A representative sample of 1,000 fitness influencers working on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and blogs were analyzed for this study based on data collected between January – December 2020. Our experts have analyzed sponsored influencer posts and identified collaborations with over 100 fitness apparel and nutrition brands giving insights into the performance of influencer marketing in the fitness industry.

This report is powered by Upfluence.

Learn how to apply the data shared in the Fitness & Nutrition Industry report to your own influencer strategy with 6 data-driven recommendations for Fitness marketers in Decoding Influencer Marketing Strategies for the Fitness Industry

The Fitness & Nutrition Industry

The fitness apparel industry has historically been dominated by big players such as Nike and Adidas. According to Statista they generated a combined revenue of $64 billion dollars in 2018/19. But they are being challenged by newer brands such as Gymshark and Alo Yoga, that cater to different niches in the market. In 2020, these brands saw increased growth spurred by the confinement measures in the US. The US sales for Gymshark products grew by 150% year-on-year in July and August 2020, and Alo Yoga was named as the fastest-growing sportswear brand according to Heuritech. This surely signifies a shift towards D2C apparel brands, who understand the changing demographics of the fitness industry consumers. Fitness apps and wearable tech are most popular amongst women and MillenninalsThe growing interest in health and fitness has also boosted the sports nutrition industry, expected to be valued at US$ 60.13 Billion by 2026

logos thumbnail

Number of fitness influencers across platforms

Instagram and YouTube are the most popular platforms with fitness influencers

Most common platform combinations for fitness influencers.

Average number of followers

Fitness influencers on YouTube have the highest number of followers on average.  

Average engagement across platforms

Fitness influencers on TikTok have the highest engagement rates among the leading channels.   

TikTok and Instagram are the social platforms where fitness influencers generate the most engagement. 

Instagram audience

Gender split 

Age break-down

Top 5 countries

43% of audiences are from other countries.

Instagram engagement

Average engagement rate by influencer size. Fitness micro influencers have the highest engagement rate on Instagram. 

Micro: > 15K followers
Regular: 15K – 50K followers
Rising: 50K – 100K followers
Mid-size: 100K – 500K followers
Macro: 500K – 1M followers
Mega: > 1M followers

Average engagement rate by influencer age

Average engagement rate by influencer gender

Number of engagements on sponsored posts by brand niche

Number of sponsored posts 

YouTube views

Mega influencers generate the highest number of views on YouTube. 

Micro: > 15K followers
Regular: 15K – 50K followers
Rising: 50K – 100K followers
Mid-size: 100K – 500K followers
Macro: 500K – 1M followers
Mega: > 1M followers

Average views by age range

Average views by gender

YouTube views on sponsored posts by brand type

TikTok likes

Average likes by age range

Micro: > 15K followers
Regular: 15K – 50K followers
Rising: 50K – 100K followers
Mid-size: 100K – 500K followers
Macro: 500K – 1M followers

Average likes by gender

Top hashtags across platforms

Top Instagram hashtags

Top YouTube hashtags

Top TikTok hashtags

Some Top Performing Fitness Influencers for You

whitneysimmons
@whitneyysimmons
  • 76% audience is female
  • 3.2M followers on Instagram
  • 113K average likes
jimstoppani
@jimstopanni
  • 76% audience is male
  • 367K followers on Instagram
  • 72% audience in US
blogilates insta
@blogilates
  • 2.3M followers on TikTok
  • 63K average likes
  • 96% audiene is real
jeremy 2
 @jeremyethier
  • 3.1M subscribers on YouTube
  • 342K average views
  • 43% audience in the US
hannaoeberg
@hannaoeberg
  • 2M followers on Instagram
  • Post effectiveness 98%
  • 54K average likes
pamela insta
@pamelareif
  • 5.4M followers on YouTube
  • 1.8M average views
  • 89% audience is female