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Going from a 0 to 300+ influencer marketing program in < 1 year
Influencer marketing has been a major hot topic this past year. It is a hybrid between word-of-mouth marketing and celebrity endorsements, which brings to the table the best of both worlds. Relying on testimonials and endorsements from non-celebrity social icons, it’s a form of marketing that people trust more.
30% of consumers are likely to purchase a product endorsed by a non-celebrity. This is because these non-celebrities are experts in their niches. Having worked hard to earn the people’s trust with their credible opinions.
The new MVP in the world of marketing has proven more than effective across industries. The world of fitness influencers is no stranger to its benefits. These types of influencers have become the most influential Instagram fitness models. Below are ten everyday people who’ve developed a strong work ethic and worked hard to establish themselves as experts in the field of health and fitness.
These guys haven’t just done right by their fitness resolutions. They strive to inspire and motivate others to do the same, leveraging Instagram to do so. They are the top fitness influencers on Instagram. You can look to them for inspiration for your fitness goals and for collaborations to help your brand.
Let’s take a look at their stories.
With almost 13 million followers, Michelle Lewin is one of the most prominent Instagram fitness influencers. The 31-year-old went from being a clinic worker in Venezuela to becoming one of the biggest stars in the fitness industry. Despite her rise to fame, her down-to-earth personality makes her very approachable on social media.
Michelle became one of the top Instagram fitness models by motivating her followers through posting short videos on Instagram. She’s gone on to start her own line of supplements and a wide range of home workout equipment since becoming a fitness influencer as well.
She’s also created two apps – Fitplan and Mealplan to help others with their fitness goals. Fitplan serves as a personal trainer with guided exercise tutorials, coaching tips, and performance tracking. On the other hand, Mealplan offers healthy recipes and customized dietary plans to complement your training.
Based out of New York, Jennifer Selter is a fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle influencer with 12 million followers on Instagram. She started her fitness journey back in high school, working as a front desk clerk at a local gym.
With a need to keep herself motivated, she started an Instagram account to foster and build a supportive community of like-minded individuals, which in turn made her one of the top fitness influencers on the platform. Her claim to fame? A booty-boosting regimen that went viral. She’s turned her hobby into an empire on social media
Jennifer strives to encourage followers to be a part of her community and to engage other women in their fitness journeys. Part of her rise to becoming one of the top fitness Instagram accounts was due in part to thousands of women posting their training results using the hashtag #seltering.
Kayla Itsines is the woman behind The Bikini Body Training Company. Author of the “Bikini Body Guide” ebook series, the personal trainer from Australia, is a significant fitness influencer. Her mission – to help women achieve their ideal bodies and be happier and more confident.
Kayla has established herself as one of the top Instagram fitness models by posting short exercise videos on YouTube daily. Her brand has developed an active community of 10 million women who trust her workout regimen and recipe guides. Her followers often share their before and after pics to promote the program’s effectiveness.
As a top Instagram fitness influencer, TIME magazine named her as one of the “30 Most Influential People on the Internet” back in 2016. With her amazingly flexible programs, Kayla’s following on Instagram keeps on growing.
A registered nurse, Lauren Drain Kagan is an adventure enthusiast, personal trainer, and a top Instagram fitness model. Back in 2013, when she decided to up her fitness game. She went from being sort of in shape to a WBFF Bodybuilding Pro.
@laurendrainfit Workiut on vacatiin in #tulum #mexico ♬ greedy – Tate McRae
Now, she shares her secrets with the world, offering various workout and nutrition guides. She often talks about the blood, sweat, and tears that she put in to achieve the great shape she is in today. Lauren makes it a point to use her status as one of the top fitness influencers to always inspire her followers with her own story of how, if you set your mind to something, nothing is impossible.
Simeon Panda is a name that every fitness addict has heard. The British trainer didn’t start blogging until 2013. Since then, he’s accumulated 10 million followers on social media. A regular in multiple fitness competitions, the fitness influencer has appeared on the cover of numerous fitness magazines.
Simeon uses his status as a fitness influencer to spread incredibly positive and motivational messages. Due to this, he’s inspired thousands of people with his online workout programs. Additionally, he has his fitness accessories and sportswear line. He’s earned a name for himself in the fitness industry because of his character and high standards.
No wonder, Forbes featured him as one of the top ten fitness influencers in the world. He regularly promotes his own brand via Instagram as well. Another plus point for the bodybuilding icon.
Massiel Indhira Arias is a bilingual fitness trainer in Los Angeles who has grown to have one of the top fitness Instagram accounts. Scroll through her page, and you’ll find it filled with short gym videos and before after snaps of her followers. The doting mother doesn’t shy away from posting photos of her adorable daughter either. Massiel has leveraged the idea of being relatable with her followers in order to become one of the top fitness influencers.
She’s the perfect person to follow if you’re interested in advanced full body and strength workouts. Massy loves combining different styles like cardio, yoga flows, and acrobatics in her workouts.
She’s been featured by American, Latin American, and European media outlets. She encourages her followers to find ways to salute themselves after a great workout. To salute herself, she does salsa.
Emily Skye is the perfect fitness influencer for mothers that need a little inspiration when wanting to get back into shape after pregnancy. Having recently had a baby, she serves as a role model to women who want to continue exercising while they are expecting. She stresses the importance of setting realistic goals rather than forcing yourself through a tough regimen.
She also promotes mindfulness, stress release, and body positivity. The Australian fitness model regularly blogs about health, fitness, nutrition, beauty, and lifestyle. In addition to being an Instagram fitness influencer, she’s also a global ambassador for Reebok.
Rachel Brathen, aka Yoga Girl, is a Swedish yoga teacher and a New York Times’ best-selling author. She claims she stumbled upon social influence by accident and boasts 2.1 million followers today. She realized she could leverage Instagram to preach the yoga lifestyle and sell classes from anywhere in the world, rocketing her to become one of the top fitness Instagram accounts.
After graduating from school in Stockholm, she traveled to Costa Rica. It was there that she learned the merits of incorporating yoga into her life and hasn’t looked back. As a fitness influencer, she encourages her followers to practice yoga daily with the hashtag #yogaeverydamnday. Rachel also gives intimate insights into its philosophy.
Alexa Jean Brown is a fitness influencer and mother of two. Her goal is to motivate women to squeeze in workouts into their hectic lives. She often shares quick exercise videos on her Instagram page that could fit into the busiest lifestyles.
Alexa has also designed a special fitness guide for expecting mothers. She regularly shares exercises for a partner workout too. A doting mother, she loves to incorporate her daughters in her posts. It’s her way of showing how you can have a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Joe Wicks, the body coach, started out on Twitter before branching out other social media, ultimately creating a top fitness Instagram. With 5 million followers, he’s all about eating healthy and exercising regularly to get into top shape. His claim to fame was his “Lean in 15” cookbook series.
He’s known for sharing food and fitness tips on his social media. Wicks uses his status as a fitness influencer to promote his business, a 90-day program including various workout activities and numerous power recipes from protein balls to muscle salads. He’s featured in prominent publications like The Daily Mail, The Times, Grazia, and Cosmopolitan.
As a teaser, try out his overnight oats recipe. Mix a one-third cup of oats, almond milk, and Greek Yogurt each and a scoop of chocolate whey protein powder. Add bananas, berries, and nuts in the morning. You can thank him later!
When it comes to health and fitness, Instagram is a great resource for finding the motivation to get and stay fit. As a brand too, it’s the perfect platform for you to promote your offerings and improve your visibility. Numerous fitness experts and influencers leverage the tool to connect with their followers. All you need to do is identify the right influencers for your brand.
Instagram has numerous markets from fitness to cooking, and even beauty influencers. You’re sure to find what you’re looking for. With so many choices, it’s important to keep track of various fitness influencers on social media.
Learn more about influencer marketing: Influencer Marketing 101
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