Instagram Marketing Strategies for the Fitness Industry [2025]

In one way or another, the pandemic has driven most parts of the world online: socializing, work, exercise, and everything in between. As a result, people are spending a record amount of time online, with social media usage seeing a significant surge—36% more time spent on social platforms.

Of all the social media networks, Instagram has reliably become one of the most powerful platforms for personal and business development. More than 1 billion people are currently on Instagram and spend an average of 30 min per day on it. In fact, through 2020, Instagram saw a 17% user growth across Western Europe. Considering that 64% of its users are aged between 18 and 34, the platform has become an indispensable platform for the development of your fitness studio brand, particularly with this very active community. If fitness brands continue to narrow the field to Instagram then they can stay top-of-mind and build loyalty with their audience in the long term.

However, simply having a presence on Instagram isn’t enough. More than 200 million users are visiting at least one business profile every day, so what can you do to make sure your fitness brand is noticeable and builds a loyal following? It is also important to build a highly involved and active Instagram community for this purpose.

Why build an Instagram community?

Creating an online community is one of the most powerful assets that a fitness business has at its disposal. There are many gyms/fitness studios already using Instagram to advertise their service but to be on the platform is not to be successful. Instagram is increasingly saturated, and its constantly evolving algorithm makes it challenging to keep up with the changes. Therefore, having a community of loyal, engaged followers can significantly improve your chances of maintaining visibility and engagement on the platform.

The ultimate goal is to foster meaningful connections between your brand and your followers. The fact that interactions can extend not only between user and audience, but also between your followers, will translate into greater post reach, greater loyalty, and a higher engagement rate. Instagram is the perfect platform to facilitate these connections, and with the right approach, you’ll create a supportive and engaged community that sees your brand as a trusted resource.

Tips to increase Instagram engagement

1. Activate Instagram reels Have you fully come around to the potential of Instagram Reels? This video feature, introduced in 2020, has become immensely popular on Instagram. Reels let you connect with your audience in entertaining, brief videos up to 30s, using creative tools and effects to make your content unique.

Reels can be an excellent means to demonstrate the brand’s sincerity. You could share a glimpse of the backstage life, do a short fitness instruction, introduce yourself to the team, or tease future classes or products. 

For instance, health and exercise influencers and companies commonly leverage Reels to show short exercise routines, competitions, or advice relevant to their audience. For increased engagement, try using a popular  Instagram hashtags generator to discover trending tags that align with your content.

2. Embrace Instagram AR filters Instagram’s AR filters, launched through Spark AR Studio, have become an interactive way to engage your audience. Downloaded filters have garnered more than 1 billion views and marketers are using them to provide engaging and interactive experiences. Fitness brands can implement AR filters that are congruent with their brand aesthetic or allow users to virtually try on workout wear or visualize progress in a fun new way.

From improving the fidelity of your videos, or providing your audience with interactive filters via which they can play, these types of tools are a great way to introduce a sense of individuality and to boost audience engagement.

3. Leverage Instagram’s video Ad formats With 75% of Instagram users saying they take actions (like visiting websites or telling friends) after being influenced by posts, mastering video ads is crucial for reaching a broader audience. On Instagram, there are a number of video ad formats, which can be used to target your target customer. Eg, single video ads can accommodate videos with a maximum length of 60 seconds, carousel ads can display various videos or images in a slider format and Instagram stories support a full-screen format promoting deeper immersion.
4. Give GIFs a chance GIFs, while simple, are a highly effective tool for engaging your audience. There is evidence that viewers have watched all the videos, from GIFs to the end due, for example, checking the performance of the software, and, therefore, for conveying short messages, they are very good. Instagram’s Boomerang feature is essentially an evolved version of a GIF, and it’s perfect for creating short, looping videos that showcase your fitness services or promotions.
5. Use Instagram traffic to increase website visits Instagram can provide a rich source of Website Traffic when used effectively. Since the platform supports single clickable links in the bio and thus it is crucial to utilize that link effectively. For example, it may be possible to market exclusive offers or deals that are designed to prompt followers to click. In Instagram Stories one can now implement a “Swipe Up” (available to accounts having 10k+ followers) to redirect traffic to given pages.

Additionally, Instagram’s ads come with built-in call-to-action buttons, making it easy for users to take the next step toward booking a class, signing up for a newsletter, or making a purchase.

6. Use SEO to ‘win’ Instagram Optimizing your Instagram profile for search can significantly improve your visibility. Focus on areas like your account handle and account name, and incorporate relevant keywords that relate to fitness and your brand. By applying Instagram hacks like these, you can ensure that your fitness brand is found easily by users searching for related content.

Conclusion

Instagram is a very effective platform for creating an online community for your fitness company. By leveraging its features—such as Reels, AR filters, video ads, and micro-influencer partnerships—you can increase your engagement and grow your community in meaningful ways. 

By creating a space where followers feel connected to your brand and each other, you’ll not only increase your reach and engagement but also cultivate a loyal base of supporters who will help sustain your fitness business for years to come. Whether you are just beginning to start up or want to push your brand to the next level, Instagram is a powerful tool that can drive sustainable success.