Websites for yoga & pilates studios that win the work.

Yoga and Pilates students start with nerves more often than teachers remember. Beginners want to know whether they need to be flexible, what to wear, whether there are mats, which class to start with, and whether they will be the only novice in the room. The difference between styles - vinyasa, hatha, yin, reformer Pilates, mat Pilates - is confusing, and they want it explained in a sentence each. They check the timetable against their week, look at the room, and check the price of a drop-in and of an intro offer. Once settled, students are loyal to particular teachers and particular slots, and book the same class every week. Independent teachers renting halls see the same behaviour but with the added question of which venue and whether there is parking.

When demand peaks. January and September are the big sign-up months; summer attendance dips while holidays and outdoor alternatives compete.

The timetable is the most-visited page and it is usually the weakest: an image, a PDF, or a third-party widget that does not match the rest of the site and does not work well on a phone. The second problem is language - studio sites often speak to people who already practise, full of Sanskrit and inner journeys, which alienates the beginner who is the easiest person to win. The third is pricing spread across a class pass page, a membership page and an intro offer banner, so nobody can work out what their first month will cost. And any health benefit claims need to stay modest and within advertising rules.