Research shows that workout and dieting apps can be better marketed by targeting specific audiences

As the amount of smartphone users increase, the number of people using dieting and fitness apps has dramatically risen in recent years. With popular choices such as Endomondo, Fitbit, and Runtastic Pro, users can log and track workouts, tally caloric intake, and even receive personal training. With so many choices available, users and potential users are developing their own outlooks on how useful these applications can really be.

In a study conducted earlier this year, Effects of Body Image on College Students' Attitudes Toward Diet/Fitness Apps on Smartphones, researchers investigated how the four different factors corresponding to body image, evaluation and orientation toward appearance and fitness, affected the way college students perceive the usefulness of fitness apps. Body image is comprised of cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral dimensions. Appearance evaluation refers to one's current appearance and how a person views themselves. In the study, researchers found that appearance evaluation can negatively impact a person's view of a fitness app and can make them seem disadvantageous. In addition, fitness evaluation, or your personal evaluation of physical ability, can negatively influence how you view fitness apps. Fitness orientation refers to the efforts made by someone to increase physical health and improve their personal fitness. Appearance orientation represents the desire to maintain or improve one's appearance.

The study found that with the exception of appearance orientation, the other three factors significantly predicted the perceived usefulness of dieting and fitness apps. These findings can better implicate to app developers how to more successfully market their applications. While appearance evaluations as well as fitness evaluations negatively affect the perceived usefulness of fitness apps, the fitness orientation positively predicts the perceived usefulness of fitness applications. This research implicates that developers need to use more adaptive strategies when selecting their target audiences for a given app. It is recommended that these developers use marketing strategies that "attract individuals who lack confidence in their appearance and possess less physical abilities" as opposed to targeting a more general audience. In addition, marketing costs could be effectively used by targeting users who have a strong desire to enhance their physical skills or increase their fitness levels.

In effect, the study concluded that people who are more dissatisfied with their current appearance of fitness levels are more likely to download and use dieting and fitness apps. This research coincides with the popular opinion that if one is not happy or satisfied with their body image or fitness levels, they should do something about it to better themselves. Inversely, people are are content with their body image and fitness levels are less likely to attempt a drastic change or subscribe to a service such as those provided by dieting and fitness apps.

While some fitness apps promote competition and encourage extreme levels of fitness, others highlight the ease of exercise and help users to take small steps towards achieving their appearance and fitness goals. Apps such as Pact literally have users bet, with real money, against other users and friends, motivating you to out-work others. Pact boasts features such as:
- Increase your fitness level
- Set your exercise and healthy eating goals each week
- Accelerate your personal weight loss/weight management progress
- Manage how much money is on the line
- Check in to the gym, track workouts via GPS and accelerometer, or count your steps with an iPhone 5s and above
- Snap photos of your meals and verify others’ photos
- Connect with RunKeeper, Fitbit, Jawbone Up, MapMyRun, MyFitnessPal or any of our partner apps
- Get notified of your cash earnings each week!

Other less extreme examples include 7 minute workout applications. These show users that they can fit a small workout into their day at almost any time and any place with no special gym equipment. The app features trainers who guide you through your workout with video and audio, a weight and activity tracker and a way to earn achievements for working out. This kind of application effectively markets towards people with its effectual fitness orientation and lets users feel better about themselves and have a higher appearance evaluation, thus motivating them to continue to exercise.

In a 2014 study by mobile engagement provider Mobiquity, it was found that around 70 percent of smartphone users use mobile apps to monitor caloric intake and/or physical activity. In addition, 34 percent of mobile health and fitness app users responded saying that if doctors were to actively recommend using these apps, they would increase their usage of them. Further research shows that for 61 percent of users, privacy is also a concern when using fitness apps and their usage would increase if their concerns where met. However the biggest reason for lack of use due to forgetfulness. If mobile developers can address this issue and effectively market their application to the appropriate target audience, health and fitness apps may become more prevalent among smartphone users.