When COVID Hit, Video Boomed. Now What?

Anyone who’s present on social media noticed a big boom in video content since the COVID crisis arrived in North America in March. You can’t log on to Instagram without seeing at least a few live videos at every hour of the day. Plus Zoom, Vimeo, IGTV, YouTube and TikTok — which even I found myself getting in on!). In a fascinating Club Intel survey from April, it was reported that 74% of fitness clubs and studios are currently offering video content as a way to engage their clients either through live or on-demand channels… and even more have video plans in the works.

Why video?

So why was video the big trend in the fitness industry’s response to COVID-19? It’s the human factor!

To me, video is the most engaging medium available beyond face-to-face interactions.

Here’s an example of why I think that’s true.

In the Trainerize office, we have TV screens up in our entryway and waiting room. You walk in, and they’re right there. Sometimes, we display graphs depicting company successes and projections. But we also tested workout videos. We’ve played a whole day of Les Mills workout videos from their YouTube channel before!

Guess what? No one looks at the graphs — but everyone stops, looks, and feels a sense of inspiration from the workout videos. At Trainerize, we’ve been building client engagement through digital means since 2008, and now more than ever, we’re taking the most powerful element of tech, AKA video, to bring digital interactions to life.

The pivot to Zoom

When COVID hit, it is not an exaggeration to say that everyone in the fitness industry pivoted to live video, first through Facebook Live and IG Live and then rapidly to Zoom. And it worked!

People, both consumers and industry fit pros, felt naturally connected to video. Look at the studio I attend, Turf. I usually take their classes twice a week, with 25–30 other people in the room. When they started offering their classes on Zoom, I was skeptical. But then they won me over.

On their end, they made the investment to create the most engaging experience possible by transforming their fitness studio into a film studio. With mic’d audio and beautiful, high-quality video, it made all the difference. And on my end, I set myself up by streaming to my flat-screen through my Apple TV and hooking up my speakers. I love it! And the effort is equal — a quick consultation with my Apple Watch shows that I burned around 700–800 calories in a class, just like I would in the studio. Plus, I was having this experience with 200 people around the world! With my webcam switched on, I was still getting called out by the instructor, which made me feel a sense of community, alone in my living room.

Live vs. on-demand video

I’ve been watching the industry shifts closely, and am applying my learnings to adapt Trainerize’s future roadmap. First thing? We’re introducing live video for 1-on-1 sessions. I see this offering flexibility during COVID times, and facilitating consultations beyond it. Think about it: fitness clients don’t want to travel all the way to the gym for a check-in on their nutrition plan, or their fitness progress.

Video can facilitate check-ins and consultations, plus, of course, those training sessions that can’t take place in-person, whether it’s because of COVID, travel schedules, or just for convenience.

We’re also investing in on-demand video in a big way. Here’s why: for live video, there are lots of options in the market. For on-demand, we can be a leader. Convenient, accessible, affordable on-demand video fits cleanly into a post-COVID world, where consumers have all the fitness options available to them. And no, YouTube and IGTV don’t qualify as on-demand platforms. However, using them as lead generation tools — to feed into a marketing funnel for future personalized training — is definitely a valid use for those channels.

Here’s an example of on-demand that works: Peloton. I’ve done about fifty Peloton workouts since getting my bike. And I’ve only done one live class. For me, on-demand can be just as engaging as a live video. Plus, it fits into my schedule. And although I’m taking the class on my own, I still get the feeling of community from the “Here Now” tab, which makes you feel like you’re part of something.

What’s next?

I don’t think video is here to replace in-person gyms, training, or classes.

I wrote about this in a recent article. When clubs are open and health risks are gone, consumers will go back! However, video can (and I believe will!) continue to complement in-person training and further enhance online training, offering consumers a rounded, affordable, flexible fitness routine. Technology is an enabler and a multiplier — providing a channel where businesses can grow exponentially, without the limits of geography and time zones.

The pivot to video shows that both fitness professional and fitness consumers value engagement, and communication, which is exactly what powers Trainerize. Going forward, simply converting what’s done in-person to online video isn’t going to work. As we move forward, coaches need to identify how to integrate video into a larger concept of wellness.

Video can play a valuable role in a diversified fitness program: with in-person training, at-home workouts, habit coaching, nutrition tracking, and more.

And this will create a better experience for users, plus provide better business opportunities for fitness professionals.

So the key takeaways here?

1. Don’t cheap out on video. Put the effort into making it look good, sound good, and work for your customers.
2. Think complement, not replacement. How can video fit into your clients’ 360 approaches to wellness?
3. Look ahead. How can the “new normal” level up the future for your business? Online training can play a key role there!