The Influence of "IFBB Pro" Designation on Consumer Decision-Making in Online Personal Training Services: An Experimental Investigation

Authors

Zehua Hei, University of Northern ColoradoFollow
Alan Morse, University of Northern ColoradoFollow

Abstract

The recent rising health awareness, social media occurrence, and digital access to fitness services promote the growth of online personal training. Drawing upon signaling theory, a recent rising group of trainers, “IFBB Pro” athletes, who are perceived as elite bodybuilders, often signal a high level of expertise and competency in fitness training. With content marketing as the background, posted content plays a key role in this process as social media platforms become increasingly popular for fitness professionals to market their personal training services and attract clients. However, scarce research exists to investigate how this designation influences consumer perceptions and purchase intentions under the effect of posted content. This research, with two experimental studies included, examined how the "IFBB Pro" designation affects consumers' perceived competence of trainers and purchase intentions, with the posted content moderating this effect. Results showed that the designation enhanced perceived competence and further increased the likelihood of service purchase, particularly when fitness-related contents were applied.

Recommended Citation

Hei, Zehua and Morse, Alan (2025) "The Influence of "IFBB Pro" Designation on Consumer Decision-Making in Online Personal Training Services: An Experimental Investigation," Global Sport Business Journal: Vol. 10: Iss. 1, Article 10.
Available at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/gsbj/vol10/iss1/10