions that allowed you to connect your Facebook/Instagram accounts to your Gymnation account, would you use them?

 

For example:
- A function that shows you a gallery of any photo/video you’ve posted to Facebook/Instagram, so you can easily select it and insert it into a post here
- A function that searches your Facebook/Instagram feed for any post with hashtag #gymnationlog and automatically posts it to your Gymnation log, so you’ve always got an easily searchable record of your workouts in one place

 

Is there anything else that we can offer that Facebook and Instagram can’t?

 

Cheers guys! I look forward to seeing your answers.

[Skeletor]

I use Instagram . I log videos of my main workouts so people can see I'm not talking shit and sometimes assistance. I'll also post jokes or things trying to be funny but usually people don't get my sarcasm and just think I'm a dick. I did have Facebook but found its more people I know being negative and angry posts . Instagram you can follow all the best lifters or people who enjoy the same things as you. Yes I'd definitely use a link that would connect to my instagram account. Something that I could link videos directly to here would be handy.

[maccaz]

Yeah ig link would be good, but not worth investing a lot of time or money in. Easy enough to just copy paste a link and it automatically imbeds

[Realtalk]

I use fb to just see when events are on etc. When I didnt have my fb active I just never knew what was going on with all sorts of shit even like concerts that I'd be interested in going to, I wouldn't know about them if I wasn't in fb. I like fb to look at the GPC pages. I like tony veitch's page. And most of all just reading what all the experts have to say like josh jones the other night (not srs). I very rarely post anything gym Related on there. Mostly use it for messaging people and chatting. I don't post a lot. Love 'the female wanker'.

IG I use only for training videos and making posts. I try to keep that page as educational as possible I don't rant or talk shit on there. I only have 150 odd followers not that I care I dont think having 100,000 followers will make me any stronger. but the people that follow me are genuinely interested in what I have to say I think. Followers doesn't equal knowledge it doesn't equal shit. Love 'the female wanker'.

Youtube I just use to upload to this website I don't watch vlogs or motivational bs on there Cbf waste of time.

Snapchat just for sending shit. Can be pretty funny at times.

And no not interested in linking any of them to this page. Call me funny but I don't want to market myself and I really like to just keep everything separate.

[maccaz]

peso take for example in my journal i just posted a vid from my IG. took me all of 20 seconds to copy paste the link.. not worth investing money and time on making that process any easier

[Skeletor]

peso take for example in my journal i just posted a vid from my IG. took me all of 20 seconds to copy paste the link.. not worth investing money and time on making that process any easier

Lol shows how computer literate I am . Don't even know how to do that.

[maccaz]

Lol shows how computer literate I am . Don't even know how to do that.

 

go to www.instagram.com/yourusername so yours will be https://instagram.com/jarrod.collins

 

click on a video/picture. copy the link to the page you are on but remove this bit:" /?taken-by=jarrod.collins"

 

paste it into your post on forum

 

end result:

 

[Skeletor]

Hey that's me lol. Cheers bro I didn't know that.

[BeastBuilder]

Much the same boat as Realtalk in respect to Facebook etc. I post bugger all on there unless it's something I think is big and people will find interesting eg Comp Vid, Holiday Photos etc. Never bother posting regularly with gym stuff as people already think I'm enough of a meathead picking things up and putting them down 5-6 days a week and eating out of tupperware multiple times a day.

Don't have Instagram, would suck at keeping it updated so can't really comment on usability, compatibility etc with Gymnation. By the looks of Maccaz post it's easy enough to embed vids from there anyway, I would say to focus efforts on other aspects of the site you want to improve.

Snapchat just for the lols. Anything goes on there, I wouldn't think many people would benefit from you somehow making it compatible with Gymnation (not sure if it's even possible)

Maybe if you started a Gymnation Snapchat and added Snaps to your story about competitions, trending posts etc people could follow and keep up to date. I know other businesses (Fitwear jumps to mind) do this, unsure of success as I'm not involved with them but I know when I'm bored I'll watch Snapstories and could increase publicity/ease of viewing for you.

Only really use YouTube to upload videos to to send to my coach as it's easier sending YouTube links than fucking around with file sizes on messenger/email etc.

Also when I restart journal here I will likely embed the vids straight from YouTube as it seems easy enough so again, like IG, I think the time you would have to spend making it all work wouldn't be justified by the results.

[maccaz]

Much the same boat as Realtalk in respect to Facebook etc. I post bugger all on there unless it's something I think is big and people will find interesting eg Comp Vid, Holiday Photos etc. Never bother posting regularly with gym stuff as people already think I'm enough of a meathead picking things up and putting them down 5-6 days a week and eating out of tupperware multiple times a day.

Don't have Instagram, would suck at keeping it updated so can't really comment on usability, compatibility etc with Gymnation. By the looks of Maccaz post it's easy enough to embed vids from there anyway, I would say to focus efforts on other aspects of the site you want to improve.

Snapchat just for the lols. Anything goes on there, I wouldn't think many people would benefit from you somehow making it compatible with Gymnation (not sure if it's even possible)

Maybe if you started a Gymnation Snapchat and added Snaps to your story about competitions, trending posts etc people could follow and keep up to date. I know other businesses (Fitwear jumps to mind) do this, unsure of success as I'm not involved with them but I know when I'm bored I'll watch Snapstories and could increase publicity/ease of viewing for you.

Only really use YouTube to upload videos to to send to my coach as it's easier sending YouTube links than fucking around with file sizes on messenger/email etc.

Also when I restart journal here I will likely embed the vids straight from YouTube as it seems easy enough so again, like IG, I think the time you would have to spend making it all work wouldn't be justified by the results.

 

yeah instagram only good for highlights etc because 15sec video limit. youtube is much more useful for actual videos, whole sets, setup, etc.

 

pseudo i wouldn't worry about any of this shit. focus on getting more people (new and existing) contributing rather than enhancing features for existing members. layout and setup is good, just need more content and contribution, ideally more people would post journals because i read every single one and im sure others do too. 

[Bruce Al]

I don't post anything on Facebook wall ever.. No status updates from me. Any friends who constantly post what they do every day or whinge etc I hide from my Facebook. Basically all I see is news sports and music items.

I only use the messenger sectíon which I have conversations with multiple people involved within a certain circles.

If I want to advertise anything, I tend to walk around with it on a tee shirt.

[Polo]

Possibly turn Gymnation into a gym wear site also? Design some cool looking singlets, tees, trackpants etc they don't have to have gymnation.co.nz in block letters all over them but the more people wearing it others will notice. they will have to go through the forum to get to the store, like a sub forum link to the store. Both men's and women's items. Sure it would cost a bit but if you started out with a small range of some cool looking stuff and set up some giveaways, I am on another forum and hear women complain about how when they get to the gym they look like every other girl working out so maybe there's an opening there too?

Just my opinion, you could post a few samples of clothing, cut and fitment and people could vote to what they like and only choose the best for the store

[Skeletor]

Quick question. Is there a way of directly posting quick lifting clips from my phone to my gym nation journal post without uploading it to youtube first? That's why I like insta because it's quick to upload and I'll always be able to quickly look back on my progress by simply tapping a picture.

[maccaz]

Possibly turn Gymnation into a gym wear site also? Design some cool looking singlets, tees, trackpants etc they don't have to have gymnation.co.nz in block letters all over them but the more people wearing it others will notice. they will have to go through the forum to get to the store, like a sub forum link to the store. Both men's and women's items. Sure it would cost a bit but if you started out with a small range of some cool looking stuff and set up some giveaways, I am on another forum and hear women complain about how when they get to the gym they look like every other girl working out so maybe there's an opening there too?

Just my opinion, you could post a few samples of clothing, cut and fitment and people could vote to what they like and only choose the best for the store

yeah bro we start selling stringers and those faggy "gym shoes" that look like boxing shoes and also a gymnation proprietary blend pre workout stack. maybe sponsor xswiftx or whoever the equivalent is these days

 

then hopefully we shoot ourself in the face for being dickheads

 

getting away from core of this site mate, its for sharing information not making pseudo ceo 10k/day

[Polo]

yeah bro we start selling stringers and those faggy "gym shoes" that look like boxing shoes and also a gymnation proprietary blend pre workout stack. maybe sponsor xswiftx or whoever the equivalent is these days

then hopefully we shoot ourself in the face for being dickheads

getting away from core of this site mate, its for sharing information not making pseudo ceo 10k/day

Social media is just going to bring them same people bro, it's a sub forum so people will have to go through this forum to get the clothing which will drive more members posting here and will create revenue so pseudo can get payed for the hard work he does the site can expand and the moderators can get share also

[Pseudonym]

Thanks guys. That's some interesting feedback.
 
The thinking behind all this was that by better integrating Gymnation with other social media, it'd be easier for people to contribute. And maybe that's still true to an extent, but it sounds like maybe not as much as I'd thought. Good to know.

 

In terms of the gymwear, I'm open to the possibility, but wary. It would be very easy to spend a bundle of cash on product that no-one buys (I still have a heap of the current Gymnation shirts and singlets). And from what I've seen on Facebook, gymwear startups are springing up everywhere. So while it's not a no, it's a "need to think about it more"

 

Out of interest, how often do you see a brand on a tshirt and decide to look it up online?

 

 

Not to worry... I've got a few more ideas about ways we can increase content and contributions.
 

getting away from core of this site mate, its for sharing information not making pseudo ceo 10k/day

Can we do both?

[Realtalk]

Mate the gym wear phenom is rediculous.... I would never pay $70+ for a pair of track pants that don't fit properly and have some brand plastered over it. But I guess if that's the price some people have to pay to be noticed or feel cool then so be it. It's abit dicky but if you are into that then who am I to judge.

[maccaz]

Tom they not meant to fit properly. They are a uniform requirement for the social experience they call gym. Those lifting shoes, trackies, stringer, and vip customer status at nz clenbuterol trolol

[Skeletor]

I wear anything I don't care. I have label clothes from rebel because Adidas and Russell athletic fit me well and I have warehouse and farmers clothes. Once thought I'd try a pair of fit wear shorts. Mrs told me I look like a fucken fag and she was going to leave me . When I looked in the mirror I saw what she ment .

[maccaz]

I wear anything I don't care. I have label clothes from rebel because Adidas and Russell athletic fit me well and I have warehouse and farmers clothes. Once thought I'd try a pair of fit wear shorts. Mrs told me I look like a fucken fag and she was going to leave me . When I looked in the mirror I saw what she ment .

hard as long as its not restrictive allg.

in home gym used to crank singlet and boxers lol perfect. after doing that for ages it was annoying as having to wear shorts in competition. prob cant get away with that in anytime fitness shiny gym though lol

[BeastBuilder]

Tbh if you really wanted to make something along these lines happen Pseudo I would say make an app.

I have no idea the resources needed to develop and make an app happen or if you can make the app compatible with your website so if it's outside your scope ignore this completely.

But people go batshit crazy for apps, plus when people look fot fitness apps etc they'll find yours and be interested, can increase traffic/contributions that way.

Also make it easier for existing members to contribute. I know the site is now very mobile friendly which is awesome, and the notifications part to let you know when people quote your posts etc is mint. So possibly if you could have the app notify people of such things ? Like the way Facebook does atm with comments etc.

Just an idea to ponder if you're set on something like this.

ps Animal gear ftw, plus Warehouse clothes cos they are loose as and who cares what you're wearing at the gym, it's what's underneath and what you can do with it that counts

[maccaz]

tapatalk is a good compromise for app if this backend is compatible with tapatalk.

other forums support it.

notifications etc like beastbuilder suggested.

 

look into tapatalk, im a member of other forums through that app and its very easy to use.

[Pseudonym]

Tbh if you really wanted to make something along these lines happen Pseudo I would say make an app.

That's the plan!

 

The idea is that rather than build an entire app from scratch (which is a massive task, and has to be done twice - one for Android and one for iPhone) or pick up a third-party app like Tapatalk (which limits how much we can customise it, and according to other forum admins is getting increasingly dodgy) instead we create a shell.

 

This would install on your phone, look and feel like an app (notify you of replies, PMs etc, and take you directly to them) but the guts of it is actually the mobile-friendly webpage which opens in your phone's browser.

 

I know the site is now very mobile friendly which is awesome

Yeah, I wouldn't go that far! At the moment I'd say it's okay, but not great... yet. There's a new version of our forum software just been released. It's a complete overhaul, and they're still ironing out the bugs, but it's a huge step forward in terms of mobile functionality.

 

So this, in conjunction with our app, should be mean. :nod:

[Darwinstef]

I've had this conversation briefly with Pseudo but I might expand on that since it fits this topic. Back when I was an active member (maybe 4 years ago) I used my phone for bugger all. I used FB a bit but most of my time was on here via PC.

 

These days I can't be arsed with FB as it's too easy to get in the habit of reading it whenever I've got some time to waste and ultimately I just get pissed off with the crap posted.

 

As for posting training stuff. If I got serious enough to share it again and seek feedback it would not be via FB (too many randoms end up seeing it) but on here and I would be 100% more likely to do it if it was easy from my phone. 

 

Now I use my phone for everything and I agree an app would be great. What I have noticed is there is no where near the amount of contributions on the site as there used to be but the quality is way up. The smack talk seems to have greatly reduced and the posts seem strangely relevant to the topic  :pfft:

 

I hate to say it but it feels easier to comment/contribute to posts on FB etc than to post in a forum...It could be the apps are spoiling me or I'm just getting lazier but I don't tend to look at the forum unless I'm at work in front of a PC.

 

Of course it's 5am and my eyes are well hanging out of my head so this probably makes no sense anyway  :|