Enter your campaign numbers to see exactly how your marketing dollars are performing. All fields are editable—model different scenarios to optimize your spend.
Campaign Inputs
Total campaign budget
Total leads from campaign
Leads who became members
Member Value
Monthly membership fee
Industry avg: 12-18 months
Your Campaign Performance
Cost Per Lead
$33.33
—
Cost Per Join
$200.00
—
Conversion Rate
16.7%
—
Member LTV
$686
Lifetime value per member
Revenue Generated
$17,150
Total from new members
Net Profit
$12,150
—
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
343%
—
💡 Why Ad ROI Tracking Matters
Most gym owners know roughly how much they spend on ads. Far fewer know exactly what they're getting back.
Without tracking CPL, CPJ, and ROI, you're essentially gambling with your marketing budget. You might be pouring money into Facebook ads that look busy but don't convert, while ignoring a Google campaign that's quietly delivering members at half the cost.
Unfortunately, I see this too often with operators: The average gym wastes 30-40% of their ad budget on underperforming channels. That's thousands of dollars per month that could be driving actual membership growth.
Understanding your ad ROI helps you answer critical questions:
Which channels are actually profitable?
How much can I afford to spend to acquire a member?
Is my sales team converting leads efficiently?
Should I scale this campaign or kill it?
The gyms that grow fastest aren't necessarily spending the most—they're the ones who know exactly where every dollar goes and what it brings back.
📊 Industry Benchmarks
How does your campaign performance stack up? I blended data from the fitness industry with my personal 10+ year career managing digital media for gyms.
Metric
Industry Average
Cost Per Lead (CPL)
$10-50
Cost Per Join (CPJ)
$50-200
Lead-to-Member Conversion
15-30%
Target ROAS (minimum)
300%+
CPL by Channel (Gym Industry):
Channel
Typical CPL
Facebook/Instagram Ads
$15-40
Google Search Ads
$5-50
TikTok Ads
$10-30
Referral Programs
$5-20
Sources: Fitness industry reports, agency benchmarks, GYMSTRACKER partner data
📈 How to Improve Your Ad ROI
Actionable tactics to get more members from every marketing dollar you spend.
1. Fix Your Lead Follow-Up FirstBefore spending more on ads, audit your follow-up. Most gyms take 24-48 hours to contact leads—by then, 50% have gone cold. Aim for sub-5-minute response time. Speed-to-lead is the #1 conversion factor.
2. Track CPJ, Not Just CPLA $15 CPL means nothing if those leads don't convert. A $50 CPL with 30% conversion beats a $20 CPL with 10% conversion every time. Optimize for members, not leads.
3. Use LTV to Set Your CPJ CeilingYour maximum CPJ should be 15-20% of member LTV. If LTV is $700, you can spend up to $105-140 to acquire a member and still be healthy. Know your ceiling before you scale.
4. A/B Test Offers, Not Just CreativeMost gyms test ad images and copy. Few test offers. Try: free week vs. free month, $1 enrollment vs. $0 enrollment, or trial membership vs. guest pass.
5. Retarget Website VisitorsOnly 2-3% of website visitors convert on first visit. Retargeting brings back the other 97% at a fraction of cold traffic cost. Retargeting CPLs are typically 40-60% lower than cold campaigns.
6. Build Lookalike Audiences from MembersUpload your member list to Facebook/Google and create lookalike audiences. These typically convert 2-3x better than interest-based targeting because they mirror your actual customers.
7. Attribute Revenue, Not Just LeadsTag every lead with its source and track through to membership. This reveals which channels bring members who stick vs. members who cancel in 60 days. Revenue attribution > lead attribution.
⚠️ Common Ad Spend Mistakes
These mistakes drain marketing budgets at gyms every single day. Avoid them.
1
Optimizing for Leads Instead of JoinsCheap leads feel good but often don't convert. A campaign generating $15 leads with 5% conversion is worse than one generating $40 leads with 25% conversion. Always optimize down-funnel.
2
No Attribution TrackingIf you can't tell which campaign generated which member, you're flying blind. Use UTM parameters, dedicated landing pages, or ask "How did you hear about us?" at signup—and actually track it.
3
Killing Campaigns Too EarlyFacebook and Google need 50+ conversions to optimize properly. Turning off campaigns after 3 days because CPL is high means you never let the algorithm learn. Give campaigns 2-4 weeks minimum.
4
Spending Without a Follow-Up SystemPouring money into lead gen while your front desk takes 2 days to call back is like filling a leaky bucket. Fix your follow-up system before scaling ad spend.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What's a good cost per lead (CPL) for gyms?
Industry average is $10-50, but "good" depends on your conversion rate and member LTV. A $50 CPL is excellent if you convert 25% of leads. A $15 CPL is terrible if you only convert 5%. .
What's a good cost per join (CPJ)?
Industry average is $50-200 depending on your market and gym type. Target 15-20% of your member LTV as a ceiling. If your average member is worth $700 over their lifetime, aim for a CPJ under $105-140.
What ROAS should I aim for?
Minimum 300% (3:1) to be sustainable long-term. Great campaigns hit 500-800%+. Below 200% and you're likely losing money when you factor in overhead. Remember: ROAS is calculated on lifetime value, not first-month revenue.
Should I use CPL or CPJ to evaluate campaigns?
BOTH. You'll want a CPL that produces quality leads at scale. It's important to connect with your gym staff who are actively closing leads for their on-the-ground experiences on the phone and in person. CPJ is key if you weigh your business heavily onto online joins.
How do I calculate member lifetime value?
Basic formula: Monthly Dues × Average Member Lifespan (in months). Add ancillary revenue (PT, retail) for a more complete picture. Industry average lifespan is 9-18 months.
Sources: Fitness industry benchmarks; agency performance data; GYMSTRACKER partner analytics
🏆 What Top-Performing Gyms Do Differently
After analyzing ad performance across hundreds of gyms, these are the patterns that separate the top 10% from everyone else.
✓
They Measure What MattersTop gyms track the full funnel: impressions → clicks → leads → appointments → tours → joins → retained members. They know exactly where drop-off happens and fix those specific leaks.
✓
They Respond in Minutes, Not HoursSpeed-to-lead separates winners from losers. Top gyms contact leads within 5 minutes using automation + human follow-up. They know that leads contacted within 5 minutes are much more likely to convert.
✓
They Build Systems, Not CampaignsInstead of launching one-off promotions, they build evergreen acquisition systems: always-on retargeting, automated email sequences, consistent organic content feeding paid distribution.
✓
They Test AggressivelyTop performers run 5-10 (or more!) ad variations at any time. They test offers, audiences, placements, and creative—then double down on winners. They view ad spend as R&D, not just marketing.
✓
They Calculate LTV Before Setting BudgetsThey know exactly what a member is worth before deciding what to spend. This prevents both under-investing (leaving growth on the table) and over-investing (unprofitable acquisition).
✓
They Treat Sales as Part of MarketingGenerating leads is only half the equation. Top gyms invest equally in sales training, follow-up systems, and conversion optimization. They know that improving close rate from 15% to 20% is a 33% efficiency gain.
Sources: GYMSTRACKER partner performance data; fitness marketing agency benchmarks; industry case studies
