Monetizing Your Fitness Expertise: Building a Successful Online Business

Fitness and resolutions go hand in hand. Many people think New Year is the best time to refresh their wellness goals and plan to commit to a lifestyle that is good for them and their health. But do all have the time and privilege to hit the gyms or fitness studios daily?

Are navigating through heavy traffic, tight work commitments, improper sleep schedules, and hitting the gym on time the only way to remain fit? Aren’t there any alternative fitness programs that allow fitness enthusiasts to workout at their own pace?

There are, as times have changed. More people are opting now for online fitness programs as it provides a convenient and comfortable way to exercise and stay healthy.

Well, independent fitness creators and fitness studios are earning millions every year by doing a simple paradigm shift. Their secret sauce? Launching their own online fitness business, monetizing their content through premium video monetization platforms, selling workout plans, building their brand, expanding their audience, and more.

The emphasis on fitness has increased over the years, especially after the Covid wave that sent tremors everywhere. More people across the globe are spending more time getting fit.

Staying healthy and keeping our body functional is no more a preference now, it is becoming (and will become) a priority. The way we work has changed. The food habits have changed. So did the way people took care of themselves.

Based on a report by Global Health and Fitness Association – in 2018 – the fitness industry was worth an estimated $94 billion. But then you know what happened in the years to come. Our homes became our gyms. Our mobile phones became our trainers.

There was an emergence of people checking fitness videos on YouTube, consuming data on the lifestyle changes needed to keep our bodies better. And on the whole, people sought professional fitness advice. They need you.

In this article, we’ll explain why online fitness business is on the rise, how to sell your streaming workout programs, know the virtual fitness market size, how to make money as a fitness influencer, how to sell workout videos online, starting online fitness classes, and everything you need to make money in the fitness industry by bringing your service online.

What Is Online Fitness?

Online fitness is on the verge of becoming a modern way to empower your physical fitness using the internet as a platform. This can include streaming workout programs, following online fitness programs, participating in virtual fitness classes, or receiving coaching and guidance from a personal trainer through virtual means.

The best part about online fitness streaming is, it allows fitness enthusiasts to exercise and improve their fitness from anywhere, anytime. All they need is an internet connection and (of course) great informative content. A prime reason why many people are opting is the convenient and flexible way it provides to blend fitness into our daily routine.

In spite of the itching caused by the pandemic, the world saw a rise in the number of fitness enthusiasts, either out of interest or fear. With rising awareness, health crisis, motivation to stay fit and other factors included… Many are becoming health conscious now more than in the past. Whatever may be, it’s good that more people are keen to stay fit and mindful.

Simply put, online fitness is when you workout either from your home or from places where you are comfortable. It is fully virtual. These online programs are curated for people who are unable to hit the gym daily or workout daily, yet want to be healthy.

Rise Of Online Fitness Business

It is an open fact that the pandemic took a toll on all businesses worldwide, including the fitness industry. But it depends on how we react to a crisis that determines whether we make it to break it. It is high time fitness creators transform their knowledge into a thriving online fitness business as…

…there is a huge demand for online fitness right now, and the trend is only going to grow in the times to come. Just like how OTT democratized the way we watch content, Online Fitness Streaming Programs will give the liberty for fitness enthusiasts to play their streaming workout programs at a time and place they are comfortable – without the need of hitting the gym daily – due to their everyday hectic schedules.

The rise of the digital fitness market can be reasoned down to a few factors. The most important is the increased use of technology and the convenience of online fitness that appeals to many people who may not have the time or resources to attend in-person fitness sessions or traditional gyms.

Online Fitness Statistics

Virtual fitness programs are being pursued by a huge number of fitness enthusiasts these days as they give people the will to workout at their convenience. The online fitness industry is here to stay and slay. It all depends on you. If you ask us, the future is here. And now is that future.

If you still don’t go by our word, here are some statistics borrowed from research and polls taken by organizations worldwide:

• Based on a study, it is said that there are over 200,000 fitness clubs and gyms in the world. As technological advancements and customer preferences continue to change periodically, the count is only set to rise.

• Now that social media has become an integral part of our everyday lives. Any guess how many Instagram users would’ve engaged with the hashtag #fitness? Well, it’s a whopping 180 million users.

• Coming back to the online fitness community, the market share surpassed $5 billion some years back, and it’s growing at 30% every year. The virtual market fitness size is huge that fitness creators can take advantage of.

• How much percentage increase can be attributed to success in a business? 10-15% rise, probably? When it comes to live-streaming of fitness videos, there was a jump of 971% from 2020 to 2022. 

• Popular apps such as MyFitnessPal and Strava reported their revenue in millions of dollars increase from the previous years. The popularity of online fitness is evident. The gold is out there in the garage. Grab it.

• As per a report by Statista, revenue in the digital fitness market and well-being segments is projected to reach $19.30 billion by 2023. And the tides are going in the right direction, as of now.

The growing popularity of online fitness is evident and these statistics are a testament to it. Fitness tech trends will continue to rise in the years to come.

Why Should Fitness Creators Start Online Now?

Similar to how people across the world have adapted and enjoy remote work, many are also accustomed to replacing in-gym workouts with virtual classes. It is time for gym trainers to become fitness influencers and content creators.

Because online fitness programs are a win-win for both. They’re helping people stay healthy and connected to their bodies. Also, empowering fitness coaches to embrace technology and making them future-ready. Below are some points on why fitness creators should take the plunge now:

• Grow Your Clients: How many people can you train at the gym? Maybe 50 or probably 100? But online fitness programs allow you to reach and teach 1000s of people, as they can be accessed by anyone from anywhere. All they need is a stable internet connection, a will to take care of their body, and you can cater to a larger audience.
• Earn More: Think beyond the traditional training of fitness enthusiasts in gyms. By selling streaming workout programs, nutrition sheets, and more… you can actually earn way more than you imagine. So many fitness clubs and creators are already earning millions with their expertise.
• Alternate Source Of Income: It is always good to have income coming in from multiple sources to secure a stable future. All you need to do is create quality content, provide valuable information, choose a reliable app, and upload and monetize your content. The earnings keep coming whenever your digital content is bought.
• Spread Knowledge: Rising health concerns and increased awareness of the importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet made people turn towards sustainable fitness options. With the amount of fake news and too much data troubling their minds, online users are actively seeking knowledge backed with science and credibility to believe. By sharing health and fitness tips, you can be a trustworthy influencer.
• Cost-Effective Solution: Let’s break the myth that you need huge studios and expensive cameras to step online. All you need is a proper mobile camera, calm background, basic editing skills, and (of course) great subject knowledge of fitness. All it takes is minutes to upload and monetize your content online.
• Grow Big: The equations are simple. The more clients you have, the more money you gain. The more viewers you have, the more viral you become. The more people come in, the more popular you become. And all of this, with half of the effort you put in offline. Reinvent yourself right now by taking the right step with a robust fitness app.
• Better Work-Life Balance: You choose the time you want to work. That means complete control over your life to spend more time with your family. But make sure to create content, update whenever required, and manage your online personal training schedules accordingly.

10 Ways Fitness Experts Can Make Money Online

Having any doubts about how to make money as a fitness influencer? Well, now that we’ve explained why this is the best time for fitness experts and studios to create an online fitness business.

And also reasoned out why it’s high time for fitness creators to create and monetize their content… Here are a variety of workable ideas fitness creators can implement to make money online by introducing these programs into your business plan.

Cater to the right audience. Know their challenges. Understand their pain points and create content that resonates with them. Monetize on par with the market and skills. You can become the future of the fitness industry.

Create Workout Plans:

• Every person out there wants to exercise and stay healthy. But finding the genuine workout plan and fitness regime to maintain body composure is becoming the hardest part here. As an online fitness creator, you can create diverse fitness programs that cater to a variety of audiences and monetize them on your app.
  
  In the fitness journey, some seek weight loss. Some want to see their bodies shredded. While some want to just remain healthy. And the same workout plans do not work for all. So, you need to understand the body dynamics and create exclusive workout plans for different criteria.

Virtual Personal Training:

• This remains one of the most profitable means to earn income for online fitness creators. Being a fitness coach, the process of personal training is the same as you do offline. The only difference is this being fully virtual. And the best part is you can find clients from anywhere in the world.
  
  Understand your client, talk to them about their goals, personalize their workout plans, prepare a diet chart for them, be available on contact when they need some professional help, and conduct live training sessions if possible, so it establishes a deeper connection.
  
  You can charge a premium amount for virtual personal training.

Diet Videos Or eBooks:

• The basic step of every fitness journey is the diet. Our muscle cells are built not only in the gym but in our kitchens too. What fitness enthusiasts eat is very important. You can create content based on diets, such as what foods are for weight loss, tips on what foods to intake for increasing weight, protein-rich meal recipes, and more.
  
  You can go a step ahead and record videos of you cooking the recipes and showing them how it’s done. This offers a more personalized and appealing touch to your videos. Psst, who doesn’t love watching cooking videos? They are calming to the soul.

Live Group Workouts:

• Recommend all your online clients to assemble virtually at the aforementioned time. You all can workout together. This way, people will also feel connected, and you can also monitor in real-time whether your clients are doing it right.
  
  Isn’t it always fun to workout when we are as a group? The same process here too, but each from the comfort of their own homes.

Conduct Zumba Classes:

• Not all would prefer to lose weight through strength training, cardio, and so on. Some would prefer other methods that are light and fun. One such is Zumba: A dance workout programmed to engage muscles and also designed for weight loss.
  
  Some days a week, conduct live Zumba classes. Ask your clients to shake up their moves and groove to the beats – at the same time – to lose weight. You can make your online fitness streaming biz reach wider with innovative methods like Zumba, CrossFit, etc.

How-To-Do Workout Videos:

• As form and pace are some of the important things to be followed during the workout, you can record videos of yourself demonstrating proper form for all the exercises that are listed in the workout plan.
  
  How many sets and reps to do, the break between each set, options for pre and post-workout, and more. Make sure to add enriching details like this so more viewers would come forward to buy this digital download.
  
  Selling workout videos can be a great source of passive income in the fitness industry, as all you need to do is record once and revenue recurs.

Brand Collaborations:

• If you have amassed a huge following on various social media platforms, chances are more that the brands are already watching you for a possible collaboration in the times to come.
  
  Showcase their products in front of your audience in the most creative and subtle ways possible, and brands are willing to shell out huge amounts of money for brand collaborations with online fitness creators.

Yoga Classes:

• By fitness, we don’t just mean gym, weight loss, strength training, and stuff like that… It can be anything that has got to do with the wellness of the body and mindfulness.
  
  Another fine example is yoga, which has already become incredibly popular across the world. People of any age can do Yoga, and that means the world is your target audience with no holds barred.
  
  From stress reduction to being a low-impact exercise form and streamlining our emotional well-being, the powerful points that befit Yoga makes it a profitable option to add to your online fitness business.

In-Video Ads:

• How many times have you seen ads popping up on screen while watching videos on YouTube? No, we are not talking about the ads that are run by YouTube.
  
  Find brands that need promotion, sign up for a deal with them, and ingrain their ad at the bottom-middle of your video. It can be displayed for a few seconds before it fades out.
  
  Make sure the ad you placed does not disturb the viewing experience for your customer. If it does, bad news for you.
• Other Means of earning online can include selling your own products like protein bars, gym apparel, yoga bands, organizing fitness meetups, giving lectures at events, affiliate marketing, training people interested in the online fitness business, hosting podcasts, and more.

Before you comment below, let us ask and answer the question that’s been lingering on your mind: Are there only these 10 ways using which fitness creators can make money online? Definitely not. There are limitless possibilities and many ways to make money in the fitness industry. It’s just that we’ve listed out tried and tested ones, and the most popular choices being implemented worldwide.

Top Online Fitness Influencers

Driven by passion. Fueled by fitness. Here are the top online fitness streaming and social media creators who ticked all the boxes, and have transformed their lives now. From creating compelling content, framing the best business strategies, constant knowledge sharing, and with an urge to make it to the top: they’ve done it.

Joe Wicks: The Body Coach

This is a fine example of how social media can up the ante of anyone’s life. Joe started with a normal Instagram account which is now transformed into a multi-million dollar business.

At the time of writing this article, Joe Wicks, popularly recognized as the “The Body Coach” has 4.5 million followers on Instagram. It is also said that his books and workout programs have sold millions of copies worldwide.

Any idea how he started? He began by handing out flyers to passengers in Richmond Train Station, USA asking people to join his fitness class. Cut to now, he has the Guinness World Record for the highest number of people streaming a workout live from YouTube.

Kayla Itsines: Sweat With Kayla

Next up on the list is a lady who defied all odds and broke all barriers to be where she is today. If you are still under the impression that men and muscles go together, it is wrong. Here is a woman who proved it wrong.

Kayla’s journey started by posting before-and-after photos of her clients. It included weight loss. It includes body transformation. And it included her capabilities as well. People took note of it. Posts gained traction. And now, she has over 15 million followers across all her social media platforms.

Isn’t it a dream to be featured on the front page of the highly esteemed Forbes magazine? She’s been there. Plus, her app “Sweat With Kayla” is one of the most sought-after fitness apps in the world. Downloaded 30 million times.

However, in mid-July Kayla sold her business, Sweat, for a reported $400 million dollars to iFit, a US-connected fitness software.

Jillian Michaels, Fitness Coach and Personal Trainer

Imagine being able to stay strong in the fitness industry for decades. Jillian Michaels has been doing it since 1993. She is a renowned fitness expert, motivational life coach, and a paragon of women empowerment.

NBC’s show “The Biggest Loser” made her a household name as she motivated contestants to bring out the best version of themselves. What sets Jillian apart from other fitness entrepreneurs is the fact that she had adapted technology and catered to modern needs at all times.

By understanding what people wanted and implementing transformations for 1000s of people, Jillian became a New York Times bestselling author, in addition to being able to build one of the most successful online fitness biz.

Joe, Kayla, and Jillian are just 3 examples (in no particular order) of how fitness studios can transform their lives and fortunes by embracing technology and taking their training closer to the people, into their homes.

At the bottom line, these 3 were genuinely interested in fitness and greatly passionate about helping people achieve their fitness goals. Fame, money, and the rest followed. If these 3 and 1000s of others can, you also can!

Online Fitness Business Challenges

Like any business, online fitness also comes with its own share of challenges. But how you face those challenges will determine who you are in the market: Whether you succumb to those. Or rise above them? Here are some of the most common challenges, and how you can overcome them:

Marketing:

• If you have a great car to sell, tell people that you have a great car. Wake up every morning to build both your muscle and marketing skills. Effective promotion campaigns will increase the chances of more customers. Utilize social media to its fullest potential.
  If you need some help with marketing campaigns, there are so many PR agencies out there who can churn out some brilliant ideas based on your budget spend and target audience.

Quality:

• There are tons of films on popular streaming platforms. But why do only some stand out? Quality. We insist on the same.
  
  If your content isn’t appealing, isn’t providing great value, or does not match the expectation set by the viewer, it automatically leads to the thought ‘Why should I pay for this fitness coach?’
  
  So, make it a point to create quality content – whatever form it is – be it videos, books, or PDFs. etc.

Niche:

• In today’s digital world, you have heard this term enough. And it has traversed all the way to the online fitness business as well. Here too, you have to niche down your offerings.
  
  Ask yourself what exclusive you are going to give to the audience. Is it going to be related to weight loss, nutrition expertise, or meditation classes? Think deep. Introspect. And decide.
  
  You necessarily need not provide just one offering. It can be multiple. We are just telling you to not go overboard and make it stressful.

Health:

• Another underrated challenge that every fitness entrepreneur faces is taking care of their own body. Extra limelight as you are in the fitness industry and you are expected to be in great shape.
  
  In the process of building a profitable online fitness business, don’t put your health in the backseat. At the same time when you advocate hundreds on health and fitness, take care of yourselves too. Your health is directly related to and influenced by your fitness business. 

How To Start A Successful Online Fitness?

From selling at-home workout programs to monetizing your fitness videos, it is as easy as it gets. All you have to do is do proper research, create valuable content, build your brand, and scale your online fitness business. Here’s how you can do it in 5 easy steps:

Determine Your Niche:

• In simple terms, your niche is your expertise – the target audience and buyer persona you’d be primarily targeting. This can be anyone – from fitness enthusiasts who want to be healthy or people who want to learn yoga.
  
  It is you who have to zero down your niche and go full-on throttle into that zone. So, the first thing you do is hit the bull’s eye with your niche.

Who Are Your Audience:

• First things first, online fitness programs allow you to reach more people than you do at in-person gyms and other wellness centers. Ask yourself, who will pay and watch my content? What will the videos I create be about? What age group, demographics, gender, etc. am I targeting?
  
  For example, 50-year-olds would be more interested in something light (say, walking or meditation) rather than an online Zumba class. Get what we are saying? Communicate with your audience. Do deep research. Understand their needs. And plan your content accordingly.

Create Your Content:

• Once you’ve finalized your niche and clearly defined who your audience is, here comes the most exciting part of the process – Creating Content – which would be viewed and bought.
  
  Remember these key elements: Your content should be filled with exclusive and quality content which will provide value to your customers. Your video quality should be good and the visuals should not be shaky. Your sound (what you talk about in the video or the voiceover) should be audible to the viewer. Edit them with love.
  
  Now that your videos are ready, you need a channel/platform where you can upload videos, monetize them, and build your brand.
  
  Thinking about YouTube? Uh, no!

Launch Your Channel:

• How cool is it to have a platform all by yourself? Your content. Your revenue. Your community. Your hard work. Own it all.
  
  100s of independent creators and businesses have built their brand on GUDSHO, the premium video monetization platform for creators. Well, you can create your channel for free here. All it takes is a few minutes.

• Create a channel
• Upload videos and make them searchable
• Add video descriptions, thumbnails, and more
• Set up monetization (you decide your pricing)
• Go Live. Ta-da!

And it’s done… 5 simple steps. 5 minutes. That’s all it takes.

Some other benefits why creators choose GUDSHO are:

• All your video are AES Encryption enabled making them highly secure
• Your audience can stream your content from any device, anywhere
• Our promotion channels make it easy to reach a large community
• Blended with search engine-friendly and social integration tools
• You’ll get to know which video is performing well
• You have all-pass access to our exclusive advanced analytics tool

There are more benefits. But before those, here’s how GUDSHO liberates creators with the monetization part:

• You choose your monetization method. No hassles involved.
• Accept payments in 135+ international currencies
• Earn from your very first video. No waiting for “n” views.
• Generate recurring payments with the SVOD model
• Create appealing content and sell with the TVOD model
• Start your own fundraising with donations from fans
• And lots of exciting features…

All you need is expertise in fitness, a content plan that’s ready, and a platform to sell on. As long as you keep creating content with high-quality standards and based on customer preferences forecasting, you’ll benefit from high profits that you’d have never experienced before.

Marketing Your Videos:

• Now that you have a platform ready with all the content you have created, you need to promote your platform to bring in new customers by tapping into your social media followers. When the first customer comes in and presses the buy button, that would be a meaningful moment in the life of a fitness creator for all the hard work you’ve put in over the years to be where you are now.

Conclusion

Online fitness business will see continued growth in the years to come as it offers flexibility and convenience for people to stay fit and healthy. With advancements in technology that would not stop, expect more modern ways using which fitness experts can build their online fitness business.

From rental costs to power usage and monthly expenses, there are certain limitations to running a traditional fitness studio. But when it’s compared to a virtual business model, none of these limitations apply. Your offerings will be available and accessible to everyone, no matter where they are in the world.

Another advantage is you don’t need to be physically present all the time to make money online. Once you have put it all together and the content picks up pace, your online fitness business will generate recurring revenue.

No better time than now for fitness creators to monetize their knowledge and build an effective business that is set to scale, onwards and upwards.
Upload your content. Earn right away. All it takes is minutes. Start now.

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