The Rise of Online Fitness Coaching: A Win-Win for Trainers

People are increasingly seeking online fitness coaches on platforms like Fiverr, where they can pay from $10 to $100 on average and get a lesson on Zoom or any other platform.

Did we mention – from the comfort of their home? A very popular phrase that is used widely in advertising of any online activities, is when people can learn new skills or get new knowledge.

And you know what, “From the comfort of your home” is a popular phrase for a reason. It resonates with people who value flexibility and need extra convenience in their learning or workout routines.

The stats are also confirming that the global virtual fitness market is booming, reaching a value of USD 16.4 billion in 2022 and expected to surge at a staggering 26.72% CAGR by 2030.

For fitness coaches, this means a golden mine – people need you online; just like your clients, you don’t need to travel to a gym or pay for equipment. But it’s not only that.

Moving on, some customers don’t trust things like Fiverr and are willing to pay for something that looks more trustworthy, professional, and reliable. They can find it all – and even more (e.g., a library of workout plans) on membership sites like Obe.

We can continue with VIP fitness coaching packages and celebrity trainers that provide workout lessons, but we hope that the point is clear – many fitness enthusiasts have made a shift to online coaching, and these are people with different paying opportunities.

So, high time to start with reasons why it’s a win-win for trainers to try out online fitness coaching, right?

Three Main & One Unexpected Reasons Why Become an Online Fitness Coach

There are so many reasons why moving online can help you see hidden opportunities and change your life for the better as a trainer.

# 1. Increased focus on a healthy lifestyle, compared with the flexibility that the internet gives, is one of the reasons why people are seeking alternatives to a traditional gym. There is huge demand, that is.

# 2. Expand your business geographically and reach better deals. When you can become visible to a wider range of locations, not just where you are currently based, you set your bar higher and open doors to more people and potentially higher-paying clients.

# 3. Opportunities for recurring income without exchanging your time for money. As a fitness coach, you progress and scale up your business opportunities. Online coaching is a very diverse term that can embrace those opportunities through memberships and courses when you don’t need to be there for your clients every time. 

# 4. Millennials are your key demographic group who made a shift to online fitness solutions from in-person workouts in the gym. They are seeking work-life balance, are tech-savvy, and are open to new trends. An ideal target audience for online fitness coaches. So it’s just the golden time, a big window of opportunities to move completely online.

Let’s conclude: online fitness coaching can bring you more money, clients, and opportunities you could never experience the traditional way – and now is just the best time to gain momentum.

Better Create a Personal Website

Well, as we listed at the beginning – you can create your profile on Fiverr, get listed on Obe, or even become a personal coach for a celebrity. All is possible.

But if you want to be your own boss and don’t pay any commissions, create your own fitness coach website that stands out.

It will take time and effort, for sure.

You need to shoot awesome photos for your portfolio, ask your past clients or friends to write real testimonials, have SEO in place, install booking software for fitness sessions, and so much more, but don’t be scared. Make a plan, follow it – and you’ll build your own way to complete independence.

Using WordPress as your main site builder, it’s easy to choose a coaching site design that picks your vibe.

The Availability & Affordability of Modern Software for Fitness Coaches

Modern class scheduling and appointment booking software make it a breeze to coach online. However, you need to decide how you want to start and what your coaching style is.

Appointment Scheduling Software

This is ideal for in-person coaching, where clients choose your services among available ones, pay for them, and get a lesson with you. This solution is also perfect for:

• One-on-one interaction and personalized guidance, as well as group appointments, for example, for yoga classes or dance sessions. Besides, the group segment dominated the market with a share of 59.1% in 2022, so you might need to have both options on your site.
• In addition to the actual lessons, you can give clients dedicated in-person consultations and customized workout plans.
• Provide hybrid coaching, meaning online and offline fitness lessons.

You can do that with the BookingPress plugin, a popular WordPress plugin for appointments, at a very affordable cost.

It works so: you add services that you provide, configure your appointment types, duration, and availability, enable payment methods that work for you, and allow clients to book your time online. If you have multiple instructors, you can list them all and allow a client to choose them.

Overall, it’s flexible and intuitive for any scenario (view demo). An example of the booking form created with BookingPress is below:

Membership Software

If you want to share your expertise without endless scheduling, a fitness coaching membership site lets you create valuable content once (step-by-step classes, guides, etc.) and sell it to members forever. It’s a perfectly sustainable business model for online coaches, who have already earned expertise and now the expertise can earn them money. There are multiple solutions that can help you integrate membership software with your own website.

Getting Your First Clients

Okay, you’ve created an attractive website with your portfolio, installed the needed software to allow clients to schedule classes with you, and made sure your site is trusted (thanks to testimonials and certificates).

What do you do next to find your first clients as an online fitness coach? Here are 5 powerful strategies:

1. Start a blog and share informative articles on fitness topics relevant to your target audience and write it based on the keywords that matter to your specific type of business.
2. Share fitness content in your personal approach (workout tips, healthy recipes) on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube – with links to your site.
3. Provide a limited number of free consultations to showcase your expertise and find first clients.
4. Connect with local gyms, yoga studios, or wellness centers to explore referral opportunities – they can advertise you while you can spread the word about them.
5. Offer early-bird discounts to attract first clients.

Let’s Conclude: High Time for Online Fitness Coaching

As a trainer searching your way to build a more sustainable and profitable foundation for your long-term practice, various ways to do it online are not just an attractive option but a whole win-win! Plus, it taps into the booming trend of clients wanting convenient, online fitness options, which is only going to keep growing. Equip yourself with the right tools and a solid business plan – launch your online fitness coaching website and don’t wait for tomorrow.

More insights in these articles for you:

• Gym Appointment Software Comparison
• How to Add a Scheduling System for Coach on WordPress
• How Online Booking System Will Help You Increase Revenue