Google Ads for Personal Trainers – A Simple Guide

We were recently asked about Google ads for personal trainers. Did we have ideas for using them to generate leads? How could you generate PT sales through paid search? All very good questions, so we decided to write a post on the topic…

In this article  – we share a super-simple guide to using Google Ads in your fitness business, including campaign ideas and ad examples.

What is Google Ads? When you type a search query into Google, you might have noticed adverts at the top and along the side. Well, these are Google ads. Those clever boffins at Google HQ match the adverts with exactly what you’re looking for. This makes them a highly effective marketing tool.

People who are searching for something are already interested in it – they either want more info or they want to buy. For example, someone searching for ‘personal trainer near me’ is clearly interested in fitness coaching. This means they’re a pretty warm lead – they want what you offer, all you need to do is convince them that you’re the best choice. This can often make Google Ads more effective than social media advertising, especially if your goal is sales. Someone scrolling through Instagram who gets ‘interrupted’ by an advert isn’t looking for your services. They’re checking their Insta feed rather than looking for a personal trainer near them. Social ads can be great for brand awareness and they do generate sales. But you typically need some kind of sales funnel to nurture and convert them. So, we typically recommend Google Ads as a first step for digital advertising.

Getting Started With Google Ads If the idea of setting up ads is a bit daunting then don’t worry. It’s actually very easy once you become familiar with the Google Ads platform. If you have a marketing budget, then it might be worth outsourcing your ads to a freelancer or agency. They’ll set up your account, write persuasive adverts, and ensure the campaign gets the best possible return on investment. This will cut out the learning curve and allow you to focus on running your fitness business. But if you don’t have the budget or want to learn for yourself, then it’s pretty easy to do. It’ll probably take an afternoon but that’s time well invested. Once ads are set up and working well, you can basically leave them running on autopilot. There are plenty of videos, articles, and podcasts that’ll walk you through the process, but here are the key steps…

1. Sign up for a Google Ads account

2. Use the keyword tool to figure out what potential clients are searching for

3. Write compelling and persuasive adverts

4. Set up your campaign

5. Monitor and tweak to maximise results But what kind of keywords should your ads target? And how do you write compelling copy for them? Let’s explore these elements next…
   

Google Ads Ideas for Personal Trainers Here are 5 ways that personal trainers and other fitness businesses can use Google ads…

1. Location-based ads – target people in your local area

2. Benefit-focused ads – appeal to people’s needs

3. Point of difference ads – stand out from competitors

4. Freebie ads – offer something if they click your ad

5. Brand awareness ads – so you’re top of mind Let’s look at each of these in a bit more detail…
   

#1 – Location-based ads Use adverts to target potential clients in your local area. This involves setting your ads to show up when people search for phrases like ‘personal training Manchester’ or ‘fitness coach NY’. Don’t just think about your city. Consider the neighbourhoods or landmarks in your local area, then target those. Use the keywood tool to research what people are search for then create ads that match perfectly. Here’s an example of a personal training ad that’s location-based…

Female Personal Trainers – Personal Trainer Leytonstonewww.website.comWe have the best female personal trainers that come to you. Serving the East London area. Personalised training to help you achieve your health & fitness goals whilst having fun!‎Contact Us · ‎Meet The Team · ‎View Prices · ‎Hackney PT Studio · ‎Online Personal Training

#2 – Benefit-focused ads These take a classic approach to advertising by appeal to people’s needs. What is it they really want? Achieve their fitness goals faster? Hit a PB? Focus these ads on what’s in it for the client. What will they get out of it? This isn’t about listing your products or services, it’s about showing how you can help the client. In the below example, they focus on the result (‘drop a dress size’) rather than listing training methods or nutritional plans (even though this is what you’ll offer to deliver the result).

Lady private personal trainer – Book a free consultationwww.website.comFemale online personal trainer for women specialised in weight loss drop a dress size fast. Want to lose weight and get toned? Get a personal trainer in your back pocket!‎A Personal Trainer Diary · ‎Book a free consultation · ‎Find me on Instagram · ‎Testimonials

#3 – Point of difference ads If you’re in a particularly competitive market, then you might want to focus on your point of difference. Use your ad to set yourself apart from all the other PTs in your area. Start by thinking about the types of training or services you offer (meal plans, marathon coaching, etc.). Don’t just list your qualifications – they don’t mean anything to people outside the fitness industry. They don’t know whether a ‘level 5 training certificate’ is pro level or basic, so leave it out. Instead, focus on the values or offering that makes you different. This is a great example…

Get In Your Best Shape – Premium Lifestyle Programwww.website.comTired of all the transformation photos and ripped fitness models? Us too. Let’s build your best self together and stop comparing to anyone else.

#4 – Freebie ads These ads offer something for free, typically in return for an email address or other contact info. Then they use a sales funnel to nurture the relationship and upsell paid items. They might offer a lead magnet, like an ebook, checklist or 7-day challenge. It could just be a good old-fashioned free consultation. Then once a person has signed up for the freebie, they’ll be upsold to a course, programme or multi-session bundle. This is an effective approach for selling high-ticket items. People get to experience part of your offering and perhaps achieve a small win, then see that you’ll get them results.

You might also like…  5 brilliant gym advert examples (with design & layout tips).

#5 – Brand awareness ads Not all adverts are designed to drive immediate sales. For some, the objective is raising brand awareness so that you’re top of mind. Perhaps you want to position yourself as a thought-leader or credible expert, so people come to you first when they eventually do need training advice. If this is your goal, then we’d recommend minimising your bid budget to start with. Brand awareness is hard to measure (unless you’re a big business that can run focus groups and large-scale consumer surveys). So, you might not know if your ads are working for quite a while. Our suggestion would be to limit your bids to just a few pennies or cents per keyword. That way you can benefit from some cheap advertising but won’t lay out too much without knowing the return. You can use a combination of all 5 ad campaigns or test 1-2 until you find a winning option. The key thing is to approach it from the clients point of view and think about what would appeal to them. If Google Ads is new to you then don’t be daunted. The brilliant thing about digital ads is that you can tweak them as you go and see the results within a few days. So, if one approach doesn’t work you can course-correct very quickly. If you have questions about fitness marketing, then use our contact form to get in touch.