How to Hire a Fitness Blogger: A Step-by-Step Guide
If you have any goals for the new year, it may involve stepping up your fitness game. Every single day, tons of people go to the gym, hit the weight set, or take a jog. According to a recent study, 55 million people are members of a health or fitness club. With this growing interest in health and fitness, gym-goers are looking for tips, advice, and inspiration from influencers – such as fitness bloggers. From personal trainers to fitness enthusiasts, these individuals are in high demand.
Whether you're looking to increase organic traffic to your fitness-related site or you want to educate your readers with informative content, hiring a fitness blogger can make a huge difference. In this post, you will learn some valuable tips on hiring one of these content specialists.
Decide On Your Niche
Before looking for a qualified fitness blogger, you'll want to choose your niche. Even though health and fitness sites already seem like a niche themselves, there are tons of specific fitness areas to consider.
Do you have a yoga business? Are you more into Cross-fit? Given how there are dozens of subcategories under the "fitness" topic, there are many different avenues to take. However, having a niche isn't always necessary. You could own a general health and wellness site where you cover a broad range of topics. This can actually work to your advantage since many areas of fitness are related to one another.
If you're struggling with this step, think about your target audience and the types of content they enjoy. This can help to get the ball rolling.
Need some ideas for a niche? Here are some common fitness areas you can cover:
- Running
- Cardio
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Weight lifting
- Sports
- Crossfit
- Strength training
While these are some of the most common, there are many more to consider. Also, if you follow one niche, don't assume you can't talk about other topics. As many fitness areas are related, your readers will appreciate switching up the content. For instance, if you have a blog all about running, you could also post about weight training or yoga – which can both benefit a runner.
Find a Blogger Based On Your Needs
While many people have a solid fitness routine, there is still room for improvement. In fact, less than 5% of adults in the U.S. engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise or physical activity per day. That said, there is a real opportunity to make a lasting impact on your readers.
After you've decided on your niche, or if you chose a general fitness blog, the next step involves looking for qualified candidates. If you're still struggling to find your niche, you could have your new blogger help with this, or you can choose a niche once you get more established with your content. But for the most part, deciding on your niche before the hiring process is the best approach.
The key is to hire a blogger based on your specific needs. While this might sound obvious, you'd be surprised at how often this is overlooked. For instance, if you have a website all about weight training, don't look for bloggers who only specialize in cardio. While the goal is to provide valuable content for your readers, you'll want to hire a blogger with relevant experience in your niche.
Additionally, choose a writer who has the right availability, including one who covers all of the job requirements. For everyone to be on the same page, the position must be clearly explained from the beginning. Be sure to talk about how many posts will be required, what the scheduling looks like, and any other important details for the role.
If you overlook this step and don't set clear guidelines and expectations, that could cause some issues down the road. To make this arrangement efficient, productive, and successful, being clear and upfront from the beginning can do wonders.
Choose a Writer Who Understands Your Goals
As a health and wellness blog, you probably have certain goals in mind. While some organizations want to increase organic traffic, others simply want to engage and inform their audience. Whatever approach you take, it's essential for your new fitness blogger to clearly understand your goals.
If you and your writer aren't on the same page, finding success won't come easy. That said, all of your goals should be clearly laid out from the beginning – possibly even included in your job posting. Not only can this provide necessary information for your candidates, but it can also set you up for success. If your goals are clearly explained from the start, that can prevent any confusion or misunderstanding in the future.
Focus On Versatility
Did you know that 77% of internet users read blogs? Every single second, thousands of people are reading this type of content. That being said, the opportunity is out there – the goal is to create engaging, well-written blogs that speak to your audience.
When searching for a fitness blogger, look for one who's versatile. While your business may focus on a specific niche, there may be times where you'll want to cover relevant, related topics. For instance, if you're a site all about snowboarding, you may post content related to that specific niche, such as stretching, recovery tips, etc. That said, blogging about these other health and wellness topics could be very useful – and even encouraged by your readers.
As you're browsing through candidates for this role, it's essential to keep versatility in mind. While you may want someone who's dedicated to a particular area of fitness, having a blogger who's knowledgeable about other topics can be extremely beneficial. Not only can they talk about how these other areas are related to your niche, but they can also discuss a completely different fitness topic – which keeps readers engaged.
Switch Up Content Types
While switching up blog topics is important, you'll also want to find a blogger who understands how to write different content types.
Aside from the common blog post, here are other types of content you could use:
- Articles
- First-hand accounts
- Tips & tricks
- How-to lists
- Case studies
- Webinars
- Infographics
While you may be looking for a writer to produce standard blog posts, integrating these other types of content can lead to higher engagement and more exposure.
If you want to increase organic traffic and create engaging, informative content, Scripted is here to help. Browse through our freelance writers today to find your next rock-star fitness blogger!
