Rebecca M. Achen

Abstract: Social media channels provided additional marketing channels for fitness facilities, who operate in a competitive marketplace. The purpose of this study was to explore how Facebook interaction affects business outcomes in the fitness industry, including membership tenure, frequency of facility use, renewal intentions, and relationship quality. A survey was sent out on Amazon MTurk and 467 responses were recorded. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling was used to examine these relationships. The final model indicated interaction on Facebook significantly increased relationship quality and frequency of workouts. The indirect effect of Facebook interaction on renewal intentions as mediated by relationship quality was also positive and significant. Fitness facility owners and managers should recognize the usefulness of engaging members via Facebook to increase frequency of attendance, relationship quality, and renewal intentions. Increased attendance could lead to higher retention rates and increased ancillary purchases.

Citation: Achen, R. M. (2018). Improving fitness through interaction on Facebook: Does interaction increase workout frequency, membership length, relationship quality or renewal intentions? International Journal of Sport Management, 19(2), 111-136.

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