If you are a yoga teacher, there is a good chance Instagram lives rent-free in your head.
Maybe you have been told you “need to be on Instagram” to build your brand. Maybe you have heard that you should be posting Reels three times a week, engaging in the comments, and staying on top of every new feature. Maybe you feel guilty because you are not doing any of that—and you worry it means you are somehow failing at the business side of teaching.
Meanwhile, you are teaching real classes to real humans. You are planning sequences, answering student questions, and managing everything else that goes into your life and work. Who has time to also become a content creator?
The good news: you do not have to.
In my new YouTube video, “How to Set Up Instagram for Yoga Teachers: The Approach That Actually Works,” I share a different way to think about Instagram—one that frees you from the pressure to post constantly and helps you use the platform in a way that actually serves your students and your business.
This blog post walks you through the big ideas from the video and shows you how to go deeper with my Minimalist Instagram for Yoga Teachers course and The Prep Station membership.
Instagram as a business card, not a content machine
Most of the advice yoga teachers hear about Instagram is aimed at influencers, big brands, or online businesses that live and die by the algorithm. That is not you.
If you teach locally—or even if you teach online to a small, human-sized community—your students are not usually “discovering” you because a Reel went viral. They find you because:
- A friend recommends your class
- A studio features you on the schedule
- They see you in another teacher’s content
- They Google your name or your studio and click around
At some point in that process, they will almost always tap on your Instagram profile. What happens next is quiet but powerful.
In a few seconds, as they glance at your bio, your photo, and your top few posts, they are deciding:
“Is this yoga for someone like me?”
“Can I actually make this work in my real life?”
“What would I do next if I wanted to try a class?”
Your job is not to entertain them with an endless stream of content. Your job is to answer those questions clearly and kindly and then send them on their way with confidence.
That is what I mean when I say: your Instagram should behave like a business card—not a content machine.
The three questions your profile needs to answer
In the video and in Minimalist Instagram for Yoga Teachers, I break this down into three core questions every potential student is asking when they land on your profile:
- Who are you (and is this for someone like me)?They are scanning for clues: your photo, your bio, the language you use. Do they see someone who feels approachable? Do they see bodies, ages, and identities that look like theirs? Do they get a sense that this teacher might understand what they are dealing with?
- What do you teach and for whom?“I teach vinyasa” is about you.”Vinyasa for stressed-out beginners who need to move to get out of their head” is about them.Your profile should make it obvious what style you offer and which students you serve best.
- What is the clear next step to work with you?If someone is interested, what do they do? Book through the studio? Click a booking link? Email you? Join an online membership? Do not make them guess. One clear call to action is enough.
When your bio and top posts answer those three questions, your Instagram is doing its job—even if you have not posted anything new in months.
The minimalist levels: 3 posts, 6 posts, or a bit more
Once you embrace Instagram as a business card, the next question is: how much do you actually need to build out?
In the video, I show you a simple three-level framework so you can choose the level of “done” that fits your time, your tech comfort, and your goals.
Level 1: Micro-Minimalism (3 pinned posts)
This is the smallest possible version of a functional, client-ready Instagram profile.
- Pin three posts that each do a very specific job:
- Post 1: Who you are and who your classes are for
- Post 2: What you teach and what it feels like to be in class with you
- Post 3: How to take the next step (book a class, join your email list, message you, etc.)
Everything below those posts can be old photos, random content, or even nothing at all. The pinned posts do the heavy lifting.
For many yoga teachersespecially those teaching locallythis level is plenty. You can set it up in an hour or two, then move on with your life.
Level 2: Minimalism (6 posts that feel like a landing page)
If you want your Instagram to feel more like a mini website, you can go one step further.
- Keep your three core posts pinned at the top
- Add three more posts that offer a little more depth:
- A testimonial or social proof
- Another way to work with you (workshops, privates, retreats)
- A little more about your teaching philosophy or approach
Now, when someone visits your profile, they get a complete picture of who you are and how you can help them, without ever needing to scroll.
Level 3: Maximalist Minimalism (Highlights and beyond—optional!)
If you enjoy tinkering and want the most polished version, you can add:
- Story Highlights that walk students through your offerings
- Short clips that show your teaching style
- Saved Stories answering common questions (what to bring, what to wear, what class levels mean)
This level is optional. The key is that you never have to earn your keep with the algorithm. You are simply building a clear, welcoming front door to your teaching.
Why this approach works for real-world yoga teachers
I did not arrive at this minimalist approach overnight.
For years, I did what so many yoga teachers do: I agonized over what to post, spent way too long writing captions, hit “publish,” and then checked back twelve times to see who had liked it. It did not feel good, and it did not reliably get people into class.
When I looked at where my actual students were coming from, the pattern was obvious. They were finding me through:
- Word of mouth
- Studio referrals
- Long-form content like books, podcasts, and workshops
- Google searches that led to my website
Instagram was not the engine. It was the confirmation step. People used it to get a quick sense of who I am and whether I was someone they would feel comfortable practicing with.
Once I saw that clearly, I decided to stop fighting Instagram and start using it for what it actually does well. I created a minimalist, business-card-style profile for my @comfortzoneyoga account, set up a small grid of intentional posts, and then—I left it alone.
It quietly does its job in the background while I focus on teaching, writing, and serving the teachers in my programs.
You deserve the same relief.
Two ways to get support: Minimalist Instagram and The Prep Station
If you are ready to get Instagram off your mental to-do list, you do not have to build this all from scratch.
I created Minimalist Instagram for Yoga Teachers to walk you step by step through:
- Choosing your level (3 posts, 6 posts, or more)
- Writing a student-centered bio that sounds like you
- Designing posts that answer the three key questions
- Setting up a profile that feels like a true reflection of how you teach
You can treat it as a tidy, self-contained project: spend an afternoon working through the lessons, set up your profile, and call it done.
If you want more ongoing support with class planning and the business side of teaching, the best fit is The Prep Station.
When you join The Prep Station, you get Minimalist Instagram included, plus:
- A Movement Library full of real-class sequences and follow-along practices for real humans
- A custom GPT assistant trained on my books and methods to help you sanity-check lesson plans
- Monthly Snack + Chat calls at 2 p.m. Eastern on Saturdays, where we practice together and then talk about teaching
- Fresh sequence ideas and theme seeds so planning does not eat your weekend
- A supportive community of yoga teachers who get what your life is actually like
If you are going to fix your Instagram presence anyway, you might as well solve the “what am I teaching this week?” question at the same time.
Your next step: set up your business-card Instagram this week
Here is how I recommend you move forward:
- Watch the video
Start with the YouTube video, “How to Set Up Instagram for Yoga Teachers: The Approach That Actually Works.” You will see the whole business-card concept in action and get a visual walk-through of the three levels. - Decide what level you wantAre you a Level 1 teacher who just wants three clear posts and done?Do you want the slightly more built-out Level 2 version?Or are you excited to play at Level 3 over time?
- Choose your support
- If you want a clear, step-by-step guide to write and set everything up, grab Minimalist Instagram for Yoga Teachers.
- If you want that plus ongoing help with lesson planning, themes, and staying grounded as a teacher, join The Prep Station for only $39/month and get the course included.
By the time the New Year rolls around, you could have a clear, welcoming Instagram profile that quietly says:
“This is who I am. This is who I teach. Here is how to join me.”
No constant posting. No doom-scrolling. Only a simple, honest representation of the teacher you already are, representing you 24/7.
I would love to see what you create! DM me: @sagerountree
