Whether offering online fitness services or personal training to the local community, building a solid digital presence should be an essential feature of your modern marketing strategy. SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the sharpest weapon in your arsenal by far and implementing the strategies below will help you edge ahead of the competition could be the key to levelling up your entire fitness business model.
Why SEO For Personal Trainer Marketing?
As the name suggests, SEO is the process of optimising your website for search engines. When you do this successfully, your business will appear higher up the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) to unearth a range of benefits. They include:
- Increased traffic because anywhere between 70% and 90% of users will only click a link on the first page of results.
- Improved reputation because prospective fitness clients equate an excellent Google ranking with reliability and value.
- A better user experience. Google updates the algorithms over 500 times per year. Staying updated means that your clients are less likely to abandon their interests.
- Increased brand awareness. Even when users don't click your website, they are exposed to your brand and may bring future conversions.
- Boosted local search presence. 76% of people who conduct local searches follow up within 24 hours.
In short, SEO for your fitness business will boost your presence as an online personal trainer, leading to more leads and signed up clients. Moreover, only a tiny percentage of PTs have mastered the SEO arena. So, if you implement the right changes, the results can begin to show in no time. Here are the strategies that will help you dominate the field.
#1. Choose Your Keywords
Keywords are, coincidentally, the key to good SEO practices. They are the words and phrases that people search for when looking for a product or service (in your case, personal training and fitness services) online.
Here are some example keywords suggested by Google. Google is suggesting those words because they're common words that people enter into Google.
Here are some example keywords suggested by Google. Google is suggesting those words because they're common words that people enter into Google.
For any business to master the keyword selection process, it's imperative to think like a potential client and consider what they would type into Google when looking for the services you provide.
When a user completes a search, Google's crawlers instantly search the World Wide Web for the most relevant websites. When your pages have the right keywords included, they will rank higher on the SERPs.
Keywords can be placed on all of your website pages, including Homepages, Landing Pages, and Services sections. Blog content can also be a great way to add keywords and phrases to your website, attracting a targetted audience to articles on specific topics.
However, thousands of fitness-based businesses are trying to rank for terms like "fitness" or "personal trainer services". Therefore, you need to think about distinct niche keywords that relate to your personal training business. You can consider;
When a user completes a search, Google's crawlers instantly search the World Wide Web for the most relevant websites. When your pages have the right keywords included, they will rank higher on the SERPs.
Keywords can be placed on all of your website pages, including Homepages, Landing Pages, and Services sections. Blog content can also be a great way to add keywords and phrases to your website, attracting a targetted audience to articles on specific topics.
However, thousands of fitness-based businesses are trying to rank for terms like "fitness" or "personal trainer services". Therefore, you need to think about distinct niche keywords that relate to your personal training business. You can consider;
- Geographic terms - using "personal trainer Southampton" rather than "personal trainer" will give you a far stronger local presence.
- Fitness specific terms - combining "fitness coach" with phrases like "to lose weight" or "to train for the marathon" help you promote your specialities with goal-orientated vital terms.
- Offer specific terms - adding "free trial", "cheap", and related terms can help you reach new clients.
Choosing the right niche keywords won't only boost your visibility. It ensures that the traffic comes from people who are actively seeking services like yours. In turn, conversion rates should be far higher.
Top Tip: Google Keyword Planner is a great tool to help you get started. Advanced users can look at SEMRush.
Top Tip: Google Keyword Planner is a great tool to help you get started. Advanced users can look at SEMRush.
#2. Produce Quality Content
While getting keywords onto your site is essential, you must avoid practices like keyword stuffing as it can lead to penalties. Blogging is the ideal solution as it gives you an organic outlet to add keywords. In short, content is king.
However, you will only reap those rewards if you publish quality and SEO optimized fitness content. To do this, try to keep a list of blog topic ideas so that you never run out. Likewise, it would be best to try to utilise your experience and expertise in the fitness arena. Writing with passion and authority won't only allow you to mention items distinctly related to your niche, but it also tells search engines that you are trustworthy.
Crucially, engaging content isn't just for the sake of search engines. It'll also impress your potential clients, because;
However, you will only reap those rewards if you publish quality and SEO optimized fitness content. To do this, try to keep a list of blog topic ideas so that you never run out. Likewise, it would be best to try to utilise your experience and expertise in the fitness arena. Writing with passion and authority won't only allow you to mention items distinctly related to your niche, but it also tells search engines that you are trustworthy.
Crucially, engaging content isn't just for the sake of search engines. It'll also impress your potential clients, because;
- By giving them something for free, you are subconsciously promoting that you offer value for money and value to their lives.
- Every piece of quality content underlines your knowledge as a coach or personal trainer, which encourages prospective clients to place their trust in you.
- The engaging content gives them an incentive to keep coming back to your website, and those touchpoints can encourage them to enquire about services.
Another great thing about content is that you can write in a more relaxed way than you would for a Homepage or Services page. Given that voice searches are nearly as popular as traditional text searches, the ability to target keywords in a way that reflects the way people speak can make a meaningful impact.
#3. Know The Competition
You constantly strive to be the best in the gym. Now is the time to be the best with regards to marketing too.
It may be a little OTT to say "keep your friends close and enemies closer", but knowing what else is available to your potential clients is vital. As far as your SEO for your fitness services are concerned, you'll want to study competitor websites and other online channels like their social media pages.
Here's what you can do to assess your slice of the market space:
Once you have considered the SEO strategies of your competitors, you can look to improve your content, web design, or even backlink building. When your SEO campaigns outperform other fitness services, it won't be long before the SERPs reflect it.
It may be a little OTT to say "keep your friends close and enemies closer", but knowing what else is available to your potential clients is vital. As far as your SEO for your fitness services are concerned, you'll want to study competitor websites and other online channels like their social media pages.
Here's what you can do to assess your slice of the market space:
- Make a list of your competitors. This can include other local trainers, coaches and online personal training services.
- Study what keywords feature on their web pages and content, paying extra attention to their title pages, h2s and h3s.
- Look for areas where you can outperform them while staying true to your authentic voice and USPs as a personal trainer.
Once you have considered the SEO strategies of your competitors, you can look to improve your content, web design, or even backlink building. When your SEO campaigns outperform other fitness services, it won't be long before the SERPs reflect it.
#4. Focus on User Experience
UX, or user experience, is a fairly self-explanatory term. Google's crawlers and algorithms are designed to show users the websites and pages that are most relevant to their needs.
As a fitness business, ensuring that the content links to your niche are only half of the battle. You also need to prove that the website itself will allow your leads to find whatever they are looking for.
Ultimately, this will be an issue that links to the design of your website more than the content itself. Ensuring that you have a good web host package with minimal downtime is a great starting point. As for issues that you can fix, you must focus on the following;
As a fitness business, ensuring that the content links to your niche are only half of the battle. You also need to prove that the website itself will allow your leads to find whatever they are looking for.
Ultimately, this will be an issue that links to the design of your website more than the content itself. Ensuring that you have a good web host package with minimal downtime is a great starting point. As for issues that you can fix, you must focus on the following;
- Optimise your page loading speed and avoid using too many pop-ups or features that could annoy your visitors.
- Focus on clear navigation, particularly to the different fitness services pages. And include a clear Call To Action, such as arranging a trial session.
- Make the website visually pleasing. A harsh colour scheme, for example, could turn users away.
Google will monitor how people engage with your website. So, if they keep leaving within seconds of arriving, it will harm your ranking.
Moreover, it highlights that something isn't working from the client's perspective either. Conversely, when the UX is pleasing, the SEO results will soar. And when fighting with other personal trainers over niche-specific keywords, it could be your secret weapon to success.
Moreover, it highlights that something isn't working from the client's perspective either. Conversely, when the UX is pleasing, the SEO results will soar. And when fighting with other personal trainers over niche-specific keywords, it could be your secret weapon to success.
Wrapping Up
Will SEO guarantee that you get more clients? Not necessarily. But in a world where more and more potential clients are searching for businesses online, standing out on Google is highly rewarding. Most people will begin their research for a personal trainer almost immediately after deciding that they need to regain control of their health and body.
