A 6-Step Guide to Becoming an Online Yoga Instructor

The average yoga instructor salary is $30.54 per hour, according to Indeed.com. However, if you work for yourself, you can make a lot more. You don't even need a studio as you can take your yoga practice online. This guide explains how.

How to Use This Guide to Becoming an Online Yoga Instructor

In the paragraphs ahead, you will learn how to create a successful online yoga studio. Each step is outlined in the order it should be taken.

If you are already an established yoga instructor, you may be able to skip steps one and two. Maybe even step number three. That said, reading through them is a great way to ensure you're on the right path, even if you've been a yoga teacher for years. With that, let's begin.

Step 1: Obtain Your Yoga Teacher Training Certification

Although you aren't required to complete yoga teacher training to offer courses online, taking this first step provides a well-rounded education in the yoga practice. The more knowledge you have, the easier it becomes to create a successful yoga business.

Plus, taking yoga teacher training tells students that you're serious about your career. It says that you have a certain level of proficiency. This provides students a greater level of comfortability with you. Especially if they've never had you as a yoga teacher.

When choosing your yoga teacher training program, select one that offers instruction in a variety of areas. For example, the ISSA's Yoga Instructor certification course teaches everything from the history of yoga to yoga philosophy and the different styles. You also learn about body structure, proper yoga pose form, and tips for teaching students how to breathe.

Some of these yoga teacher training courses are available online. This enables you to learn more about this practice at a time that is most convenient for you.

Step 2: Set Up Your Yoga Practice

The second step to becoming an online yoga instructor is to set up your practice. This isn't much different than offering classes within a physical studio. Either way, you must decide what your business looks like.

For instance, which yoga style are you going to teach? Do you plan to offer an online yoga course that is restorative, such as Kripalu yoga or Iyengar yoga? Or do you prefer a more athletic style, like Vinyasa or Power yoga?

You also need to decide your schedule when setting up your yoga business. What days of the week will you offer your online yoga class? What time of day? If something comes up, who can you use as a fill-in instructor?

This beginning stage is also when you determine your rates. How much will you charge for your yoga instruction? If you're unsure, research what other yoga instructors are charging for their online classes.

When setting your rates, be competitive but also consider your expenses. This includes those related to social media advertising and the costs associated with your yoga website. Your pricing should cover these expenses in addition to providing for a good living.

Step 3: Get Your Yoga Business Online

After you've decided what your yoga business looks like, the next step is to get it online. This requires creating your website so potential clients can find you when searching for a virtual yoga teacher or class.

First and foremost, your site should be easy to use and appealing to the eye. It should also be search engine optimized. In other words, it should contain the same phrases that people would use when looking for your yoga services. This helps sites like Google and Bing make the connection and lead people to your website.

Some examples of words and phrases to use on your website include:

• Those that stress your yoga style, such as "online Vinyasa yoga class"

• Those that identify your target market, such as "online kids' yoga"

• Those that reinforce your qualifications, such as "online certified yoga instructor"

Your website is the home base for your virtual yoga studio. This is where all of your advertising will direct your potential clients, so this must be set up first. After it is up and running, it's time to create your social media pages. These are the platforms where you will engage with potential clients and get them interested in you as a yoga teacher.

Which social media sites should you be on? Whichever ones your target audience is on. The number one rule of marketing is that you want to be where your ideal client is. Don't make them search for you. Instead, place yourself directly in their path.

If you're already teaching yoga, ask your clients which social media sites they use most. Pick the top one or two and create pages on those sites. Encourage your students to connect with you there. Offer prizes or special deals if they follow you online.

Keep your brand consistent across all of your online platforms. Use the same colors and fonts so they instantly recognize your pages regardless of which site they find. This will help strengthen your brand, making it easier to grow your yoga practice.

Step 4: Develop a Marketing Strategy for Your Online Yoga Business

Step number four involves creating a marketing plan. You must decide how you're going to advertise your virtual yoga studio. You must also decide when you'll begin marketing your new yoga class options.

It may seem like you shouldn't start marketing your upcoming class or yoga retreat until it's ready to go. Yet, getting the word out early gives you the opportunity to get potential clients excited about your offerings. If they're new to yoga, it also provides time to educate them about its benefits.

For instance, engaging in restorative yoga helps reduce stress and increase relaxation. Active yoga styles help clients build strength and improve endurance. All forms of yoga offer benefits related to meditation and mindfulness. Sharing this information helps potential clients see how taking a yoga class can improve their life.

When marketing yourself as a yoga teacher, also point out what makes you different from every other online teacher that exists. What sets you apart? Why should they choose you as their yoga instructor?

Are you an especially patient yoga instructor when teaching new clients? Do you have a unique way of teaching yoga that your students seem to enjoy? Are you able to help clients get into a yoga pose with greater ease? What makes you different as an instructor?

The reason this is important is that it tells potential clients the value you offer as a yoga teacher. Preferably, this should be something they can get from you and only you.

Create a calendar that outlines all your marketing plans. This helps ensure that you stay on track. It also makes it easier to identify which marketing efforts net the best results.

Step 5: Identify and Attract Your New Client

Admittedly, step number five is closely related to your marketing strategy. After all, your ultimate goal with any type of marketing is to identify and attract new clients. But it is also somewhat different in that it requires a more in-depth look at your target audience.

For your marketing to be successful, you must be able to connect with your ideal client. This involves understanding how they think so you can create content that speaks directly to them.

As a yoga practitioner who is also a teacher, you likely have an idea of who this person is. Another option is to talk to your target audience and ask them questions so you get to know them better.

What are their biggest stressors? What does their typical day look like? Who lives in their household? What type of jobs do they have? Try to learn as much about them as you can. The clearer your image of them, the easier it becomes to come up with more appealing marketing materials.

Also ask about what they're looking for when it comes to yoga. For example, why do they want online classes versus going to a physical yoga studio? What does an ideal yoga instructor look like to them? When you're teaching yoga, what approach do they prefer you use?

Answers to questions like these will help you attract new clients more easily. It also tells you where to direct your marketing efforts. This is called target marketing and involves creating advertisements that appeal to a specific demographic.

Step 6: Build Strong Relationships

The final step to growing your business as a yoga instructor is nurturing your online relationships. The stronger you make these bonds, the greater the likelihood that you'll have a long, successful yoga career.

To do this, let your students know who you are. Tell them why you're so passionate about your yoga teaching. What made you want to become a yoga instructor? Did you take an aerial yoga class once and fell in love? Have you found that being a teacher enables you to help others fall in love with this practice too?

The more your clients feel your passion, the more it stokes the passion within themselves. It can even motivate them to develop their own healthy practice. Seeing you as a human in addition to being a certified yoga instructor makes them feel more comfortable.

You can also strengthen your online relationships by seeking to continuously provide value with your teaching efforts. The more benefits you offer as a yoga instructor, the more in demand you become. Happy clients will share that you are an amazing yoga teacher. This entices others to want to sign up too.

Oftentimes, the foundation of a good yoga instructor-client relationship is trust. They must feel comfortable that you are an expert in this field. One way to convey this is by sharing that you are a certified yoga instructor. Another is to provide helpful tips and tricks for making their yoga practice an even greater success.

When you do this the right way, you become more than just a yoga instructor. You also become an advisor and, sometimes, a friend. You become the person they look to for advice about all things yoga. In some cases, they reach out for your input on fitness in general. The important thing is that they reach out to you.

Ready to jumpstart your career as a yoga instructor? The ISSA offers Yoga Instructor certification. You’ll learn the nuances of each pose and how it looks different to each student, and get templates to build customized classes guaranteed to keep participants returning.