Growing Gripsport through social media.

[Jared Goguen]

With all the latest talk of different ways to grow I thought I would add to the discussion some with this.

Unless you have no cellphone, and only access the internet and Gripboard from a library you have no excuse to not be sharing your training, and world of grip on different social media outlets.

So before I get started into this I think I would like to share some background on how I feel that I'm qualified to speak on this and then some numbers.

It feels like ages ago but at one time my soul income was google adsence and I made a fair amount from my travel vlogging Youtube channel, so I guess I could say that Youtube, talking, and social media was my career.

For those of you that don't know what a hashtag is, anytime your on Instagram or Twitter and you put a # before a work like #grip or #gripsport that will then make that a searchable term.

Lets start by looking at the world of grip outside of the Gripboard.

Instagram hashtag stats:

#grip - 293,732 posts

#gripsport - 1,319 posts

#gripstrength - 25,818 posts

#gripper - 6,421 posts

#grippers - 2,867 posts

#ironmind - 10,225 posts

Now obviously no where near 100% of those post are grip related how we think of it but even if 50% of them are that's still 170,191 grip related posts that are not on the gripboard.

https://www.reddit.com/r/GripTraining

We have a very active user base with 19,593 readers, a high percentage of which are not here on the gripboard. We run monthly contests and have a great turn out with them.

Here is our lasted traffic data by month.

traffic by month

date	uniques	pageviews
May	8,007	31,217
April	9,821	35,004
March	11,226	40,074
February	12,564	42,221
January	10,525	37,677
December	9,487	31,555
November	11,802	37,137
October	28,444	63,454
September	9,654	36,393
August	12,670	43,613
July	10,848	41,668
June	12,725	44,973

 

So I think I have made my point now that there is a huge untapped world of grip outside of the gripboard so I won't go into some of the other statistical data on things like twitter.

I would like to see every single active user here posting on Reddit, Instagram and Youtube.

How to make a good Youtube video:

Its pretty simple. You need good lighting, behind the camera aimed at you, you need to provide context for what your showing or doing, that 300lb axle deadlift, or closing a 170lb gripper means nothing to someone outside of the world of grip and even to someone on the edges of it, so you could talk about how other people in your weight class and how they stack up against that...etc. Making a video is telling a story and you need a beginning middle and end for it to make sense to anyone. Here is a short list of ideas for Youtube videos that everyone here could make as way to help promote the world of grip.

1. Gym Tour video.
2. New grip item unboxing.
3. Video training logs with weekly updates.
4. Contest prep videos to show people that have never gone to a comp what it would be like.
5. PR's with some contest as to what you had to do to get there.
6. Share your own personal journey which led you into gripsport.
7. Answer people questions on video when they get left in your comments section.
8. Promote other peoples channels that are fellow gripsters.
9. Those of you who have been around along time could share some of the history of this sport that new folks wouldn't know about.
10. Review some of the products you already own.
11. Make 'how to' videos.
12. Feel like your an expert at a certain lift? Make a video about it.

I could keep going.

My overall point here is that there's a lot that could be done every single day by each one of us along with the big idea stuff for future of the sport.

I personally put up a grip related video a week on Youtube and post at least three grip related things on Instagram.

[Squeezus]

Hell, I'm already really into grip and I would love to see this happen. The more grip stuff online the better.

[Eric Roussin]

Great post, Jared!

[KapMan]

I can't get into videoing everything. I just either forget or don't care. Additionally, I'm by myself 100% of the time and have no good place to put up a camera for ideal anything, it's more of a chore for me then anything. I recently smashed my phone trying to get a video..once I get a tripod for my camera things will be looked at differently.
 

I don't even use my twitter, Instagram gives me seizures and is boring for me. Snapchat is a no go, I tried the periscope deal and had lots of interest but again it was a pain in the ass to set my phone up at a good angle and get a prime shot.

Edited May 28, 2016 by KapMan

[Jared Goguen]

8 minutes ago, Eric Roussin said:

Great post, Jared!

Thank you, I'm just trying to do my part.

[Jared Goguen]

12 minutes ago, KapMan said:

I can't get into videoing everything. I just either forget or don't care. Additionally, I'm by myself 100% of the time and have no good place to put up a camera for ideal anything, it's more of a chore for me then anything. I recently smashed my phone trying to get a video..once I get a tripod for my camera things will be looked at differently.
 

I don't even use my twitter, Instagram gives me seizures and is boring for me. Snapchat is a no go, I tried the periscope deal and had lots of interest but again it was a pain in the ass to set my phone up at a good angle and get a prime shot.

I'm not sure what to say to this.

If growing and sharing the sport is something that interests you then this is a very easy way to do it.

[KapMan]

14 minutes ago, Jared Goguen said:

I'm not sure what to say to this.

If growing and sharing the sport is something that interests you then this is a very easy way to do it.

Very much is, but not everyone is into recording everything and showing everything. I'm trying to do my part as well. Just in a different capacity.  Point in case you have some of the greatest minds in the sport that never show up to the board and probably do not care about other social media outlets. Some people are the type who enjoy going out and meeting new people and sharing everything. Others, well are not.

[Bill Piche]

Quote

I would like to see every single active user here posting on Reddit, Instagram and Youtube.

How about all the active users on Reddit, Instagram, and YouTube posting HERE as well. We've been alive over 12 years now on the GripBoard and there is 12 years of data to be mined by users.  

[Jared Goguen]

2 minutes ago, Wannagrip said:

How about all the active users on Reddit, Instagram, and YouTube posting HERE as well. We've been alive over 12 years now on the GripBoard and there is 12 years of data to be mined by users.  

Yeah everyone should post here.

Those other outlets are seeing exponentially increasing numbers of users where as all forums as a whole regardless of the topic are not. Also a handful of company's that have made free open source or paid for forum software have folded, or have moved on and have discontinued software support.

When most people want to find out about something these days they search things like Facebook, Reddit, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram cause they already have accounts there, they already have the app on there phone...etc. seems like the logical thing to do is to go to where those people are.

I think many of users here on the gripboard have forgotten at this point what its like to be new to this and how unfriendly the Gripboard seems from the outside. My own anecdotal evidence of this has been a few people that I have met locally that are strong gripsters and not members here, checked it out and saw the back and forth bickering and were turned off from it and I don't blame them since those where the first few threads they looked at.

[Jared Goguen]

My goal in starting this thread was not to have a debate about what is best. Rather point out with hard data that the world of grip is growing beyond the gripboard and if we are to grow the actual sport of grip and the events its good to reach out to those people.

Edited May 28, 2016 by Jared Goguen

[Squeezus]

1 hour ago, KapMan said:

I can't get into videoing everything. I just either forget or don't care. Additionally, I'm by myself 100% of the time and have no good place to put up a camera for ideal anything, it's more of a chore for me then anything. I recently smashed my phone trying to get a video..once I get a tripod for my camera things will be looked at differently.
 

I don't even use my twitter, Instagram gives me seizures and is boring for me. Snapchat is a no go, I tried the periscope deal and had lots of interest but again it was a pain in the ass to set my phone up at a good angle and get a prime shot.

BS, Shawn, you post lifting and grip videos on Facebook all the time. It's like 2 extra button pushes to put the same stuff on Instagram. There's a large contingent of veteran and active duty military strength enthusiasts on Instagram that you could reach out to with the grip stuff. As for hassle with videos, get a little cheapo tripod to stick in your gym bag, like this one.

47 minutes ago, Wannagrip said:

How about all the active users on Reddit, Instagram, and YouTube posting HERE as well. We've been alive over 12 years now on the GripBoard and there is 12 years of data to be mined by users.  

Nobody is saying they shouldn't, but outreach requires us, the gripboard, to reach out. We can't spread the grip gospel by telling people to come to church. WE GOTTA PREACH IN THE STREETS! 

[JHenze646]

48 minutes ago, Jared Goguen said:

 

I think many of users here on the gripboard have forgotten at this point what its like to be new to this and how unfriendly the Gripboard seems from the outside.

Sending you hugs. - humor

I don't understand where anyone would see the gripboard as unfriendly or unwelcoming. I have met nothing but amazing, friendly and inspiring people through the board. Even Jedd, who I have a most tenuous and dubious relationship with answers my emails, messages, and texts quickly and in honest detail and I am not a client. I have messaged people I have never met before and they respond with unsolicited help. Even sometimes following up with me to see if things worked out.

 But back to the point.

How many reddit users are gripsport competitors? How many people have converted to becoming competitors since you have been on Reddit? How do we target the most likely to compete candidates and get them to compete?

[Squeezus]

9 minutes ago, JHenze646 said:

Sending you hugs. - humor

I don't understand where anyone would see the gripboard as unfriendly or unwelcoming. I have met nothing but amazing, friendly and inspiring people through the board. Even Jedd, who I have a most tenuous and dubious relationship with answers my emails, messages, and texts quickly and in honest detail and I am not a client. I have messaged people I have never met before and they respond with unsolicited help. Even sometimes following up with me to see if things worked out.

 But back to the point.

How many reddit users are gripsport competitors? How many people have converted to becoming competitors since you have been on Reddit? How do we target the most likely to compete candidates and get them to compete?

I found out about gripsport through Reddit. 

[Jared Goguen]

1 minute ago, JHenze646 said:

How many reddit users are gripsport competitors? How many people have converted to becoming competitors since you have been on Reddit? How do we target the most likely to compete candidates and get them to compete?

That's a good question. First off I would like to say that I'm a moderator over there so if anyone looks at it and has an idea I can make it happen for sure.

If there was a central grip event calender (maybe there already is?) that was regularly updated I would be happy to have a updated copy there in the sidebar and promote peoples comps. 

Just off the top of my head I mean I'm there, Yori, Gil, John...etc I think it's a little hard to track who started out on Reddit and then found a comp since often people don't use there real names on Reddit.

Promoters can most defiantly go there to promote there comps. I know there were some Redditor's at the Southern Squeeze.

I know when I shared my run up to the Southern Squeeze and post comp follow up I got a lot of "It's nice to see how these things go" and "Thanks for share what going to a comp is like"...etc. Maybe that planted the seed for some people.

I'm not exactly sure how to go about targeting the most likely to compete other then just letting people know its a thing.

[Jared Goguen]

Side note. I plan on live streaming all of the future comps I go to as a way of showing people what they are really like.

[acorn]

I am guilty of not spreading out to other social media as well. Partially because I am an introvert, and partially because I am trying to limit exposure to hacking as an IT guy. Will check out reddit though and see if I can join and contribute.

- Aaron

[climber511]

All these social media outlooks are like a foreign language to me.  I don't have a smart phone and don't even know the what why when where about them - the few times I've tried to work them I messed them up somehow.  I do have a you Tube channel but it isn't viewed very often.  I only put a couple things on it myself, mostly Nick or someone else took the video and posted it for me.  I think you all came out of the womb knowing how this stuff works. :).  When I was young a computer was a "building" and a phone had an operator on the end when you picked it up.  It seems there are two kinds of people with this stuff - those who love it, understand it, and use it all the time - "constantly" connected via their phones that are superglued to them- and people like me - who can't understand why I would want to be connected all the time to anything or anybody.  When I found the GB back in 03 I didn't even know how to turn on a computer - and I'm not much further along now.  I enjoy working out by myself - seldom feel any need to be around others - and can't see myself videoing my workouts and putting them up for others - and feel awkward talking on camera etc.  Is this the way of the future for Grip - maybe - I don't know - it's probably not a bad thing just different than what I've done before.  I suppose something else like all this will come along soon and make these obsolete too.  I did finally get on FaceBook but it's the same kind of mess as a forum with politics and religion added in and everyone tells me that's where the cool kids "used to hang out".  

[Jared Goguen]

24 minutes ago, acorn said:

I am guilty of not spreading out to other social media as well. Partially because I am an introvert, and partially because I am trying to limit exposure to hacking as an IT guy. Will check out reddit though and see if I can join and contribute.

- Aaron

You might like it. People there would love to see some of your amazing videos.

It's a rather nice place as well, we have a strict no rude assholes policy and is strictly enforced.

3 minutes ago, climber511 said:

All these social media outlooks are like a foreign language to me.  I don't have a smart phone and don't even know the what why when where about them - the few times I've tried to work them I messed them up somehow.  I do have a you Tube channel but it isn't viewed very often.  I only put a couple things on it myself, mostly Nick or someone else took the video and posted it for me.  I think you all came out of the womb knowing how this stuff works. :).  When I was young a computer was a "building" and a phone had an operator on the end when you picked it up.  It seems there are two kinds of people with this stuff - those who love it, understand it, and use it all the time - "constantly" connected via their phones that are superglued to them- and people like me - who can't understand why I would want to be connected all the time to anything or anybody.  When I found the GB back in 03 I didn't even know how to turn on a computer - and I'm not much further along now.  I enjoy working out by myself - seldom feel any need to be around others - and can't see myself videoing my workouts and putting them up for others - and feel awkward talking on camera etc.  Is this the way of the future for Grip - maybe - I don't know - it's probably not a bad thing just different than what I've done before.  I suppose something else like all this will come along soon and make these obsolete too.  I did finally get on FaceBook but it's the same kind of mess as a forum with politics and religion added in and everyone tells me that's where the cool kids "used to hang out".  

I think I land some where in the middle. These are just new tools for a the tool box, you can build a better house with them then without them or you can take that hammer and go kill someone. I think a lot of people over use these new forms of social media.

I don't know what the future is for grip but it does seem like a big untapped world of people participating in grip one way or another and should some how be reached out to, and encouraged to go to comps.

[climber511]

1 minute ago, Jared Goguen said:

You might like it. People there would love to see some of your amazing videos.

It's a rather nice place as well, we have a strict no rude assholes policy and is strictly enforced.

I think I land some where in the middle. These are just new tools for a the tool box, you can build a better house with them then without them or you can take that hammer and go kill someone. I think a lot of people over use these new forms of social media.

I don't know what the future is for grip but it does seem like a big untapped world of people participating in grip one way or another and should some how be reached out to, and encouraged to go to comps.

I think "Grip" as an activity is doing pretty well - it seems more people know what I'm talking about , have seen and tried grippers etc than ever before.  It's the Competition aspect that is struggling.  The problems that cause individuals to not compete are are over the place.  Location is huge.. I agree with Tommy that equipment isn't a big factor except to those of us here fussing around about it - people who have never gone to a comp don't even know what equipment there will be..  Money (meaning cost to compete) is always a factor but that is tied very closely to location.  Money (for prizes) is going to be a tough one - Grip doesn't really offer the incentives that bigger companies look for in advertising - I think before we can solve that we'll have to solve the others and get attendance way up.  I also think we're going to have to make it more entertaining to watch

[Bill Piche]

 I still wonder how to get grip training known for sports. It can be such a big advantage to have a super strong grip. I have no idea how to do that.

[KapMan]

4 hours ago, Squeezus said:

BS, Shawn, you post lifting and grip videos on Facebook all the time. It's like 2 extra button pushes to put the same stuff on Instagram. There's a large contingent of veteran and active duty military strength enthusiasts on Instagram that you could reach out to with the grip stuff. As for hassle with videos, get a little cheapo tripod to stick in your gym bag, like this one.

 

Sure, let me just post a pic of me holding a dumbbell on instagram, and then snapchat about said pic. Then message my gym rat friends on kik, post inspirational quotes on twitter, periscope a workout , I'll yik yak in between sets too. Lemme pinterest my pre workout meal, then we can all congregate on the whatsapp! For my Chinese followers I'll get on Wechat, and link my latest PR on vine. I'll blog about how hot it is my gym on tumblr with a picture of a steamy sauna, then sign up for linkedin for no reason. Maybe I'll hop on tinder and find the perfect bicep buddy. When is it enough is where I'm getting at.

I really don't feel like keeping track of 15 accounts, if that's your thing. More power to you. Facebook and maybe twitter is enough for me. I don't even like facebook.  Reddit might be the next thing I sign up for and barely use. I'm no one special I post videos because I'm proud of them and to remind myself of how far I've came. Taking pictures and video is a habit I'm having a hard time truly getting into. I don't do shit like that all the time. Some videos are a couple of days old...some videos I have I don't even post.

Plus I'm abrasive, and I'm not a people person. I literally have my own corner in my gym and barely anyone talks to me, I do my thing and that's that. I'm not the face for the sport or a good representative. I'm too jacked up for that job. I'm trying to grow grip in my own way. So I apologize if I feel that I do not need 34245345 social media accounts to do that.

 

Edited May 28, 2016 by KapMan

[KapMan]

1 hour ago, Wannagrip said:

 I still wonder how to get grip training known for sports. It can be such a big advantage to have a super strong grip. I have no idea how to do that.

I got into grip because mine wasn't good enough for strongman. Now it's awesome with the exception of farmers.

 

[KapMan]

3 hours ago, Jared Goguen said:

Side note. I plan on live streaming all of the future comps I go to as a way of showing people what they are really like.

Thought about this as well, I've watched powerlifting contest live streamed. I think the 2016 log lift championships were streamed as well. 

Edited May 28, 2016 by KapMan

[Rob McMurren]

1 hour ago, Wannagrip said:

 I still wonder how to get grip training known for sports. It can be such a big advantage to have a super strong grip. I have no idea how to do that.

Have to get through to coaches, I coach university football, we stress it in our strength programs.  It is a huge part of football and rugby, yet not emphasized in programming.

[KapMan]

Well I'm on reddit and Jared wasn't kidding. What a community! Though navigating this bitch sucks..

https://www.reddit.com/r/GripTraining/

Edited May 28, 2016 by KapMan