How to Create a Fitness Website With WordPress (In 5 Steps)

Creating a stylish and fully-functional, fitness website could help take your gym, studio, or personal training business to the next level. A successful website can promote your business and help you to engage with new clients, as well as enabling people to easily access timetable information, book classes online, and much more. So how do you create a fitness website? 💪

Building a fitness website isn’t rocket science, and by following the five easy steps in this article, you can have your site up and running in no time:

1. Choose a platform (we recommend WordPress)

Before you can start designing your fitness website, you must first decide which platform to use. There are numerous website builders and content management systems (CMS) available that will enable you to create a fitness website.

However, here at Themeisle, we always recommend self-hosted WordPress (this is different from WordPress.com).

There are lots of reasons to use self-hosted WordPress:

• It’s super flexible – you can make your fitness site look and function exactly how you want it to
• The software itself is 100% free (though you’ll need to pay at least a few bucks per month to host it)
• It’s popular – WordPress powers over 33% of all the websites on the Internet
• It’s beginner-friendly, and its popularity means that it’s easy to find help if you need it

2. Select a hosting plan and domain name

If you decide to use WordPress to create a fitness website, then the next step is to select the right hosting plan and a domain name for your project.

Domain name

Your domain name will ideally be the same name as your fitness business, helping your clients easily find you online. If this isn’t possible, you can use a domain name generator to help you find a suitable and relevant name.

You’ll be able to purchase your domain name when you sign up for hosting. Speaking of…

Hosting

While there are lots of hosting options for WordPress, ranging from cheap hosts to pricier managed WordPress hosts, we recommend SiteGround when you’re just getting started.

Here’s why we like SiteGround 👈:

• Affordable, with plans starting at just $2.99 per month
• Site setup wizard makes it super easy to install WordPress and get up and running
• Great support that’s available 24/7
• You can purchase your domain name during the signup process

Once you sign up for SiteGround, you should have a working WordPress site. Now, you need to turn it into a fitness site!

3. Install a fitness theme

One of the major benefits of using WordPress is the wide assortment of themes, plugins, products, and services that are on offer. For someone looking to create a fitness website, you will find a large selection of both free and premium WordPress themes that are suitable for a fitness industry website.

If you want to skip the search, check out this list of the best fitness themes 👈

Otherwise, you can find lots of great free themes in the WordPress Repository. Or you can select a more advanced premium theme from the ThemeIsle or ThemeForest theme shops. When selecting a theme, keep these points in mind…

• Appearance – Unless you want to spend time redesigning your site, choose a site that best reflects your style and branding. Don’t be over-impressed with a theme that boasts 100+ demos – you only need one demo for your website!
• Features – Each theme you look at will contain a different list of features. Select a theme that contains the features that you need and are relevant to your fitness business.
• Customization – If you have an eye for design, and want to create a truly unique website, then it is best to choose a theme that provides advanced customization settings and options.
• Price – Themes differ in price, so select one that fits with your budget. Premium plugins can sometimes be included in the price of a premium theme, which can save you money in the long run.

Always check out the demos and read the reviews of a theme before making a purchase.

4. Add appropriate pages and essential elements

When creating pages and content for your website, make sure they are visually appealing, uncluttered, and reflect your brand. The content quality is important, so take your time to craft and check the text before you publish. Displaying stunning images of your gym or classes in action, to grab the attention of your audience, is also a must.

So what pages and features should your fitness site include?

Homepage

Your homepage should let your audience know what your business is all about. Use large images and/or video to help introduce your potential clients to what you have to offer. Use MetaSlider, a free WordPress plugin, to add slider functionality to your homepage, and really wow your visitors.

Timetable and online booking system

Easy Appointments

Author(s): Nikola Loncar

Current Version: 3.11.11

Last Updated: August 13, 2023

easy-appointments.zip

88%Ratings 20,000+Installs WP 3.7+Requires

A crucial element of any fitness website is a calendar displaying your timetable of classes or PT sessions. Ideally, this should also include an online booking system, making it quick and easy for your clients to book classes online.

We have an entire guide on how to accept appointment bookings with a free plugin called Easy Appointments.

About page

Your About page should promote your fitness business and explain exactly who you are and what you do. Introduce your gym or service, explain your approach to fitness and how it benefits clients. It is also important to share your skills, experience, and qualifications. This will help to demonstrate that you are an expert in your field.

As you create a fitness website, write in a personal and chatty tone to engage your readers. And include pictures of you and anyone in your team, as well as images of your classes in action. This will help portray you as friendly and competent, helping you to connect with your potential clients.

Testimonials

Some fitness websites include testimonials from past and current clients. Show before and after pictures, share positive quotes about your coaching, or even video footage of a client’s work out. Hearing other’s success stories will help inspire potential clients to get in contact with you.

Contact page

Adding a contact page to your website, so clients can easily contact you, is another essential element of a fitness website. Features of a contact page can include…

• Contact form
• Email address and phone number
• Physical address
• Opening times
• Interactive map to help clients find your gym

Most modern WordPress themes will ship with a default contact form. However, if you want to enhance your contact page, consider installing WPForms, a freemium WordPress plugin with advanced contact features.

Contact Form by WPForms – Drag & Drop Form Builder for WordPress

Author(s): WPForms

Current Version: 1.8.4

Last Updated: September 28, 2023

wpforms-lite.1.8.4.zip

98%Ratings 5,000,000+Installs WP 5.5+Requires

5. Add lead generation tools

Focusing on growing your email list and social media following is key for a fitness business, as it will enable you to continue to promote your services to your target audience after they have left your website. So let’s check out some lead generation tools that you can add to your WordPress website…

• Optin Forms and Popups – Popup Maker is a free WordPress plugin that will enable you to add stylish opt-in forms and popups to your fitness website to help grow your mailing list.
• Social Media Buttons – Add Orbit Fox social sharing buttons to your website to encourage your visitors to share your content and follow you on social media.
• Instagram Feed – Sharing fitness related images will help impress potential clients. You have a lot of options for integrating your Instagram feed into WordPress.

Final thoughts on how to create a fitness website

As you can see, building a fitness website is a straightforward process. Once set up, writing regular blog posts is an effective way to keep your static site updated, help improve SEO, and promote your fitness services. So, are you ready to create a fitness website and grow your business?

* This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and then purchase the product, we’ll receive a small fee. No worries though, you’ll still pay the standard amount so there’s no cost on your part.