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Fitness Influencer Guide: How to Become a Fitness Influencer

Fitness Influencer Guide: How to Become a Fitness Influencer

Posted by Tyler Spraul, Certified Strength and Conditioning SpecialistĀ® (CSCSĀ®) on January 28, 2023 ā€” Updated on January 24, 2024

Read through this fitness influencer guide to learn how to become a fitness influencer, how to grow your fitness influencer social media following, and learn how to monetize your fitness followers.

Fitness Influencer Guide

There are many ways to make money as a fitness influencer. You can learn how to make a fitness app that is custom branded for your fitness influencer business with the best white label fitness app software around, you can make money by selling workout plans online, you can learn how to start a fitness business based on your social media followers, and much more.

Maybe you just want to learn how to make more money from fitness, because you love fitness, and you love making more moneyā€”we can appreciate that!

Fitness Income Ideas

Enough with the bush league workout PDFs that are getting shared on Facebook Groups and on Reddit, and why give up so much of a revenue share to fitness app companies that make the branding all about their brand, instead of helping you build and market your own brand?

So if you are a fitness influencer, meaning you are a fitness professional who is influential with others (clients, followers, members, etc.), then see why fitness influencers who want to grow and scale a real online fitness business with a sustainable revenue model turn to Exercise.com.

Don’t settle for typical fitness influencer income; you can make a lot more money with fitness if you create your own fitness brand, instead of promoting other company’s fitness brands.

Our goal is to help you succeed with the best software for fitness influencers.

ā¤ļø We Love Fitness Influencers ā¤ļø

Yep, we love fitness influencers. And they love us (read our reviews).

Our overall experience with Exercise.com is a breeze. We love how easy it is to integrate this app with our current workflow while providing great fitness programs for our customers and save us time in the process.
Julie Ledbetter
Owner, Ledbetter Fitness

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Tools to Start a Fitness Influencer Business

With Exercise.com’s best online fitness coaching software, comprehensive gym management software, top personal training software, and industry-leading best fitness influencer tools, you can streamline your business operations, sell workout plans and nutrition services, schedule personal training sessions, run online workout groups, sell digital fitness products, run online fitness challenges, and create custom branded fitness apps to maximize your earning potential.

Be sure to find the tools you need to grow a fitness influencer business. From the best software for gym management to the best software for personal training to the best fitness software for fitness influencers, the Exercise.com platform has the tools you need to grow and manage your fitness business.

Sell workout plans online.

Sell Workout Plans

Run online fitness challenges.

Challenges

Create and sell fitness memberships, products, and digital offers.

Gym Payments

Manage, message, and market to your leads and customers.

Gym Marketing Automations

All from your very own custom branded fitness apps.

Custom Branded Apps
PJF Performance
I sold a workout program and matched my yearly salary of in-person training within two weeks of selling to my community!
Paul Fabritz
Founder and BS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, ACE, FMS, PJF Performance

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Getting Started as a Fitness Influencer

If youā€™ve spent any time on social media, you may have wondered how to become a fitness influencer. Becoming a fitness influencer takes time and effort, but you might find that the rewards are well worth it. Keep reading to find out how to become a successful fitness influencer on social media.

  • To become a successful fitness influencer, stand out from the crowd with a unique niche and high-quality images and content.
  • Build your audience with consistent posts and genuine engagement.
  • Set goals for how you will monetize your fitness influencer efforts.

Being a fitness influencer on social media seems like a glamorous life. Getting paid to stay in shape, take nice pictures, and try new products sounds like a dream come true.

However, the reality is a little less dazzling. Yes, a lot of people want to learn how to become a gym influencer, but the fitness influencer sphere is extremely competitive. Youā€™ll need to establish yourself as a fitness expert and an expert fitness content creator, and then be able to distribute your expertise to a wide audience using tools like social media or a custom-branded fitness app. If this sounds like a good fit for you, check out this guide to learn how to become a fitness influencer on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and more.

Exercise.com can help you build your online fitness brand and reach your fitness influencer goals. Get the fitness influencer software you need to run your entire fitness business and offer a fitness app to your followers.

Jimmy Myers Relentless Sports Performance
If you want to offer an elite service for the end user you need to get with the times and use elite level software that is intuitive, visually appealing, and effective. That is exactly what Exercise.com delivers to its clients.
Jimmy Myers
Owner/Trainer, Relentless Sports Performance

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Fitness Influencer Definition: What is a fitness influencer?

A fitness influencer is an online content creator who posts fitness content to an audience of followers and monetizes via a personal or company brand, product sponsorships, and other related products and services.

What do fitness influencers do?

Fitness influencers typically share their personal fitness journey and routines, offer tips and advice, and showcase their progress and results to inspire and motivate others.

They use their platform to influence others to adopt healthy habits, try new workouts, and adopt a more active lifestyle. The goal of a fitness influencer is to inspire and educate their followers while building a personal brand and earning a living through brand partnerships, sponsorships, and product endorsements.

Who can be a fitness influencer?

Fitness influencers can be personal trainers, athletes, or simply individuals who are passionate about fitness and have built a following.

The “Fitness influencer” meaning can be stretched to include online content creators with just a few hundred followers to those with millions; those who post about bodybuilding to those who post about yoga; male fitness influencers and female fitness influencers. The term “fitness influencer” can be used (and claimed) by almost anyone willing to commit themselves to this journey of becoming a fitness influencer.

A fitness influencer is anyone who uses social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, to promote a healthy and active lifestyle to a significant following.

How to Become a Fitness Influencer

To become a fitness influencer on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or anywhere else youā€™ll need to focus on six things: finding your fitness niche, defining your goals, capturing high-quality images/videos, maintaining consistency, and expanding your brand.

Kayla Itsines Fitness Influencer
Credit: Kayla Itsines, Fitness Influencer

Find Your Fitness Niche

According to Mediakix, there are somewhere between 3.2 million and 37.8 million influencers across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok (depending on how you define ā€œinfluencerā€). Thatā€™s a lot of competition! Without a way to stand out, your content is likely to get lost in the crowd.

(Read More: Big List of the Top Fitness Influencers Ranked).

To break into the fitness influencer world, especially if you want to get paid, youā€™ll need to focus on what makes you unique. Simply being a fitness influencer is too broad. Perhaps youā€™re a vegan bodybuilder or you love doing yoga with your dog. Whatever it is, narrowing your focus will help you reach a more specific audience, and gain followers.

Define Your Fitness Influencer Goals

Many people approach social media only intending to get as many followers as possible. Followers are great, but on their own, they donā€™t count for much. Once you have the attention of your followers, how will you translate that into income?

For example, you could drive your audience to purchase from a sponsor or to sign-up for your custom-built monthly workout membership. Having a plan ahead of time will help steer your approach to becoming a successful fitness influencer on social media.

Post High-Quality Social Media Images & Videos

This might seem too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning. Regardless of which social media platforms you target, high-quality photos and videos are going to be key to your success as a fitness influencer. Learning a few photography basics ā€” even if youā€™re just taking photos with your phone ā€” will go a long way in helping you create eye-catching content. When people like what they see, theyā€™re much more likely to hit that follow button.

To truly use each social media platform to its fullest, you need to create specialized content for each. Using your Twitter account to simply auto-tweet links to your Instagram posts is a sure-fire way to make your Twitter followers feel like an afterthought. Yes, creating multiple content streams is more work, but doing so will dramatically increase your total audience, which will help you gain the attention of sponsors.

Simeon Panda Fitness Influencer
Credit: Simeon Panda, Fitness Influencer

Consistency Is Key For Fitness Influencers

Fitness requires consistency, and becoming a paid fitness influencer on social media is no different. If you post six times in one day, but then donā€™t post again for two weeks, youā€™re likely to confuse your followers and risk losing their attention. Instead, create a schedule for what, when, and where you will post on social media. Then stick to it. Doing so creates trust and loyalty between yourself and your audience. It also fosters the sort of reliability that sponsors look for.

Because itā€™s easy to burn out on social media, make sure your posting schedule is something you can reasonably stick with. Creating content ahead of time and using an app, such as Hootsuite, to schedule posts is a good method to keep yourself on track. This is also a great way to make sure your content isnā€™t interrupted whenever you want to take a few days off.

Expand Your Fitness Brand

Your personality and expertise are the qualities that will attract your audience, but your brand doesnā€™t stop there.

Find ways to leverage your clout so your audience will want to support you financially. For example, you can use workout creating software to create custom workouts, which followers can purchase. You could provide special motivational content as a reward for subscribing to your Patreon. You might even invest in a fitness ecommerce store, through which you can sell things like branded t-shirts.

Fitness Upsells
Fitness upsells to maximize monetization

Read More: How Fitness Upsells Increased AOV 7.93% Instantly

If you want to be a paid fitness influencer on social media, turning followers into customers is an important part of the process. Providing easy ways for your audience to engage with you financially will benefit your bottom line, but thatā€™s not all. It will also boost the value of your brand in the eyes of other sponsors and fitness business experts, which can lead to additional opportunities.

From fitness automations to online workout challenges, selling online workout plans, creating a workout group, to much, much more, get a demo today and see how we can help super charge your fitness influencer business.

Des B Fit
I am grateful to have been able to create an app for my online family to grow with, and be able to support a business that I believe in.
Desiree Pfeifer
CEO, DBFT LLC

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How To Engage Your Audience as a Fitness Influencer

You probably know a social media account that has thousands of followers but only gets three or four likes on each post. Having a big following is no guarantee that your content is effective at reaching people. Pay attention to what types of posts do well, and tailor your content to your audienceā€™s interests.

This doesnā€™t mean you must be fake or that you canā€™t try new things. But, for example, if your videos on post-workout nutrition always get a lot of engagement, but posting your exercise playlists does not, you have a clue as to what type of content your audience is looking for.

And, of course, when you have thousands or even millions of followers, you need a solution to automate this type of engagement because you simply can’t respond personally to the volume. With smart fitness automations you can create sequences that time release workouts, send marketing emails, and much more.

Automations
Fitness automations to engage your followers at scale

Another point to consider: social media engagement is a two-way street. Especially when youā€™re first starting, many people will stop interacting with you if you donā€™t return the favor. Yes, managing a social media feed on top of organizing your other fitness training content is a lot of work, but itā€™s necessary if your goal is to become a successful fitness influencer.

The Rock Fitness Influencer
Credit: The Rock, Fitness Influencer (among many other things!)

Fitness Influencer Guide Topic List

Here is a partial listing of topics to take your fitness influencer game to the next level:

So… where do you even start as a fitness influencer? How can you take action to become a fitness influencer that actually makes money?

Well, in short:

Work.

It takes work.

But if you are willing to put in the work then we can help supercharge your efforts and help you create a real fitness influencer business, not just a fleeting promo strategy. You want something sustainable to learn how to be a gym influencer, not something that requires you to scramble every month, always wondering where to get the next buck.

Is it hard to become a fitness influencer? Here’s what you need to know:

How To Become a Paid Fitness Influencer

Being a fitness influencer on social media has a lot of perks, but itā€™s also very hard work. If you think you have what it takes, follow the steps outlined in this guide. With time, effort, and a little bit of luck, youā€™ll reach your goal of becoming a successful fitness influencer on social media. And if a custom fitness app sounds like a great way to engage with your audience, Exercise.com can help. 

No more hoping and wishing. If you want to learn how to start being a fitness influencer today, then start building your own fitness brand so that you can monetize your fitness following directly. Learn how to make money as a fitness influencer. Want to learn how to make money selling workout plans online, or maybe run an online workout group, or learn how to run a fitness challenge? Well, you can do all those things, and more through your very own custom branded fitness apps on the Exercise.com platform.

Erica Nangle Fitness
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Erica Nangle
Owner, Erica Nangle Fitness

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How do I start as a fitness influencer?

To start as a fitness influencer, the first step is to identify your unique angle or niche in the fitness world. This could be anything from bodybuilding, yoga, health and wellness, to specialized training techniques. Next, create engaging and original fitness content consistently, showcasing your expertise and personality. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are popular choices for fitness influencers to grow their audience. Utilize these platforms effectively by understanding their algorithms and engaging with your followers through posts, stories, and live sessions. Remember, building a substantial following takes time, so be patient and authentic in your approach. Additionally, Exercise.com can help you manage your fitness influencer business by providing tools for scheduling, client engagement, and more, allowing you to focus on creating content and growing your brand.

What do fitness influencers need?

Fitness influencers need a combination of passion, knowledge, and skills in content creation. They require an understanding of fitness content creation, whether itā€™s for Instagram, TikTok fitness influencers, or YouTube. Building a brand as a fitness influencer on Instagram or any other platform necessitates high-quality, engaging content that resonates with a specific audience. Influencers also need to be consistent in their posting schedule and interactive with their followers. Effective use of social media tools and staying updated with the latest fitness trends is crucial. Additionally, using platforms like Exercise.com can aid in organizing and expanding their online presence, providing a professional edge to their fitness influencer meaning.

How much do fitness influencers make?

The income of fitness influencers can vary widely based on factors like the number of followers, engagement rates, and the platforms they use. For example, fitness influencers on Instagram with a substantial following can make significant earnings through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, and affiliate marketing. Influencer gym partnerships and creating a fitness brand can also contribute to their income. The earnings of an influencer fitness professional largely depend on their ability to monetize their online presence and brand partnerships. High-profile influencers with millions of followers can earn substantial amounts, sometimes in the range of thousands per post.

Read More: Typical Fitness Influencer Income

What is the niche of a fitness influencer?

The niche of a fitness influencer can range from general health and wellness to more specific areas like yoga, bodybuilding influencers, or specialized fitness regimes. Finding a fitness niche that aligns with the influencerā€™s passion and expertise is crucial. This could involve focusing on specific demographics, such as fitness for new mothers, senior fitness, or fitness for college students. The niche could also be based on a particular fitness philosophy or approach, like holistic wellness, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or sustainable fitness practices. Identifying and catering to a particular niche helps in building a dedicated and engaged audience.

Read More: Fitness Niche Ideas

How old is the average fitness influencer?

The age of the average fitness influencer varies widely as fitness appeals to a broad age range. However, many successful fitness influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok tend to be in their mid-20s to late 30s. This range isn’t restrictive, as becoming a fitness influencer on Instagram or TikTok is more about the quality of content and engagement rather than age. What’s important is their ability to connect with and inspire their audience, regardless of their age.

How hard is it to be a fitness influencer?

Becoming a fitness influencer, especially a successful one on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, can be challenging. It requires consistent effort in creating engaging fitness content, understanding the nuances of social media algorithms, and building a personal brand. The journey also involves fitness content creator jobs that entail staying updated with fitness trends, maintaining a high level of fitness personally, and continuously engaging with the audience. However, with passion and dedication, along with strategic use of tools like Exercise.com, which can help manage and grow your online presence, the task becomes more feasible.

How do I market myself as a fitness influencer?

Marketing yourself as a fitness influencer involves a few strategic steps. First, identify your unique selling propositionā€”what makes you different from other health and fitness influencers. Focus on a specific niche, like yoga or high-intensity workouts, to stand out. Utilize social media platforms effectively; for instance, create an Instagram fitness page or become active on TikTok as a fitness influencer. Engage with your audience regularly and provide valuable content that resonates with them. Networking with other influencers and brands can also help in expanding your reach. Additionally, leveraging software like Exercise.com can provide a professional edge to your services, whether itā€™s through creating personalized workout plans or managing client interactions.

What makes fitness influencers successful?

The success of fitness influencers hinges on several key factors. First, they must have a deep understanding and passion for fitness, which is essential for creating authentic and engaging content. Successful influencers like those on Instagram fitness pages or TikTok fitness influencers often have a unique style or perspective that sets them apart. Consistency in content creation and audience engagement is crucial, as is the ability to adapt to changing trends and platform algorithms. Building a strong personal brand and establishing trust with the audience also plays a significant role. Furthermore, leveraging professional tools like Exercise.com can help in managing the business side of being an influencer, from client communication to workout programming.

Who pays you to be an influencer?

Fitness influencers typically get paid by brands for sponsored content, product endorsements, and affiliate marketing. Companies in the fitness and wellness sector, including gym equipment manufacturers, health food brands, and fitness apparel companies, often partner with influencers to reach their target audience. In addition, fitness influencers can earn revenue through creating and selling their own products, such as workout plans or fitness merchandise, particularly if they’re using platforms like Exercise.com to manage their business.

How many followers do you need to be a fitness influencer?

The number of followers required to be considered a fitness influencer can vary. Micro-influencers may have as few as 1,000 to 10,000 followers, but what’s more important is engagement rate and audience interaction. A smaller but highly engaged following can be more valuable than a larger, passive audience. As a fitness influencer on Instagram or TikTok, consistently delivering quality content can help grow your followers organically.

Do Instagram fitness influencers make money?

Yes, Instagram fitness influencers can make money through various channels. This includes sponsored posts, brand ambassadorships, and affiliate marketing. They can also monetize their following by selling personalized fitness programs or merchandise. The key is to build a strong, engaged following and a recognizable brand on the platform.

What are the most profitable fitness niches?

The most profitable fitness niches often cater to specific interests or needs within the larger fitness community. These can include areas like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga, Pilates, functional training, bodybuilding, and wellness coaching. Niches that focus on specific demographics, such as prenatal fitness or senior fitness programs, can also be quite lucrative. Choosing a niche should align with your interests and expertise to ensure authenticity and success.

How do you monetize a fitness niche?

Monetizing a fitness niche involves several strategies. You can create and sell personalized workout plans, nutritional guides, or online courses tailored to your niche audience. Setting up a subscription model for exclusive content or offering group or individual coaching sessions can also generate revenue. Additionally, affiliating with fitness products or services that align with your niche can be profitable. Using platforms like Exercise.com can enhance your ability to monetize your niche effectively by providing a comprehensive business management solution.

How can Exercise.com help me run a fitness influencer business?

Exercise.com is an ideal platform for fitness influencers looking to streamline and expand their business. It offers a range of tools that assist in creating and selling personalized workout plans, managing client relationships, and tracking progress. Exercise.com’s software facilitates easy communication with clients, scheduling, and payment processing, allowing influencers to focus on content creation and brand building. The platform’s versatility makes it suitable for various fitness niches, providing a professional edge to any fitness influencer business.

Tony Gentilcore
Exercise.com makes my life easier by providing an all-in-one solution and the opportunity to help those who otherwise would never have access to my programming!
Tony Gentilcore
Founder, Core Online

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Read More: Fitness Influencer Guide: How to Become a Fitness Influencer

Tyler Spraul is the director of UX and the head trainer for Exercise.com. He has his Bachelor of Science degree in pre-medicine and is an NSCA-Certified Strength and Conditioning SpecialistĀ® (CSCSĀ®). He is a former All-American soccer player and still coaches soccer today. In his free time, he enjoys reading, learning, and living the dad life.
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