How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Clients on Instagram

I’ve been a personal training client since middle school. Over the past year, I’ve looked at hundreds of trainers’ Instagram accounts, scrolled through their websites, compared their packages, and read just about every Reddit thread you can imagine about finding a trainer. All of this was for Athlix, the platform I’m building to connect clients with personal trainers.

But here’s the thing I didn’t realize at first: I wasn’t just doing research. I was accidentally walking through the exact journey a potential client takes when they’re looking for a trainer. Every search, every scroll, every “nah, not this one” moment.

Start with Instagram search

Let’s start with Instagram. Every search I ran started the same way: “[City Name] Personal Trainers.” Think about how many people are doing that exact search right now. It’s a lot.

And guess who shows up first? Accounts that literally have “personal trainer” in their name. That’s it. Free discoverability, just sitting there.

If you swipe over to the “For You” page, you’ll see videos with a location tag in the area, or captions that mention personal training in that city. The pattern is obvious: Instagram rewards people who consistently talk about (1) what they offer and (2) where they offer it. Surprise surprise.

But way too many trainers have a username that’s some random mix of letters and numbers, and a bio that never once mentions their business. Let me be very clear: there are not many opportunities in this world for free marketing, but this is one of them. It doesn’t cost a dime to set up your page so a potential client can actually find you.

What I look for when I visit your page

OK, so someone found your page. Now what? Here’s what I look for as a client, and the advice I’d give any trainer just getting started on social media.

1. Make it obvious that you’re a personal trainer

Your name field and bio should say what you do and where. “Sarah | Personal Trainer | Austin TX” beats “@sarahfitlife23” every time. This is the one line of copy that matters more than anything else on your page, because it’s what Instagram’s search algorithm actually reads.

2. Pin three professional videos that answer the big questions

Your three pinned posts are your storefront. They should answer: Who are you? What do you offer? Who do you typically work with? As a potential client, the feeling I’m looking for is “this person trains people just like me.” They don’t need to be cinematic. Shoot them on your phone in good lighting with clear audio. But they do need to feel intentional, not like a random Tuesday gym clip.

3. Post consistently (and make it easy on yourself)

I know, I know. This is the worst part. I’m terrible at it too. But here’s the thing: your posts don’t need to be perfect. They just need to exist, and they need to show your clients.

The easiest content hack I’ve seen? Ask your clients one question on camera. Something like: “What would you tell someone who’s nervous about hiring a trainer for the first time?” As a potential client, why wouldn’t I want to hear that answer? And you didn’t even have to be on camera. Wins all around.

4. The specialist vs. generalist debate

Now here’s the part that’s up for debate: specialist or generalist?

I was talking to a trainer last week who’s still in school, about to graduate, and has been training 4 clients on the side for the past 6 months. He wanted to pick up a few more. Almost by accident, he started posting videos about joint health for runners, specifically how to relieve knee pressure through mobility work and strengthening the muscles around the joint. His words: he “geeks out on joints.” To each their own.

But here’s what happened. After just three videos on knee pressure and running mechanics, he picked up two new clients. Both were runners dealing with the exact problem he was talking about. They found him because he was the only person in their feed speaking directly to their issue.

Can being a specialist corner you? Sure. But done right, it puts you in front of a group of people who have a real problem and are actively looking for someone who understands it.

The bar is lower than you think

None of this is complicated. That’s the point. The trainers I see winning on Instagram aren’t doing anything fancy. They’re just making it easy for the right people to find them, and then giving those people a reason to reach out.

Optimize your name and bio. Pin three solid videos. Post something real a few times a week. And if you have a thing you nerd out about, lean into it.

The bar is lower than you think. Most of your competition hasn’t even cleared it yet.