Conversation with Ashley Hagen
Ready to tackle the world of YouTube with your yoga?
YouTube can seem overwhelming, I know, but it doesn’t have to be.
My guest today, Ashley Hagen, has grown her subscribers on YouTube into the thousands! And she’s sharing her tips on how you can do this, too, because she’s also a yoga teacher.
She navigated the tech and has a process for knowing what content to create and she’s sharing that with you today.
YouTube helps you niche down in your business
When Ashley first started teaching, she found niching challenging and she resisted when her coaches told her to get more specific.
“When my coaches would say ‘you need to get specific,’ I really resisted. I wanted to do all the things! But it was really YouTube that helped me to pick a course and go with it.” - Ashley Hagen
When Ashley first started on YouTube, she had no strategy. She just started publishing a variety of yoga videos on different topics and styles.
"What I was doing was just throwing darts. There was no bullseye, I was just throwing darts at random places. My video content was all over the place. But because I had so many videos, I could see trends of what was doing well and what wasn't." - Ashley Hagen
Ashley originally wanted to niche down to teaching arm balances, since that's what she loved to do. But her YouTube videos about arm balances weren't popular. However, she noticed one of her videos doing incredibly well: 10 Steps to Sequence a Yoga Class.
This inspired her to try niching down to teaching yoga teachers. She jumped in and devoted six months specifically to sequencing, creating a freebie that went along with the topic and starting a sequencing Facebook group.
Make this work for your business
Do a testing phase. Post a handful of different videos on different topics and then see which one performs better than the others. Go all in on that topic and niche down for a set amount of time.
**This was also a podcast episode (episode #103). Use the player below if you'd prefer to listen to this message.
Important things to pay attention to on YouTube
1. Click-through rate
This is the most important metric to watch for in YouTube. The click-through rate is which percentage of people saw your video thumbnail and then clicked on it.
2. Thumbnail image
The thumbnail is very important. It needs to catch the eye. You can test different types of thumbnails, look at your analytics, and see which ones perform best.
3. First line of description
Add searchable keyword phrases in the first line of the description of your video. Consider repeating the title again in your description.
Tips for getting started with YouTube
1. Take time to learn.
Watch a few videos. Learn a little about YouTube and play around. See what it's all about. Don't get frustrated with it; just play. There's no pressure in this phase!
"It has to be fun for you. If you do not have fun making videos, if it's not something you feel joy doing, if you feel dread, then it's not for you. Try something else, like a blog or a podcast." - Ashley Hagen
2. Practice!
Record something. Just do it! Rip the bandaid off and record yourself so you get comfortable on camera. Practice. (Another way to get comfortable on camera is to post on Instagram Stories because they disappear after 24 hours.) You can also leave your YouTube video "Unlisted" if it makes you more comfortable, which means no one will see your video unless you send them the link. You can send it to people and ask for feedback before making it public.
"Record three or four videos and go through the whole process of uploading it, naming it, adding a description, and see if it's something you see yourself continuing. But don't make the judgement until you are three or four videos in." - Ashley Hagen
3. Be consistent.
Once you explore a bit and start figuring it all out, pick a frequency to post a video on a regular basis, whether that be once a week or once a month.
“I’ve never had a viral video. I’ve never had an explosion of anything from YouTube or otherwise. But I’ve had steady growth when I learned to be consistent.” - Ashley Hagen
4. Know your why.
Be purposeful. Start with an intention of why you are posting each video. Why is it helpful? Why should someone watch your video? What is the reason behind it?
Your next step
Your next step after listening to this episode is to get started with YouTube.
You heard us - it’s all about playing and having fun and testing things at first. So grab Ashley’s content tree map and get started with your first 4 videos.
Until next time, give yourself permission to get started on YouTube and grace along the way.
"People are there for your content and the help you're going to give them, not because of what you look like. Not because your lighting is perfect or anything else about you, but because they need help with something. If you can help them with their problem, then you're good. --Ashley Hagen
About Ashley
Ashley Hagen is a yoga teacher, YTT lead trainer, studio owner, online course creator, entrepreneur, and media communications expert. She graduated from her first YTT in 2013, immediately quit her full-time graphic design job and set out to be a full-time yoga teacher. Using what she's learned after years of trial and error in the yoga industry, she now helps new yoga teachers go from being "just another yoga teacher" to being a sought-out expert in their field so that they can easily fill their classes and programs. She teaches business foundations with a strong emphasis in video and email marketing.
Ashley's Links
YouTube for Yoga Teachers Course - https://youtubeforyogateachers.com
Free Starter Youtube Guide - http://ashesyoga.com/YouTube-guide