Social media's effect on the business side of the fitness industry

 The goal of this week's blog is to examine social media's effect on the business side of the fitness industry. From personal experience, I can say social media has had a huge impact on the fitness industry. Before social media, there used to be fitness magazines that showcased high level bodybuilders and other athletes, training programs, and health supplements such as protein powders were advertised there. Once social media took hold in the early 2010s, all of that changed, especially once Instagram became popular. Now, some influencers such as Simeon Panda make millions from creating content (Hevycoach.com, while others make money providing coaching services (some professional bodybuilding coaches, such as Joe Bennett from Hypertrophy Coach, have customers use their app for training programs and advice). The earnings that social media influencers in the fitness industry make are going to vary heavily based on the amount of followers they have (reach) and the quality of content they post. 

Overall, the digital fitness and wellness market is estimated to be worth about 65 billion US dollars (statista.com). They state that the majority of that comes from the US (about 16 billion), but the thing about social media is it allows you to connect with consumers from all over the planet. 

Based on the amount of money involved and the people you can reach, there is definitely an opportunity to pursue a career in the online fitness and health industry. Some people may want to become influencers and make hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, while others may be happy simply making a livable wage from a job they don't hate (this is a big bonus, in my opinion). The challenge is that for entry-level content producers, you're competing against the established accounts that make millions as well as people who may be misrepresenting their skills and abilities by using things that will improve their online image such as photo editing technology (photoshop or airbrushing their pictures) or illegal performance-enhancing drugs. While there is a big opportunity to make money in the fitness industry using social media, there are also pitfalls that you have to be aware of. 

References:

Digital Fitness & Well-Being - Worldwide | Market Forecast

How Much Do Fitness Influencers Make (2025 Data & Stats)

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