Why Short-Form Content Is Failing Coaches (And What to Do Instead)
Marketing For Fitness Coaches Podcast with Kandace Dickson | CoachRx Podcast Network
You’re Doing the Work.
You’ve been posting.
You’re filming reels.
You’re chasing trends, writing hooks, and trying to “stay consistent.”
But despite all the effort, the content, the likes, the views, your calendar isn’t filling with consults.
And deep down, you’re wondering:
“Why isn’t this working?”
If that’s you, this episode is for you.
The Truth About Short-Form Content
We’ve all heard it:
“Get on TikTok.”
“Reels are where the attention is.”
“You just need to go viral.”
But here’s what no one is saying loud enough:
Most coaches are burning themselves out trying to win the short-form game… and they’re still not signing more clients.
Short-form content is great at giving you a dopamine hit: views, likes, maybe a few follows.
But attention isn’t the same thing as trust.
And without trust?
You don’t have clients.
The 7-11 Rule (And Why It Changes Everything)
There’s a concept in marketing called the 7-11 Rule:
People need 7 hours of exposure across 11 different interactions
before they’re ready to buy from you.
Now imagine trying to build that with 30-second reels.
That’s 840 videos just to create enough trust for someone to consider working with you.
And with how social algorithms work, most people will never even see more than a handful of your videos.
Even if they do, they’re scrolling in “entertain me” mode not in “solve my problem” mode.
That’s the disconnect.
So What Does Work?
→ Long-Form Content
Long-form content is the secret most coaches overlook and the shift smart ones are starting to make.
When someone spends 5, 10, or 20 minutes with you, they:
Hear your ideas
Feel your coaching energy
Get to know how you think
That’s where trust starts to build.
And that’s when people start seeing you as their coach, before they ever book a call.
Make It Your Weekly Content Anchor
You’ve heard me talk about this before: your Weekly Content Anchor.
It’s your one deep piece of content each week; a podcast episode, a blog, a long-form video that becomes the hub for everything else.
Then, from that anchor, you pull:
Reels and short clips
Carousels
Quotes
Emails
Lead magnet CTAs
You create once, then repurpose strategically.
That’s how you build a sustainable system.
Why Long-Form Wins for Coaches
1. Trust is built faster.
Long-form content lets your audience sit with you.
They get to hear your frameworks, your story, and your heart for coaching.
That builds connection — the kind that actually converts.
2. It’s evergreen.
Unlike reels that disappear after a few days, long-form content keeps working for you.
When published on YouTube or your site, it shows up in search. It gets shared. It builds over time.
Your anchor becomes a long-term asset — not just a fleeting trend.
What About Short-Form?
Don’t ditch short-form completely. Just change its role.
Use short-form to:
Drive traffic to your anchor
Tease the topic of your episode
Share a takeaway or client win
Reels aren’t the strategy — they’re the supporting act.
A Smarter, Simpler Strategy for Coaches
Here’s what it can look like:
✅ One weekly anchor (podcast, video, blog)
✅ 2–3 short-form pieces clipped from it
✅ Clear CTA to your lead magnet
✅ Consistent invitations to connect
Simple. Strategic. Sustainable.
And most importantly, effective.
Final Thoughts
If short-form has you spinning your wheels…
If you’re constantly posting but never really connecting…
Let’s make the shift.
Let’s build your trust bank, not your view count.
Let’s make marketing part of your coaching practice, not your full-time job.
Let’s give your people something real to connect with — and build from there.
You’ve got this. Let’s build trust, not trends.
Next Steps
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And don’t forget, Marketing for Fitness Coaches is part of the CoachRx Podcast Network — a collection of shows designed to elevate the coaching conversation. Discover more shows in the CoachRx Podcast Network here.
👉 Have questions? If you have a question or want feedback on your lead magnet idea, DM me on Instagram @marketingforfitnesscoaches or @coachrx.app
👉 Stay ahead of the curve and provide the best for your clients with CoachRx.
