The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 144: Get More Website Visitors with SEO with Meg Casebolt
Description:
These days, it has become a necessity for any business, including yoga businesses, to have a website. However, it's not enough to just have a website. We need to make sure that our websites get found by people who are looking for what we offer, and that’s where SEO comes in. It sounds scary and intimidating, but is so critical to getting more visitors to your website, and Meg Casebolt breaks down just how you can get started with making your website more SEO-friendly.
Meg Casebolt is an SEO strategist, Google Ads consultant, and (currently inactive) certified yoga teacher. She came to yoga in 2001 as an exercise routine, and has been practicing ever since. After receiving her certification in Bhakti Yoga, she taught yoga for 2 years from 2014 to 2016, before transitioning into her current role, so she has a unique and intimate understanding of yoga businesses. Meg describes herself as the “Supergirl to your SEO strategy stress”, and since 2013, has been helping business owners show up in search results, get more leads & sell more products with intentional, strategic content.
It's important to start with the basics, so Meg explains what SEO is, and why optimizing your website for search engines is so important. She shares how to set up your website to help you get found on Google (both as an industry expert and a local teacher), as well as why Google Analytics and Google Search Console can be such powerful tools. Meg also has some insight into specializing and niching down, and how that can help your website rank in Google.
If you are looking for some great advice on steps you can take immediately to update your website and make it Google-friendly, this is the episode for you.
Key Takeaways:
[5:36] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Meg Casebolt.
[7:20] Who is Meg and what is the work that she does?
[8:15] When did Meg become an SEO specialist?
[12:37] What do yoga teachers need to do to help their websites get found? Set up a Google My Business profile!
[17:03] Another thing you can do to stand out is to get reviews!
[19:05] Meg explains why it is so beneficial to have a Google My Business account, regardless of whether you have a physical location or not.
[22:36] The next thing to look at is your website. Meg recommends Google Analytics and some other handy tools to help you get started.
[25:36] What is the difference between Google Analytics and Google Search Console and what kind of information goes Google Search Console provide?
[29:10] How often should you be checking in on your Google Analytics and Google Search Console?
[30:39] Shannon shares some details about the things that surprised her when Meg did an analysis of The Connected Yoga Teacher website.
[34:18] How can you put out content that is SEO-friendly so that people can find your website?
[37:32] What are some tips for tailoring your content to boost your page ranking in search results?
[42:52] It is important for you to list the location of where you are teaching yoga on your website!
[44:33] What are some things that Meg has noticed about how yoga teachers can improve their SEO?
[46:23] Tip: You have to be found for one thing, before you can be found for everything.
[48:17] Start small and work on these aspects that Meg has covered before diving in more to avoid overwhelm!
[52:56] Meg and Shannon discuss outsourcing SEO to a professional.
[55:35] Get in touch with Meg via her website or Instagram.
[56:10] What is the action step that you are going to take to improve your SEO?
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training
Quotes from this episode:
"How do you make sure that the traffic that is coming to you is converting into a subscriber, or a sale, or in your case, a student?"
"I'm going to start again with looking at what's working. That's always what I do first."
"One big component of Search Engine Optimization that Google's really concerned about is making sure that your website runs smoothly, that it's mobile responsive."
"Google looks at your site on a phone before it looks at it on a desktop."
"The first thing that you need to do is know what people are searching for."
"The best place to start for SEO content is with keyword research."
"When it comes to writing for search, I want you to focus on being clear, and not on being clever."
"Let your geography be your superpower!"
"Nobody goes out of their way to write reviews unless they're mad at you."
"We're really quick to complain, and we're not so great to share praise, but when you ask for the review, people will give it to you."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 143: Should I Start a Non-Profit? with Jessica Kinsey
Description:
In your journey of starting your yoga business, you may have asked yourself, “Should I start a nonprofit or for-profit?” There are certain differences between running a yoga non-profit and a yoga business for-profit, and certain things to consider that can help you decide which would be a better fit for your aims and goals. Jessica Kinsey is an expert in the area of nonprofits and social enterprises, and has some insights to share.
Jessica Kinsey is the Founder, CEO and Social Impact Strategist at Prodigy & Co, a company dedicated to helping impact-driven organizations create business strategies that will help them achieve their mission. A serial entrepreneur who has founded multiple companies, Jessica now partners with non-profit and for-profit organizations to help them develop their services, expand their reach, scale their impact, and build sustainable revenue streams.
Some yoga teachers want to start a nonprofit because they don't want to take people's money or market themselves. Jessica explains why sales and marketing are still essential parts of a non-profit organization, and some of the key differences you need to consider in structuring your yoga organization. She also shares ideas on how to get more donations, and ways to make the biggest positive impact on your community, whether you have a for-profit business or non-profit organization.
This episode is a great listen for anyone who is interested in starting a non-profit yoga organization, or if you’re just looking for ideas on how to better serve your community while running a sustainable business.
Key Takeaways:
[5:03] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Jessica Kinsey.
[7:12] What does Jessica do?
[8:34] Jessica also works with for-profits to help them figure out how to build social good into what they're doing.
[12:29] Jessica and Shannon discuss the situation of yoga teachers wanting to start a nonprofit because they don't want to take people's money or market themselves.
[15:55] What are the benefits of having a nonprofit?
[18:54] Nonprofits need to have a board of directors who do have a significant say in the decisions concerning the organization.
[21:21] Jessica raises a few more considerations when it comes to starting a nonprofit.
[22:53] What are some of the questions Jessica would ask a yoga teacher who is interested in starting a nonprofit?
[26:23] Shannon and Jessica work through a specific example from Shannon's experience about helping others in need.
[31:12] Two things to keep in mind: 1) The money needs to come from somewhere, 2) The person / organization providing the money is often thinking 'what's in it for me?'.
[34:59] What are some questions yoga teachers or yoga studios should ask themselves if they're thinking of starting a nonprofit?
[37:51] What are some of Jessica's suggestions for yoga teachers who have a for-profit business and want to give back to the community?
[43:13] How does Jessica recommend that yoga teachers maintain a balance between sustaining their business and themselves vs. giving back to society?
[46:46] Get in touch with Jessica via her website, social media or email to find out more about her work.
[48:55] Shannon shares her key takeaways and would love to hear yours!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training
Quotes from this episode:
"I believe that people who are doing good in the world deserve to do well, and that more money means that you get to do more good."
"More often than not, you're asking somebody to give money for something that just makes them feel good, and they're not really getting tangible value out of it."
"You're still selling something or asking for money, it's just in a different kind of way."
"You still have to get the word out about what you're doing, whether or not your class is free."
"Not everything that is putting social good out into the world is 100% sustainable on its own."
"You've got to take care of yourself first and you have to be able to pay your bills and make a living, otherwise you can't do this work at all."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 142: Living the Sutras with Kelly DiNardo
Description:
The Yoga Sutras are an essential framework in yoga, but the reality is that it can be difficult to incorporate the sutras into our teachings, our own practice of yoga, or even into our own lives. Kelly DiNardo has some practical strategies to help us apply the teachings of the sutras to our modern lives.
Kelly DiNardo is the owner of Past Tense Yoga Studio opened in 2009, host of the Living It Podcast, which focuses on the realities of living your yoga practice, author of several books, and freelance journalist who contributes to various popular publications. Her most recent book, co-authored with Amy Pearce-Hayden, Living the Sutras: A Guide to Yoga Wisdom beyond the Mat aims to make the other aspects of yoga as approachable and accessible as the asana is today.
To many of us, the sutras can seem intimidating and inaccessible, but Kelly’s book presents them in a way that is engaging and easy to understand. Kelly shares what sparked her interest in the sutrats, and her inspiration to write the book. She also provides some insights into how best to translate the ancient wisdom found in the sutras into something accessible and relevant to today’s world, and how to cultivate the mindsets, habits and practices needed to live a joyful and purposeful life.
If you’ve ever wondered how to bring more of yoga philosophy into your life, or wanted a more practical application of the sutras, this episode is a great starting point.
Key Takeaways:
[5:38] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Kelly DiNardo
[6:39] Kelly has been a yoga studio owner for 10 years! What got her into yoga in the first place?
[8:12] When did Kelly's interest in the sutras develop?
[9:43] Kelly shares more about her inspiration and experience with writing Living the Sutras: A Guide to Yoga Wisdom beyond the Mat.
[10:47] Shannon and Kelly discuss how her book is presented in a way that makes the sutras easy to understand.
[12:18] What are the sutras?
[15:04] Yoga is a work in, not just a workout. What has Kelly's experience been in people not wanting to work on themselves?
[18:00] Kelly's book is divided into three books. She explains the different sections and what they represent.
[21:20] Kelly shares the insight that you can work all of the practices of the eight limbs at the same time.
[23:22] What does Kelly mean when she says "everything is yoga"?
[26:44] What message is Kelly trying to convey to yoga teachers and yoga practitioners?
[28:15] Kelly has a list of resources that she has included in her book.
[28:50] What are Kelly's thoughts on the Sanskrit?
[32:12] Shannon and Kelly discuss why it is okay to admit when you don't know or struggle with things.
[33:10] Kelly talks about some of her experiences in the process of writing the book.
[34:54] How have the sutras informed how Kelly runs her yoga studio and her yoga business?
[38:41] What are some tips and tricks Kelly would share with yoga teachers who are thinking about opening a yoga studio?
[42:06] Kelly shares some insight for people who are struggling with marketing and selling in their yoga business because it feels against all the yoga principles.
[46:04] Kelly is doing a card deck as a supplement to the book.
[47:13] What kind of feedback has Kelly received on her book?
[49:54] What is Kelly's advice for people who want to write and publish articles?
[52:36] Get in touch with Kelly via her website, check out her podcast and connect with her on social media.
[53:38] How are you living your yoga? Shannon would love to hear from you!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity and Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training.
Quotes from this episode:
"If we're living our practice off the mat, then yoga is everywhere for us."
"Yoga is both the goal, the means and the end."
"One of those limbs is our asana, or physical practice, but what I find really interesting is that it's actually less than 2% of the yoga sutras."
"What happens on the mat is a reflection of what's happening off the mat."
"There is an opportunity for yoga or a yoga mindset in every moment."
"You can do yoga and never do asana. Or you could do asana and never do yoga."
"I think understanding the language is an opportunity to go deeper into the practice."
"So few of us think about our breath until there's something wrong with it."
"I think it's important to have a business / professional mindset if you're going to run a studio and I don't think there's any shame in that."
"You physically cannot do what you do if you are not making an actual living."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 141: Let's Talk Money with Katie Brauer
Description:
Part of being an entrepreneur and business owner is dealing with our money mindset. Money is an essential part of our business, and whether you love it or you hate it, you need to embrace it and cultivate that relationship. Even after years of being in business, our mindset work around money never really ends. Katie Brauer has some insights on the topic.
Katie Brauer is an international yoga educator, high performance coach, former professional snowboarder, and mentor at the intersection of yoga and entrepreneurship. She has been described as a “power house yogi and rising leader” by Forbes, and is the creator of The Yoga Professional Incubator® , an online business and personal growth incubator for yoga teachers. Today, Katie helps people transform their businesses, their relationships and their lives through coaching, group programs and retreats.
How do we even begin to open up the money conversation? It’s a topic that many people find uncomfortable, not just yoga teachers, and Katie shares some of the blocks that we have around money mindset. She explains how a money buddy can be helpful to unpacking your relationship with money, and what it means to be in relationship with our money. Katie has some unique perspectives about the flow of money, and share tips for something we all struggle with - raising our rates, and doing it even when it feels scary.
This is such an important topic for all of us to think about. If you’ve ever hesitated to raise your rates, or felt uncomfortable with your relationship with money, this episode is a great starting point to change that.
Key Takeaways:
[5:50] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Katie Brauer
[6:54] Where did Katie's yoga journey begin?
[7:43] What shifted in Katie's mind that made her become a yoga teacher?
[9:46] How did Katie start to dig into becoming comfortable with talking about money as a yoga teacher and a consultant for yoga teachers?
[12:13] What are some of the hurdles that yoga teachers face around their money mindset?
[14:04] Who should we choose to be our money buddy? Katie shares more about who we should pick, and how to approach looking at our relationship with money.
[17:49] What are some of the strategies that have produced the biggest shift in Katie's relationship with money?
[20:54] How does Katie approach looking for the flow of money in her life?
[23:01] Katie segues into talking about how yoga teachers can use this method to find the right pricing for them.
[26:41] Yoga teachers often lean towards undercharging. What are Katie's tips for addressing that?
[30:03] Shannon shares an anecdote of what happened when she decided to try raising her rates for a course she offers.
[33:41] Yoga teachers often say they feel bad that they're making yoga inaccessible to those who can't afford it by raising their rates. What is Katie's response to that?
[41:20] What are some other practices Katie recommends to shift your mindset around money?
[45:43] Opening up the conversation and listening to what others have to say on the topic of money can be just as important.
[48:55] Being spiritual and having money are not at odds with each other.
[52:40] It is a myth that yoga teachers cannot make money.
[54:21] Get in touch with Katie via her website, and leaves us with a challenge - what's the one thing you could do today to enhance your life and business?
[56:18] Katie shares a unique location to teach yoga.
[1:01:08] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this interview, and would love to hear your thoughts too!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Mama Nurture.
Quotes from this episode:
"I think the first thing is a willingness to talk about it, because it's just so uncomfortable for the majority of people on the planet, not just yoga teachers."
"There's so much shame that goes along with money, and it doesn't have to be."
"You're in a relationship with your money."
"I find when I just get quiet, the answer is there."
"There's people on my list, and your list, and for yoga teachers listening, in your orbit that are just waiting for the right thing that speaks to them."
"I think that is a total myth, that people can't be spiritual and have money."