Bottom Line Up Front: Stop spreading yourself thinner than Marmite on toast across every social media platform. Pick one, master it, then expand. Your sanity (and your coaching business) will thank you.
Social media marketing for coaches is like learning to parallel park – looks terrifying when you’re watching someone else do it, but actually quite manageable once you understand the basic mechanics. The difference? You won’t have 24 cars honking at you while you figure it out.
After working with hundreds of life coaches who’ve gone from social media-phobic to confidently creating content that actually converts, we’ve cracked the code. And no, it doesn’t involve dancing on TikTok (unless that’s your thing).
The Truth About Platform Paralysis
Picture this: You’re standing in the cereal aisle at Tesco, overwhelmed by 247 different options, and you just wanted something crunchy for breakfast. That’s exactly what choosing social media platforms feels like for most coaches building their coaching business.
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, formerly Twitter (sorry, X), Pinterest, YouTube – it’s enough to make your head spin faster than a washing machine on the final cycle. But here’s the thing that’ll save you approximately 24 hours of scrolling through “which platform is best” articles: your ideal clients aren’t hanging out everywhere.
They’re creatures of habit, just like you. Your overwhelmed working mum isn’t checking 24 different social media apps before her morning coffee. She’s probably on Instagram during her commute and maybe LinkedIn during lunch breaks. That’s it.
The Great Platform Breakdown (No Boring Stats, Promise)
LinkedIn: The Networking Event That Never Ends
LinkedIn is like that professional networking event where everyone’s wearing their best blazer and talking about “synergistic opportunities.” Except now people share photos of their breakfast and life lessons from their dog walker.
It’s brilliant for career coaches working with professionals who want to level up their careers without broadcasting their ambitions to the entire office. Think discreet development – helping someone nail that promotion without their current boss catching wind of their 24-step escape plan. This traditional social media platform has evolved into a powerhouse for building your personal brand and establishing thought leadership.
When developing your social media marketing strategy for LinkedIn, focus on sharing valuable insights from your coaching sessions (anonymised, obviously). The audience spends time here looking for professional development, making it perfect for career coaches and business coaches alike.
Instagram: The Beautiful Mess
Instagram is where your ideal clients go to feel inspired and slightly inadequate about their kitchen organisation. It’s visual storytelling at its finest, perfect for showing the transformation journey without the awkward small talk.
Think of it as your digital mood board where authenticity wins over perfection every single time. Those perfectly curated feeds that look like they were designed by a magazine editor? They’re about as engaging as a damp flannel.
For health coaches and life coaches, Instagram offers incredible opportunities for sharing behind the scenes social media content that builds meaningful connections. Your success stories, client transformations, and daily insights become the foundation of your social media presence (and ones that will attract clients).
TikTok: Not Just for Gen Z (Seriously)
If someone told you 24 months ago that your potential clients would be getting life advice from 20-second videos while queuing at Sainsbury’s, you’d have questioned their sanity. Yet here we are.
TikTok isn’t just teenagers doing questionable dance routines. It’s become the place where real conversations happen about real problems. Your 45-year-old client struggling with anxiety? She’s absolutely on TikTok, probably at 11 PM when the kids are finally asleep. She needs a coach. She needs you.
This platform has revolutionised how coaches connect with new audiences, offering a social media marketing tool that prioritises authentic storytelling over polished production values.
The Content Conundrum (Or: What the Hell Do I Actually Post?)
The biggest fear we hear isn’t about which social media channels to choose – it’s about running out of things to say. “What if I post everything I know in the first week and then just… run out of steam?”
Here’s a revelation that’ll change your entire social media marketing plan: you’re not running out of content. You’re maybe overthinking it to the point where you’ve paralysed yourself more effectively than a deer in headlights.
The Diary Approach
Think of social media as your professional diary. Not the “dear diary, today I had a ham sandwich” variety, but the kind where you document insights, lightbulb moments, and those conversations that made you go “bloody hell, that’s exactly what everyone needs to hear.”
That client call where someone realised they’d been using wine as a reward system since university? That’s content gold for your coaching business. The moment you figured out why perfectionism and people-pleasing go together like fish and chips? Pure social media magic that demonstrates your expertise.
The 24-Hour Rule for Creating Content
Every day, something happens that connects to your coaching work. A conversation, an observation, a moment of clarity that hits you like a ton of bricks. Give yourself 24 hours to spot it, then turn it into valuable content.
Yesterday’s realisation that most people treat themselves worse than they’d treat a stranger becomes today’s LinkedIn post about self-compassion. The pattern recognition that took you years to develop becomes bite-sized wisdom for someone just starting their journey with your coaching services.
The Engagement Equation (It’s Not About the Numbers)
Forget follower counts for a minute. If you had 24 people in a room hanging on your every word versus 2,400 people half-listening while checking their phones, which would you choose?
Engagement isn’t about getting thousands of likes – it’s about starting conversations that matter. One comment from someone saying “this is exactly what I needed to hear today” is worth more than 100 heart-eye emojis from your mum’s friends.
The Comment Connection
When someone takes time to comment on your social media posts, they’re basically raising their hand and saying “I resonate with this.” That’s not just engagement – that’s a warm lead disguised as social media interaction.
Respond to every comment like you’re having a cuppa with a mate. Not the corporate “thanks for engaging with our content” nonsense, but genuine human-to-human connection. Those conversations often lead to direct messages, which lead to discovery calls, which lead to new clients.
This approach to community building transforms your social platforms from broadcasting channels into relationship-building tools. Many coaches underestimate the power of genuine engagement in their marketing strategy.
The Consistency Conundrum (Without Burning Out)
“Post every day” is advice that sounds about as appealing as doing your tax return daily. Having said that, if you can, then great. The algorithm will love you more. If you can’t, however, read on.
Think of posting content like watering plants. Little and often beats drowning them once a week then ignoring them for a month. One thoughtful social media post per week that genuinely helps someone trumps seven posts that you’ve thrown together during your lunch break. Life coaches need a life as well.
The Batch Approach to Content Creation
Spend two hours once a week creating content for your future posts. Write three posts, take 24 photos of your coffee from different angles (kidding, but also kind of not), and schedule them out using your content calendar.
It’s like meal prep for your social media marketing strategy. Slightly tedious in the moment, but you’ll thank yourself when Wednesday rolls around and you’re not frantically trying to think of something profound to say about mindfulness while standing in the queue at Boots.
This systematic approach to content creation ensures a steady stream of valuable insights without the last-minute panic that plagues many coaches in their new coaching business ventures.
The Platform-Picking Process
Stop trying to be everywhere at once. You’re not a multinational corporation with a 24-person social media team. You’re a human being with expertise to share and people to help.
The Elimination Method
Cross off any traditional social media platform where you’ve never found yourself naturally scrolling. If you’ve never voluntarily opened TikTok, don’t start your coaching business there. If LinkedIn makes you want to hide under your duvet, maybe Instagram is your calling.
Pick the platform where you already understand the vibe, where you feel comfortable, where you can spot good content from terrible content. That’s your starting point for building your social media presence.
The One-Platform Promise
Commit to mastering one platform for six months. Not dabbling, not “seeing how it goes,” but properly learning how it works, who’s there, and what makes content perform well.
Six months feels like forever when you’re starting out, but it’s barely a heartbeat in the grand scheme of building a coaching business. And here’s the kicker – you’ll learn more about effective social media marketing in those six months than you would spending two years posting randomly across every social media channel.
This focused approach allows you to truly understand your target audience and create content that resonates deeply, rather than spreading yourself thin across multiple social platforms.
The Authenticity Algorithm (Your Secret Weapon)
Algorithms love authentic content because people love authentic content. Stop trying to game the system and start being genuinely helpful. The algorithm isn’t some mysterious beast that needs to be appeased with strategic hashtag sacrifices.
The Real You Strategy
Share your actual thoughts, not what you think your ideal clients want to hear. Talk about the time you realised you were giving advice you needed to hear yourself. Discuss the book that changed your perspective or the conversation that made you question everything.
Your personality isn’t a bug in your coaching business – it’s the feature that sets you apart from the 2.4 million other life coaches trying to sound like corporate wellness robots.
This authentic approach to social media marketing creates meaningful connections that traditional advertising simply can’t match. Your existing audience will appreciate the honesty, and the right audience will find you through genuine storytelling.
Building Relationships Through Social Media
The most successful coaches understand that social media isn’t just a marketing tool – it’s a relationship-building platform. Every interaction is an opportunity to build relationships that could lead to coaching clients down the line.
Whether you’re sharing behind the scenes glimpses of your coaching process or responding to direct messages from potential clients, remember that people buy from people they know, like, and trust. Your social media strategy should focus on building that trust through consistent, valuable interactions.
Consider joining Facebook groups relevant to your niche, contributing to conversations, and sharing your expertise without being salesy. This community-focused approach often yields better results than any paid advertising campaign.
A Strategy That Actually Works
Your strategy doesn’t need to be complicated. Start with these three pillars:
Educational Content: Share insights, tips, and strategies that help your target audience solve problems. This positions you as the expert and provides immediate value. PS that would work really well as a blog post too. PPS we would make a great social media guest writer if you’re out of time. Get in touch.
Inspirational Content: Success stories, motivational posts, and uplifting messages that resonate with people’s aspirations and goals.
Behind the Scenes Content: Personal stories, day-in-the-life posts, and authentic glimpses into your world as a coach. This builds connection and relatability.
Mix these three types across your chosen social platforms, and you’ll have a solid foundation for your social media marketing efforts.
Advanced Strategies for Growing Your Coaching Business
Once you’ve mastered the basics, consider these advanced tactics:
Guest Posting and Collaborations
Guest posting on relevant blogs and collaborating with other coaches can expose you to new audiences and establish you as a thought leader in your field. Look for opportunities to share your expertise on platforms where your ideal clients already spend time.
Email Marketing Integration
Your social media marketing strategy should work hand-in-hand with your email marketing efforts. Use your social platforms to drive traffic to your website and encourage newsletter signups with a compelling lead magnet.
Long Form Content
While social media posts are great for engagement, don’t overlook the power of long form content like blog posts or youtube videos. These pieces can dive deeper into topics, showcase your expertise, and improve your search engine visibility.
User Generated Content
Encourage your coaching clients to share their success stories and tag you in their posts. This user generated content serves as powerful social proof and can attract new clients organically.
Leveraging Different Social Media Platforms
Each platform has its strengths:
Facebook Groups: Perfect for community building and establishing yourself as an expert in your niche. Share valuable insights and answer questions to build trust with potential clients.
Instagram Stories: Great for behind the scenes content and real-time engagement with your audience.
LinkedIn Articles: Ideal for thought leadership content that positions you as an expert in your field.
TikTok: Excellent for reaching new audiences with authentic, relatable content that doesn’t happen overnight but builds momentum over time.
Measuring Success: Key Performance Indicators
Track metrics that matter to your coaching business:
- Engagement rates (comments, shares, saves)
- Direct messages and enquiries
- Website traffic from social media
- Email newsletter signups
- Discovery call bookings
Remember, vanity metrics like follower count matter less than meaningful engagement and actual business results.
The Long Game Approach (Patience, Young Grasshopper)
Social media marketing for coaches isn’t a sprint – it’s more like training for a marathon while juggling. Progress happens slowly, then all at once.
You might post consistently for 3 months and feel like you’re shouting into the void. Then suddenly, one post resonates, gets shared, and brings in 5 first clients. That’s not luck – that’s compound effort finally paying off.
Building meaningful connections and establishing thought leadership takes time. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort and a solid social media marketing plan, results will come.
The 24-Month Vision
Where do you want your coaching business to be in 24 months? Working backwards from that vision will help you stay consistent when the social media motivation inevitably dips.
Every post is a building block towards that future version of your business. Some blocks are more important than others, but they all matter in creating the foundation that supports your long-term goals.
Your Strategic Social Media Action Plan
Week 1-2: Platform Research
- Choose your platform based on where you naturally spend time
- Study what good content looks like in your niche
- Follow 10 coaches whose content you admire (for inspiration, not copying)
- Research where your target audience spends most of their time online
Week 3-4: Content Planning
- Document 24 insights, stories, or tips from your coaching experience
- Create a simple content calendar (nothing fancy – a basic spreadsheet works)
- Write your first week’s worth of posts
- Plan your content strategy around valuable content that serves your ideal clients
Month 2: Consistency Building
- Post regularly (whatever “regular” means for your schedule)
- Engage authentically with others in your space
- Monitor what resonates with your audience
- Start building relationships through genuine interactions
Month 3-6: Refinement and Growth
- Double down on content types that perform well
- Start conversations through comments and DMs
- Track the numbers that matter to your business
- Consider expanding to a second platform once you’ve mastered your first
Advanced Tactics for Established Coaches
Once you’ve built a solid foundation, consider these advanced strategies:
Influencer Collaborations
Partner with other coaches or influencers in complementary niches to reach wider audiences and build credibility through association.
Paid ads
When you’re ready to scale, paid ads can amplify your best-performing organic content to reach more ideal clients. Start small and test what works before increasing your budget.
Evergreen Content Strategy
Create evergreen content that remains relevant over time. This type of content continues to attract new prospect clients long after you’ve published it, maximising your return on investment.
Run VT, Errol
Consider expanding into video content if you haven’t already. Whether it’s youtube videos, Instagram Reels, or TikTok clips, video often has higher engagement rates than static posts.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
We’ve seen coaches make these errors in their social media marketing:
- Trying to be everywhere at once: Focus on mastering one platform before expanding
- Being too salesy: Provide value before asking for anything in return
- Inconsistent posting: A sporadic presence confuses algorithms and audiences alike
- Ignoring engagement: Social media is social – respond to comments and messages
- Not staying up to date: Platform features and best practices evolve constantly
Building Your Personal Brand
Your personal brand is what sets you apart from other life coaches and sober coaches in your space. It’s not just your logo or colour scheme – it’s the personality, values, and unique perspective you bring to your coaching work.
Use your social media presence to showcase what makes you different. Share your methodology, your background, your approach to coaching. Let your personality shine through in every piece of content you create.
Building your tribe
The most successful coaches use social media for community building rather than just broadcasting. They create spaces where their ideal clients feel seen, heard, and supported.
This might mean starting Facebook groups, hosting live Q&A sessions, or simply being consistently helpful in the comments. When you focus on building a community, sales become a natural byproduct of the relationships you’ve fostered.
Working with Paid Ads
While organic reach is great (and free), don’t overlook the potential of paid ads when done strategically. Targeted ads can help you reach ideal clients who might never have found you organically.
Start with small budgets and test different approaches. Use the insights from your organic content to inform your paid ads strategy – if a post performed well organically, it might be worth promoting to a wider audience.
Topics Relevant to Your Audience
Stay connected to the conversations your ideal clients are having. What topics relevant to their struggles are trending? What questions come up repeatedly in your coaching sessions?
Use these insights to inform your social media strategy. When you address the exact problems your audience is facing, engagement naturally follows.
The Bottom Line
Social media marketing for coaches isn’t about viral moments or becoming an influencer. It’s about consistently showing up as the expert you already are, sharing valuable insights that help people, and building meaningful relationships that turn into client connections.
Pick one social media platform. Master it. Be authentically helpful. Stay focused on your ideal clients. Build relationships through genuine engagement. The rest will follow.
Stop overthinking it and start doing it. Your future clients are out there right now, scrolling through their feeds, looking for someone who understands their struggles and has the expertise to help. That someone could be you – but only if you actually show up with a solid social media strategy.
Remember, building a successful coaching business through social media doesn’t happen overnight. It requires patience, consistency, and a willingness to dive deeper into understanding your audience’s needs. But when you get it right, social media becomes one of the most powerful marketing tools in your arsenal.
Whether you’re a career coach, health coach, or life coach, the principles remain the same: provide value, build relationships, and stay consistent. Your coaching business deserves a social media marketing strategy that works as hard as you do.
Ready to start building a social media strategy that actually works for your coaching business? The only thing standing between you and your next client might just be that post you haven’t written yet.
Ready to dive deeper into building your coaching business? Our services cover everything from training to creating a marketing strategy that converts. Because great coaches deserve great businesses.
