Starting a fitness blog is an excellent way to share your passion for health and wellness with a vast audience. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, personal trainer, or nutrition expert, creating a fitness blog allows you to inspire and educate others.
But how to start a fitness blog? How to get traffic to your blog, and, more importantly, how to make money from your fitness blog?
We will answer these questions and more in this guide.
So let’s get started!
Step 1: Choose a Niche for Your Fitness Blog
Choosing a blog niche is the first step to starting a fitness blog. And to stand out in the saturated blogosphere, it’s crucial to choose a specific niche for your fitness blog.
With countless fitness blogs already out there, identifying a niche will help you target a specific audience and establish yourself as an authority in that area.
Consider your expertise and interests. Are you more focused on strength training, yoga, weight loss, healthy recipes, pilates, senior fitness, cardio and endurance, or pregnancy and Postpartum Fitness?
By narrowing down your niche, you can solve a specific audience’s needs and provide tailored content that sets your blog apart.
When choosing a niche, ask yourself the following questions:
– What are you most knowledgeable and passionate about within the fitness world?
– Who is your target audience, and what specific fitness goals do they have?
– Can you address any unpopular areas within the fitness industry through your blog?
By answering these questions, you can pinpoint your niche and develop content that resonates with your target audience.
Now, you may have seen fitness blogs that cover various niches (like yoga, weight loss, etc). Though it’s not a bad idea, it can become difficult to build a real community around your fitness blog. You will also have a hard time selling your products on your blog unless you use funnels.
Remember, the more specific your niche, the easier it will be to attract and engage with a dedicated community of readers.
If you want to learn more about blog niches, check out my post on the 5 must-haves for every blog niche.
Step 2: Find a Catchy Fitness Blog Name
Let’s look at the second step. After choosing your niche (or niches if you want), you’ll need to find a blog name.
A blog name is, well, the name of your blog. Iconic Blogging, for example, is my blog’s name. It’s the same one you will use for your domain name: www.yourblogname.com.
A catchy and memorable blog name can make a lasting impression on your readers. It should reflect your fitness niche and align with your brand identity. At the very least, potential readers should expect what to find on your blog just by reading its name.
When brainstorming names, consider using keywords that convey your blog’s focus, such as “fit,” “active,” “strong,” or “healthy.” I don’t recommend using your own name or a unique word related to fitness plus your name.
A personal touch to a fitness blog name doesn’t feel professional.
To find an available blog name, follow these steps:
- Brainstorm a list of potential names that align with your fitness niche and brand identity.
- Check the availability of the domain name using a domain registration service like Godaddy.
- Ensure that the name you choose is not trademarked or used by another business in the same industry.
However, if you still can’t find a good name, you can start creating your blog. With Bluehost, you can create a domain name later (we will talk about it later).
Remember, your blog name will become your brand, so choose wisely. But keep in mind that you can also change it later, only before your blog becomes popular, of course.
Once you have a catchy and available blog name, you can move on to the next step.
Step 3: Choose a Great Blogging Platform to Start Your Fitness Blog
When it comes to blogging platforms, WordPress is a popular choice for its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and incredible community support.
It’s highly recommended for beginners and professionals alike, offering a seamless blogging experience with its intuitive dashboard and countless plugins and themes.
Though there are many blogging platforms, WordPress is the one I always recommend to people — especially to someone who wants to start a fitness blog.
There are many WordPress themes and fitness blog templates. With this platform, you’ll create a visually appealing and highly functional fitness blog.
Step 4: Pick a Hosting Provider
Choosing the right hosting provider is crucial for the performance and security of your fitness blog. A reliable hosting provider ensures your website loads quickly, experiences minimal downtime, and remains secure against threats.
Consider the following factors when selecting a hosting provider:
1. Server Performance — fast servers and solid-state drives (SSDs) to ensure optimal website speed and responsiveness.
2. Uptime Guarantee — a hosting provider that guarantees excellent uptime, ideally with a service-level agreement (SLA) of 99.9% or higher.
3. Customer Support — a hosting company that provides 24/7 customer support, available via multiple channels such as live chat, email, or phone.
4. Scalability — scalability options to adapt to the growth of your fitness blog. As your audience and traffic increase, you may need to upgrade your hosting plan to handle the load.
Bluehost and Siteground are among the best hosting companies I recommend to blog owners.
Compare their hosting plans and read customer reviews to make a good decision. Remember to choose a hosting provider that aligns with your budget and offers the necessary features for a smooth blogging experience.
Step 5: Install WordPress and a Suitable WordPress Theme
Once you’ve chosen a hosting provider, it’s time to install WordPress and select a suitable WordPress theme for your fitness blog.
Installing WordPress is a straightforward process that can be completed within minutes.
Here, I will show you how to install WordPress using Bluehost.
1. Go to Bluehost and click on WordPress > WordPress Hosting
2. Scroll down and select the plan you want to use
3. Enter your blog name under “Create a new domain” and click “Next.”
Do you remember when I said you could start creating your fitness blog without a blog name? Here is where to do it. If you couldn’t find a catchy name on Step 2, click “I’ll create my domain later” instead.
4. Once you have entered a domain and clicked Next, you will be redirected to a new page. Enter your Account Information
5. Choose the duration of your hosting plan and select the extra services you may need.
6. Finally, enter your payment information and click Submit
And voilà, you just purchased a hosting plan. You can now install WordPress and create.
Bluehost has a very intuitive wizard that will guide you and show you how to install WordPress. It’s just a couple of clicks. Once it’s done, you will land on your WordPress dashboard, which will look like this:
You can also watch the first 3:40 of the video below for more WordPress installation details.
Install Your Preferred WordPress Theme
With WordPress successfully installed, you can browse a vast selection of free and premium WordPress themes to find the perfect one for your fitness blog.
A well-designed theme can enhance the visual appeal of your blog and how it works, making it more engaging for your readers.
Consider the following factors when choosing a WordPress theme:
1. Responsive Design — the theme is mobile-friendly and adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices.
2. Customization Options — look for a theme that offers customization features, such as color schemes, typography settings, and layout options.
3. Compatibility with Plugins — check if the theme is compatible with popular WordPress plugins.
4. Speed and Performance: Opt for a lightweight theme that doesn’t compromise your website’s speed and performance.
If you want to use a fitness-specific theme, consider checking Fitness Zone, Stronger, Prowess, or Gym.
But if you want a more general theme, Astra, Divi, and Avada are WordPress themes that meet the four requirements above.
Take your time to explore them and more themes, and choose the one that best fits your fitness brand and resonates with your target audience.
Once you’ve selected your theme, check out my guide on how to correctly install a WordPress Theme.
Step 6: Install Necessary Plugins
The five steps mentioned above will help you start a fitness blog, and this step is no different.
After themes, it’s time to talk about plugins.
A WordPress plugin is a powerful tool that adds new features and performance to your WordPress blog.
Plugins allow you to add specific features, optimize your content, improve security, and more.
While there are thousands of plugins available, start with the essential ones and gradually add others based on your needs.
That said, here are some must-have plugins for your fitness blog:
1. Rank Math: This plugin helps you optimize your blog posts for search engines by helping with keyword usage, meta tags, and readability.
2. Akismet: Protect your blog from spam comments with this reliable anti-spam plugin.
3. Wordfence: One of the best security plugins that protect your website again hackers.
4. UpdraftPlus: Back up your blog regularly with this plugin to ensure you can restore it in case of any unexpected issues or data loss.
5. WPForms: Easily create and manage contact forms for readers to contact you.
6. Social Warfare: Install a social sharing plugin to allow readers to share your content across various social media platforms, increasing your blog’s visibility and reach.
7. WP Rocket: Speed up your blog to improve user experience.
8. wpDiscuz: The best plugin to add a comment section to your blog posts and allow readers to share their thoughts.
9. MonsterInsights: Track and analyze your website’s performance, visitor behavior, and traffic sources. You will see your visitors’ location, what they’ve read on your blog, and more.
These are the essential plugins I recommend if you want to start a fitness blog. Once you are ready, check out my complete guide on installing a WordPress plugin correctly.
Some Writing Tips
Here are some tips to craft an engaging and informative first blog post:
- Title:
Choose a catchy and descriptive title that grabs readers’ attention and reflects the content of your blog post.
- Introduction:
Start with a captivating introduction that hooks readers and sets the tone for the rest of the post. Clearly state the purpose of the article and what readers can expect to gain from it.
- Content:
Provide valuable and well-researched information related to your fitness niche. Use subheadings to organize your content and make it easy to read.
Include practical tips, step-by-step guides, or personal anecdotes to keep readers engaged.
- Visuals:
Include relevant images, infographics, or videos to enhance the visual appeal of your blog post and provide additional value to your readers.
- Conclusion and Call to Action:
Conclude your blog post with a clear call to action that encourages readers to leave comments, subscribe to your newsletter, or explore other relevant posts on your blog.
- SEO Optimization:
Optimize your blog post for search engines by using relevant keywords in your content, meta tags, and headings. Ensure your content is readable and engaging, providing value to both search engines and human readers.
And there you have it! Consistency is key when it comes to blogging. Commit to a regular posting schedule to build momentum and attract a loyal audience to your fitness blog.
Step 9: Monetize Your Fitness Blog
You start a fitness blog to share your knowledge and make money. Take time to explore monetization options for your fitness blog.
Here are some popular methods — while monetization strategies will vary depending on your blog’s size, niche, and audience:
- Affiliate Marketing:
Promote fitness products or services through affiliate links and earn a commission for each sale generated. Join affiliate networks, research reputable fitness brands, and add affiliate links naturally into your content.
- Sponsored Content:
Collaborate with fitness brands to create sponsored blog posts, reviews, or social media promotions. Ensure that any sponsored content aligns with your blog’s values and provides value to your audience.
- Digital Products:
Develop and sell your own fitness e-books, online courses, or workout plans. Show your expertise and create high-quality digital products that solve your audience’s needs.
- Advertising:
Join advertising networks like Google AdSense to display relevant ads on your blog. Earn revenue based on clicks or impressions. Ensure that ads don’t compromise the user experience and are strategically placed to maximize visibility and engagement.
These are four common ways to monetize a blog. Of course, there are more, like selling a membership program, offering 1-1 coaching services, and organizing online events.
You should combine all these strategies wisely. For example, it won’t please visitors if you display many ads and ask them to buy your products.
If your main goal is to sell your products and do affiliate marketing, displaying ads might affect your income.
Before You Go
Well done! You’ve learned the essential steps to start your fitness blog. You are now on an exciting journey of sharing your fitness expertise and inspiring others.
Building a successful blog takes time, dedication, and consistent effort. Keep producing high-quality content, engage with your audience, and stay updated with the latest fitness trends.
With patience and perseverance, your fitness blog can become the best place for people who want to change their life.
But now is your turn.
Is this the first blog you’ve read on this topic? Are you now choosing a niche? Or do you maybe have your WordPress theme?
I’d like to hear from you, and feel free to leave your comments below!
FAQ on Starting a Fitness Blog
How do fitness blogs make money?
Fitness blogs can generate income through various methods, including affiliate marketing, sponsored content, selling digital products, and displaying advertising.
What do you write in a fitness blog?
In a fitness blog, you can write about various topics, including workout routines, nutrition tips, healthy recipes, exercise equipment reviews, fitness challenges, success stories, motivational articles, and interviews with fitness experts.
How much can a fitness blog make?
The income potential of a fitness blog varies depending on factors such as traffic, monetization strategies, and audience engagement. Some successful fitness blogs make hundreds of thousands of dollars per month, while others generate more modest earnings.
How do I market myself for fitness?
Use social media to market yourself and your fitness business, and create high-quality blog posts, videos, or podcasts that showcase your expertise. Offer free resources such as e-books, workout guides, or meal plans. Attend fitness events and conferences. Collaborate with other fitness professionals, brands, or influencers.
