Let’s be real, we’re living in an online world. Don’t get me wrong, I still love in-person experiences! But the truth of the matter is that taking your business online will do wonders for your income and growth.
We saw a huge boom of yoga teachers going online during the Pandemic, simply because that was the only way to keep a yoga teaching job at all. I know it can be a little overwhelming at times, because now suddenly you’re not only teaching- but you also have to be a bit of a tech whizz, a copywriter, an editor, so on and so forth.
There are certainly a lot of moving parts when it comes to bringing your business online. And, there’s also ways in which you can do it minimally, while still being incredibly effective.
Plus, a major perk in learning the technology component is that you can apply this to any business moving forward! Not only will this increase your skill sets to add to your resume, but you can use this knowledge for your personal growth online in any field down the line.
Taking your yoga business online is a great way to generate a more stable income, as well as maximize your energy and time. All things we love in the entrepreneur world! When you create an online yoga business, you’re able to create your own little virtual yoga studio while getting to teach online in the comfort of your own home.
Step by Step on How to Create an Online Yoga Business
n order to make the process of bringing your yoga business online, I’ve outlined the simplest way forward.
Keep in mind that consistency is key in starting any new business. I know it can be discouraging at first if the numbers for your virtual yoga classes are growing at a snail’s pace, but I PROMISE if you show up day in and day out- it’ll be worth it in the long run.
As yoga teachers, we’re familiar with the concept of Tapas, which is heavily connected with consistency. Remember, the yoga practice is so much more than asana. It’s something that we can bring into all areas of our life.
Even business.
Step 1: Choose a Name
Look, I know that putting this at the top can feel like….a lot. Well, at least I’m assuming that based on my own experience of creating multiple businesses in my adult life. I know that sometimes I have the concept, the business plan, and the branding idea all before I know what the heck I want to call it.
So, if you’re like me, and you’re getting really caught up on the name, but you know the exact business plan- then feel free to skip ahead. Keep in mind, you will need to have the name by the time you get to any point past the business plan.
If you’re getting really stuck on the name, I highly suggest just calling YOUR name. Remember, you can always change the name and rebrand down the line if that makes sense. To get started, you want to keep it simple, clear, and to the point.
Another great way to create a yoga business name would be adding the word ‘yoga’ to it for clarity. Or ‘move/movement’ if you’d rather have it be generalized fitness, instead of only niched in as a yoga instructor.
Step 2: Create a Business Plan
This is the fun part! You get to decide how you want your online yoga business model to be structured. You need to have a clear understanding of how you’ll get clients, where you will teach, what you will charge, and what your advertising strategy is. I know that this can sound a little overwhelming right off the bat, so let me simplify it for you with an example.
Let’s imagine that you plan to offer a blend of online yoga classes that are both pre-recorded and live. You will leverage your existing student base you have from teaching at multiple studios, as well as establish a presence on social media to share your online classes more broadly. You’ll have a variety of payment options: monthly, bundles, and drop in rates.
The prerecorded classes will be priced slightly lower than the live classes, and the live classes will also be recorded to spill over into the prerecorded library once they air live. This will help you maximize your time and energy with filming.
You don’t have the budget for advertising or search engine optimization (SEO) services just yet, but you will dedicate time every day to learning about how to run your own ads and optimize your own SEO.
Eventually, you’d like to create a continued education course that provides a yoga teacher training course fully online for your students. To get there, you plan to create and share regular online yoga classes, free resources and tips across your social media channels, and perks and discounts through email marketing.
Step 3: Branding and Logo
More fun stuff! This is great for all my visual people out there. Creating branding and logos can be really fun if you have a little direction. Unless you’re a whizz with graphics, this is definitely something I’d suggest that you hire out. You can find great deals on Fiverr or Upwork.
Make sure you have some inspo to show up with. Pinterest is a great place to look. You’ll want to have an idea of a color scheme, font, and general feel of the design. Do you want minimal, ethereal, bold, flashy, earthy, simplistic, etc.
I’d suggest looking at the branding of those who might be considered your competitors. Or at least at the branding of other yoga studios, or anyone teaching yoga. It doesn’t have to be someone with online yoga classes, per se. Just someone in the yoga industry.
Getting inspiration from fellow yoga teachers, yoga students, yoga schools, or yoga retreat business will help you shape your own vision.
Step 4: Create a Website
Luckily, nowadays there are so many user-friendly sites that can still build chic websites. Squarespace is a fan favorite, but Wix and Weebly are great, too. Although building websites is a lot easier in today’s day and age, if it’s something that you don’t have the time for, or simply don’t want to do- then it’s very easy to hire out for, as well.
Now, if you know that you plan on only selling your classes, but not having a blog, or other features- then you can also get by with a landing page. Or just a single page website. This would be a lot more affordable, especially if you’re hiring out.
Otherwise, having a blog, an about me, and testimonials are great to add to your website in order to build trust, credibility, and boost your SEO.
Step 5: Establish Social Media Presence
With so many social media options to choose from nowadays, I’d still say that Instagram is the best place to start. Maybe that’s just because I haven’t got on the Tiktok train yet, but I also think Instagram is more classically used for business and self promotion.
Make sure you have a business account on Instagram (which means you’ll also have to have a Facebook page), so that you can access all of the features possible. Think of your page as your own little yoga studio that you can decorate within the color scheme of your branding.
This doesn’t mean that every single post has to have a logo, and be perfectly branded. It just means that people have a general idea of how they’ll feel, and what they’ll see when they show up in your space.
Remember, consistency is key here. Show up every single day. Especially when you’re starting from scratch, the only way to grow is with regular posts on the grid and in the stories. This is a place where you should invest at least one – two hours of time every single day.
Step 6: Use a Newsletter
Starting a newsletter is easy! I like to use Mailchimp, but Kajabi is a great choice, too. Whether you have a full website, or just a landing page, you can still integrate your newsletter to prompt people to sign up.
Typically you want to offer something in exchange for their email. This means you can incentivize your audience to join your email list in order to receive special discounts, early access, or unique bundles. The most important thing is that there’s some sort of exchange happening, rather than only asking and not giving anything back in return.
Step 7: Online Course
Once you’re more comfortable on camera and teaching yoga online, creating a yoga course is a great way to grow your yoga business. Ultimately, you’ll learn how to create the best course for YOU and your audience’s needs. This will likely come with time, rather than right off the bat.
Take time to get to know your audience, what they want, and how their desires overlap with your passions. This is the secret sauce for creating something great: a combination of the demand with what lights you up most.
A great way to make online courses a little more personal is to create a facebook group for your students to join, connect with one another, and ask questions. This makes more of a two way conversation, rather than the one-way flow that is pre-recorded courses.
If you plan on launching a full yoga teacher training online, make sure you check out my blog on how to create a YTT manual for guidance. A good manual is just as valuable as the on-camera interactions, and visuals.
Are you excited to start?! You’ve got this, my friends.
You’re going to be great. I just know it.
xx,
K
