How Can a Health and Fitness Copywriter Help Your Wellness Business?
If you're in the fitness industry, you already know how important having a strong online presence is. Whether you're on board or not, the pandemic permanently shifted the way the world views fitness.
It came in two parts:
People becoming more conscious of their overall health and wellbeing
Witnessing a significant shift toward virtual fitness
And many studio owners have already jumped on the virtual training train. According to research from ClubIntel, 72% of fitness club owners now offer on-demand and live-stream workouts. Up from just 25% in 2019.
So as the fitness industry continues to grow – to $435 billion in revenue between now and 2028 – you've got to take steps as a gym or studio owner to stand out from the crowd.
Creating an effective content marketing strategy for your business is one step you can take to increase your online presence. But many still don't know the ins and outs of copywriting, or how to create a successful content marketing funnel.
(Hint: that's totally okay. You're busy running your gym. No one expects you to do it all.)
That's where a health and fitness copywriter comes in. And if you're still asking questions like:
What is a fitness copywriter?
What are the key forms of copy for wellness brands?
Why is copywriting important for my health and fitness business?
By the time you finish reading, you should have a solid idea of not only what fitness copywriting is, but how it helps your business grow through lead generation and conversions.
What is a Fitness Copywriter?
Put simply, a copywriter is someone who writes for advertising and marketing purposes. They create engaging content designed to persuade someone to take a specific action, like buying a product or signing up for a service.
So a fitness copywriter is someone who creates content and copy for health and fitness professionals. (Kinda obvious at this point, right?) This includes:
Gym and studio owners
Personal trainers
Fitness equipment retailers
Sports and athletics coaches
Nutritionists
Really, any business that falls under the umbrella of promoting health and wellness to the general public.
Fitness copywriters encourage people to perform specific actions like:
Signing up for a gym membership
Purchasing a personal training package
Buying a new piece of equipment for their home gym
Or sign up for a guest pass
It's important that your fitness writers not only understand your brand but also your key audience (i.e. who's buying your product). You need to find someone that speaks the language of your business in a way that makes your potential customer say, "are they talking to me?" when they come across your service.
A fitness copywriter masters the art of selling by capturing this in the copy. They capitalize on the transformational health benefits the consumer gets from buying from your brand.
The 5 Types of Copywriting Your Health and Fitness Business Should Use
Now that you have an idea of who a copywriter (not a copyrighter...) is, it's important to understand what a fitness copywriter does.
There are many forms of digital marketing you can use for your business. And while you could incorporate them all, we're going to focus on the 5 key pieces of copy every health and fitness business should have.
1. Website Copy
Website copy is so important because it's a direct reflection of your brand. It's your business's home on the internet and usually the very first impression that someone will have of your business. And you only have 5 whole seconds to make that first impression.
High-performing website copy is also crucial for SEO (search engine optimization). Imagine building a beautiful website. You nailed the design. Color scheme is on point. Shelled out for an expensive photographer to capture your studio in HD. But then no one ever sees it because you failed to incorporate search engine optimization best practices.
A health and fitness copywriter will craft your copy with strategic keywords that will help boost your rankings and performance on good ole' Google.
2. Email Marketing
No matter how many times they say it, email marketing is not dead. Social media may come and go (vine, myspace, you get it...), but emails are forever.
Emails and newsletters are like a direct line to your customers. It's meeting them where they are with important information about you and your business. Plus, email marketing has an ROI of $36 for every $1 spent. TikTok could never.
So whether you're promoting new offers or reengaging with past customers, email marketing is a key component of an effective digital marketing strategy.
3. Blog Posts
Blogs? Also not dead. In fact, maintaining a regular blog is highly effective for lead generation.
Blogging allows you to showcase your expertise as an industry expert. Own an Olympic weightlifting gym? Start a blog with personal tips to help Oly lifters. Run volleyball training clinics? Use your blog to highlight effective drills that help a JV athlete land a spot on varsity. The more useful information you can provide for free, the more credible you are as someone who sells services. And your CTA (call-to-action) at the end of your blog effectively converts your visitors into leads, and into paying customers.
Another huge bonus of blogs is they play the long game. Your blog doesn't go away. It lives on your site and on the internet forever (if you allow it). That means that without any extra effort, your blog will continue driving traffic to your site weeks, months, and years after you post it.
4. Opt-Ins
An opt-in is usually a stand-alone page or embedded form that offers your visitors something for free in exchange for their contact info. (Hellllo, email marketing). Not only is this a fantastic way to gather info on potential clients or customers, but it also gives you the opportunity to give them a taste of what you're selling.
Common opt-ins or lead magnets you'll see in the health and fitness industry are:
Free 30-day workout guides
7-day nutrition plans
Free guest passes
Useful calculators, like a macro or calorie calculator
5. Landing Page
Like an opt-in page, a landing page is also a stand-alone page – but with a specific CTA (usually around sales). Generally, your visitors will land on your page through one of the following
A link from a social media post
A promotional email
A CTA from your blog
From there, visitors will only be able to take one action. And whatever that action is – whether it's to sign up, subscribe, or purchase – it should be relevant to the information they saw before arriving on your landing page.
Starting to see the connection? (Spoiler: combining different forms of copy is how you create a successful sales or content marketing funnel).
Why is Copywriting Important For Your Health and Fitness Business?
You might not realize it, but every successful brand implements copywriting into its marketing strategies. Copywriting brings an unmatched return on investment to your business.
When used correctly, your copy can be one of your biggest assets. You can position yourself, and your business, as industry experts and leaders in solving the problems of your customers.
Let's take a look at some of the copy created by the kings and queens of health and fitness.
1. Nike
Source: Nike
Possibly the kings of content? At least a front-runner in the fitness world. This campaign brings confidence to anyone who is struggling to view themselves as an "athlete". Opening up the doors to those who might not be far in their journey, but Nike will help get them there.
2. Planet Fitness
Source: Planet Fitness
Planet Fitness built its entire marketing strategy around being inclusive. And lately, they've been advertising pizza less and honing in on what we've been saying for years: health and fitness refuels your mind and body. And with nearly 80% of people saying they plan to work out for their mental/emotional well-being, it looks like PF hit the mark.
3. Fitbit
Source: Fitbit
Fitbit's straight and to-the-point ad captures the idea that fitness is for anybody, anytime, anywhere. You just have to find what works for you.
One thing all these ads have in common? They create a specific feeling for the reader. In the health and fitness industry, this is usually a feeling of inspiration or a push to take the next step in your journey. When creating your content for marketing, think about a specific benefit or action you want your customer to take. Then, reflect that in your copy.
Final Thoughts on Fitness Copywriting?
Running a business is overwhelming. Often, you're a one-man show acting as the CEO and CFO – all the way down to the front-desk manager. Add planning and creating engaging content and copy on top of that? It can feel impossible. The good news is: you don't have to do it all.
As an expert copywriter for health and fitness professionals, I'm here for you and your business. So if you feel like you've reached your breaking point, let's chat. I'd love to help you stand out from the crowd with a killer content strategy and a kick-ass offer.