215: The Decline of Education-Only Online Yoga Courses

If you have ever heard "niche down" and felt boxed in, limited, or afraid of excluding students, this episode will transform your understanding.  The old, demographic based approach to niching is outdated and actually prevents the deep connection that builds a thriving yoga business. In this episode, Kelly McHugh, founder of Digital Yoga Academy, reveals what niching truly means in today's online space. You will learn how to move beyond generic labels and instead connect through shared emotional experience and authentic story. You will learn: ⭐️ Why traditional avatar building fails yoga teachers and what to do instead. ⭐️ The three biggest misconceptions that keep teachers stuck. ⭐️ How to niche based on emotional landscape. ⭐️ The step by step Human Centered Niche Method. ⭐️ How your niche can and should evolve with you as you grow. If you are ready to teach with more purpose, create content that resonates deeply, and attract students who feel truly seen, this episode is your guide.

The era of packaging your yoga knowledge into a simple online course is over.  Students are no longer buying information. They are buying transformation, support, and belonging. In this episode, Kelly McHugh, founder of Digital Yoga Academy, reveals the three seismic shifts defining the next generation of successful online yoga courses. If you are planning to launch or revamp an online program in 2026, this is your essential guide to moving beyond content delivery and creating a living, transformational experience that students complete, celebrate, and rave about. You will learn: ⭐️ Why education only courses are struggling to attract and retain students today. ⭐️ The three essential pillars of a modern, high converting online course. ⭐️ How to design a course for completion, not just consumption. ⭐️ Why community is the new studio and how it transforms student results and loyalty. ⭐️ Practical ways to build in mentorship and live support without burning out. ⭐️ How AI and technology can be used to enhance human connection and guide implementation. If you are ready to build a course that stands out, creates undeniable results, and builds a loyal community around your teaching, this episode provides the clear framework. CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digitalyogaacademy 🌟 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy More resources to help you on your yoga teaching Journey: 🌟 Blog: https://digitalyogaacademy.com/blog/ 🌟 Online courses (sign-up to receive free resources!): https://digitalyogaacademy.com/online-course-creator/ 🌟 The Yogipreneur Podcast: https://digitalyogaacademy.com/podcast/

November brings one of the biggest opportunities of the year for your yoga business... Black Friday. It’s the moment when people are already in a buying mindset, actively looking for offers and ready to invest in themselves. So if you’ve been thinking about slowing down as the year winds to a close, don’t. This is your chance to finish 2025 strong. Now, I know what you might be thinking, “Black Friday? Isn’t that all about discounts, pressure, and over-commercialisation?” For a long time, we avoided it at DYA too. It felt out of alignment. But when you look at it differently, it becomes something else entirely. You can actually use it as an opportunity to give back, connect with your community and offer something that helps your students whilst also supporting your business. That’s why, at DYA, we run our Gratitude Gifts campaign every year. It’s our way of saying thank you and sharing offers that truly serve, without feeling pushy or salesy. And this year, we want to help you do the same. The Black Friday Offer Blueprint for Yoga Teachers is a 30-minute training designed to help you: ✨ Turn your existing offers into irresistible bundles or limited-time deals ✨ Add urgency in a way that feels authentic and aligned with your values ✨ Boost your year-end income without creating something new from scratch ✨ Approach Black Friday strategically, with gratitude at the centre of it all This is your chance to make the end of the year work for you and to serve, sell, and show up with intention. And if you want to check out our Black Friday offers this year check out our Gratitude Gifts waitlist here: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/gratitude-gifts-2025-waitlist/

The yoga industry is evolving...fast! And in this new AI era, the teachers who adapt now will be the ones still standing (and thriving) in the years ahead. In this episode, Kelly McHugh, Founder of Digital Yoga Academy and creator of YogiPro AI, shares how yoga teachers can stay profitable and relevant in a rapidly changing digital landscape. You’ll learn: → Why the information era is over and the implementation era has begun. → The 3 key levers of profitability every yoga business needs in 2025: Clarity, Consistency, and Conversion. → How to use AI (the right way) to accelerate content creation, clarify your message, and build momentum fast without losing authenticity or alignment. →The #1 reason most yoga teachers struggle to grow online (and how to fix it instantly). If you’ve been feeling behind, overwhelmed, or unsure how to keep up with the online space, this conversation will shift your mindset and show you exactly how to stay profitable, visible, and empowered in the AI era. Tune in, take notes, and get ready to accelerate your impact. 🎧 Brought to you by YogiPro AI - the world’s first AI-powered platform built exclusively for yoga entrepreneurs. 🌟 Get started by discovering what type of Yogipreneur you are! Take the Yogipreneur Quiz to find out: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/yogipreneur-quiz/ CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/digitalyogaacademy 🌟 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy More resources to help you on your yoga teaching Journey: 🌟 Blog: https://digitalyogaacademy.com/blog/ 🌟 Online courses (sign-up to receive free resources!): https://digitalyogaacademy.com/online-course-creator/ 🌟 The Yogipreneur Podcast: https://digitalyogaacademy.com/podcast/

ABOUT DIGITAL YOGA ACADEMY   Digital Yoga Academy is an Online Yoga Business School, teaching yoga teachers essential business and marketing skills. Powerful business skills that you're not taught in yoga teacher training!   You’ll get all the support you need to turn your passion and expertise as a yoga teacher into a successful yoga business. Join over 20k yoga teachers worldwide on the same journey as you!    🌟 Get started by discovering what type of Yogipreneur you are! Take the Yogipreneur Quiz to find out: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/yogipreneur-quiz/ CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy

ABOUT DIGITAL YOGA ACADEMY   Digital Yoga Academy is an Online Yoga Business School, teaching yoga teachers essential business and marketing skills. Powerful business skills that you're not taught in yoga teacher training!   You’ll get all the support you need to turn your passion and expertise as a yoga teacher into a successful yoga business. Join over 20k yoga teachers worldwide on the same journey as you!    🌟 Get started by discovering what type of Yogipreneur you are! Take the Yogipreneur Quiz to find out: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/yogipreneur-quiz/ CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy

ABOUT DIGITAL YOGA ACADEMY   Digital Yoga Academy is an Online Yoga Business School, teaching yoga teachers essential business and marketing skills. Powerful business skills that you're not taught in yoga teacher training!   You’ll get all the support you need to turn your passion and expertise as a yoga teacher into a successful yoga business. Join over 20k yoga teachers worldwide on the same journey as you!    🌟 Get started by discovering what type of Yogipreneur you are! Take the Yogipreneur Quiz to find out: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/yogipreneur-quiz/ CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy

You need to speak to the problem your audience is trying to solve at the exact moment they’re searching for a solution and in a way that makes them say... “How are they inside my head?”😳 That’s the difference between content that gets ignored… and messaging that converts. If you’re ready to fix this, I’ve created something powerful for you: ‼️Fix Your Messaging — my free micro-masterclass for yoga business owners who are ready to make three essential shifts that will immediately change the way you talk about your online offering AND create sales! → Instant access. → No fluff. Just clarity that converts. ABOUT DIGITAL YOGA ACADEMY   Digital Yoga Academy is an Online Yoga Business School, teaching yoga teachers essential business and marketing skills. Powerful business skills that you're not taught in yoga teacher training!   You’ll get all the support you need to turn your passion and expertise as a yoga teacher into a successful yoga business. Join over 20k yoga teachers worldwide on the same journey as you!    🌟 Get started by discovering what type of Yogipreneur you are! Take the Yogipreneur Quiz to find out: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/yogipreneur-quiz/ CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy

What you’re calling a “marketing strategy”… No funnel. No repurposing system. No clear buyer journey. Just… “vibes” and Canva. And that’s not on you. That’s what the online space taught you to do. 👀 But if you’re here to actually make consistent sales from your online offerings, grow your yoga community, and stop relying on just one platform to run your entire business, then your marketing needs to become an “ecosystem”. 🫶🏼 One that works with you, even when you’re offline and enjoying life. Your dream students don’t need more yoga teachers in their feed. They need to see you everywhere. In their inbox. In their podcast app. In their DMs. On their feed. Again and again until trust becomes action. This is the strategy I teach 💁🏻‍♀️ If you’ve been stuck in one-dimensional marketing… Let’s change that. ABOUT DIGITAL YOGA ACADEMY   Digital Yoga Academy is an Online Yoga Business School, teaching yoga teachers essential business and marketing skills. Powerful business skills that you're not taught in yoga teacher training!   You’ll get all the support you need to turn your passion and expertise as a yoga teacher into a successful yoga business. Join over 20k yoga teachers worldwide on the same journey as you!    🌟 Get started by discovering what type of Yogipreneur you are! Take the Yogipreneur Quiz to find out: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/yogipreneur-quiz/ CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy

“Live launches are dead.” “People aren’t showing up anymore.” “Sales aren’t what they used to be.” 🙄 The reality is that some online course creators and coaches are feeling frustrated. Their show-up rates are dropping, engagement feels like a battle, and they’re struggling to generate excitement around their offers. And so they start spreading the rumour that live launching no longer works 🙃 What’s really happening? The online space is evolving. The strategies that worked a few years ago (or even a few months ago) are losing their edge. Your audience is savvier, more selective, and engaging in new ways. If you’re using outdated methods, it’s no surprise that results are slipping. This is exactly why I stay ahead of the curve. 💁🏻‍♀️ 💥 Eight years. Countless launches. Relentless testing and refining. I’ve built a system that works, even in a changing market. Whilst others are stuck saying, “It’s not working,” I’m here to show you exactly how it does work when you have the right strategy. In fact, last year, I too had to evolve our live launch strategy and we made $120k in a week converting 40% of students from a low-ticket offer into a high-ticket group coaching program. We’ve done it again inside our most recent live launch with a 38% conversion rate. Live launches certainly are not dead. They’ve just evolved. So what if I told you there’s a strategy that could turn nearly half of your leads into paying students? Would you also be ready to evolve? 🤔 ABOUT DIGITAL YOGA ACADEMY   Digital Yoga Academy is an Online Yoga Business School, teaching yoga teachers essential business and marketing skills. Powerful business skills that you're not taught in yoga teacher training!   You’ll get all the support you need to turn your passion and expertise as a yoga teacher into a successful yoga business. Join over 20k yoga teachers worldwide on the same journey as you!    🌟 Get started by discovering what type of Yogipreneur you are! Take the Yogipreneur Quiz to find out: https://digitalyogaacademy.lpages.co/yogipreneur-quiz/ CONNECT WITH US 🌟 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalyogaacademy/ 🌟 Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalyogaacademy