Instagram can be a powerful way to grow your fitness business. But the days are gone when you simply post a picture, add a filter, add some popular hashtags, and sit back and watch your follower count increase.
Instagram no longer does the heavy lifting of attracting followers, and the algorithm constantly changes its preferences. As a fitness business owner, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd and build your online community. However, consistently following the right evergreen strategies over time can help you sustain your Instagram account.
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Try it freeIn this post, we’re going to share the 10 effective Instagram strategies that will help you get more followers and grow your fitness business.
Table Of Contents
- Chapter 1: Use a business profile
- Chapter 2: Make your fitness Instagram account more search-friendly
- Chapter 3: Convert visitors into Instagram followers with the right content
- Chapter 4: Use Instagram Reels to keep the algorithm happy
- Chapter 5: Use hashtags
- Chapter 6: Post frequently
- Chapter 7: Go live
- Chapter 8: Make the most of your Instagram stories and highlights
- Chapter 9: Ask people to share your content
- Chapter 10: Use other channels to promote your fitness Instagram account
Let’s break down each of these important steps further so that you can start honing your strategy, market your fitness business on social media, and get more followers to your fitness account.
Use a business profile
First, let’s set up your account as a business profile. This easy step can help you take advantage of Instagram’s business account features. If you’re currently operating from a personal Instagram account, it’s easy to switch.
Using a business profile helps your fitness business appear more legitimate. With a business profile, you can highlight your industry under your profile name, your business address, and a contact button, giving you a more professional look. Using a business account also lets you see an overview of your page’s analytics so that you can monitor how your content is performing, allowing you to take advantage of content scheduling tools like Later.
Make your fitness Instagram account more search friendly
If you want more Instagram followers on your fitness business account, it’s important to make sure that you are easy to find and that a first glance at your profile converts those finders into followers!
You may be inclined to put a unique and creative name in the “name field” of your Instagram bio, but instead, you should think about what people are searching for on social media. Your name field should include the keywords that will help people find you.
Here are a few great examples:
- Kate · Personal Trainer NYC
- Online Personal Trainer · Jamie
- Online Health Coach · Tom
The keyword optimization doesn’t stop with your name. Include relevant keywords in your bio as well. Be as clear as possible about who you serve and how in these 150 characters, and use keywords that will pull you up in search results.
If your business has a physical location, such as a gym or fitness studio, you’ll also want to set up a location tag on your account. This will help you show up in location search results and make it easier for guests to tag you and “check-in” to your location on their own accounts. You can easily do this in account settings (as long as you have a Facebook and Instagram Business page).
Convert visitors into Instagram followers with the right content
Getting people to your page is the first battle! You’ve also got to make sure your content keeps them there and turns them into followers. This means educational, informative, and conversation-sparking content that helps you stand out.
Generic content that every other account posts is not the way to go! You need to devise a content strategy that differentiates your fitness business and attracts your ideal client. (If you’re unfamiliar with your ideal client, you should be.) You’ll tailor all of your online content to this target audience.
Imagine that your ideal client lands on your profile. What does he see? If he scrolls and scrolls through posts and finds one out of ten that is relevant to him, do you think he’ll hit the follow button?
Now imagine if every post feels as if it is written just for him! He relates to your content and can’t wait to see more of it on his feed. You’ll definitely be getting a follow from him. Additionally, as your ideal client, he’s more likely to switch from follower to paying customer later down the line.
For more tips on the kind of content to create for your fitness Instagram account, check out our latest blog “Fitness Social Media Post Ideas: How to Create Engaging Content Every Day”
Use Instagram Reels to keep the algorithm happy
Like it or not, video content is incredibly popular right now, and Instagram has been promoting its “Reels” feature over other traditional photo posts on its feed.
So what should every business owner do?
Post more Reels.
These quick videos help you showcase your brand and personality and can have a much bigger reach than other types of content.
Get creative! You might share quick fitness tips, a tour of your gym, or healthy recipes. The options are endless. If you’re looking for easier Reel ideas to boost engagement and grow your brand, check it out here!
Use hashtags
Making the most of hashtags has been a debated topic since Instagram launched. The recommendation for how many hashtags to use is constantly changing, and getting a hashtag strategy right requires a bit of guesswork and experimentation.
One thing that has remained the same is that each post has a 30-hashtag limit. The right hashtags can help you appear in user search results, so you should consider what your ideal clients are searching for.
Consider creating your own branded hashtag and including it in every post, including stories. For the other 29 hashtags, use a mix of high-volume, medium-volume, and low-volume hashtags.
High-volume hashtags have many impressions, like #fitness, which has 1.2 million results. Lower-volume hashtags are typically more specific or community-oriented, like #coloradoweightlifting, which has only around 1,700 impressions.
Mix these (using more middle- and low-volume hashtags) to ensure your content is recognized in search results and not lost among all the similar content.
Post frequently
Look, we get it! You’re busy, and managing your social media account is far from the only thing you have to do for your business on any given day. However, if you truly want to grow your following, it’s essential to prioritize showing up online.
If possible, aim for 5-7 posts per week. This can be Reels, stories, or a regular feed post. You can use a scheduling tool to ensure that your posts go out even when you’re not working, but if possible, you’ll still want to engage in some hands-on activities. A good rule of thumb is to interact with others for at least five minutes before and after your post goes out. This means watching/sharing stories, liking and commenting on other people’s posts, responding to DMs and comments, etc.
Go live
Instagram Live is a great way to drive engagement, gain new followers, and even make sales!
Consider going live 1 to 2 times per month to connect with your audience and expand your reach. Some ideas? You can do a live Q&A, host a short fitness class, or present a new product or service.
You might also go live with similar accounts. To do this, connect with others in the industry (that you don’t consider competition) and pitch an idea for an IG live. This is beneficial for both of your businesses, as everyone on your and their follower lists will get a notification when you go live, helping you reach new accounts.
You can even schedule your lives ahead of time and share them in a post where people can click on a link to register to attend. You can also add an event badge to your profile that shows all visitors when you’ll be going live.
Remember, Instagram Live is, well, live! So you’ll want to prepare what you will say beforehand and ensure you have a good, quiet place to stream.
Make the most of your Instagram stories and highlights
You may have noticed that you can highlight stories to show up at the top of your profile. These featured stories are a great place to make the important aspects of your business more prominent on your page.
@ryanreadthrive using highlights effectively
Consider creating a story highlight for testimonials or one where you share client results. To make this information easily accessible, you may also include relevant business information like FAQs, how to work with you, or gym hours. Story highlights can be an extra factor that helps someone better understand your business at first glance and decide to follow your account.
Ask people to share your content
Make your content so insightful or helpful that people want to share it with friends. It never hurts to ask if people aren’t sharing your post organically.
Especially when you’re just getting started, you may ask your employees or current clients to share your content with their friends. They will likely be happy to help you grow your account this way.
If you’re new to Instagram or looking to do a big push for followers, you might also launch a giveaway to encourage users to share your content. You’ve probably seen this kind of post before. Consider giving away a personal training session or some workout gear to one lucky follower who likes and shares your posts with their friends. This can be a great way to bring many new eyes to your account quickly.
Use other channels to promote your fitness Instagram account
Bringing more followers to your Instagram account can and should be done through your other platforms as well. Step outside of the app and cross-promote yourself. All your online content should work together to build your business and visibility.
If you create YouTube videos, consider adding links to your social media accounts. Your website should also have easily clickable icons that bring people to your Instagram account, as should your emails if you frequently send them to an email list.
Consider adding your Instagram account to your business cards or flyers in person. You may even ask clients to make sure they are following you on Instagram for helpful content and to keep up with your business.
Ready to grow your fitness Instagram?
When it comes to Instagram strategy, what works for some may not be as effective for others. It’s important to experiment with what brings your business the best results. Pay attention to your analytics and make adjustments accordingly.
Creating and following an Instagram marketing strategy can take time and effort. Still, you don’t have to be a social media marketing professional to make Instagram work for your fitness business! We hope these tips give you a great starting point so you can continue growing your online community.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I effectively grow my fitness Instagram following?
To grow your fitness Instagram, consistently post high-quality content, engage with your audience, use relevant hashtags, collaborate with other fitness influencers, and utilize Instagram’s features like Stories and Reels.
2. What types of content should I post to attract more followers?
To cater to different interests, share various content, including workout videos, nutrition tips, client testimonials, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and motivational quotes.
3. How often should I post on my fitness Instagram account?
Establish a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged. Aim for quality over quantity, ensuring each post provides value to your followers.
4. How can I engage with my audience to build a community?
Respond promptly to comments and messages, host Q&A sessions, and encourage followers to share their fitness journeys. Building relationships and showing authenticity foster a loyal community.
5. Should I collaborate with other fitness influencers?
Partnering with fitness or micro-influencers can expand your reach and credibility. For mutual growth, engage in cross-promotions with complementary brands or local businesses.