Fitness website question

I think one of the best things you could do is write a 7-10 page report you can give away for free to those who sign up for your mailing list. That way people who are visiting your site as you grow it will have an incentive to sign up; and you'll be collecting email addresses you know are targeted so that you can market your products later on. I think it'll take a while for you to build up a large audience in such a competitive niche, but if you're willing to share some unique information that hasn't been rehashed a zillion times, you might be on to something.

Don't forget to get some legal advice re: disclaimers, etc. for your site if you are giving fitness/nutrition advice.

Hi Andra,

Sounds good! Here are some suggestions:

- Try to catch your weight loss approach in one word or a short phrase and create that as something you can hype up. Make it something you can get known for and people will recognize.

- If you have a nice fitness body, show it; I see many do it on websites I'm checking and it gives some social proof.

- On keyword research, take a look at long tail keywords on weight loss at sites as Keyword suggestion tool — Google suggest scraper — Übersuggest

- Think of the type of customers you will target. People who are just staring out or people who tried everything, people that have experience (or all sorts of people).

Hope this helps ;-)

As you said the diet niche is very competitive but as you say you have a different approach, that's good. You need to stand out from the crowd. I also think it's a good idea that you'll create lots of content, as that's what the search engines seems to like these days.

But something I would do is be active in social media. Facebook, youtube, twitter, g+ or whatever. And really try to show yourself/the site and why it stands out from the crowd.

Someone else probably has more good tips but my key point is that since it's a crowded niche you need to stand out and not be just another "fitness-site". And you can't just rely on search engines to reach out to people since ranking in the critical spots in the serp will be hard.

Andra,

So highlight your different approach. Prepare video(s) and report(s) on the approach and how it has shown to be effective. You don't have to give away all the details, but because this niche is so crowded, you have got to prove how you are different and that your system works. Testimonials, social proof, before/after photos, are all ways to show that the system is worth exploring.

I would create some freebies and give away your system to a few people in order to get some feedback and testimonials. Trying to compete head-to-head against established and successful sites in this niche is going to be very difficult. Your best chance of success, in my opinion, is to be unique, have a unique product and/or service, and market the uniqueness and documented proof that the system works.

The very best to you,

Steve

Andra - I really like your plan. So many people are just after a quick buck however they can get it, it's good to see a someone wanting to establish an authority site with good content and with long term results in mind.

Start with excellent articles that cover what people want. Find out what people want through forums (e.g. Bodybuilding.com), keyword tool, Yahoo answers, etc. Add to your blog regularly (but not just for the sake of it), set up Facebook page, and you'll see the organic traffic coming soon enough.

I think it would pay to start building a list from the start, you can always promote to that later, but just add value and build trust first.

Have you seen Josef Rakich's site (http://www.josefrakichfitness.com)? He has an offline PT business but also has online personal training. He does it well. I like the way how he adds value, always comments on Facebook, his authenticity and looking at his physique obviously knows what he's talking about. He also shares stuff from his personal life, funny meme's/videos about gym newbies, etc.

That's what really stands out to me and why I buy his stuff. I found out about him through bodybuilding.com forums. Might be a good idea to start contributing to the forum there and link to your site (or an article) when it will genuinely help and benefit the end user. Yahoo answers is also good way to get targeted traffic.

So many people are already doing generic fitness/nutrition/diet sites online. The key to making this work is to actually connect with your reader on an emotional level. Don't just give tips. Sell the reader on the idea that you are not only the fitness expert but their personal coach for fitness and weight loss. That way, when they finish reading your blog and buy your products it's only an extension of information already learned. That will set you apart from the others.