With Google indexing professional profiles since July 2025, retroactively including posts from as far back as January 1, 2020, the content you’ve already posted could now be working for you in search. 

And if you’re just getting started, you can still take advantage of this shift from day one. You keep hearing about “using keywords in your captions,” but you’re not sure what that really means. 

In this guide, we’ll walk through the updated 2025 Instagram marketing playbook: how to market on Instagram, optimize your profile for search, use AI to save time, and more.

What is Instagram Marketing?

Instagram marketing is the strategic use of the popular social media platform, Instagram, to promote and grow a business or brand. It involves creating and sharing engaging content, like photos and videos, to connect with your target audience. 

And if you’re still thinking Instagram is “just social,” here’s a quick reality check from the latest reports: 

• Instagram has nearly 2 billion monthly active users, making it the third most-used social platform globally.
• Users spend an average of 12 hours per month on the app, primarily on mobile devices.

It’s not just users that are showing up. It’s brands and businesses too.

• 90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand.

The average engagement rate across posts sits at a solid 6.01%, and that number gets even better when you use Reels, carousels, and influencer collaborations.

📝 Check Out: The Personal Trainer Social Media Cheat Sheet

Why Use Instagram Marketing?

Instagram marketing has become an important tool for businesses for several reasons:

1. Visual appeal: Instagram’s visual appeal is ideal for showcasing products, services, and your brand’s unique personality through images and videos.
2. Broad reach: With over a billion active users, Instagram let’s you connect with potential customers from various demographics.
3. Engagement: The platform’s interactive features, including likes, comments, and direct messaging, let businesses engage with their audience directly. Therefore helping build a strong rapport and customer loyalty.
4. Brand exposure: Instagram’s user-friendly interface and the potential for posts to go viral can significantly boost your brand’s visibility.
5. Advertising opportunities: Instagram offers lots of advertising options. For example, sponsored posts and stories. These help businesses target their niche and achieve specific marketing objectives.
6. Analytics and insights: Instagram provides valuable data on post performance, follower demographics, and engagement, helping businesses refine their marketing strategies.

Finally, by harnessing the power of Instagram marketing, businesses can ultimately achieve their marketing goals.

3 Key Updates and Future Trends in Instagram Marketing 

#1: Google Indexing – Discoverability Beyond the Feed

With Google now indexing Instagram, your social posts are more visible in mainstream search results, giving Instagram the potential to replace or supplement traditional websites as the central “sales funnel” for many businesses. 

For businesses, this means: 

• Public Instagram content can reach a broader audience, not just platform users.
• Instagram posts can act as landing pages, directly discoverable via Google. 
• Brands enjoy an additional “SEO channel,” driving more organic traffic without traditional website reliance.

#2: Social Commerce is the Default

With linkable Reels, in-app checkout, product tags, and shoppable posts, selling coaching programs, digital downloads, or even merch can now happen entirely inside Instagram. 

The 2025 Sprout Social Index found that 29% of users make purchases on Instagram. For fitness professionals, Instagram marketing means:

• You can now use Reels and carousels as direct selling tools
• Clients can buy without leaving the platform, reducing drop-off 
• Offers like “link in bio” are now just one part of a bigger in-app funnel

#3: AI Tools – End-to-End Funnel Automation

If you think AI is just for writing captions or designing posts in Canva, you’re missing the bigger picture.

In 2025, you can use AI to plan your content, spin ads, test offers, automate DMs, and trigger full workflows, without needing tech skills. 

What used to take a team now takes one trainer and a few smart tools. (And a bit of a harmless trial and error.)

Here’s how AI can boost your Instagram marketing plan:

• Generate content: Draft captions, repurpose Reels, and design graphics automatically.
• Spin up ads: Create multiple variations of copy, visuals, and CTAs in seconds.
• Test offers: Launch and compare angles without touching Ads Manager.
• Automate workflows: Trigger DMs, lead captures, or CRM actions from post saves, link clicks, or replies.
• Auto-reply in DMs: Qualify leads, send resources, or book calls with AI chatbots.

📝 Read More: 5 Ways You Can Use Instagram to Generate Leads for Your Fitness Business 

10-Step Guide to Instagram Marketing for Fitness Professionals

#1: Optimize Your Profile for Search and Conversion

120M+ users visit a business profile and take action each month, and 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business. With your profile now searchable via Google, it’s more than a bio; it’s your landing page.

Do this:

• Add keywords in your Name field (e.g., “Jess | Menopause Fitness Coach”)
• Use a clear bio: who you help, what you offer, and how to get started. Here’s an example sentence to customize: “Helping [niche audience] achieve [specific result] without [common objection].”
• Make the next step super clear by including a strong CTA + link (to a quiz, freebie, or trial)
• Set up Highlights as funnel steps: Start Here, Results, Offer, FAQs

📝 Read More: How to Make Your Fitness Business Stand Out on Instagram 

#2: Build a Strong Visual Brand Identity

Your feed should look like your brand, not a random scroll. A consistent visual style is the foundation of a good fitness Instagram strategy.

And when it comes to social media marketing for trainers, simplicity and repeatability matter more than complexity.

Do this:

• Pick 1–2 fonts, 2–3 brand colors, and stick to them
• Use the same filter or editing style across photos
• Include you in your content, people buy from faces, not logos
• Make Reels, Stories, and posts feel like part of the same world

#3: Use AI to Streamline Your Look, Setup, and Delivery

Building from the previous point, you can use ChatGPT to help define your visual brand, including tone, messaging, and content types. 

Then plug that into Canva to build a few reusable fitness templates for Reels, carousels, and Stories that match your style.

From there, use Instagram marketing tools like Beacons to automate content delivery, product links, or lead magnet access. 

If you’re using ABC Trainerize, connect your IG to automate onboarding, upsells, or message sequences inside your branded app.

📝 Read More: AI for Personal Trainers: Your Secret Weapon for 2025 Success

#4: Use Keywords, Not Just Hashtags

By using the phrases your clients actually search for, you help your post show up when they’re looking for solutions, advice, or products, turning Instagram into a source of organic leads and customers, not just likes.

Use these personal trainer Instagram tips to improve profile visibility and discoverability:

• Think of every post as a “mini-webpage” for SEO.
• Structure captions with a headline (problem/solution/value), body (details, storytelling), then a call-to-action. 
• Think in search phrases. Use questions, pain points, or specific phrases that your clients DM you.
• Add your city or niche in your bio and Name field. Geotagging is important.
• Match your language to search intent: write what people type, questions, solutions, specific services, etc.

Example Transformation:

Swap the old: “#fitspo #workoutmotivation 💪”  for the new: “Lose weight with PCOS: Easy home workouts for busy women”.

Swap the old: “Weekend vibes 🥗” for the new: “High-protein salad recipes for weight loss”.

#5: Partner, Tag, and Collaborate Strategically

Brands earn an average of $4.12 for every $1 spent on influencer campaigns on Instagram. But the good news is you don’t have to break the bank with Instagram influencer marketing to grow; small collaborations often outperform it. 

Look for local creators, instructors, clients, or micro accounts (1K–10K followers) who already speak to your audience.

Do this:

• Tag your clients in Reels, carousels, and Stories (with permission)
• Collaborate with local businesses, creators, or professionals in your niche
• Use the Collab feature for shared posts and Reels; it shows up on both profiles
• Repost content from your clients or community (with credit) to build social proof

#6: Brainstorm Instagram Content Ideas for Coaches

You can create a schedule of the different types of posts you would like to share, so you are not always posting the same thing. 

This applies not only to the content type, but also to the post type. Change it up!

• MONDAY: Post a quick workout Reel with a song you love to jam out to!
• TUESDAY: Share a carousel of a client’s progress (make sure you get their permission)!
• WEDNESDAY: Share a “Day-in-the-Life” of your typical day in Stories!
• THURSDAY: Provide a workout tip or demonstrate proper form for a move.
• FRIDAY: Share a testimonial.
• SATURDAY: Share a healthy meal option (preferably one of your meals from your meal plan!).
• SUNDAY: Re-share a great post from one of your clients, and celebrate their success.

Or, you create a schedule that includes several different types of posts and repeat it:

1: A workout photo from your gym/studio.
2: A healthy meal.
3: Progress photos—make sure to discuss physical progress, but also emotional!
4: A workout video.
5: A motivational quote or a quick tip. Create these in Canva!
6: Share something personal about your day that will inspire or entertain your audiences (your first coffee of the day, a mistake you made, or a meeting with a friend).

#7: Monetize With Shops, Reels, and Direct Links

With the Shop feature, you can sell coaching, programs, meal plans, merch, or even workshops without making followers leave the app.

Do this to grow your fitness brand on Instagram:

• Instagram Shop: Add digital or physical products and set up in-app checkout
• Tag Products in Reels: Demo a program or product, then tag it so viewers can buy instantly
• Links in Reels & Stories: Send viewers to a freebie, trial, or paid offer without “link in bio” friction
• Bundle Offers: Combine a training plan + nutrition guide, or a coaching package + habit tracker, and promote it in short, benefit-led Reels
• Limited-Time Offers: Use countdown stickers in Stories or pinned posts for urgency

#8: Create Instagram Stories, Reels, Carousels

Stories keep you in front of followers daily, Reels expand your reach, and carousels drive saves and shares. Use all three to stay top of mind and in the algorithm’s favor.

• Stories: Share quick, behind-the-scenes moments, workouts, client wins, meal prep, or personal snapshots. Save the best for Highlights (Start Here, Results, Services, FAQs) so new followers know exactly what you do.
• Reels: Your fitness Reels strategy should focus on quick tips, transformations, and clear calls to action.
• Carousels: Use step-by-step tips, progress breakdowns, or myths vs. facts posts. These tend to get more saves, which helps your content keep circulating.

📝 Read More: How to Film Workout Videos for Instagram 

#9: Switch to an Instagram Business Profile

A business account will offer you extra tools and features, like choosing a category for your account and offering an email CTA on your profile. 

You’ll also be able to use promoted posts to increase your profile’s reach and generate new leads. It also gets you access to analytics, which you can use to track your growth and engagement. 

Do this:

• Switch to Professional > Business in Instagram settings
• Add your category (e.g., “Personal Trainer,” “Fitness Coach”) for SEO and trust
• Turn on Contact Buttons (Email, Call, Directions) so clients can reach you instantly 
• Use Insights to track:
  • Which posts get the most saves, shares, and profile visits
  • When your audience is online
  • Which Stories or Reels drive the most link clicks 
• Post more of what performs, less of what doesn’t, this is how you grow without guessing

#10: Make Instagram Part of Your Funnel – and a Funnel in Itself

Your social media profile should act like a mini coaching funnel: every post, Story, and link should move people closer to taking action.

Do this:

• Top of funnel: Use Reels to attract cold leads with searchable, problem-based content. Trying to go viral is a good idea, too, or boost your reels to attract more guaranteed eyes. The result is the same: your pipeline gets filled, and you can then proceed to filter them.
• Middle of funnel: Use Stories, Highlights, and carousels to show proof, explain your offer, and build trust. Here, interested people will show up, and your next step is to nurture them.
• Bottom of funnel: Use link stickers, pinned posts, or DM automation to deliver lead magnets, start free trials, or sell directly. This is about nurturing, showing more value, but also about explaining and sharing those last details like specific solutions, schedule, timeline, toolkit, and budget. 

The good news with Instagram marketing is that businesses like yours don’t always need a website anymore. Instead of spending time and money maintaining one, you can invest in tools like Beacons or ABC Trainerize, depending on the level of comprehensiveness you require. 

But your Instagram funnel needs to be neat. Ask yourself this: If someone lands on your profile today, can they figure out what you do and what to do next in 10 seconds?

Bonus Tip: Ethics & Etiquette in Gym Filming

Instagram content shouldn’t come at the cost of someone else’s privacy. In 2025, filming without consent is one of the fastest ways to damage your brand.

Do this:

• Get permission before filming clients, even if it’s just in the background
• Blur or crop out people who didn’t agree to be on camera
• Post signs in your studio if you regularly shoot content
• Use forms or waiver clauses for ongoing consent from clients in group settings

Building Your Instagram-to-Client Funnel With ABC Trainerize

Instagram marketing for personal trainers isn’t optional anymore; it’s your #1 tool for lead generation, sales, and client retention in 2025.

This is how you turn your Instagram marketing strategy into a working funnel:

1. You post a Reel with a quick glute workout
2. Add a link in bio to a free 7-day challenge 
3. Deliver the challenge through ABC Trainerize 
4. Upsell into your coaching program.

This system turns engagement into Instagram lead generation with a clear conversion path. Each step moves them closer to becoming a paying client, and with ABC Trainerize, you can automate the entire backend.

Here’s how it works inside ABC Trainerize:

• Lead magnet delivery: Upload your 7-day challenge as a Program (workouts, habits, nutrition), then share it through a direct invite link. The client downloads the app and sees everything in your branded environment.
• Auto-onboarding: Set up welcome messages, day-by-day check-ins, and automated nudges.
• In-app upsells: Use milestones (e.g., completed three workouts, logged five habits) to trigger upgrade offers or trial-to-paid transitions.
• CRM & messaging: Tag leads, track who finished the challenge, and follow up with in-app messages, email, or SMS (if integrated).

So, whether you’re just starting or looking to level up your Instagram game, ABC Trainerize can be your trusted companion on the path to Instagram marketing success.

Download your free 30-day trial to get started today!