Revolutionizing at-home Fitness: A Journey with 8fit

Case Study

In a world obsessed with achieving the perfect body, 8fit emerges as a game-changer, transforming the way we approach health and wellness into an empowering, body-positive journey. At its core, 8fit is a health and fitness app that offers a range of effective workouts, personalized meal plans, and self-care guidance. It brings people together on a mission to feel better, both physically and mentally, promoting the idea that small steps lead to significant, lasting changes.

Platform Overview: 8fit Fitness and Wellness App

Headquartered in Berlin, 8fit is a global fitness and wellness app available in six languages, with over 30 million downloads and counting. But it's more than just a fitness app; it embodies an inclusive philosophy that places holistic well-being at the forefront. This philosophy is evident in every aspect of the app, from the engaging workouts to the nurturing self-care guidance.

Empowering Healthy Living

The heart and soul of 8fit lie in its mission to empower individuals on their journey toward better health. This is achieved through an extensive workout library and carefully crafted workout programs. These resources cater to people of all fitness levels and goals, whether they want to lose weight, build muscle, or improve their overall fitness.

Goals and Objectives

The primary goal of this project was to provide users with a comprehensive, flexible, and engaging fitness experience. By recording over 300 exercises and creating a series of workout programs spanning ten different difficulty levels, ranging from Elementary to Champion, the project aimed to meet users wherever they were in their fitness journey. Each level offered a unique challenge, with five sub-levels composed of six diverse workouts, that incorporated various exercise sequences and repetition schemes. The objective was to inspire users to commit to their well-being by offering accessible at-home workouts that required minimal equipment.

Empowering At-Home Fitness Seekers

Problem Statement

The Challenge

Before 8fit, the fitness industry lacked a solution to help people achieve their health goals without relying on the gym or personal trainers. Many felt overwhelmed and disconnected from their fitness aspirations, highlighting the need for change.

The Need for Comprehensive Content

To address this challenge, 8fit recognized the importance of providing users with personalized workouts that match their fitness levels and goals. The challenge called for more than just random exercises or workouts; it required a range of resources to guide users on a transformative journey toward better health. The goal was to empower users to take small, impactful steps toward their well-being, bridging the gap between fitness ideals and attainable reality.

Content Strategy: Creating Comprehensive Fitness Content

Collaboration with Teams

To create comprehensive fitness content, collaboration played a crucial role. We worked closely with our design team to define exercises and workouts and ensure a seamless visual representation. The engineering team helped integrate video specifications into the app for a smooth user experience. Clear guidelines were provided to the copywriting and design team for effective workout descriptions and post-production visual work. Collaboration with marketing and social media teams allocated resources for visual content creation.

Addressing challenges in content creation involved effective communication and alignment among multiple teams. Pre-production planning and coordination with finance, legal, and HR teams helped overcome logistical challenges. Ongoing collaboration with the engineering team during post-production ensured the videos seamlessly fit the app's structure.

Types of Content: Our content encompassed various formats to cater to users' preferences and ensure a holistic fitness experience.

Exercise Videos: We produced videos of exercises to offer users clear visual guidance. These videos featured both male and female versions to cater to a diverse user base.

Static Images: Alongside videos, we created static images of exercises as additional visual references, enhancing the comprehensibility of our fitness content.

Workout and Exercise Descriptions: Comprehensive written descriptions were provided for each exercise and workout, offering users detailed instructions on correct and effective performance.

Marketing and SM Content: Our content plan included additional content for marketing and social media channels. This content aimed to engage users and promote 8fit.

Target Audience and Personas:

  1. Sports Enthusiasts: These individuals are already active and enjoy participating in various sports. They see 8fit as a valuable addition to their existing fitness routines. They understand the principles of fitness and are willing to invest in subscriptions and sports equipment to enhance their experience.

  2. Family-Focused: These users prioritize the health and well-being of their families. While they may not have a natural interest in sports, they recognize the importance of fitness for their loved ones. Whether they are starting or have established a family, they are committed to fitness to support their family members.

  3. Beauty & Self-Esteem: Predominantly women, this group seeks to gain control over their bodies to boost self-esteem. Their interest in sports and fitness may not be intrinsic, but they see it as a way to achieve their desired physical appearance. Motivations vary from youthful looks to regaining confidence after significant life events.

  4. Prevention & Recovery: This diverse group includes both millennials in their 30s and older individuals who want to stay active to prevent health issues and maintain overall well-being. They prioritize a holistic lifestyle and make daily choices like taking the stairs or biking instead of driving. Health is seamlessly integrated into their lives, allowing room for enjoyment and indulgence.

Content Creation: Iterate to Improve

Iterations Based on User Feedback: After the initial content release, user feedback played a pivotal role in shaping our content strategy. In response to positive user results and engagement, we embarked on a second and third iteration of content creation.

Refining Content to Meet User Needs: User interviews and research provided valuable insights into our users' needs. This led to the creation of new content requests, including exercises with various equipment like resistance bands, dumbbells, bars, yoga, and pilates, as well as guided classes. These additions enhanced our content offerings.

Furthermore, analyzing user data within the app allowed us to refine our content strategy. We expanded our workout options by creating new routines based on existing exercises, effectively increasing content within the app by 30% without recording new material. Our consistent recording setup enabled us to create new workouts by mixing and matching existing content.

Measurable Impact: Our Achievements

Adding a wide range of fitness material in the app resulted in significant advantages. These included increased user engagement, improved conversion rates and higher user retention. This content not only improved the app metrics and perception, but also strengthened users' dedication to their fitness goals.

Quantitative Data:

  • Engagement Increase: One of the most significant impacts of our content creation efforts was a noticeable spike in user engagement within the 8fit app. Within the first three months of implementing the new content, we observed a remarkable 17% increase in daily active users (DAU).

  • Conversion Rate Boost: The new workout programs increased the number of free users who became paid users. More users reached the paywall, resulting in a 13% increase in the conversion rate to paid users during the first quarter after the release.

Positive Outcomes:

  • Boosted User Retention: The newly introduced content, strategically scheduled to be consumed on a daily basis, effectively retained users within the app. Our user retention rate witnessed a significant uplift of 18% after the implementation of the content.

  • Comprehensive Resource for Teams: Beyond user benefits, the content also served as a valuable knowledge resource for other company teams, including Social Media, Marketing, Support, and CRM. This cross-functional impact led to improved synergy and efficiency across the organization.

Qualitative Data:

  • Enhanced User Satisfaction: Users who engaged with the new content reported higher satisfaction levels and a more enriching fitness experience. Feedback surveys indicated a 30% increase in users rating the app as "excellent" or "very good" in terms of user satisfaction.

  • Extended User Lifespan: Users actively participating in our fitness content demonstrated a longer lifetime value (LTV) within the app. On average, these users continued to engage with 8fit for an additional 3.2 months compared to users who did not engage with the content.

Conclusion: Shaping Better Wellness, One Click at a Time

In conclusion, our experience with 8fit highlights how fitness has evolved from seeking perfection to becoming a journey toward long-lasting well-being. We have not only developed content but also crafted meaningful experiences that strongly connect with our diverse user community.

As a Production and Content-Product Manager, I worked to connect strategy with creativity. I collaborated with teams from different departments to create a detailed content strategy that not only captivated users but also delivered concrete outcomes.

Our content strategy has improved the fitness journey for our users and has also served as a valuable resource for our cross-functional teams. It shows the power of collaboration, alignment, and adaptability.

To conclude, our work with 8fit has shown that the true value of fitness is not in achieving perfection, but in taking small, impactful steps towards a healthier, happier life. We are excited to continue this journey, making fitness more inclusive, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone.