Marketing for Personal Trainers, Coaches & Nutritionists: How to Stand Out and Succeed
The health and fitness industry is buzzing, packed with passionate professionals helping people eat better, move more, and live healthier lives. But here’s the reality: with around 24,000 personal trainers in the UK alone, plus thousands of online coaches and nutritionists, the market is crowded. Standing out is no longer optional - it’s essential.
Whether you’re a PT running bootcamps in your local park, a nutritionist offering meal plans, or a coach selling 12-week transformation packages online, the goals tend to be the same:
More leads and enquiries
More sign-ups to courses or memberships
More purchases of plans or digital downloads
More trust and recognition in your niche
If you're struggling to cut through the noise, you're not alone. But the good news is, with the right digital marketing strategy, you can build a brand that not only attracts attention, but converts it into real, sustainable business.
Let’s dig into how.
Your Goals: What Do You Actually Want from Marketing?
Most personal trainers and coaches we speak to don’t just want “more followers” or “likes”. They want results - sales, sign-ups, and a calendar full of clients. That’s what your digital marketing should focus on delivering.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Sign-ups to training plans or programmes (free or paid)
Meal plan downloads or subscriptions
Online course or app purchases
In-person client bookings or consultations
Brand partnerships and collaboration opportunities
Your digital strategy should be laser-focused on these outcomes. Otherwise, you’re just posting for the sake of posting.
What the Search Trends Tell Us
Let’s look at some data. The graph to the right shows search interest for "personal trainer" in the UK over the last five years.
What do we notice?
Overall demand has stagnated.
Interest has dropped since the 2020–2021 lockdown boom. Why? A few reasons:
The rise of free online workouts (think Joe Wicks, Chloe Ting, YouTube fitness channels).
Apps like Peloton, Apple Fitness+ and Fiit, offering convenience and cost-effectiveness.
Home gyms and resistance bands are replacing the need for in-person PT sessions.
Seasonal Spikes
There are clear peaks and troughs. Demand increases:
In January (New Year’s resolutions…which rarely continue beyond February)
Around April - May (pre-summer prep)
Sometimes in September (post-holiday reset)
This seasonality should shape your marketing. Don’t leave your big pushes until December 31st. Be prepared before people start searching.
Branding: More Than a Logo
Here’s the thing: if a potential client sees your Instagram profile or lands on your website, you’ve got seconds to make an impression. If you don’t look credible or clear about what you offer, they’ll bounce.
You need a strong, distinctive brand. And no, we’re not just talking about colours and fonts. Your brand is:
The tone of your posts
The clarity of your offer
The style of your content
The feeling you create in your audience
Ask yourself:
Are you the no-nonsense, drill-sergeant type?
The friendly, empathetic coach who’s walked the same journey?
The science-based expert with qualifications to back it up?
There’s no right or wrong answer - but there is a right audience for each. You don’t have to appeal to everyone. The more niche and specific you are, the better.
Why So Many Coaches Struggle with Marketing
We get it. You're not a marketer…you’re a trainer, coach, or nutritionist. But trying to do everything yourself (while juggling client calls and content creation) leads to:
Inconsistent posting
Confusing messaging
Wasted ad spend
A website that’s just... there.
It’s not just about being online. It’s about being strategic.
How to Market Yourself Effectively in 2025
Here's a simple framework we use at Agilita Digital to help health and wellness professionals grow:
1. Clarify Your Offer
What exactly are you selling? Be specific. “Online coaching” is too vague. “A 6-week home strength plan for busy mums” is better.
2. Build a Strong Website
Even if most of your business is via Instagram or word of mouth, your website builds trust. It’s your digital shop window.
Clear services
Pricing (where possible)
Reviews and testimonials
Lead magnets (free trials, downloads, consultations)
3. SEO & Local Search
If you want local clients, your Google Business Profile needs to be spot on. And your website should be optimised for keywords like:
“Personal trainer in [town/city]”
“Online nutritionist UK”
“12-week coaching programme for women”
4. Content That Builds Trust
Educational content (blogs, reels, carousels) positions you as the go-to expert. Think:
“What to eat before a 6am session”
“How to beat a weight loss plateau”
“Top 5 strength exercises for women over 40”
You don’t have to go viral. You just need to be useful.
5. Lead Generation
Have a way to capture leads:
Free challenges
Email opt-ins
Mini courses or trials
Once someone’s in your ecosystem, it’s easier to convert them.
6. Track Everything
Use Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, and email open rates. Whatever it takes to understand what’s working and what’s not. If you’re blindly posting or boosting posts with no results, it’s time to rethink.
How Agilita Digital Helps Coaches Like You
We work with ambitious, independent businesses - and that includes personal trainers, coaches, and nutritionists - who want a smart, agile approach to digital marketing.
We focus on:
Getting you results quickly
Creating a clear digital strategy
Helping you grow sustainably, not just temporarily
Whether that’s building a new site, running targeted ads, improving SEO, or sorting out your brand from the ground up, we're here to make it easier, more effective, and a lot less stressful.
Yes, it’s competitive out there. But people are still looking for expert help with their health and fitness. The demand is still there, it’s just more scattered, and the expectations are higher.
If you want to grow your client base, you need more than just a good workout plan. You need smart, agile marketing to match.
And if you're tired of going it alone, you know where we are. Feel free to drop us a line if you’re in need of some help with your marketing.
