How to Market Your Yoga or Pilates Classes Locally
Likes on social media can give us a little psychological boost, but they don’t pay the rent… local students do.
If your feed is full of yoga trends but your classes aren’t growing, it’s probably not your teaching that’s the problem. More often than not, it’s your marketing focus.
Many yoga and Pilates teachers are told that to grow their business they need to post more on social media, follow trends and build their follower count. The problem is that many of those followers live on the other side of the country or are other teachers. They’re not the people who are going to show up at your Tuesday night class come rain or shine or tell all their friends about how amazing your classes are.
If your business is built around in-person classes, your marketing needs to be focused on reaching local people in your community. That’s where the real growth happens.
Why marketing for in-person yoga classes looks different
Online marketing advice often focuses on going viral or building a global audience. That can work if your business is online, but if your classes take place in a studio, church hall or community centre, you need a different approach.
Local marketing is about being discoverable in your area, building trust with real people and creating a sense of community. It’s less about algorithms and more about connection.
When you shift your marketing focus locally, your efforts become more strategic and a lot less overwhelming. Instead of trying to be everywhere, you can focus on the things that actually help students find and book your classes.
Social media isn’t the whole picture
Social media can absolutely support your marketing, but it shouldn’t carry the whole weight of your business.
Platforms like Instagram can be great for:
Sharing updates and reminders about your classes
Showing your personality and building trust
Creating a sense of community with your students
But social media alone won’t fill your classes. It’s just one part of a bigger local marketing strategy.
Local marketing foundations every teacher needs
If you want to fill your in-person classes, workshops or retreats, your marketing foundations need to be solid. That includes:
A clear, easy-to-use website so people can find your timetable, understand what you offer and book easily. If someone can’t book in a couple of simple clicks you need to look at your design. Need help navigating your Squarespace site?
Strong local SEO, including a Google Business Profile, so your classes show up when people search for yoga or Pilates near them. It’s absolutely crucial you understand how local SEO works. It’s not about just plastering your hometown name all over the place, it’s about mapping keywords to key pages and being smart with it. Need help with understanding SEO?
Email marketing to nurture real connections and remind people about upcoming classes and events. Your email list is one of the most valuable things you own. You could lose your social media account tomorrow due to a crazy meta bug/decision…. your email list is yours to own!
Community visibility, like partnerships with local businesses, noticeboards, flyers or collaborations that build trust in your area. You might want to donate to school raffles, charities, get your name out there.
A simple, clear message about what you offer and who it’s for. You’re not everything for everyone… that’s a good thing!
Sharing valuable content in Local Facebook Groups be a helpful resource, share information that could support local people. If there are advertising days, take advantage of them but cater your message to the group. Don’t just keep posting in groups full of other teachers unless you’re doing a CPD.
When these pieces are in place, your marketing becomes consistent and effective, without relying on a constant stream of trending Reels or viral posts.
A step-by-step way to build your local yoga business
This is exactly why I created Build Your Business.
It’s a practical, step-by-step course designed to help yoga and Pilates teachers get found by local people, build real trust and fill their in-person classes.
In this course, you’ll learn how to:
Set up your website so it works for you
Improve your local SEO so people can actually find your classes
Build visibility in your community
Create a simple, sustainable marketing system that doesn’t depend on being glued to your phone
This isn’t about flashy marketing campaigns or chasing trends. It’s about clear, steady steps that help you grow a local, sustainable yoga or Pilates business.
Build a business that’s rooted in your community
Your best students are probably closer than you think. They live in your town, walk past your studio/venue and scroll local searches when they’re looking for a new class.
When your marketing is built for them, everything else gets easier.
