Scroll-stopping content: How TRAC’s local social strategy sparked a 320% audience surge

April 29, 2025

By Abby Barnes, Head of Marketing – Consumer at Belgravia Leisure.

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, standing out on social media requires more than just showing up—it demands relevance, creativity and an understanding of your audience. Thomastown Recreation & Aquatic Centre (TRAC) is proving just that, leading the way with a hyper-local content strategy that’s delivering big results.

With less than three seconds to grab a user’s attention on platforms like Instagram and Facebook—and often just one second to stop a user scrolling—every post needs purpose. TRAC’s team, led by Venue Manager Jarrad Carey, has embraced this challenge by crafting content that’s fun, relevant and aligned with platform trends.

Audience-first strategy

TRAC first activated its local content strategy with the introduction of Reformer Pilates to the venue in January, kicking off with a playful and engaging reel—one of their top-performing posts of the year. The video attracted over 4,000 views on Facebook and 3,000 on Instagram. Even more compelling, 72% of Facebook viewers and 77% of Instagram viewers weren’t yet following the page, and 87% of Instagram viewers were under the age of 45, highlighting the campaign’s success in reaching new and younger audiences.

The buzz generated online translated directly into results on the ground. The team hit 100% of pre-sale membership targets before classes even began, and went on to reach 133% of the target within the first month of launching the program.

Results that speak volumes

In the first three months of 2025 alone, TRAC has achieved:

94% growth in social audience
182% increase in engagement
135% more impressions
(compared to the last three months of 2024)

Year-on-year data tells an even more impressive story:

320% increase in total audience growth
200% more direct messages via Instagram
140% surge in overall engagement
99% increase in social reach

By tapping into trending audio, video styles and localised storytelling, TRAC’s content resonates because it reflects the real people and experiences within the venue.

“We’ve worked hard to create a fun and welcoming atmosphere at TRAC, and we wanted that to come through in our online presence as well,” said Jarrad Carey, Venue Manager at TRAC. “The team genuinely enjoys creating content—it’s a chance to showcase the energy of the venue and connect with our community in a different way.”

A lesson for the industry

TRAC’s success underscores an important takeaway for the broader leisure and fitness sector: knowing your audience and platform dynamics is essential. Facebook remains strong for older demographics, but to reach new generations, platforms like Instagram—and increasingly TikTok—are key.

Equally important is staying true to your brand. Creating engaging content doesn’t mean chasing trends at the expense of your identity. Every post should reflect your core values and the experience you promise in-venue. TRAC strikes that balance—being playful and current, without straying from their commitment to community wellbeing.

Creating engaging content doesn’t mean abandoning brand integrity. It means finding ways to bring your values to life in formats people actually want to consume.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, TRAC’s example offers a simple but powerful blueprint: stay local, stay current, and most importantly—make them stop scrolling. See more of TRAC’s content here.