New year, new marketing strategy?
January is great for businesses in the fitness industry, whether you run a gym, exercise classes or you’re a personal trainer. January signals hoards of people queuing up to give their fitness a boost for the new year, and with the right content marketing, you can capitalise on the demand.
In this article, we look at how to write excellent copy for your fitness website and share some great fitness copywriting examples. By following these tips, you will produce engaging and valuable copy for your site, which in turn will drive traffic and generate sales and memberships.
Ready to find out how to write great copy for the fitness market.
3 fitness copywriting examples to inspire
If you’re looking for a little inspiration on fitness copywriting messages that empower, take a look at these examples from the masters:
Nike
"Bring innovation and inspiration to every athlete* in the world. * If you have a body, you are an athlete"
No list of fitness copywriting examples that inspire would be complete without Nike. Without a doubt, they have motivation and inspiration down to a tee. Nike does not hone in on any particular product but uses its copy to encourage a whole way of thinking. Rather than push performance, it pushes a mental attitude that tells its audience, “you can do it”. They show that it doesn’t matter if you are old, young, fit or unfit – just do it.
Under Armour
"Our story has always been about hard work, grit and the will to find a way."
Under Armour gives their audience a sense that even the underdog can do well. It is raw, streetwise, and promotes hard work and effort as the primary goal, rather than the end result. As you read down their ‘about us’ page, there is a fighting attitude to their copy:
“We waged a war against everyone’s favourite fabrics”
“…suit up from head to toe”
“We had one goal: attack gravity”.
We often talk about winning the war against our weight or battling the bulge, so this imagery works exceptionally well.
Gymbox
"When uninspiring becomes normal, there is a problem. There was only one option. [...] We reset the industry."
Gymbox is all about breaking the rules, creating copy that makes people stop and gets them asking questions. Gyms can often be soulless and clinical places, but Gymbox shows their audience that theirs is far from it; it’s full of passion, excitement and offers an experience like no other.
Quick tips to make your fitness copywriting stand out
1. Understand your demographic
The best copywriters are aware of their audience. When you understand your target audience’s goals, anxieties, and desires, you can develop a worthwhile solution for them. You know their thought processes and can put yourself in their shoes. By understanding your audience’s demographics, desires, and behaviours, you can write in the most effective manner possible, using the appropriate language, tone and highlighting the most important values.
2. Ask questions, (especially in your headlines)
Outstanding headlines are effective in that they can generate visitors to your blog article or other content. If a headline in your blog or paid advertisement is not interactive, a reader may just scroll past. When the headline is the only thing that a huge majority of readers will see, you want to make it a solid one.
Fitness copywriters frequently employ questions in their headlines in order to catch the reader’s attention. An open-ended question is the most effective type of question. Avoid asking closed questions that have a straightforward yes or no answer as the only option. The goal is to pique your audience’s interest with your headline in order to elicit an emotional response.
3. Go in talking about the benefits
Make a point of starting with the main benefit when creating copy that converts. This is usually the experience or end result that the reader can somehow attach an emotional connection to. So to attract customers, instead of highlighting your services’ features, explain how your service will benefit them by assisting them in getting from where they are to where they want to go, and what they’ll achieve along the way. It all comes down to delivering a narrative and emphasising the importance of your solution.
For example, many individuals do not join a gym just for the purpose of using the equipment. It is their goal to join your gym in order to feel good about themselves, to be physically fit and healthy so they can better serve their family, and to connect with others in the community. Instead of listing features, start with the value you can provide; the features will follow.
4. Build a sense of urgency
Effective copywriting instils a feeling of urgency in the reader, causing him or her to feel as though they must act swiftly. If you want to convey a sense of urgency in your writing, use short and to the point words and paragraphs as much as possible. Concentrate on what motivates someone to make a decision and (again) make an effort to establish a real connection with the reader.
5. Back your claims up with proof
Anyone operating in the health and wellbeing industry needs to be able to back up their claims with scientific evidence or use appropriate wording. Furthermore, adding social proof into your content can demonstrate to your target audience how your services or product has improved the life of someone just like them.
Stats gathered from existing clients are great, but real-life client anecdotes should also be woven into your sales text to give it an extra layer of believability. Customer stories can be used to bolster the credibility of your copywriting by referencing them in your social media postings. Another method of leveraging social proof is to include testimonials on your website and on key web pages of your website.
6. Your first sentence matters
The first sentence of your copy establishes the tone for the entire piece. It is critical, whether it is in a blog post, website content, or sponsored advertisement. Second only to the headline, it is what draws the reader in and keeps them reading in the expectation that they will take the desired action. It is at this point that you can pique the reader’s interest and arouse curiosity in him or her. Keep your sentences succinct and to the point when writing.
The takeaway
Fitness copywriting is a delicate balancing act. When you have a thorough grasp of your target audience, you can engage with them in a way that motivates them to take action. The words you use can have a significant impact on the number of leads you generate. In order to be successful in marketing and sales, your copy must be superb. By putting these strategies into action and writing with a purpose, you can harness the power of copywriting to attract more consumers and develop your fitness enterprise.
✏️Looking for more inspiration as a writer or marketer? Take a look at some of the best hotel copywriting examples
Main image: bruce mars
Embedded images: Screenshots courtesy of Nike, Under Armour, Gymbox; Eunice De Guzman