Introduction
Fitness has been front and centre most of my life. And as someone who has spent time over 30+ years looking for the right personal trainers, fair to say I have looked at many personal training websites in my time.
And my experience is that they fall into one of two distinct categories:
- the ones that made me reach straight for the enquire button.
- the rest made me move on to a competitor personal training website.
As a competitive dragon boater including representing Australia at an international level, movement and training have never been nice-to-haves for me.
They are part of who I am.
And even now, away from competitive sport, staying active is as much a part of my daily life as eating well or getting enough sleep.
So, when I am looking for a personal trainer, I know what I want. I know what good training looks and feels like.
And I can tell when personal trainer website copy is working because it is speaking to me and understands what I’m looking for. Equally I am adept at identifying copy on a personal training website that doesn’t hit the mark.
As a health and wellness copywriter, I spend a lot of time understanding how website copy works.
But in this blog, I am wearing both hats — the fitness client who feels it, and the copywriter who understands why. Here is the honest truth about what wins me over and what loses me.
Personal Training Websites That Say “You’re In the Right Place”
Below are just some of the reasons a personal trtainer website will earn more than 8 seconds of my attention…
They sound like a real person
The first thing I notice on any personal trainer website is whether the person behind it sounds like a human being or a robot.
When the messaging reflects how the personal trainer is as a person – meaning with their personality showing through, this makes me immediately feel more at ease.
Why?
Because I get a sense of how they will be in personal training sessions.
Generic, polished-sounding copy has the opposite effect. If the About page could have been written by anyone, it probably was.
And if I cannot get a sense of the personal trainer from the website, I am going to find it hard to trust that they are the right fit for me.
What this means for your PT website: Write the way you actually speak. Use your own words, your own expressions, your own sense of humour.
Your personality is not a distraction from your professionalism, it is part of what makes you worth choosing.
They speak to my world, not theirs
The personal trainers whose websites make me lean in are the ones who really understand their clients, their target audience.
Me.
I have read websites that talk about “helping people get fit”. Well… yes…okay, but that is so vague.
Compare that to personal training websites that show they understand the specific reality of their clients – the busy schedule, the previous injuries, the long gap since they last trained consistently, the desire to feel strong rather than just look a certain way. This will make me say “that’s me”!
When I read copy that describes my situation back to me, I stop scanning and start reading. Because it connects with me.
What this means for your PT website: Before you write a single word of website copy, get clear on who your ideal client is and what is really going on in their world.
The more specifically your copy speaks to their reality, the more your ideal client will self-identify and reach out.
They make it clear what training with them looks like
One of the most common elements missing from personal training websites is a clear picture of the in real life experience of working together.
For example:
• What does a session look like?
• How do they approach programming?
• What is their training philosophy?
• Do they check in between sessions or is it purely in the 1-hour personal training session time?
When a website answers these questions, it does two things.
- It helps me decide whether a particular personal trainer’s approach suits me.
- It shows me that they have thought carefully about their clients’ experience, not just their own qualifications.
What this means for your PT website: Think about what your clients frequently ask you before they start. Those questions are your website copy. Answer them clearly and you remove the friction that stops a curious visitor from becoming an enquiry.
They make it easy to take the next step
When I land on a personal training website and I am interested, I want to know immediately what to do next.
This sounds simple. But you would be surprised how many personal training websites leave me guessing. There is no clear call to action, or there are too many competing ones, or it takes me 3 clicks just to get to the Contact page.
The copy on a great personal training website guides me naturally towards the next step e.g. a discovery call or perhaps an enquiry form. It does not have to be complicated; it just needs to be clear.
If moving across a personal training website is not clear, I don’t waste any time working it out. I bounce away and move on.
What this means for your PT website: Every page of your website should have one clear and low-friction next step that moves a visitor closer to working with you.
Personal Training Websites That Make Me Click Away (to a competitor website)
And here are a bunch of reasons a personal training website will be lucky to get 8 seconds of my attention before I bounce…
False promises
What I see: “Lose 10kg in 8 weeks.” “Guaranteed results.” “Transform your body in 30 days.”
Why it puts me off: Anyone who has been involved in fitness for any length of time knows that results are so unique to every individual. They depend on so many factors beyond what happens in a session including but not limited to sleep, nutrition, stress, and consistency.
When a personal training website makes promises about outcomes, it tells me the personal trainer either does not understand how fitness actually works or they are willing to say whatever it takes to get a client in the door.
What to do instead : Focus on the process, not the promise. Talk about the kinds of clients who thrive working with you.
Let the testimonials do the work of demonstrating results. Genuine stories from real clients are far more compelling than any hollow guarantee.
It is all about them, not me
What I see: Page after page of qualifications, certifications, awards and career history way before a single word about what they can actually do for me.
Why it puts me off: Credentials are important, but leading with them signals that the website was written from the personal trainer’s perspective and not the client.
My primary interest is not in learning the ins and outs of a personal trainer’s career history. I am there to find out whether they can help me with my fitness goals.
What to do instead: Start every page with the client – their situation, their struggles, their goals. Only then bring in credentials as evidence of why you are the right person to help.
A helpful structure to follow for your personal training website is:
• Target audience painpoints/problems
• How you can help
• Why your ideal clients can trust you.
The copy is vague and could apply to anyone
What I see: “I am passionate about helping you reach your goals.” “Tailored programs for all fitness levels.” “Your journey starts here.”
Why it puts me off: Vague copy is invisible copy. If your website sounds exactly like every other personal trainer’s website, there is no reason for me to choose you over the next one.
Generic language signals a generic service even if the actual training is anything but.
What to do instead:
Get specific by explaining:
• Who is your ideal client
• What makes your approach different?
• What do your clients say about working with you that they have never said about another trainer?
Because the more specific your copy, the more it will resonate with people you are looking to help.
Poorly Maintained Website
What I see: A blog last updated two years ago. A timetable showing 2024 dates. Broken links. A “coming soon” page that has been coming soon for eighteen months.
Why it puts me off: A neglected website signals a lack of care. It makes me wonder whether the same approach applies to clients. If you cannot keep your own online presence current, will you keep my program current?
What to do instead: You do not need to publish a blog every week. But your website should feel alive. Regular updates, even small ones, signal that you are active, engaged and current.
Consistent content also helps your website get found in search, which means more of the right clients finding you.
So What Does Your Personal Trainer Website Say About You?
If you are a personal trainer reading this, here is what I hope you take from it.
Almost none of the things that make me click enquire are about your qualifications or your methodology. They are about how your personal trainer website messaging makes me feel.
That you understand my fitness world – enough for me to take the next step.
And almost none of the things that make me click away are about the quality of your training. They are about how your website presents your service — explaining who it is for and how it can help me.
It is also worth noting that if you are PT registered with AUSactive as a member then include this on your website.
For clients who do their research, seeing that professional affiliation adds another layer of credibility.
Blog Wrap Up
Ideally your site is making a positive impression, building trust and answering the big question visitors to your site are asking themselves:
Is this personal trainer right for me?
And if your site isn’t doing these things? The good news is that they are fixable. Clear, honest, client-centred copy does not require a total website overhaul.
Sometimes it is just a headline, an About page, a single paragraph that can improve the feel of a site.
If you would like to understand more about the strategic thinking behind website copy that converts, that is a good place to start.
If you have been wondering why your personal training website is not generating the enquiries you would expect, it might be worth taking a fresh look at it through your potential client’s eyes.
Or better yet, getting some support from a health and wellness copywriter who lives in the fitness world.
Because that outside perspective? That can be where the real difference is made.
Feel free to book in a no-obligation 30min FREE call with me