While Yoga is thousands of years old, blogging is a relatively new concept. However, as a Yoga instructor, creating a blog can help you and your students, as well as others, share the wisdom, knowledge, benefits, and news about Yoga. Sharing through a blog enables you to reach out to new students, inform current students, get feedback, and connect with people on a different level. Many become Yoga instructors because they have a desire to share the benefits of practicing Yoga with others. A well maintained blog can be used as a tool to reach many more people. With some blogging basics for Yoga instructors, you can build a blog that allows you to share in a new way.
Creating a Blog
When creating a blog, much like Yoga, it can be a way to balance and stretch in new directions. It is a matter of creating a space online that reflects what you teach in person. The space dedicated to your blog should show the same energy, beliefs, and environment that you would set in your classroom. But how do you do that in a blog?
The first step in creating a blog that reflects you as a Yoga instructor is to have a good design. Picking the right design can give flow and movement to your blog that generates the type of energy you are looking for. A scattered, cluttered, or visually loud page will not communicate the message you are looking for. Some ideas for ways to create the right blog space are:
- Make use of white space – white space, or space that is empty helps the mind to focus on the material that is there without overwhelming it with input.
- Select background images and colors that suit your practices – having a color scheme and adding visually pleasing graphics can help enhance the look of your blog, making it more appealing. However, clashing colors, or graphics that don’t set the right mood can detract from the content.
- Use images that are all the same size – something as simple as making all of your graphics the same size can help a blog to flow better, as the eyes will move over the page smoothly and easily.
- Select a layout that enables readers to focus – whether you choose to have a single column, or add sidebars, you want to make sure not to cram too much onto the page, as again, it won’t flow, and your readers will have trouble picking out the important parts. It is important to keep it simple. More isn’t always better.
- Use only one or two easy-to-read fonts. When a person is struggling to read a variety of fonts, or hard-to-read fonts, many people give up and stop reading. While different fonts are not always bad, it is best to select just one or two for impact, and stick with them.
By using these guidelines, you can create a blog site that reflects the atmosphere you are trying to foster. Once you have designed a blog that reflects you and your teachings, you are ready to begin the process of sharing through your blog.
Creating Content
When posting on your blog, you should think about the kind of content that you would want to read yourself, or share with your students, as well as informing others about Yoga. There are many different aspects to blogging that you need to pay attention to. Some of the basic tips you want to follow when posting content to your blog are:
- Keep your blog current with new posts
- Pose questions that encourage feedback
- Share information on similar topics that may be of interest
- Respond to any comments from people
- Use posts to keep readers current on your classes
By keeping your blog active, with interesting content, readers who find your blog will continue to follow it. It is also important to let people know about your blog once you have created it. Some good ways to promote your blog is to include the link on your business cards, fliers, and any advertising. You can also promote through social media sites like Facebook, Google+, and Twitter. Letting people know about your blog can create the chain of sharing that will bring readers in. Creating excellent content on a well-designed page will keep them coming back for more. A well run blog can be one of the best marketing tools available for a Yoga instructor.
Editor’s Note: Blogging is a crucial part of your any business’ online presence, whether your business is landscaping, a law office, or yoga. If you are interested in help creating content for your blog, you can contact us. And thanks to the BlogMutt writer who did a great job on this. Namaste! (For more about this series of posts, see this.)
