Building an integrations marketplace is easy to talk about and hard to execute.
Most platforms end up with a long list of apps, uneven quality, low adoption, and no clear business impact. The marketplace exists, but it doesn’t really move the needle.
Mindbody took a different approach.
We’ve had a close look at how their integrations marketplace was built and operated, and it’s one of the clearest examples of what happens when integrations are treated as a core growth lever, not a side project. This isn’t just a strong marketplace for fitness tech. It’s a blueprint for how ecosystem strategy should work.
Here’s how Mindbody did it.
1. They proved integrations drive revenue, not just convenience
Mindbody doesn’t position integrations as optional add-ons. They position them as a growth engine.
They back that up with data. Customers who use integrations earn more revenue, see significantly more bookings, and drive more client purchases than those who don’t. The marketplace isn’t framed as a nice extra. It’s framed as a way to run a more profitable business.
That framing matters. It makes marketplace discovery a priority for customers and makes ecosystem investment an easy sell internally.
For product and exec teams, this is the signal that integrations are not a retention feature. They are a revenue multiplier.
2. They actively promote partners instead of passively listing them
Most marketplaces stop at publishing listings. Mindbody goes further.
Partners are featured intentionally, with strong visuals and benefit-led messaging that focuses on customer outcomes, not technical specs. These promotions rotate regularly, which keeps the marketplace feeling alive and gives customers a reason to come back.
The result is meaningful. Featured partners consistently see at least double the pageviews, often more. That creates real incentive for partners to invest in the ecosystem and improves discovery for customers at the same time.
This is ecosystem marketing done as a lifecycle motion, not a one-time launch.
3. They made discovery fast and intuitive
Mindbody’s marketplace is designed for speed. Customers can quickly scan, filter, and compare without digging.
Listings are presented as clean, scannable cards with clear value cues. Star ratings are visible before clicking, and filtering by rating, category, or use case is straightforward. A category dropdown at the top removes friction for customers who already know what they’re looking for.
The experience respects the user’s time. That’s why it works.
4. They invested in rich listings that reduce friction and increase trust
Click into a listing and you get real substance.
Each integration includes detailed descriptions, feature breakdowns, data flow diagrams, reviews, and often pricing context. Customers can understand how the integration works, what problem it solves, and whether it’s right for them without leaving the marketplace.
This level of detail does more than educate. It reduces sales questions, lowers support load, and qualifies demand before a customer ever talks to a partner.
Clear CTAs like “book a meeting” or “learn more” guide the next step without pushing too hard.
5. They treat ecosystem quality as an owned responsibility
The marketplace works because someone owns it.
Mindbody actively curates integrations, ensures quality standards are met, and focuses on ease of installation and usability. New apps are added intentionally, not automatically. The result is an ecosystem customers trust.
This is an important distinction. A great marketplace is not an open free-for-all. It’s a governed ecosystem with clear standards and accountability.
What this means for teams building marketplaces
Mindbody’s marketplace didn’t become the leader in fitness tech by accident. It’s the result of clear priorities:
- Prove business impact
- Make partners visible
- Optimize discovery
- Invest in content quality
- Own ecosystem governance
The takeaway is simple. A strong integrations marketplace is not a feature. It’s part of your platform strategy. When done well, it strengthens your core product, drives partner ROI, and delivers measurable results for customers.
Build your own industry-leading integrations marketplace
Inspired by how Mindbody approached their ecosystem? You don’t need to build it all from scratch.
