The Ultimate Guide To Digital Marketing For Endurance Coaches

Why Digital Marketing Matters for Endurance Coaches

Endurance coaches help athletes reach peak performance. But to grow a coaching business, you need more than training expertise. You need a steady flow of new clients. That’s where digital marketing comes in. A solid strategy helps you get noticed, build trust, and turn followers into paying clients.

This guide covers simple, effective ways to grow your coaching business online and can be used as a guide for many other types of businesses too with some minor tweaks. Whether you coach cyclists, runners, or triathletes, these strategies will help you attract more athletes and boost your revenue.

Step 1: Build a Website That Converts

Your website is your online headquarters. It should clearly show what you offer and make it easy for potential clients to contact you.

Key Elements of a Strong Coaching Website

• Clear Offer – Explain what you do and who you help in one sentence.

• Easy Navigation – Keep menus simple. Visitors should find key pages fast.

• Mobile-Friendly Design – Many people browse on their phones. Your site should work well on all screens.

• Calls to Action (CTAs) – Tell visitors what to do next (e.g., “Book a Free Call”).

• Client Testimonials – Show proof that your coaching works.

• Simple Contact Form – Make it easy for people to reach out.

Bonus Tip: Start a Blog & Add a Lead Magnet

Writing blog posts helps your site rank on Google. Answer common questions endurance athletes have. Topics can include training tips, race day nutrition, or injury prevention.

You should also add a lead magnet. This can be something like a 4-week FTP boost training plan, Couch to 5km plan, FTP calculator, etc. And tho see the results, a user must submit their email address.

Step 2: Master Social Media

Social media helps you connect with athletes, build authority, and generate leads. Focus on platforms where endurance athletes spend time. I would recommend Instagram, Facebook groups, and don't overlook Strava...

Best Platforms for Endurance Coaches

• Instagram – Great for sharing workout clips, client wins, and training tips.

• Facebook – Useful for community building, private groups, and local event promotion.

• YouTube – A strong channel for in-depth training advice and coaching insights.

• LinkedIn – Ideal for networking with other professionals in the industry.

• Strava - Hear me out... Put your coaching business as your name and grab as many 'KOMs' and 'Local Legends' as you can. People will begin to notice. I certainly did when my local coach took all my KOMs! But don't cheat :)

What to Post

• Training Tips – Short, actionable tips for runners, cyclists, and triathletes.

• Behind-the-Scenes – Show your training sessions and coaching process.

• Athlete Success Stories – Share transformations, results, and testimonials.

• Live Q&A Sessions – Answer questions in real time.

• Race Day Coverage – Provide insights and encouragement for upcoming events.

Step 3: Use Email Marketing to Stay Connected

Email marketing keeps you in touch with potential clients. It reminds them why your coaching is valuable.

How to Build an Email List

• Offer a Free Resource – A training plan, race prep checklist, or nutrition guide. See lead magnet tip in Step 1.

• Collect Emails on Your Website – Add a signup form on your homepage.

• Promote Signups on Social Media – Encourage followers to join your list.

What to Send

• Weekly Tips – Short training insights or motivation.

• Exclusive Content – Special resources only for subscribers.

• Client Wins – Showcase real results.

• Limited-Time Offers – Discounts or promotions for your coaching services.

Gotta Nurture Them Leads!

Most leads won’t buy right away—they need time to trust the coach. Lead nurturing educates, engages, and builds trust with potential clients so they convert later. So you can set up a lead nurturing process!

FREE SUPER TIP: Set Up a 5-Email Welcome Sequence (Automated Follow-Up)💡 Use ConvertKit, Mailchimp, or ActiveCampaign to set up email automation.

📩 Email 1 (Right After Sign-Up) – Deliver the Free Lead Magnet

• Subject: “Here’s Your Free FTP Training Plan!”

• Message: Thank them, provide the PDF link, and set expectations for upcoming emails.

📩 Email 2 (Day 2) – Introduce the Coach’s Story

• Subject: “Why I Became a Cycling Coach (And How I Can Help You)”

• Message: Share how they help cyclists improve their performance.

📩 Email 3 (Day 4) – Showcase Testimonials & Social Proof

• Subject: “See How Other Cyclists Are Smashing Their Goals!”

• Message: Share real client results, before/after FTP scores, and success stories.

📩 Email 4 (Day 6) – Education & Engagement

• Subject: “3 Mistakes That Are Slowing Down Your Cycling Progress”

• Message: Provide valuable tips and link to a blog post or YouTube video.

📩 Email 5 (Day 8-10) – The Offer & Call-to-Action

• Subject: “Are You Ready to Take Your Cycling to the Next Level?”

• Message: Offer a free consultation call or limited-time coaching discount.

Ongoing Lead Nurturing: Keep Leads Engaged Until They Convert.

This means sending out newsletter consistently, using retarget on Meta & Google Ads, personalized outreach for leads that are engaging with your content all of the time but haven't converted (Don't worry more on these later) but this keeps your leads warm so when they are ready to convert they pick you!

Step 4: Get Found on Google (SEO Basics)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps your website rank higher when people search for coaching. Here’s how to improve your rankings.

Simple SEO Steps

• Use the Right Keywords – Include terms like “cycling coach near me” or “online triathlon coaching.” or "training plans for beginners"

• Optimize Your Pages – Add keywords in headlines, page descriptions, and image captions. Don't forget them juicy H1 tags! And only use one per page... Google is watching...

• Write Blog Content – Answer common questions endurance athletes search for and tailor it to intent i.e Don't target an informational keyword with a 'salesy' page.

• Get Backlinks – Collaborate with other websites to get links to your site.

• Claim Your Google Business Profile – Helps local athletes find you.

Step 5: Run Ads to Attract More Clients

Online ads help you reach potential clients faster. The best platforms for endurance coaches are:

• Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) – Target athletes based on interests and behaviors.

• Google Ads – Show up when people search for coaching.

• YouTube Ads – Run short, engaging video ads showcasing your expertise.
  

Start small with a test budget and adjust based on results but your budget needs to mean something to you! You don't want to over spend but when starting off you need some skin in the game! As soon as you can, you need to understand the Lifetime Value (LTV) and your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). This will enable you to understand how much you can spend on paid ads to bring in new leads.

You want to keep it above 3:1 ratio (so for every €1 you spend on ads you make 3€). If your ratio is like 12:1 or 10:1 up how much you are spending until it gets to a ratio of like 5:1... And that's what we call printing money... And don't forget to include all your advertising costs in your CAC, so if you work with a digital marketing expert like me, then whatever you're paying is also part of your CAC.

Also... With Google Ads, yes creating your first ad is overwhelming with all the options. But keep it simple at the start because Google needs to learn about your site visitors before you start the funky ad campaigns! Start with 'leads' as your objective and a 'search campaign', focus on your ad copy, ideally you will have a dedicated landing page for users to land on with no header to reduce the noise and have everything focused on the CTA.

Make sure you have conversions set up. Use Google Tag Manager if you have limited coding knowledge for Google Ads and Meta Pixel for Meta Ads. If you can't track correctly it's pointless. It would be like you trying to assess if your athlete is improving with no heart rate data and no power data... Torture...

Step 6: Turn Followers Into Clients

Marketing is about more than just getting attention. You need to convert leads into paying clients. You will sell best when the lead is at their highest state of pain. My own coach sold me pretty fast as I was burntout and bored of using an online 'AI' trining platform for 3+ years. She went through the benefits she can offer, how to solve my problem, and most importantly to me... Improve.

So make sure you are selling the dream... and not training plans... Sell the pro contract, or the top of the podium, or the feeling of completing their first Gran Fondo, marathon, or Ironman... Not the hours of pain to get there :)

How to Convert Leads

• Offer a Free Consultation – Let potential clients experience your coaching.

• Follow Up with Leads – Many people need reminders before making a decision.

• Create a Strong Offer – Make it clear what they get when they sign up.

• Use Testimonials & Case Studies – Show proof that your coaching works.

Final Thoughts

Digital marketing can help endurance coaches grow their businesses. Start with a solid website, use social media wisely, build an email list, improve your SEO, and run ads to attract more clients. Most importantly, be consistent. Marketing takes time, but the effort pays off.

Yes... That is a lot of work... But done correctly, it will pay off. And if you think it's too much work to do alone aaaand keep up your level of coaching don't worry I can help as much or as little as you need with marketing your coaching business!

Book a free consultation today and let's talk about your business!