Trying to get fit is a tricky business, but running a fitness business is even tougher.
Apart from the rampant competition locally, you also need to deal with others in the digital space.
Simply put, other fitness brands are trying to pry your customers away from you. And without a name where they dominate, it can be challenging to succeed.
Thankfully, there's an excellent place to start: Instagram. Social media channels like Instagram exist for your needs. From ideas to success stories, here's everything you need to know.
Making a fitness Instagram account makes sense, as it's home to aesthetically pleasing posts, videos, and other content people live for.
It's where fitness thrives, as people can easily share their new workout outfits, gym buddies, progress photos, and other fitness milestones.
And even more important? Instagram is home to millennials, deemed to be the biggest drivers of the fitness world.
They spend so much on health and fitness memberships, making it more important to pursue making a fitness Instagram page.
But where do you begin? The most successful brands start small, and we have the right ideas for you. Simple but effective, but guaranteed to give you the right boost:
As a brand, it's crucial to highlight products and services apart from simply sharing workout routines.
Ultimately, you sell an idea through the right Instagram post, which should reflect your unique selling proposition.
For many, this means approaching the fitness journey holistically. Apart from exercise, also focus on the value provided by good eating habits.
Experts suggest that exercising is only 20% of overall fitness; the rest falls on a diet. Make sure your content highlights this fact by posting recipes, supplements, and other diet-related information they can find interesting.
Your customers need advice and the best nutrition tips, and as the expert, provide them with what they need.
Blogilates is run by influencer Cassey Ho, who teaches pilates online through YouTube and paid online classes.
Apart from sharing her journey daily, she also turns to post content about the food she eats—all of which are undeniably healthy recipes.
In the video below, she shows her followers how to eat a healthy, protein-filled breakfast using simple ingredients like bananas and eggs.
She makes it sound straightforward, topped with a highly personalized caption—it's as if she's writing a message to a dear friend!
Many people quit their fitness journeys and return to their old habits because they don't remember why they started.
Their spirits break when the going gets tough, especially when comparing themselves to others in the fitness space.
As a fitness professional, you must remember that sometimes all they need is a bit of guidance in the right direction.
One way you can help these people is by publishing inspirational posts.
Some people proactively look for fitness brands to motivate them to get back on track, and you can fulfill that need.
You can post healthy meals, workout routines, and professional insights, all with positive messages.
There are numerous ways to do so. You can post pictures that showcase before-and-after results with motivational captions, memorable quotes, or even testimonials from your clients.
You can also publish Instagram Stories and Reels with inspiring captions or voiceovers.
When creating content, don't forget to use popular and relevant hashtags, as these will help users discover your posts:
Not only do motivational posts help people discover your brand, but they also tell them you're a valuable resource for inspiration.
With these posts, you establish yourself as a brand that cares and empowers your audience.
Motivational content is always a good starting point to gain followers if you're trying to break through the fitness niche.
You'll also get the chance to connect with your audiences at a deeper level, and you're more likely to attract loyal patrons.
One brand that posts inspirational content regularly is CrossFit. In this IG Reel, for instance, a member talks about finding "his people."
The Reel shows people's deep, interpersonal connections when they attend CrossFit workouts. It tugs people's emotions and drives them to try fitness.
Aside from motivational posts, you can also share actual success stories from your team or customers.
Nothing beats real-life examples—they serve as reliable proof for many people. They’re also more tangible than just motivational words.
Showcase your clients’ journeys, how your fitness brand has helped them, and how they achieved success. You can also show before and after photos or videos to highlight their progress.
GoodLife Fitness occasionally showcases their clients' progress via IG Reels or Stories, motivating other customers and displaying how some of their clients have achieved success through their services.
Getting up close and personal is an excellent way to establish trust. This is especially crucial if you operate a local gym or studio with a team of fitness professionals.
You can share a personal story or perhaps highlight a personal trainer more followers can relate to.
You can also film or photograph your team and introduce them to your audience.
This way, you're putting a face to the names, and your followers will perceive your brand more positively.
They can feel more confident about your business, especially if you publish quality content.
Posting this type of content is easy, as you already have what you need: your team members. You can capture them in action or tell their stories.
Like motivational posts, this strategy also helps forge a deeper connection with your audience, and you're sure to boost your follower count and your fitness business as a whole.
Nuffield Health, a London-based gym, posts IG Stories highlighting its team of personal trainers. The posts include each team member's credentials and other relevant information.
The stories also show the specialization of each trainer, giving people an idea of how they can help achieve their fitness goals. Moreover, client testimonials provide social proof, which can further increase trust.
If you want your audience to view your brand as trustworthy and qualified, you may want to follow suit. You can also make the introduction more engaging by including well-made videos.
Collaborating with other Instagram content creators or fitness influencers allows you to tap into markets you previously could not reach.
It also boosts brand awareness and fosters a professional relationship with another brand.
As a result, you can help each other grow.
Brand partnerships can benefit both parties involved, as it helps them expand their reach while diversifying their content.
Moreover, their supporters welcome partnerships. Around 71% of consumers enjoy co-branding marketing.
Influencer marketing is also a popular strategy on Instagram. You can partner with an influencer with a following similar to your target audience and help each other out.
You can post images or video content showing your partnership, as can the other creator. As a result, you can both show yourselves in front of a new, potentially untapped crowd.
This Reel by Lululemon is in partnership with the content creator Teejay Hughes. It shows him getting ready for his day while wearing pieces from the brand.
While Teejay benefits from the sponsorship and his appearance on Lululemon's IG page, Lululemon also shows its collection to Teejay's audience.
Social media challenges are all the rage nowadays, so posting them on Instagram can benefit your fitness brand. They increase engagement on your profile by encouraging your audience to participate, and they also help build your online community.
With fitness challenges, your followers will feel like they’re part of a larger group working toward a common goal. This is excellent for building loyalty and fostering a sense of belonging to your brand.
Challenges are also an excellent source of user-generated content. You can share or repost participants’ progress posts and achievements, adding credibility to your brand.
Here, Blogilates.com posted a 20-day challenge in which their followers can participate. By doing so, they encourage people to engage with their brand. Not only does this help boost brand awareness, but it also establishes Blogilates.com as an industry expert that people can follow.
Workout tutorials are also excellent fitness social media ideas you can use on Instagram. By showing step-by-step instructions on how to do certain workouts, you can demonstrate your expertise in helping people achieve their fitness goals.
Workout tutorials also boost engagement because you’ll be helping people improve their workout routines. This can lead to more likes, comments, and shares.
By displaying your expertise, you can also attract new followers. They may follow your account and potentially become paying customers.
Exercise Tutorial is dedicated to these types of videos. They post helpful guides through videos and Instagram Reels to teach their audience how to do certain workouts.
This content is highly valuable in establishing expertise and trust. They also build significant engagement on a brand’s Instagram page.
Live workout sessions are amazing for engagement because they occur in real time.
Your viewers can interact with you in many ways, such as by asking questions, commenting, reacting, and sending emojis. This fosters a feeling of community.
Live workouts are also great for promoting your brand and showcasing your expertise in exercise and fitness.
Here, Women’s Health Magazine hosted a live workout session via Instagram Live. This encourages viewers to try workouts at home and interact with the instructor in real time.
The virtual high-five also boosts engagement by letting people send emojis that the instructor can see and react to.
Product reviews benefit your fitness IG page by providing valuable content about your gym equipment or what you’re selling. Doing so helps build trust and credibility while getting the attention of viewers.
Promoting products also helps generate user-generated content—you can share your audience’s photos and videos as testimonials. You’ll also find valuable feedback in your comment section.
Gluck’s Gym regularly posts reviews of gym equipment and other fitness products. By doing so, they help establish themselves as credible sources of information and generate feedback from other users.
The fitness industry is fun, exciting, and challenging—in the best possible way. Making your mark in the fitness industry is necessary for the digital age.
After all, a brand without an online presence is bound to fail.
The beginning is always terrifying, but that's the name of the game. No pain, no gain. Taking the first step solidifies your name in the industry, and the rest will follow.
The only thing left to do now is to turn the ideas above into reality!
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