If there is one thing the past two years have taught us, it is the importance of diversifying your income so that you can ride any unexpected periods.
One of the ways that fitness coaches can create a passive income revenue is by creating and selling an on-demand fitness channel using membership tiers.
This may be something you have considered before but you may feel like you do not know where to begin. There is no need to worry, though, as we are here to help. Read on to discover the 10 steps to build a successful on-demand channel.
Step 1. Decide Whom You Want to Serve
The first thing you need to do is decide on your target audience. Yes, you're going to be reaching out to people who want to improve their fitness. But what sort of people?
Having direction with your content is crucial in the online space to attract the right audience. For example, you may want to target new moms looking to get back into shape. Maybe you work with women going through menopause, which can be an excellent niche for on-demand content.
Male clients might want to get strong while working around or rehabbing injuries. Even if you're going to take a general approach, you need to understand your demographic to create targeted content.
Having direction with your content is crucial in the online space to attract the right audience. For example, you may want to target new moms looking to get back into shape. Maybe you work with women going through menopause, which can be an excellent niche for on-demand content.
Male clients might want to get strong while working around or rehabbing injuries. Even if you're going to take a general approach, you need to understand your demographic to create targeted content.
Step 2. Create a Video Content Outline
Consistency is critical when creating video content for your channel. What sort of videos are you going to produce? How often are you going to post them? For example, you may decide to do live interviews on Fridays, 30-minute workout videos on Sundays, and nutrition advice every Wednesday. This is just an example, of course. However, it is vital to have some structure so that your followers know what to expect from you and engage with you.
It's also worth creating a vague subject list, things you'll want to discuss on your channel throughout the month or even year. You can create specific courses like "Yoga with Adrienne" does every start of the year with her 30-day yoga challenges.
It's also worth creating a vague subject list, things you'll want to discuss on your channel throughout the month or even year. You can create specific courses like "Yoga with Adrienne" does every start of the year with her 30-day yoga challenges.
You can also have themed weeks and post content around specific topics like mobility, core strength, or balance.
Step 3. Choose Your Video-on-Demand (VOD) Platform
From YouTube to Vimeo, there are many different VOD platforms that you can select. You may think the best thing is to set up a fitness channel on all of these platforms. This could not be further from the truth.
Doing that will only dilute your efforts and make it credibly tricky for you to gain traction. Rather than spreading yourself too thinly, align with the platform that makes the most sense for you and focus on mastering that.
YouTube might be an obvious choice because it's the second most popular social media platform after Facebook, with a whopping 2,562 million users.
Doing that will only dilute your efforts and make it credibly tricky for you to gain traction. Rather than spreading yourself too thinly, align with the platform that makes the most sense for you and focus on mastering that.
YouTube might be an obvious choice because it's the second most popular social media platform after Facebook, with a whopping 2,562 million users.
You might want to consider paid versions like Vimeo or others if you're going to make sure only those who pay can access your content.
Step 4. Start Promoting Your Channel ASAP to Gauge and Generate Interest
You could develop the best fitness channel on the market today, but if no one knows about it, it will not perform very well. This is why you need to get to work on promoting your fitness channel as soon as possible. Even when you have an idea you think will work, you can start spreading the word and see how many people would sign-up to hear about the launch.
There are various ways you can do this. Social media is always a good starting point, especially if you have already managed to build quite a following for yourself. Social proof can also be compelling, such as reviews and testimonials. After all, people will be more likely to believe what others have said about your brand over your sales pitch.
There are various ways you can do this. Social media is always a good starting point, especially if you have already managed to build quite a following for yourself. Social proof can also be compelling, such as reviews and testimonials. After all, people will be more likely to believe what others have said about your brand over your sales pitch.
Step 5. Learn New Skills if Needed
You may need to acquire some new skills to successfully run a VOD fitness platform. For example, you may need to learn some video editing skills, or you may need to get comfortable with talking in front of the camera.
Take some time to understand what will be required for the role to figure out any skills gaps you have that may need to be plugged in. Alternatively, you can always hire someone to do the voice-over, but if your brand is based on your persona, you'll likely need to bite the bullet and get good at being on camera to come across as genuine and approachable. Other skills and knowledge you might need are how to shoot good videos and video editing. More on the latter later.
Take some time to understand what will be required for the role to figure out any skills gaps you have that may need to be plugged in. Alternatively, you can always hire someone to do the voice-over, but if your brand is based on your persona, you'll likely need to bite the bullet and get good at being on camera to come across as genuine and approachable. Other skills and knowledge you might need are how to shoot good videos and video editing. More on the latter later.
Step 6. Create the Structure of Your Videos
It is essential to make sure that every video has a clear structure. This will make it a lot easier for people to follow your content. It will also ensure you don't waffle and go off track. People tend to engage with videos more when there is structure to them.
For example, you may want to start every video with an intro scene to create a better brand experience in the first few seconds. Then you can start by introducing who you are and why you do what you do. After that, you can address the topic of your video and deliver the main message.
If that's a workout, ensure that you can be heard when giving instructions and demonstrate the exercises with the total beginner in mind. If your video is about spreading knowledge, once you introduce the topic, bring in some evidence from science and refer to them so people can look it up for themselves if they want.
Before you say bye, feel free to encourage your viewers to take action, either get in touch, check out a link, or message you if they have questions. Then you can add your outro. This is a rough example of the sort of approach that you could take.
For example, you may want to start every video with an intro scene to create a better brand experience in the first few seconds. Then you can start by introducing who you are and why you do what you do. After that, you can address the topic of your video and deliver the main message.
If that's a workout, ensure that you can be heard when giving instructions and demonstrate the exercises with the total beginner in mind. If your video is about spreading knowledge, once you introduce the topic, bring in some evidence from science and refer to them so people can look it up for themselves if they want.
Before you say bye, feel free to encourage your viewers to take action, either get in touch, check out a link, or message you if they have questions. Then you can add your outro. This is a rough example of the sort of approach that you could take.
Step 7. Start Shooting the Videos
You might need some help at this point. Of course, you can always opt to use the services of a professional videographer. However, if you cannot assign that kind of budget to your on-demand services just yet, you can always ask your spouse, friends, or family members with a keen eye to help you.
Ultimately, with a good smartphone or camera, a tripod, and a good microphone, you can record yourself as well. In that case, you may need to do more editing to trim your videos.
Ultimately, with a good smartphone or camera, a tripod, and a good microphone, you can record yourself as well. In that case, you may need to do more editing to trim your videos.
Step 8. Video Editing and Platform Optimization
Now, you need to edit your videos and ensure they are optimized for the platform you are using. For example, you might want to create compelling thumbnails and use outro cards with calls to action on YouTube.
Elements like this are essential because you need to optimize your channel to ensure you enjoy good visibility online and build a strong brand image. Take some time to learn about what search engines do and do not like when optimizing video channels of this nature.
If you have a spare budget for your VOD channel, editing your videos is where it's best spent, so once your channel makes a profit, this is where you could improve the user experience the most.
Elements like this are essential because you need to optimize your channel to ensure you enjoy good visibility online and build a strong brand image. Take some time to learn about what search engines do and do not like when optimizing video channels of this nature.
If you have a spare budget for your VOD channel, editing your videos is where it's best spent, so once your channel makes a profit, this is where you could improve the user experience the most.
Step 9. Upload to Platform
Now that you have edited the video, you need to upload it to your chosen platform. Each platform will have its specific process for this, so before you experiment with your videos, you might want to find out about the specifics of your choice.
If you intend your videos to be public, adding keyword-optimized titles, descriptions and tags will be crucial. Even if you're on a paid platform where only registered users can access your videos, you want to make sure people will be able to find them by keyword search.
Another thing you may need to check is how your membership software can integrate into the process. For instance, if you host your videos on YouTube or Vimeo, you can use MemberSpace to manage them as part of your different on-demand packages. You can protect the videos with their security and integrate them into your website as one of our Managed Website clients, Emma, at Pilates and Yoga Studio.
If you intend your videos to be public, adding keyword-optimized titles, descriptions and tags will be crucial. Even if you're on a paid platform where only registered users can access your videos, you want to make sure people will be able to find them by keyword search.
Another thing you may need to check is how your membership software can integrate into the process. For instance, if you host your videos on YouTube or Vimeo, you can use MemberSpace to manage them as part of your different on-demand packages. You can protect the videos with their security and integrate them into your website as one of our Managed Website clients, Emma, at Pilates and Yoga Studio.
Step 10. Consistently Market It
Your work does not stop once you have uploaded the video to your channel. You need to make sure you continue to market it to attract as many new viewers to your channel as possible. Consistency is the key here.
You can use many different approaches, from social media and paid ads to search engine optimization and email marketing. Consider where your target audience hangs out and promote your channel on those platforms.
You can use many different approaches, from social media and paid ads to search engine optimization and email marketing. Consider where your target audience hangs out and promote your channel on those platforms.
Conclusion
Like with many other services, video-on-demand isn't that hard to launch. Granted, you might need to upskill to come across confident on camera, create appealing videos, and offer topics about which people want to learn. Once those aspects are sorted, it will all come down to consistent marketing efforts.
