Social media engagement is a buzzword you’ll encounter often when researching how to market your business online. But how does it specifically apply to fitness professionals, and is it really worth your time?
In this post, we’ll tackle some of the most common questions fitness pros have about social media marketing—like why it’s important and how it can actually benefit your business.
Understanding Engagement
What does social media engagement mean for a personal training business?
This is something you need to decide based on your goals. Some personal trainers use social media to get in front of their future customers. Others use social media to sell directly to their audience, especially virtual/online personal trainers.
If you have a local gym or studio, you’ll likely want to use social media to drive people to your gym. Once you decide on your goal, you can understand what social media engagement means for your personal training business.
Why is social media engagement important for new personal trainers?
Social media engagement is crucial for new personal trainers for several reasons. As a new business, you want to gain visibility. You want people to know your business exists, what it’s all about, your training style, and who you are.
You also want to have social proof. A picture is worth a thousand words, and before-and-after pictures are a must for a successful personal training business. Social proof also reassures potential clients that you aren’t just in it for the money and won’t disappear once the money hits your bank.
Potential clients want to know what others think of you and your services. Are clients generally happy with you, or are there many complaints?
Think about it: what is the first thing we do when considering buying a product or service? I don’t know about you, but I scour the internet to make sure I’m investing in something that will give me the results I want.
So, encourage your followers to like, share, and leave comments or reviews on your social media profiles to attract new, quality leads.
Setting Up for Success
What are the first steps to take when setting up social media accounts for a new personal training business?
The first step is to craft your profile. Ensure your contact information matches what you have on your Google profile and website. Don’t have a Google profile yet? Read this blog.
Don’t worry about aesthetics and pictures just yet. The most important pictures will be your profile photo and banners, if the platform requires one.
Choose a great headshot or post your logo. Don’t forget to add a caption to these pictures when you set them up on Facebook (if you are using Facebook).
Fill out your “about” section with pertinent information. Some platforms have limited characters, so concisely state who you are (or your business), how to reach you, and what your service is.
Which social media platforms should personal trainers focus on and why?
This depends on your goals and where your ideal client spends their time. If you want to drive people to your gym or studio, use platforms like Facebook and TikTok. If you have a virtual personal training business, focus on the platforms you know and like best.
Content Strategy
How can personal trainers create engaging content that resonates with their audience?
Creating content can be difficult for anyone with a business. It often takes a lot of time, and the reactions might not always meet expectations.
Some of your content might get no likes or comments, but that doesn’t mean you should stop creating. Engaging content often shows behind-the-scenes glimpses. If you have a niche, create content specific to that niche rather than generic “eat less, move more” weight loss advice.
For example, one of my clients had a Corrective Exercise Specialization. We created content specific to his target market about correct exercise. At the time, there weren’t many trainers focusing on that type of content.
The market is oversaturated with ‘pro tips’ or ‘advice.’ I’m not saying don’t create this type of content, but you have to present it from new angles to make it engaging enough to stand out.
Another excellent type of content is community-based content. This means doing mini challenges, hosting events, or even workshops in your studio or gym and then posting pictures and updates on your social media to create FOMO (I know it’s 2024 and none of the cool kids say this anymore, but oh well!).
Many people, after the pandemic, were left with fewer social outings and activities and are looking to connect with others. Creating community-driven events is a great way to bring more engagement to your social media, ultimately driving more people to your gym’s front door.
What types of content should personal trainers post to maximize engagement (e.g., videos, client testimonials, workout tips)?
As mentioned before, a picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is worth more. If you can get testimonials on video, before-and-after clips, and montage videos, you’ll be golden online!
How often should personal trainers post on social media to maintain engagement?
This isn’t as important as creating content people actually want to see and inspiring them to contact you. However, consistency is key if you want to drive and grow engagement. Depending on the platforms you are using, you should post anywhere from once a day to four or five times a day.
This is why having a virtual assistant on your team is vital! You simply won’t have time to post as many times a day or week.
Next time, we will go over more tips on driving social media engagement by interacting with followers, using hashtags and tags, what tools and resources are available, the best way to manage your time so you can get this and your actual job done, and lots more.
If you have any questions, let me know so I can write a blog post about it.
Take Action
Ready to take your social media game to the next level and grow your personal training business? Let’s work together to create an engagement strategy that will attract and retain clients, boost your online presence, and drive your business forward.
As a certified nutritionist, personal trainer, and women’s fitness specialist with NASM, I understand the unique challenges you face in the fitness industry. My virtual assistance services are designed to lighten your load and help you focus on what you do best—transforming lives through fitness.
Contact me today for a free consultation to discuss how we can elevate your social media engagement and streamline your business operations. Together, we’ll create a plan that fits your needs and sets you up for long-term success.
Reach out now to schedule your free consultation and let’s make your fitness business thrive!
