Fitness suppliers and distributors are failing to make the most of the internet, with many “losing ground rather than gaining” despite notable growth in the wider fitness market.

That’s according to new research from business intelligence firm Inside Online, whose Fitness Equipment Digital Insights Report looked at the top 50 websites within the UK fitness equipment online market. The report found that 60 per cent of these sites became less visible in search rankings over the past year, with some slipping by more than 50 per cent.

The sector’s top 50 supplier websites were analysed in depth against metrics such as Seasonal Trends, Keyword Competitiveness and Visibility vs Authority, to name a few.

The report notes that the outlook for fitness clubs and equipment overall is positive, with the UK’s fitness equipment market forecast to be worth more than £400m by 2018. It added however, that brands must look more closely at how they integrate their SEO, paid media, content, social and PR campaigns to cement their positions within the search engines and capitalise on the increased demand.

“It’s been a tough year for companies within the fitness equipment sector when it comes to their digital performance,” Inside Online client services director Richard Waters told Health Club Management.

“More brands are losing ground rather than gaining, reflecting the changing nature of digital marketing. Brands need to evolve as their customers do, think less about themselves and more about their customer needs. The requirement for health and fitness brands as a whole is to stop working in silos and start working cross-channel.”

The report comes hot on the heels of an editorial from leisure analyst David Minton, who warned that fitness businesses must take heed of technological advances and future-proof their business, or risk being wiped out entirely.

To view the full Fitness Equipment Digital Insights Report report click here.