How to Increase Class Attendance With Screens
Screens can raise class attendance when they put the right class in front of members at the moment they decide what to do next. That means a live schedule near the entrance, short and encouraging messages, and content that always matches what is actually on the calendar. Screens work best as part of a reminder-and-habit system, not as decoration.
This guide is for fitness center operators, club managers and studio owners. It covers what the research says about nudging people to show up, what to put on your displays, where to place them, how to keep everything accurate, and how to tell whether any of it is working.
TL;DR
Reminders measurably move class attendance: a randomized gym experiment found weekly reminders lifted class training by 19%, so short, frequent, visible prompts are worth building around.
Show what is on next, how many spots are open and one clear reason to join, in positive and inclusive language.
Place different messages in different zones (reception, hallways, locker rooms, studio doors) and use screens to spread demand toward quieter time slots.
Accuracy is everything: a screen that shows a canceled class erodes trust faster than no screen at all, so connect your content to one source of truth.
Measure by comparing class fill rates before and after, class by class, and let staff act on what the data shows.
Table of Contents
What the evidence says about nudging people to class
Most members do not skip class because they dislike it. They forget, they get busy, or they never noticed the option. That is a limited-attention problem, and it is exactly what screens are good at solving.
The clearest evidence comes from a randomized field experiment at a gym, where researchers found that weekly reminders increased weekly exercise frequency by 13%. The lift was larger for class training, at 19%, than for free training, at 11%. The reminders were short, typically no more than three sentences, and they pointed to available exercise options or to the benefits of attending.
The same study, as summarized by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, adds a useful detail: the class effect came partly through more bookings and fewer cancellations. The authors read the results as a story of limited attention and habit formation. In plain terms, people are not resisting. They need to be reminded at the right time.
A second source points the same direction at a larger scale. A 2021 megastudy in Nature tested 53 attendance tactics at 24 Hour Fitness, and planning, reminders, incentives and messages discouraging consecutive missed visits were among the strongest approaches. In that study, a small per-visit incentive raised exercise frequency 9%, an added incentive for returning after a missed workout raised it 27%, and telling people that exercise was a growing trend raised attendance 24% during the four-week intervention.
Two caveats keep expectations honest. Those experiments used email and app messages, not in-club screens, so treat them as evidence that short, repeated prompts work, not as a promise for any one display. And as Health & Fitness Association operators have pointed out, technology alone does not create retention; results depend on how well your team uses the data and tools to solve member problems.
The opportunity is real, though. Average U.S. facility use is still recovering: the Health & Fitness Association reported that visits per member reached 81 in 2023, up from 78 in 2022 and 72 in 2021, but still below 119 in 2019. Members who join but visit less are the ones a well-placed screen can reach.
Why in-club screens fit the job
Email reminders reach members when they are not thinking about the gym. Screens reach them when they are already in the building, shoes on, and deciding what to do with the next hour. That is a different and valuable moment.
A screen can do four things a printed schedule cannot:
Change instantly. A substitute instructor, a moved room or a canceled class can be updated in seconds from a phone or browser.
Show what is next, not everything. A wall of small type gets ignored. A clean “Starting in 20 minutes” panel gets read.
Vary by location. The message at the front desk does not need to match the one outside the yoga studio.
Rotate content. You can mix the schedule with instructor spotlights, member milestones and amenities without adding a single poster.
If you want a deeper look at the schedule display itself, our post on what a gym class schedule display actually does for you walks through the basics, and how digital signage drives gym member retention covers the link between visibility and members staying.
What to put on your screens
Start with the information members need to act, then add the content that makes them want to.
The essentials: what, when, where, who
Every class panel should answer four questions at a glance: the class name, the start time, the room and the instructor. Add a countdown or a “next up” label so members see immediately what is relevant. Keep text large enough to read from several feet away, and limit each panel to the next three or four classes.
If you book through an app or software, add a dynamic QR code so a member can reserve a spot on the spot. Fewer steps between seeing a class and booking it means more bookings. This is the screen version of the reminder that worked in the research: it names an option and removes friction.
Availability and social proof
Spots left is one of the most persuasive lines you can show, but only if it is true. “6 spots open” in the lobby nudges a hesitant member. A popular class labeled “Almost full, reserve now” signals that others are choosing it. The 24 Hour Fitness result on communicating that exercise was a growing trend suggests that showing momentum can matter. Use real numbers, such as classes held this week or milestones members have hit, rather than invented claims.
Language that welcomes people in
The wording on a screen can invite or intimidate. The American Council on Exercise advises that communications use inclusive, positive, affirming and empathetic language, celebrate attendance and participation rather than demanding a particular intensity, and highlight benefits such as mental and emotional health, community and learning, not only weight loss. ACE also cautions against gendered or fear-based language and cues that shame or judge people.
In practice:
Write “New to this class? Come as you are” instead of “No excuses.”
Celebrate showing up: “Thanks to the 42 members who joined Saturday’s class.”
Lead with how a class feels (energizing, calming, social) before how hard it is.
Label levels clearly so beginners know which sessions are made for them.
Short messages, rotating often
The reminders in the experiment were brief. Treat your screen the same way: one idea per panel, a few seconds on screen, then the next. Mix the schedule with an instructor introduction, a tip, a member shout-out and a promotion for an upcoming class or workshop. Multi-zone layouts let you keep a live schedule on one side of the screen while other content plays beside it, which we cover in why fitness studios use multi-zone screens.
Where and when to display class promotions
Placement decides whether your message gets seen at the moment of choice. LG’s U.S. commercial-display guidance notes that digital signage can be targeted by location, with different messages at reception, retail areas, locker rooms and elsewhere, and that screens can handle wayfinding and class information.
A simple placement map for a typical club:
Location | Best content | Why it works |
Entrance and front desk | Next three classes, spots open, QR code to book | Members decide what to do as they arrive |
Cardio and weight floor | Upcoming class countdown, instructor spotlight | Catches people who came for a solo workout |
Hallways to studios | Wayfinding, “starts in 10 minutes” | Reduces missed starts and confusion |
Locker rooms | Tomorrow’s classes, new class announcements | Members have a moment to read and plan ahead |
Studio doors | Today’s class details, level, equipment needed | Confirms they are in the right place |
Lounge or cafe | Weekly lineup, events, member stories | Longer dwell time suits richer content |
Use timing to spread demand
Filling classes is not only about more attendance. It is about attendance in the right slots. The Health & Fitness Association’s 2019 guidance says operators can manage capacity through attraction, density, throughput and spreading demand from peak to shoulder time slots, while remembering that convenience still matters to members. Overcrowding can reduce satisfaction and increase attrition, so promoting a packed 6 p.m. class makes little sense when a 7:15 p.m. session has open spots.
Screens make this easy. Schedule content by day and time so that during the evening rush you highlight the less crowded class right after it, and in the afternoon you promote the next morning’s sessions. A message such as “Prefer more space? Join us at 7:15” gives members a reason to shift.
Keeping class schedules accurate on screen
A display that shows the wrong room or a canceled class does real damage. Members who arrive to find nothing stop trusting the screen, and then they stop looking at it. Accuracy is the foundation of everything above.
Here is a practical approach:
Pick one source of truth. Decide where the master schedule lives, whether that is your booking software or a shared calendar, and update the screens from that, never separately in three places.
Assign an owner. One person, such as the group fitness manager, is responsible for changes. Others send requests to them.
Update at the moment of change. When an instructor calls out sick, the change goes on the screens before the front desk gets the first question. With cloud-based signage managed from a phone or browser, that takes seconds.
Schedule recurring content ahead. Load weekly classes as a recurring schedule, then override only the exceptions.
Run a weekly check. Walk the floor once a week, compare each screen to the real schedule and fix mismatches.
Plan for holidays. Create holiday schedules in advance so they switch on automatically.
If your team juggles many operational tasks, a structured workflow helps. Tools for project management for fitness studios can keep schedule changes, instructor coverage and display updates on one checklist, so nothing depends on someone remembering to do it.
Measuring whether screens are working
You do not need a research lab to find out whether your screens help. You need a clear before-and-after comparison and the habit of looking at it.
Pick the right numbers
Track these for each class, not just overall:
Fill rate: average attendees divided by capacity.
Bookings and cancellations: the research found reminders increased class bookings and slightly decreased the share canceled, so these are the first things to move.
Late bookings: reservations made the same day, which is where in-club screens and QR codes should show up.
Time-slot distribution: are shoulder-hour classes filling more than before?
QR scans: how many members engage with your calls to action.
The Health & Fitness Association reports that clubs already collect data on attendance, utilization, satisfaction and instructor popularity. Its trade guidance also recommends using hourly attendance data and, where needed, on-site heat mapping to spot capacity breaches and member-satisfaction problems.
Run a simple test
Record four weeks of fill rates for your target classes before changing anything.
Launch your screen content: live schedule, spots open, QR code and rotating messages.
Change one thing at a time where possible, such as adding spots-open lines on one set of classes.
Compare four weeks after, and account for seasonality, since January and summer behave differently.
Keep what works, retire what does not, and repeat.
Be realistic about cause and effect. If you also launch a new class lineup or a promotion the same month, you cannot credit the screens alone. Staff matter too: the data only pays off when someone acts on it, whether that is moving a class time, rewriting a message or promoting a quiet session.
What results can look like
Clients of ours, including elite sports clubs, have reported gains such as a 25% rise in class attendance after implementing SignStream. Your results will depend on your starting point, your classes and how consistently you keep content fresh. Use that figure as a reason to test, not as a guarantee.
Our perspective
Most clubs we talk to already have the screens. What they lack is a quick way to keep them current and a reason for members to look up. A screen that shows last month’s schedule teaches people to ignore it. We built SignStream so that updating a class takes seconds from any device, whether you manage one lobby display or a network of screens across several locations. Because there are no per-screen fees, you can put a schedule where members make decisions, not only where the budget allows. That means the locker room, the hallway and the studio door, not just the front desk. We also believe the best class promotion is welcoming rather than pushy. Show what is next, show that there is room, make booking one scan away, and celebrate the members who showed up. Pair that with analytics and you can see which messages and which time slots are working, then adjust. That is the loop that turns screens from a display into a habit-builder. DKS
Getting started with SignStream
If you want to put these ideas into practice, SignStream is a cloud-based digital signage platform that lets you update every screen from your phone or browser, schedule content by day and time, add dynamic QR codes and track performance with analytics. It runs on smart TVs and tablets, so you can use hardware you already own.
The SIGNSTREAM NETWORK plan is $10 per month per channel, and a Custom Channel is $105 per month per channel, with unlimited screens on a channel at no extra charge. See the current details on our pricing page, or read how it works if you would like help with hardware and screen installation, content and design, or ongoing management.
For a closer look at the retention side, our 2026 guide to screens and member retention shows how class visibility connects to long-term membership, and showcasing club amenities on screens helps you fill the gaps between class announcements. You can also learn how dynamic displays support club revenue or take a practical look at digital signage and club revenue.
A four-week launch plan
If you are starting from scratch, a short plan keeps things manageable.
Week 1: Set the foundation. Choose your master schedule source and name an owner. Pick three to five screen locations, starting with the entrance and the hallway to your busiest studio. Identify the two or three classes with the most room to grow.
Week 2: Build the content. Create a live schedule panel showing the next three classes, a spots-open line, a QR code for booking and two or three rotating messages written in warm, inclusive language. Add instructor photos and one-line bios, which make unfamiliar classes feel less intimidating.
Week 3: Go live and watch. Turn on the screens, walk the floor daily and check that every panel matches the real schedule. Ask front desk staff what members say about the screens. Their comments tell you quickly what is confusing or missing.
Week 4: Review and refine. Compare fill rates, bookings and QR scans with your baseline. Retire the weakest message, expand the strongest, and extend screens to the locker rooms and lounge if the results justify it.
Then keep going. The reminder research points to habit formation, and habits form through repetition. A schedule that is current every single day does more than a one-time campaign.
Common mistakes to avoid
Overloading the screen. Too many classes at once means none gets read.
Stale content. An old promotion signals that nobody is paying attention.
Shame-based messaging. Guilt-driven slogans conflict with inclusive guidance from ACE and tend to push away the members you most want to bring back.
Ignoring capacity. Promoting full classes frustrates members; steer them toward open slots.
No measurement. Without a baseline, you cannot tell what helped.
Forgetting the booking step. A great message with no easy way to act wastes the nudge.
FAQ
Do screens really increase class attendance?
The best evidence is for reminders in general: a randomized gym experiment found weekly reminders raised class training by 19%. In-club screens deliver a similar short prompt at the moment members decide, but results vary by club, so test and measure your own fill rates before and after.
What should a class schedule screen show?
Show the class name, start time, room and instructor for the next three or four classes. Add spots remaining and a QR code for booking. Keep the language welcoming and the text large enough to read from a few feet away.
How often should I update the content on my screens?
Update the schedule the moment anything changes, and refresh your rotating promotional messages at least monthly. With a cloud-based platform you can change content from your phone or browser, so urgent updates take seconds rather than a trip to the front desk.
Do I need new TVs to get started?
Not necessarily. SignStream runs on smart TV apps and tablets, so many clubs start with screens they already own. Check the pricing page for plan details and how channels work.
How do I avoid overcrowding the classes I promote?
Schedule your screen content by time of day so it promotes classes with open spots, especially in shoulder hours. The Health & Fitness Association recommends spreading demand from peak to quieter time slots as part of capacity management.
Sources
Experimental evidence of limited attention at the gym, Experimental Economics
Experimental evidence of limited attention at the gym, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
How Gyms Are Using Member Data to Increase Retention, Health & Fitness Association
U.S. Fitness Facility Membership Reaches Historic High, Health & Fitness Association
Solve Overcrowding at Your Gym with This Simple Equation, Health & Fitness Association
Inclusive Language Can Improve the Group Fitness Experience, American Council on Exercise
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