Paid ads are getting harder.

SEO is evolving faster than most gym owners can keep up with.

And AI-driven search is completely rewriting how prospects discover local businesses.

In this episode, Scott Carpenter sits down with Ray Leake and Jonathan Gafill of 97 Display — the team behind some of the highest-converting, SEO-optimized fitness websites in the industry — to break down what’s happening in online acquisition right now and what gym owners MUST do to stay competitive in 2025 and beyond.

After more than a decade specializing in fitness marketing infrastructure, 97 Display has developed a fully integrated, AI-powered ecosystem that replaces the duct-tape systems most gym owners are stuck with.

Today’s conversation will show you exactly how search behavior has changed, why organic traffic is rising in value, and how to future-proof your marketing before your competitors do.

🔍 Inside This Episode: What You’ll Learn✅ 1. Why Paid Ads Are No Longer Enough

Scott opens up about the rising difficulty and declining quality of paid traffic.

Paid ads still work, but the landscape has shifted. The leads coming from organic channels are often stronger, more qualified, and more ready to buy — if your online presence is built correctly.

✅ 2. AI Search Is Already 20–25% of All Search Traffic — And Growing Fast

Jonathan Gafill breaks down how AI engines (ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, etc.) now pull information from:

• Public conversations
• Reviews & responses
• Local references
• Natural-language mentions of your business
• Business listing consistency
• Engagement across platforms

AI isn’t looking only at your website — it’s analyzing everything said about you online.

This is a massive shift… and most gym owners are not prepared for it.

✅ 3. The Biggest Problem: Gym Owners Are Using “Duct-Tape Systems”

Scott explains the chaos:

A website here.

A CRM over there.

Google reviews somewhere else.

A VA managing follow-ups.

Content posted manually on multiple platforms.

Paid ads run by a freelancer.

Nothing talks to each other… nothing tracks consistently… and leads fall through the cracks.

Ray and Jonathan show how this fragmentation is the #1 reason gyms struggle with conversions.

✅ 4. The All-In-One Solution: Growth IQ by 97 Display

97 Display spent years building a unified, gym-specific system that includes:

• AI + SEO-optimized fitness websites
• HyperLocal ranking maps (shows your position across your entire city)
• Online presence management (citations, business listings, consistency)
• Reputation management + social proof tools
• AI website chat agents
• AI phone receptionist
• Automated lead nurturing (click → booked appointment)
• Paid ads capability
• Social media scheduling and publishing across all platforms

One login.

One dashboard.

Everything connected.

Scott calls it “the easy button gym owners have needed for years.”

✅ 5. HyperLocal: The Tool Scott Was Most Impressed By

Ray demonstrates 97 Display’s HyperLocal heatmap — a full visual layout showing:

• Your rankings on different keywords
• Across different areas of your city
• Down to the street corner
• Compared to competitors (the real ones — not the ones you think)

This gives gym owners EXACTLY where they’re winning… and where they’re losing ground.

✅ 6. Why Simplicity Will Win in 2025

Jonathan discusses the challenges gym owners face with bloated platforms like GoHighLevel:

• Overwhelming setup
• Slow performance
• Limited staff adoption
• Confusing automations
• Hidden costs

Most owners use only 10% of what they’re paying for.

97 Display built a far simpler, gym-specific system laser-focused on what actually matters: lead → conversation → conversion.

✅ 7. AI Receptionists, AI Chat, and 24/7 Lead Conversion

When a lead calls during class hours (or late at night)… most gyms miss the call.

Missed call = missed lead.

97 Display built:

• An AI phone receptionist that answers, gathers info, schedules, and transfers
• AI chat agents that respond instantly on the website
• Automated follow-ups that run even at 11 PM or 1 AM

This ensures leads are never lost again.

💡 Your Biggest Takeaways1️⃣ AI Search is reshaping everything — and FAST.

The gyms who act now will outrank their markets for years.

2️⃣ Reviews, responses, and online consistency now matter more than keywords.3️⃣ Simpler systems outperform complicated ones — every time.4️⃣ An integrated ecosystem (website + AI + SEO + reviews + automations) is the new standard.🎟️ GYM PROFITS SUMMIT 2026February 12–13, 2026 • Scottsdale, AZ

Venue: Venue8600 – 8600 E Anderson Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85255

Seats: Only 120 gym owners — WILL SELL OUT.

Join Scott Carpenter + special guest Matt Wilber for two full days of implementation designed to transform your gym revenue model.

Inside the Room, You Will Learn:

• The Winnable Model — Build a profitable gym with 150–200 members
• High-Ticket Sales Framework — Add $10K–$20K/month without needing more members
• 7-Figure Marketing Method — Flood your gym with paid trials without wasted ad spend
• Retention & Pricing Power — Why charging more keeps clients longer
• Workshop Execution — Leave with scripts, offers, and systems DONE

🎟️ Get Your Tickets:

👉 https://ptlegends.com/gym-profits-summit

⚠️ Waitlist gets first access — tickets WILL sell out.

💥 BLACK FRIDAY SPECIAL (Mentioned in Episode)

97 Display’s lowest prices of the ENTIRE year:

OPTION 1 — Full Growth IQ Platform

Website + AI tools + HyperLocal + Social Proof + Automations

👉 $247/month (hundreds off)

OPTION 2 — Add HyperLocal + Social Proof Only

Works even with your current website

👉 $147/month

Plus:

💲 $1 onboarding

🚫 No payments until 2026

👉 https://info.97display.com/pt-legends

📬 When You’re Ready, Here Are 3 Ways We Can Help You1️⃣ Subscribe to The Profit Lifestyle Podcast

Never miss an episode designed to grow your business.

2️⃣ Join Our Free Facebook Community

Connect with gym owners building high-profit, high-impact brands.

3️⃣ Book a Free Brand & Business Deep Dive with Andy

📩 Email: [email protected]