- Oct 5, 2020
- 5 min read

How To Use Instagram As A Yoga Teacher

With all the ways you can share content on Instagram it can get overwhelming to think about what to post where. Right?!

I interviewed Instagram expert, Natasha Samuel, to get the scoop on how to manage content for Instagram and make the most of your time spent on the platform. She’s packed this interview with information and has even more on her Instagram account. Be sure to connect with her so you can continue to learn!

But above all, I love that she shared to find the type of content you enjoy the most and then allow that to feed the other types. Let it work for you!

Different Types of Content on Instagram

Grid - this is the compilation of square images on Instagram.

Stories - these are vertical videos or images that last for 24 hours on your Instagram account. They are broken down into 15 second sections that you can add to throughout the 24 hours. If you want the videos/images to be available longer than 24 hours you can add them to a “highlight”.

IG Live - this is when you are live on the Instagram platform. The format of this video is vertical.

IGTV - any video longer than 1 minute will automatically fall into the IGTV category. Videos are in vertical or horizontal format and are available for your audience until you delete the video.

Reels - these are short videos, similar to TicToc. Videos are vertical, you can add music or audio to the video and you can edit the videos inside the Instagram platform.

Get The Most Out Of Your Instagram Content

Instead of tackling all the types of content you can share on IG, pick your favorite and create for that type of content. Once you do that, you can then share that piece of content in the different elements of Instagram to get the most from that piece of content.

See the example below for a complete breakdown of how this can happen.

“Focus on one type of content and then recycle, refresh, reuse on the other parts of Instagram” - Natasha Samuel

Example breakdown:

Go live on Instagram
Share that live to your story on the same day as the live happened
The next day, take a clip of that live and create a reel
Share that reel to your grid when posting
Share the reel on your stories the next day

**This was also a podcast episode. Use the player below if you'd prefer to listen:

Using Cover Photos On Instagram For Your Yoga Videos

Should you use them? YES!!!!

Natasha shares how taking the extra step to create cover photos for reels and IGTV’s is the way to go because it allows you to keep your branding consistent and it helps with the preview images for your Instagram feed (grid). If you recorded a video vertically for a reel and your face is only half-showing in your feed, it looks silly. But by using a cover photo, you can avoid this and still share the content.

If you want a picture of yourself in the cover photo (which is suggested), the best way to do this is to snap a picture before you record the video so you get a higher quality image.

“I set a 3 second timer where I plan to record and then just take the photo.” - Natasha Samuel

Pro Tip: Use Canva to create cover photo templates so it will only take a few seconds to create the cover photo and they will all look consistent.

https://www.canva.com/instagram-stories/templates/

How to Batch Yoga Videos & Posts For Instagram

“The first thing actually comes down to making sure you actually did plan out the content. Not just “I need to film an IGTV video” but saying these are the video I’m recording, this is a rough outline or script.” - Natasha Samuel

It can feel daunting to plan for recording several videos but in the end, planning is going to save you so much time. And if you’re going to go through the process of scheduling time in your day to record a handful of videos, do yourself a favor and make the most of that time by having a plan.

“Have a batching happy place.” - Natasha Samuel

“And be honest about how much time things take you. Tracking your time will absolutely surprise you and it can help you.” - Natasha Samuel

How to Show Up on Instagram As A Yoga Teacher

“Showing up is like a yoga practice. It’s a practice. The more you do it, the better you get at it, the more you progress. If you take a little bit of a break, it’s going to feel different to get back into things and every day feels different.” - Natasha Samuel

Be authentic, be you

Ask yourself “how can I show up today?” when it’s part of your plan. If you don’t feel like being on video that day that’s fine but how else can you engage with your audience so you aren’t giving up on it completely that day.

Use Stories To Build Relationships on Instagram As A Yoga Teacher

“That’s why I love stories, because there’s a two-way conversation. There’s a lot that can go on in the DM’s, with polls and stickers to really have tons of different conversations.” - Natasha Samuel

Stories are a great way to show a behind-the-scenes look at you and your life/business. You can share as much or as little as you’d like but this is where you can share more informal information that your audience is curious about.

Stories are also a great place to test out messaging or work on getting comfortable on camera because the videos or images are only available for 24 hours. You can use this as practice knowing that it goes away after a set time.

How Often To Post on Instagram As A Yoga Teacher

IGTV - not really a correlation between frequency and engagement

Stories - daily content is key for the best engagement but remember to post throughout the day, not just at one point of the day

Feed/Grid - consistency matters more than frequency. Pick a schedule that you can sustain.

IG Live - consistency matters more than frequency. Pick a schedule that you can sustain.

Reels - we’re still learning about this

“I think with Instagram the paralysis of ‘I haven’t taken action and actually done it’ is what holds more people back than anything else.” - Natasha Samuel

Your next step

Map out your plan for Instagram. Decide which format on IG that you want to use primarily and then repurpose it for the other formats. Then tag us both on Instagram in Stories so we can celebrate you!

@amandamckinneyyoga

@shinewithnatasha

Until next time give yourself permission to have fun with Instagram and grace along the way.

About Natasha

Natasha is the host of The Shine Online Podcast and founder of Shine With Natasha, an Instagram creative studio that specializes in storytelling and strategy. She offers small businesses and creative entrepreneurs Instagram content creation, strategy sessions, and educational resources. She helps clients shine on social media through effective strategies and intentional execution.

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