I get it, Instagram is one of those apps where you get lost in “inspiration” and “research”. We see all these established yogis and it leaves you wondering how you can even get started. The truth is that to authentically build your brand on Instagram, you have to work on your mindset because it will either help you soar or keep you planted firmly where you’re at.
That’s why I’m sharing 6 Mindset shifts that you need to authentically build your Instagram brand so that you can elevate your presence, get more followers and grow your community organically.
#1 Be holistic in your approach
There are two key aspects that have changed the way I approach Instagram. My energy and strategy. By aligning your energy with abundant thinking and gratitude, you hold space for new students to practice with you. When you move into a space of fear, fear that you’re not attracting new clients or that your content isn’t good enough, you set off that vibration. You know better than anyone, energy flows where energy goes.
While energy has a HUGE impact, I don’t believe that things will just fall into place without strategy and goals to keep you accountable. Face it. You’re running a business. You teach yoga. You send invoices. You do your own marketing. If I think about it, you’re a frikkin’ entrepreneur! The only way you can assess if your Instagram strategy is working for you is if you set monthly goals and track your success. Use Instagram insights metrics like “post interactions” Shares” and “saves” to help guide you.
Remember, time is your highest form of currency, so to build your Instagram brand with intention you need to make each piece of content that you create worth your while.
#2 You are enough as you are
It’s not uncommon to feel anxious, depressed, and even get FOMO from Instagram. It’s a visual app, and the more we see the more we compare ourselves and allow imposter syndrome to reinforce this idea that you are not good enough.
“I’m not flexible enough.”
“I don’t have enough followers.”
“I don’t know enough about marketing.”
“I don’t have the right equipment.”
“I don’t have enough experience.”
This idea of not being enough is what holds so many of us back from showing our faces and authentically showing up. You are your brand (especially your brand on Instagram). Talking in stories, sharing parts of your life beyond yoga, and embracing ALL the features that Instagram offers (like Reels and IG Video) will help you connect more deeply with your audience.
You are in control of the energy you allow into your Instagram (and trust me when I say this has a huge impact your ability to show up authentically as you are). When you unfollow accounts that increase your anxiety or leave you feeling like you’re missing out on something, you honor that part of you that is “enough.”
#3 It’s not about you, it’s about them
There are 2 ways to run your Instagram. Like a teenager sharing your albums of cool yoga poses, photos of your dog, and a quick snapshot of your meals. The second is to move the focus from your daily life and onto how you can inspire and benefit your audience. I’m not saying you can’t share parts of your personal life, because that builds community. But it’s important to focus your content on providing true value to your audience through education, entertainment, and inspiration, not only self-promotion.
Before you create any piece of content, ask yourself “What would my ideal student love to see, or learn in relation to my business. Your brand on Instagram will thrive when your audience feels validated, so validate them and make them feel like you’re talking to them and not at them.
#4 Stay in your lane
Being able to stay in your lane becomes so much easier when you have true clarity on who you are as a teacher and who you serve as students. Coming into alignment with these 2 things happens with a strong brand foundation. Understanding your values, your mission, and your place amidst the big sea of yoga teachers online keeps you in your lane. It’s easy to get distracted on Instagram, so make it easier for yourself and your ideal student. Check out my free brand guide to help you uncover this (trust me when I say the real work starts at the beginning).
#5 Fail Fast
This mindset shift may seem like a strange one but here’s the thing, the more you try, the quicker you learn. When you give yourself permission to fail, you give yourself permission to grow. So if you’re going to fail – then fail fast, so that you can keep getting better and better. Giving yourself permission to learn will help you get started.
Think about it like this, there are yoga teachers on Instagram thriving and they could be less qualified than you! There are yoga teachers growing their Instagram community organically and authentically building their brand because they are just starting.
#6 Collaboration over competition
The best thing about Instagram is that it is a SOCIAL network, which means you gotta be social. The app is rolling out updates left, right, and center, one of the most exciting updates being collaborative posts!
This allows you to create a Reel or a post with another person on Instagram who aligns with your brand image. Now before you think this is another feature you can just bypass, think of it like this. Collaborating will help exercise your confidence muscle while feeling supported because you’re not going at it alone.
To set up a meaningful collaboration, ask yourself these 3 questions:
- ”Who else would my audience enjoy following?”
- ”What interests them?”
- ”What would they find helpful?
Here’s a list of the kinds of people that you could collaborate with:
- Wellness expert
- Essential oil advocate
- Psychologist
- Physiotherapist
- Life coach
- Health Coach
- Another yoga teacher
To create a collaborative Reel follow these steps:
- Strategically choose a partner with a similar size audience to you
- Choose a topic that is relevant to both audiences
- Decide on an easy transition to bring your Reel together
- Create a Reel using a third-party app like In Shot
- To collaborate on this post hit “tag a person”
- Invite the collaborator to accept the collaboration.
- Once the collaborator accepts the Reel will post to both of your feeds. This means you will share the metrics too (likes, comments, shares, saves).
The online world is forever changing and being part of it means that you need to evolve too. Instagram is no longer a photo-sharing app. Instagram is a full-blown multi-media platform that allows you to skyrocket your reach if you get involved. So lovely, you’ve got what it takes to build your Instagram brand – take it one step at a time, and make sure those steps actually move you forward.
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