u/Mellosteph

I have an agency and I’m trying to understand why some creators with 50k followers barely get comments, while smaller accounts have people constantly replying, saving posts and sharing their videos.

A viral post can bring you thousands of followers, but a lot of them might only care about that one video. Growing an audience and building an engaged audience are two different things, here’s what I discovered:

1)-Likes aren’t everything:

Likes are probably the easiest and weakest form of engagement. Comments, saves, shares and DMs tell you much more about whether people actually found the content useful or relatable.

A post with fewer likes but a lot of saves and shares can be way more valuable than a random viral video.

2)-Make content people would send or save:

Broad content is easy to scroll past, a specific content performs better because people immediately recognize themselves in it.

“Fitness tips” is vague “Things I wish I knew before joining a gym” feels much more personal.

Tutorials, checklists, comparisons and step by step posts also tend to get saved because users can come back and use tem later.

3)-Reply like a real person:

Ask a follow-up question, add some context or react to what they actually said in the comments, once people realize you genuinely reply, they’re much more likely to comment again.

4)-Stop using lazy CTAs:

“Thoughts?” or “Comment below” are so generic that most people just keep scrolling.

Specific questions are easier to answer, so ask people to choose between two options, share one experience or say what they would do differently.

5)-Don’t turn into a brand account:

People connect more with content that feels natural, you can plan your videos without making them sound like they’re ads

Too many sponsored posts can also hurt trust, if every other video promotes a completely different product, ur followers will unfollow you

The main takeaway is that follower count alone doesn’t mean much. A smaller audience that comments, saves, shares and trusts you can be much more valuable than a huge passive one.

I found a more detailed breakdown on the SideShift blog while looking into this:

https://sideshift.app/blog/how-to-grow-influencer-engagement

Fitness UGC looks easy from the outside. You film yourself working out, show a supplement or an app, say a few things about it and send the video to the brand. In reality, fitness is one of those niches where people immediately notice when something feels forced. You don’t need to be a professional athlete or have an amazing physique, but the product has to make sense inside your actual routine. Here’s how I’d approach it as a beginner:

1)Choose a specific fitness angle Calling yourself a “fitness creator” is probably too broad, it’s much easier to create convincing content when you have a more specific angle, like running, beginner gym content, home workouts, meal prep, recovery, yoga or trying to stay active while working full-time. A running app will probably prefer someone who regularly posts about running over a general lifestyle creator who has never shown a workout before. Before pitching brands, I’d also post some organic fitness content on my own account. It doesn’t need to go viral. A few workout clips, a realistic morning routine, something you eat before training or a video about a beginner mistake already proves that fitness is actually part of your life.

2)Build the product into a real situation The biggest mistake I see in fitness UGC is making the product feel separate from the rest of the video. Someone films a workout and then suddenly holds a bottle in front of the camera for five seconds. It’s obvious that the sponsorship was added afterward. The product should be part of the situation from the beginning. A fitness app could appear because you never know what to train when you arrive at the gym. A supplement could be part of your pre-workout routine. Recovery equipment makes sense after a difficult session. Activewear should probably be shown while you’re actually moving, not only while standing in front of a mirror. For example, don’t just say that an app creates personalized workouts. Start with the problem of wasting time at the gym because you don’t have a plan, then show the workout the app created for you.

3)Make it feel native to TikTok Fitness content doesn’t always need cinematic lighting, a spotless gym and perfect editing. The video should be clear and the audio should be understandable, but slightly imperfect footage can make the content more believable. A quick clip filmed after a real workout may feel more natural than a perfectly rehearsed testimonial recorded in your bedroom. The hook is still extremely important I’d also film multiple openings for the same video. You can keep most of the content identical and test three completely different first sentences. Sometimes the idea is good and the only thing killing the video is the opening.

4)Talk about problems people really have Not everyone relates to someone with a perfect body doing an advanced workout in an expensive gym. A lot more people relate to feeling uncomfortable at the gym, having no idea which exercises to do, struggling with consistency, training at home or trying to fit workouts around work and university. Fitness content can still be aspirational, but the viewer needs to see themselves somewhere in the story. That’s also why a smaller creator with a specific and engaged audience can sometimes be more useful than someone with hundreds of thousands of random followers. The creator who documents learning how to run their first 10K could be perfect for a running app. Someone who trains at home because they work long hours could be a much better fit for home workout equipment than a professional athlete.

5)Find brands that understand UGC I wouldn’t waste time contacting every fitness company I can find. I’d focus on brands already posting creator content or running UGC-style ads. That could include fitness apps, smaller activewear companies, gyms, recovery products, meal-planning apps, equipment brands and sports accessories. When a company is already using creator videos, you don’t need to explain why UGC matters. You can focus on showing why your content would fit their audience. Even if they change the idea, you’ve already shown that you understand the product and its customer.

6)Don’t lose your own voice Some fitness brands send extremely detailed scripts. Obviously, you need to include the important talking points and avoid making claims the brand hasn’t approved. But reading a script word for word usually makes the content sound unnatural. Fitness content depends heavily on trust. People can tell when someone suddenly starts speaking like a marketing department. I’d ask whether you can rewrite the script using your normal language while keeping the required information and CTA. Your natural delivery is part of what the company is paying for. You should also actually test the product before filming. Use the features of the app, wear the clothing during a workout and understand how the equipment is supposed to be used.

7)Look beyond views Views matter, especially when a campaign is performance-based, but they’re not the only sign that the content worked. A smaller video can still be valuable when people are asking how the product works, saving the workout, sharing their own experiences or tagging someone who might use it. Whenever possible, save screenshots of the results and ask the company whether it can share clicks, conversions or retention data. That proof will help you land the next deal much more than simply having a nice-looking video in your portfolio. You need a clear angle, a believable routine and the ability to make content people would still watch without the sponsorship. For anyone already doing fitness UGC, which deals have been easiest to find: apps, activewear, equipment, supplements or local gyms?