Anatomy of a Profile

The IDEA FitnessConnect directory is now available to more than 16 million fitness- and health-oriented consumers through sites like www.ideafit.com, FitnessMagazine.com, SparkPeople.com, Active.com, and ihrsa.com.

Access to bigger markets means fitness professionals can extend their brands to niche audiences and effectively gain the attention of prospective clients. Since your IDEA FitnessConnect profile is the “first look” into your professional credentials and services, keeping it polished and up-to-date is beneficial. A detailed profile leads to higher ranking in consumer searches than a profile that is blank or inactive.

Setting Up Your Profile

1. Add a Professional Photo

Profiles with a photo attract more views. Choose head shots or medium body shots that give a good view of your face in thumbnail size. Avoid logos unless the profile is for a health club.

2. Sync Your Social Media Efforts

Include links to Facebook or Twitter™. Cross-promotion not only strengthens online marketing but also shows an active presence on the Web. When clients or colleagues see your last “tweet” or status update was minutes ago, they may be more inclined to contact you than someone whose profile has been static for months.

3. List Your Credentials and Expertise

Under expertise and certifications, include details about your qualifications—from professional certifications to fitness insurance. How quickly credentials are verified depends on the certifying organization. Verified professionals typically rank high in consumer searches.

4. Create a Professional Bio

Under “About Me,” emphasize your fitness philosophy, provide insight into your training style or describe a typical session experience. Avoid repeating information already listed in your profile. For consumers, choosing a trainer is as much about finding a complementing personality as it is about making sure the trainer is qualified.

5. Include All Your Training Locations

Be thorough, as this feature is helpful for consumers looking for events and professionals in their area. Potential clients can search by ZIP code, and all addresses mash up with Google maps for visual reference.

6. Add Additional Information (Optional)

If you are interested in targeting a certain demographic or socioeconomic group, consider including your session rates, payment types, professional awards and gender, plus any languages you speak. Consumers are given the choice to refine their search by price bracket or gender, so these details may be helpful in their quest to find the perfect trainer.

7. List All Your Classes and Upcoming Events

Whether you are offering a new boot camp series or a group class, add it your profile. Include all your events and classes. This shows variety in your services and keeps your profile active in searches filtered by “classes and events.”

8. Share Your Success Stories

With clients’ permission, include before and after photos. Similar to a client brag book, client testimonials are an indirect form of marketing that can directly impact your business.

9. Upload Professional Videos

Add video content if you can. Whether it is a montage of your boot camp classes or a demonstration of various exercises, a video can demonstrate your character, communication style and training skills.

10. Sync Your Current Blog (or Start a New One)

Blogs are a great way for a visitor to check out your latest posts without leaving your profile page. If you don’t have a blog, consider starting one as a way to educate and motivate current and future clients.