How to Become an Online Personal Trainer in 2023 (Updated!)

People generally think only of in-person training sessions in the personal training world. They picture a trainer and client working side-by-side within a gym setting. But just as many other types of services have gone virtual, so too has personal training. Rightfully so because there are many benefits of being an online trainer.

Benefits of Offering Online Personal Training

The virtual fitness industry is projected to have a compound annual growth rate of 30.1% by 2026 (1). If you want a piece of this growth, now is an excellent time to get into online personal training. The sooner you start offering this service, the bigger your piece of the pie.

Offering online personal training also broadens your client pool. It doesn’t matter if the person is across town or the world; your training is accessible. As long as they have an internet connection, they can attend your personal training session.

This is beneficial if you provide training in a small town with limited exposure to a more extensive client base. It also offers advantages if you are a personal trainer in an area with a lot of competition. The internet allows you to reach people who don’t have access to a training professional. You can stand out by promoting your services to online personal training clients in those areas.

Another benefit of becoming an online personal trainer is that you get to help people who don’t want to join a gym. Maybe they lack the monies to join, or they lack reliable transportation. Online personal training provides a workable solution. It enables them to progress through their fitness journey without ever leaving home.

How to Become an Online Personal Trainer in 2023

If you decide that online training is a good fit for you, follow these steps to start offering online fitness training in 2023. (Here are some factors to consider if you’re still on the fence.)

Earn Your Personal Trainer Certification

Realistically, you don’t need to be certified to work as a personal trainer. That said, a certification course teaches the most effective assessment and training techniques. These techniques are even more important when training clients online. You don’t have the benefit of being there in person. So, you need to know how to work with clients when they’re only on a screen.

Becoming a certified personal trainer also provides a higher level of credibility. Anyone can call themselves a fitness trainer on the internet. If you have the credentials, this sets you apart from someone who claims to offer an effective workout plan yet lacks the training and education to support this.

Set Up Your Online Personal Training Business

The next step is to put your online personal training business in order. Select a business name and register the name if your local government requires it. Also consider your business structure. Will you be a sole proprietor, limited liability corporation (LLC), or corporation? Your CPA or tax attorney can help you decide the best option for you.

Getting your online fitness business in order includes devising a budget, acquiring the equipment you need, and setting up your office. You’ll also need a place to shoot your online videos. This might require the purchase of additional décor, new video equipment, or the right lighting. Take care of these things now so they don’t slow you down later.

Design Your Online Training Programs

When setting up your online personal training business, consider what your training will look like. For instance, do you want to offer pre-recorded videos, or will your online training consist of Livestreams? Maybe it will include both.

Another option is to provide one-on-one personal training sessions. This might be preferable for a client with specialized training needs. You can also charge more for this type of individualized training.

Part of this step includes deciding your type of training. Do you want to offer online yoga, for example? Or maybe you want to provide online bodyweight training. Making this decision now helps prepare you for your next online training preparations.

Develop (and Practice) Your Online Workout Plans

At this point, your personal training business is in place. And you have a clear idea of the type of training you’ll offer. Now, you’re ready to start developing your workout plans. Think about the warm-up, the body of the online training, and the cool down. Decide what exercises will go in each.

Also consider how you will deliver this plan as an online personal trainer. How will you explain the transition from one movement to another? What guidance will you give to get them in proper form?

Once you’re ready, practice your workout as if you’re with actual personal training clients. Record your session so you can see what it looks like. This allows you to make any adjustments before engaging in a live training session.

Know What Makes You Different from Other Online Personal Trainers

Typically, the next step is to start promoting your online personal training services. Before you do this, it’s important to know what sets you apart from other personal trainers. Why should a prospective client choose you over another fitness professional?

This is what will make you stand out in a sea of personal trainers. Maybe you supply a type of workout typically not offered online. Or perhaps you provide a higher level of customer service. Promoting this difference tells a potential client why you’re better than the rest.

More than ever, clients are seeking to expand their overall wellness (2). Consider adding health coaching, yoga, or recovery to your specializations. Also, figure out how you can maximize the home gym equipment clients may already have. Make your training a one-stop shop!

Get Active on Social Media as an Online Fitness Coach

To be a successful online personal trainer, you want to be active on as many online platforms as possible. Social media achieves this purpose.

Set up a page for your online fitness business. Post regularly about topics related to exercise, diet, and fitness. Encourage followers to share your posts or to comment. The more engagement, the better. Get people excited about fitness, then naturally direct them to your business.

Social media is also a good place to post before and after photos. Help followers see the benefits you provide as a personal trainer. Then help them envision their own after photos. The more they can connect themselves with you as a personal trainer, the easier it becomes to hire you.

Offer a Free Fitness Class to Potential Clients

To entice people to sign up for your online fitness sessions, offer a free class. Give them a taste of what you can do. Show them that they can enjoy online personal training. Get them to look forward to coming back for more.

Offering a free training session is a good no-commitment way for them to see what they think. If they don’t like online personal training, they’re out nothing. But if they do, they’ll likely hire you as their personal trainer.

Provide Referral Incentives to Your In-Person Client Base

If you currently offer in-person personal training services, ask your current clients to help market for you. Offer incentives if they refer someone to your online personal training program. This might include a free training session or free fitness apparel.

Referrals can help grow your online personal training business by leaps and bounds. Case in point: 83% of people trust personal referrals (3). Who better to do your marketing for you than your satisfied fitness clients?

Get Educated and Boost Your Credibility

Not yet certified? Get started now! With ISSA's Personal Trainer Certification course, you’ll learn exactly what it takes to motivate anyone to make their fitness goals a reality. You’ll gain in-depth knowledge of the body's muscle and skeletal structure to provide the right exercise at the right time. You’ll be an expert at how to assess and build custom training programs and how to help clients get stronger with less pain or injury. Your course will even help you start and grow a profitable training business!

References

1. Market Research Future. (2021, June 7). Virtual Fitness Market is expected to register a growth of 30.1% CAGR by 2026: Virtual fitness rising due to increasing use during COVID-19 pandemic. GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/06/07/2242769/0/en/Virtual-Fitness-Market-Is-Expected-to-Register-a-Growth-of-30-1-CAGR-by-2026-Virtual-Fitness-Rising-Due-to-Increasing-Use-During-COVID-19-Pandemic.html

2. Howarth, J. (2023, January 16). 8 massive fitness industry trends (2023-2026). Exploding Topics. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://explodingtopics.com/blog/fitness-industry-trends

3. Domingues, B. (2022, January 11). Referral marketing statistics that will make you want to start or Relaunch your referral program now. [Referral App] Amplify Your Word-of-Mouth Marketing. Retrieved February 8, 2023, from https://www.getthereferral.com/blog/referral-marketing-statistics