Latest / The Local Marketing Podcast with Fexingo: Small Business, Google Maps, and Local SEO / How a Local Yoga Studio Uses Google Maps for Class Waitlists
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, we've talked about florists, plumbers, taco stands, but today I want to dig into something a little different — a yoga studio in Austin called Flow and Restore. It's not a big chain, just two instructors and a rented studio space, but they've figured out a way to use Google Maps that I haven't seen covered yet. Luna: I'm intrigued. What's the angle — is it about classes filling up or something? Lucas: Exactly. It's about using the waitlist feature on their Google Business Profile. You know how when you search for a yoga class on Google Maps, you can see if it's 'booked' or 'open'? They've turned that into a marketing weapon. Instead of just showing their address and hours, they actively manage their class schedule in real time, and it's driving more people to their off-peak classes. Luna: Wait, I didn't even know you could show class availability on Google Maps. How does that work? Lucas: So if you claim your business on Google, there's a section where you can add services, and for a service like yoga classes, you can set up booking through a third-party like Mindbody. But the key is, they update their profile to reflect when a class is full and when there's a waitlist. And that's where the psychology kicks in. Luna: Ah, so it's the classic scarcity play. 'This class is almost full, better book now.' Lucas: Right. But it's smarter than that. They realized that their 6 PM classes were always packed, but the 9 AM classes were often half empty. So they started posting updates on their Google Maps listing — like a photo or a post saying '9 AM class has 5 spots left' — and it worked. People who couldn't get into the evening class started checking the morning one because they saw it was available. Luna: That's clever. So they're not just using Maps for discovery, they're using it to shape demand. Lucas: Exactly. And there's a specific number that caught my attention. In their first month of doing this, they saw a 22 percent increase in attendance for their 9 AM classes. That's not huge in absolute terms, but for a small studio, it's meaningful. And all they did was keep their profile updated with accurate availability. Luna: But doesn't that require constant updating? How do they keep it accurate without going crazy? Lucas: Great question. They actually have a simple routine. Every morning, one of the instructors spends five minutes updating the Google Business Profile — they have a checklist: mark the 9 AM class as 'open' or 'waitlist', post a photo of the studio if they're feeling creative, and answer any new questions in the Q&A section. It's not a huge time sink, but it's consistent. Luna: I like that it's a routine. It's not a one-time setup; it's a daily habit. Lucas: And that's where a lot of local businesses miss the boat. They'll set up their profile once and forget about it. But Google rewards freshness. When you update your profile regularly, you're more likely to show up in local searches. Plus, you're giving potential customers a reason to trust you — they see that you're active and attentive. Luna: So it's not just about the waitlist feature itself, it's about the overall activity on your profile. That makes sense. Lucas: And there's another layer. They use the Q&A section on Google Maps to answer common questions before they're even asked. Things like 'What should I bring to class?' or 'Is there parking nearby?' They've pre-answered, like, 20 of the most common questions, so when someone new finds them, they immediately feel informed. Luna: That's smart. It reduces friction. A potential student doesn't have to email or call, they just see the answer right there. Lucas: And it builds credibility. I mean, if you're comparing two yoga studios on Google Maps, and one has a complete profile with photos, updated hours, and a bunch of answered questions, versus one that's just a name and address — you're going to feel more confident about the first one. Luna: Absolutely. It's like having a storefront that's always open, but you're the one curating it. Lucas: So, before I go deeper, I want to mention something that's been on my mind. We've been doing these episodes for a while now, and if these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your own business, a couple of dollars a month is genuinely what keeps these going — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, if you've gotten something out of them. Luna: Yeah, it really does make a difference. We keep the show ad-free, and that's thanks to a few listeners who chip in. It's a small gesture, but it means a lot to us. Lucas: And it helps us keep bringing you stories like this one. So, back to Flow and Restore — there's a specific detail about their hours that I think is really interesting. They adjusted their Google Maps hours to show 'open' for the 9 AM class, but they also made sure to set 'holiday hours' in advance. So if they close for a weekend, it's already reflected on the profile. Luna: That's so simple but so important. I've been burned by showing up to a place that's closed because they didn't update their hours. Lucas: Right. And it's not just about being accurate; it's about signaling reliability. Google sees that you're updating your hours and it might even boost your visibility. There are studies that show businesses with complete and updated profiles get up to 70 percent more clicks and calls. I don't have the exact number in front of me, but the point is, it matters. Luna: So, what's the one takeaway you want our listeners to get from this episode? Lucas: I think it's that your Google Maps listing is not a static billboard. It's a living, breathing sales tool. If you take just ten minutes a day to update your availability, post a photo, and answer a question, you can see real results. Flow and Restore didn't spend money on ads; they just invested time in their profile. Luna: And that's a refreshing message for small business owners who don't have a big marketing budget. Lucas: Exactly. And I think we should do a follow-up episode on how to structure those daily updates — like a checklist for your Google Business Profile. What do you think, Luna? Luna: I'm on board. That would be super practical for our listeners.