What Businesses Can Learn From Instagram Fitness Influencers

When attempting to start or grow a health- or fitness-related business, one has to be mindful at all times of the need to establish a brand and attract new clients.

More than most other types of companies, businesses in this category are often dependent on a certain level of enthusiasm among customers, as well as on projecting the appearance of growth or trendiness. These dependencies always present significant challenges.

If you’re looking to start a business of this kind, however, you may be able to overcome those challenges by observing and learning from prominent Instagram influences in the health and fitness space.

At one point that suggestion might have sounded almost silly. Many view social media as a less-than-serious space and some undoubtedly regard the term “influencer” with a degree of skepticism. In recent years, however, Instagram influencers in health and fitness have proven to be a profoundly impressive bunch.

Leaders in this category are effectively businesses unto themselves and have figured out how to thrive through various creative forms of marketing and brand exposure. So really, if you’re aiming to grow a business in a similar category, who would be better to learn from?

If that all adds up to you, take a look at some specific suggestions regarding what can be learned from these influencers.

The Importance Of Demonstrating Experience

Covering health and wellness marketing in the past, we wrote that “experiential is the heart of branding.” The idea came from Saul Colt and Bob Knorpp on Adage, and basically refers to the concept of suggesting, inspiring, or facilitating an action with your advertisement, as opposed to just pitching your services.

This is something that, when you think about it, you see health-related influencers doing quite often. They might suggest that followers engage in a given workout challenge, participate in a particular hashtag campaign, or even start tracking progress in a certain way.

These are actions that are meant to be performed alongside the use of those influencers’ fitness and nutrition suggestions, services, or products – but they also provide followers with things to try, do, enjoy, and remember. Conducting a similar effort with your own brand can help you to attract a loyal client base.

The Use Of Data

The use of data has become an absolute must in modern marketing, not just in this category but even in major industries. And it’s not necessarily as “big” and idea as it can sometimes sound like.

Comparing a data-driven approach to the ability of the character Sherlock Holmes to sift through information and find solutions, Verizon Connect Australia’s Taylor Fasulas conveyed the simplicity of a data-driven approach: you take ownership of the data you can pull out of a business and analyze it.

Now, this isn’t necessarily something we see Instagram influencers doing – but you can bet that the successful ones are doing it. The beauty of operating primarily on social media is that data and observations regarding client engagement are readily available. They can be collected and analysed to drive future strategies, and this is a process any new business in the category should embrace.

The Appeal Of A Connected Side Venture

One of the most appealing aspects of the health and wellness sector, at least for influencers and entrepreneurs, is that it invites multiple connected business ventures. For example, if you’re pitching your own nutrition routine, you might be able to sell a book on your theories, or a streaming subscription to your recipes in action.

If you’re starting a business as a trainer, you might be able to market your own workout gear or even branded products like water bottles and gym towels. Naturally, part of the draw of side projects like these is that they provide additional streams of income. However, they also provide a greater air of legitimacy to the primary business. This is certainly something influencers in the same space have figured out. Glofox’s Lucy Connor did a write-up of major fitness influencers that proves the point: Look through the list and you’ll find various links to products, apps, and other materials on the influencers’ profiles.

The Need To Showcase Credentials

Another excellent lesson you can learn from observing Instagram influencers is that displaying credentials goes a long way.

Take another look at that same rundown of fitness influencers from Glofox and you’ll find numerous examples:

Bedros Keuillian describes himself as a best-selling author;

Shona Vertue notes that she’s an ex-gymnast and a 10-year yoga teacher;

Zanna van Dijk notes that she’s a podcast host and a global ambassador for Adidas.

The list goes on, but the idea is clear. Any relevant credential, whether it be small and personal or large and public, does the trick. Listing it will add to the perception of your expertise, as well as make you seem more like a real, trustworthy provider of services.

These are only a few of the things that help top Instagram influencers achieve thrive the way they do. But they’re ones worth taking note of if you’re starting a business in this category.

By imitating them to the best of your ability, you may find that you’re well on your way to growth and success.