How sports nutrition brands can win with organic content

The UK sports nutrition market is on a steep upward climb, forecast to nearly double from $1.4 billion in 2023 to $2.6 billion by 2030. As more consumers seek products that align with their fitness and wellness goals, brands must act early in the customer journey to build awareness and establish trust.

Yet in an increasingly saturated market, standing out is not about spending more on ads; it's about showing up where it counts. With paid media costs rising (UK advertising spend reached £10.6 billion in Q3 2024 alone), brands must focus on sustainable growth through organic strategies that attract customers early in the funnel and nurture them toward purchase.

This first part in our three-part series explores how leading UK sports nutrition brands are building top-of-funnel visibility with SEO-driven content, brand collaborations, and tailored landing experiences.

Building brand awareness through strategic SEO content

Many brands reach a point of diminishing returns with paid advertising. While increasing your budget can initially lead to better results, the growth often slows down as market saturation occurs and competition rises.

At the awareness stage, the goal is to get on your target customer's radar in a genuine, value-driven way. This means utilising SEO-driven content, strategic partnerships, and engaging social media to spark discovery rather than solely leaning on paid ads. Recent trends show that organic search and brand-driven content are still king for discovery – for instance, one major UK nutrition retailer sees roughly 26% of its site traffic come from Google organic search​. With 68% of online experiences starting with a search engine, the brands that are winning are those that have a robust awareness stage in motion.

SEO content & educational hubs

Many top brands have built content hubs to answer common questions and showcase their expertise in fitness and nutrition. Myprotein and Bulk routinely publish workout plans, recipes, and supplement guides that rank on Google, pulling in thousands of visitors looking for fitness guidance. Discount Supplements, for example, hosts a 'Health hub' of articles on topics like protein types and training programs on its site​. By satisfying user intent with useful content, these brands gain trust early. This approach boosts traffic and primes visitors with knowledge, a valuable first step in the funnel.

Influencing and brand partnerships

Collaborations can quickly boost awareness by tapping into existing audiences. Grenade's 2023 partnership with Oreo to launch a co-branded protein bar is a great example – the legendary Oreo Protein Bar took the nutrition space by storm in the UK​, introducing Grenade to countless new customers via Oreo's mainstream appeal.

On a smaller scale, micro-influencers in fitness or nutrition can drive discovery on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. The key is authenticity: partner with creators or brands that align with your ethos so the exposure feels like a genuine recommendation, not just an advert. These collaborations can light a spark on social media and get word-of-mouth flowing, feeding more people into your funnel.

On-site landing experience

Once a person clicks through (from Google or social), ensure your landing experience immediately communicates your brand's value and story. A great UK example is FitKit's website, which Visualsoft helped revamp with engaging, campaign-driven content.

FitKit, a home fitness retailer, launched a 'Fit in 30' content campaign featuring a comprehensive fitness guide co-created with experts​. This guide highlighted home workout benefits and relevant products, resonating with consumers during the cost-of-living crunch.

You should sign up approximately 5% of your total website traffic to your email subscriber lists. Pop up forms are a good opportunity to opt in new visitors or returning customers. You can also A/B test these forms based on content, products and the offer.

The result? A boost in traffic and brand interest. FitKit's campaign boosted site sessions by 56%, attracting 57% more new shoppers​. They captured attention and kept visitors exploring by offering valuable content (a free guide) front and centre on the landing page. Such an approach shows that even with a modest budget, creative content, and a smooth site experience (fast, mobile-friendly, and on-brand) can significantly increase top-of-funnel momentum. In FitKit's case, awareness efforts even translated to sales, smashing revenue targets with a 166% increase during the campaign​ – underscoring that awareness done right lays the groundwork for conversions down the line.

Key takeaway

Be where your customers are looking in the awareness phase. Create shareable, searchable content that educates or entertains, and use partnerships to widen your reach. 

Every touchpoint (blog post, Instagram challenge, landing page hero banner) should tell a consistent brand story and invite the consumer to learn more. Remember, the goal here isn't an immediate sale; it's planting the seed of trust and interest.

Building the funnel’s foundation

Your awareness strategy must be consistent across every touchpoint. From blog posts and search rankings to influencer posts and landing page design, each element should reinforce your brand story and offer a clear next step. The goal is not to push for an immediate sale but to plant the seed of trust and recognition.

Ready to scale your sports nutrition brand with a proven organic strategy? Get in touch with our fitness and nutrition expert, Mike Gartland, and book your free consultation today.

Next in our sports and nutrition series:

Part 2: Consideration that captures – Turning interest into action on your site