Cassey Ho of Blogilates shares strategies for success prior to SXSW
As we face the possibility of a recession, everyone is seeking ways to safeguard their own companies, including the creators of content. As a result, numerous are coming to realize that to rely on sponsorship deals or brand partnerships to create income isn't sustainable..
Potential recession aside brands, deals with brands or similar agreements aren't widely regarded as secure, not even for musicians with large fan bases. If you add a recession to the mix and agreements may cease to be an income source for many artists.
Solutions to the ongoing issue are being developed, such as the establishment of funds for social media like the TikTok's. Although these funds may be a bit flimsy, they've faced criticism for their small payouts because of the huge number of creators seeking a portion of the finite funds. In order to address this issue, TikTok is actively looking into a different version of the creator fund which will offer creators more payouts. However, only time will tell if this version will be able to do doing what the original model from 2020 was unable to do.
To get to the core of how entrepreneurs could create sustainable businesses free of the limitations of social media In order to answer this question, we set out to talk with the Queen of Entrepreneurship herself - business mogul Cassey Ho AKA Blogilates.
A little over 12 years ago, a small Pilates at-home YouTube video gained Cassey's acclaim for her role as an influential person. She has inspired over 14 million people with her videos that were watched more than 2 . billion times.
That meant Cassey could focus on her passion for fashion. Now she has only two million-dollar portfolio brands, but Blogilates and POPFLEX as well. Blogilates and POPFLEX and an partnership together with 24 Hour Fitness, where her unique style of POP Pilates will be taught at fitness centers throughout the United States. In the alliance is her famous POP Pilates online certification course that Cassey runs on .
By leveraging her audience and adapting to their demands through a range of services, Cassey has built a industry that's been going strong for more than a decade.
Take a look at the Q&A with Cassey to get a more in-depth look at the ways she's diversified her income sources through physical products, digital goods and much more.
HTML0 Note: The answers were lightly edited to improve clarity.
How do you pitch the pitch of your elevator?
It's possible to say I'm an entrepreneur in fitness and style. My first venture was the YouTube world of pilates instructors. Every platform I'm on is averaged between 14 and 15 million followers as well as two billion views. And I essentially got my career started with workout videos that were free to people but this wasn't my primary goal. I've always wanted my life to be trendy. When I started teaching yoga, I built a community and then due to that I was able to return to the desire I had to become a fashionable. The people I taught to were asking me for yoga mats and yoga clothes and clothes which is why I decided to dress my students. It's been an incredible journey, as the advent of social media has allowed me to return my first fascination. My yoga mats can be purchased at Target under Blogilates, and POPFLEX is my brand for clothing.
Let's examine the lessons you have learned from your social media experience. What inspired you to start your YouTube channel?
I was employed as a pilates instructor during college. The classes I gave were POP Pilates specifically, which is done to music, and at the time nobody was teaching this format. Pilates was taught without musical accompaniment or even just to traditional tunes. Therefore, I was teaching in 24 Hour Fitness, and I had just finished my degree during the time I got an to instruct in Boston and I was conscious I had to move across the nation and there was no way to instruct this kind of pilates in the future. In this situation my decision to film a ten-minute workout and then upload it on the YouTube website in the year 2009. It was only for 40 participants who were at the training facility. That's it. After the video was uploaded and deleted it, I didn't examine it until about a month afterwards. The site had thousands of visitors and hundreds of people seeking more information, and this is what started Blogilates!
How have you approached your strategy for using social media changed from your experiences since you began Blogilates in 2009?
In 2009, the site was YouTube as a type of video, and Facebook was the place to establish a virtual community. It was a fun place when it was first introduced. In the past, we've seen several social media networks become available which has been absolutely tiring, however you need to stay pertinent in these ever-changing social media platforms. You have to figure out how to best reach your target audience on every social media platform as well as how you can create articles for every one of them. It is important to remain on top of your game. social media at the conclusion of the day is simply a tool. The answer is dependent on the people following you on the social platform however for the main aspect, I believe it can be a great thing because it can break down walls and there is no one stopping you from your success. Keep trying and testing until you come across a kind of content which is efficient. And continue to work on improving it every time.
What's been the biggest change since your first launch back in 2009 ? What's changed during the course of becoming a creator on YouTube?
It's been some time since we've witnessed any major shift! In 2009 the year 2009 the idea of being an influencer not an option. Earning money via brand deals was not an option. AdSense was not even an idea in the past. YouTube was a place where people could post videos on YouTube for the purpose of being able to showcase their knowledge and also share their funny moments and the content they created. That was it. It wasn't about becoming famous or become a YouTube star. Now, fast forward to 2023, and our world has drastically changed, and in many ways, I'm certain that it's a lot less genuine.
Many people seek to be influencers or creators when they are seeking acknowledgement and recognition. The self-esteem of these people is based on their metrics. It makes me unhappy to think of it because many of the early creators who began in 2009 were looking for connections. So that's the reason I was there. I wanted to teach POP Pilates. This is why Blogilates has existed since 14 years. The company didn't die because of the occurrences that occur a lot among young creators. It's a different landscape and competitive. However, it's an excellent business opportunity since there is no need to rely on traditional media or advertising to make your name known and visible. It's easy to begin connecting with your audience by turning to your mobile and making the TikTok as well as YouTube video or the Instagram Reel.
What was your experience the first time you earned money from YouTube? Are you able to devise a method for generating a steady earnings? If yes, please describe the particulars of your plan?
Truthfully, I'm not sure whether this was a good thought or not. I've always had a job that was a side hustle. It was never my intention to make it a full-time contribution to on YouTube. I was working at the back of my mind, no matter what it was. It could be that was selling products or doing my first and final work as an employee of a company. That's why I didn't have a plan. In the beginning, I was beginning to notice YouTubers and bloggers signing brand agreements which I had no idea was possible, nor did I know that having an agent or manager could be possible. One of my bloggers said to me : Don't be worried about it. You do not need to contact anybody, you just need to build an following and they'll appear.' That's the exact scenario that occurred. It's hard to say if considered that a plan or not, however I was completely focused on my readers and helped my readers by producing amazing content I was passionate about. passionately about. It was then that everything else came out of this. AdSense, brand dealsand anything else constitute a portion of my income source, although it's now making just a small portion of my income total since it's not the main source of income.
Was that always the case with you? Did it begin mostly with social media?
The first few months were more than a split as I was constantly designing yoga bags or mats with brands. Brand deals were there and they would increase, but the more they grew, I also became more dissatisfied. I wasn't a fan of them brand deals because typically in these deals you're tied together with a firm that doesn't know or respect your instructions. This is like going through the bullets of the brief and then include your own content, and then knock off every single bullet points. Then they want to change something since they aren't happy with it. It was a constant sense of people telling me what I should or shouldn't do with my own content and my audience. I became so unhappy with the brand agreement that I've decided for the last few years to fade out of such deals and focus in analyzing my branding.
Let's look at the algorithms. Do you think algorithms have affected your capacity to earn income over social media sites?
Since I began creating video tutorials for design about 2 months back, it was clear how was the TikTok algorithm or YouTube algorithm performed, perhaps but not nearly as effectively as is the Instagram algorithm. However, it can define the future of a product, and the speed at which it's likely to sell out. In one instance for one, we've seen one of our legging videos increase in popularity and reach greater than 25 million views in just a matter of hours, and the product ended up selling out in a couple of hours. However, sometimes an article can become viral on one platform however not appear on the other in spite of being the exact same video. It's interesting to see how this happens, and I'm not convinced it's because my audience is different on each platform However, I do believe that it's due to the fact that, as an example, TikTok is a good chance of virality because they can have an audience similar to the one on TikTok regardless of the audience, it's interesting. The algorithm is a key element in the effectiveness of video as well as playing an important role in the selling. However, while you're focussed on creating an excellent product which my staff and I strive to create each day, there's no need for these viral videos. These are nice, however my company doesn't rely on making them viral. It is instead based on the quality of its products.
As we go forward, the developers will realize that they need to utilize social media to create opportunities to increase traffic and build an audience instead of a method that can be used to directly monetize as you've been able to accomplish. What are your thoughts about this development?
It is important to offer an item that is worth the time of your viewers. It's crucial to offer worth, whether it's for educational or entertainment. It is impossible to increase the number of people who are watching your show if you're just going to endeavor to make money out of the people. That's why whatever you're doing to people who are there in the morning: What is that part of your communication with them who will carry home and be grateful for? Just keep trying to help your audience before you're ready to release the product you'll be remembered by them for the times in which you assisted them. They'll want to be part of the process as you release the product. In my case, even though it wasn't what I thought of it actually happened.
Videos are on YouTube available for free during the time period of about an entire decade, and also to create items and users who see the development of the product, and wanting to become involved in the process. In the end, by having their input into the design process I've created this project I'm doing an authentic community.
Many creators think that the only way to earn money is via affiliation agreements and brand names on social media. What are your recommendations to creators who want to diversify their online income streams?
Let's list out all of ways that creators can diversify their income streams. Naturally, there are brands that have agreements in addition to AdSense on YouTube and TikTok's Creator fund. Creators can also think about creating products, things and digital services such as services or online courses on . When it comes to the end of the day, you must to know what worth you are offering. What is it that people are willing to pay for? You should be asking yourself this question as you're able to produce content at no cost however, you shouldn't offer everything for free or without cost. Otherwise, you'll become extremely exhausted. In addition, research has shown that when someone decides to purchase something, they're more likely to follow through by completing the purchase than if the product is offered with a no-cost gift.
It's essential to know the purpose of your work and then wrap it into something, such as a service, an item or something else.
Which strategies have you employed to grow your followers on social media sites to promote POPFLEX as well as your Blogilates range of products at Target? Or, how have you managed the traffic that is generated through social media onto your site?
The audience sees exactly what I thought of while designing something. If I'm displaying a stylish item I'm not saying to that it's a nice sweater. The best thing to do is buy it. We aren't trying to sell the product to the public. We are educating them. I design products that address problems. I engage them in the designing process. I assist them to be part of the process and engage with the design process. Their design requests go to product development, after which we transform it into a reality. happen, and through that we establish trust with my clients. We're not just treating them as clientsbut taking them on as partners during the process of design. This makes the experience enjoyable for everyone.
In terms of redirecting my followers from my accounts on social media to my website, I focus on what is obvious, such as including the Instagram URL. For example, making use of tags to advertise your merchandise. Links are a way to guide my followers from social apps to my website. Also, I rely on other creators of content to showcase my merchandise and show how my clothes can be worn by women of all sizes and shapes. The content we provide is why my visitors are directed toward my website. Also, I use the newsletter as a way to make many sales.
What was your first idea ? What inspired you to design Your Pop Pilates courses on ?
I had been searching for hours for a site that would allow me to offer my instructor-training program that at the very top of the podcast, I spoke about the possibility of teaching POP Pilates at 24 Hour Fitness. In the next few years later, POP Pilates becomes the official pilates program for every 24 Hour Fitness in the US. So I was looking for an online platform, or software that could house all the instructors , and also to distribute the choreography. I was unable to find anything. It was while watching Chalene Johnson's show. The host was talking about something when she made a reference to . This is when I found that it was there ! It really was the sole platform to allow me to do the tasks I had to accomplish on the level I required and I'm always thankful for it.
Examining the landscape of creators as a whole. What are the most common mistakes that you observe creators making in the current situation?
Creators make a lot of mistakes today, but my main concern is when some creators can gain popularity and an enormous audience. When the time comes, they're offered brand agreements and the content begins to appear more like something that's been taken for granted. They're sure they'll need an income to get by, but while at the at the same time, they're ruining the trust of their fans. I've seen it happen to me. Of content] destroy the brand names of creators. Additionally, I'm curious to learn how an artist's job that's built upon a different career evolves. A teacher, for instance, turns into an influencer. Their entire rise to fame is due to being a teacher. But how do they go about regaining their fame when they quit being a teacher because they're famous as a creator?
Our answer? Begin a class on .
What's something that creators of the game aren't taking enough care of?
Everybody tells me that everybody is interested in your product or service. They want to have a line of products so they won't need to talk about different name brands constantly. The thing is that I consider you to be interested in this. You must be motivated to run a product business. Every creator with an audience must possess some sort of product or product or. I think it's definitely where people [creators] should go however, you must be a believer and actually believe in the product, in order to be a true believer. If you're not, it will be extremely difficult to sell your product.
Are there any tips you'd offer someone just starting out on this path who is looking to begin using digital products?
It's a good idea to go back to what I mentioned earlier about determining what value of the product you offer to your clients in the first place, then finding ways to package it in a way that they are able to purchase this product. You have to be strong in what that is. If you're still not certain, that's fine. Try the idea with no-cost material. The idea is to evaluate your audience. However, I would like to point out that you should be cautious in not let your audience steer you into an area that you don't trust. If you're following the figures and making excessive comments, you lose your own identity. You can lose your purpose and aren't aware of your values This is the main reason that creators become burnt out. People who create this way become unhappy because they no have the freedom to live their life as they wish. They're living, creating and being someone else. So pay attention to every signal, even your heart. At the end of the day, you have to be making contents that make you feel happy or else it will end in failing.
Take control of your future with digital products
The success of the creator's business relies on diversifying income streams to build sustainable businesses like Cassey has done.
Through online offerings including online courses in addition to physical products as well as brand partnerships, Cassey has been able to increase her influence around the globe and eventually be in control of her future.
When creators begin to follow the same method of the way they utilize social media is set to change. The social media platform will no longer be utilized as a means to achieve purposes of monetization instead, as an opportunity to direct the audience to other sources of revenue like digital merchandise.
"The greatest role I have been able to play is in helping me establish a a vibrant instructor community for Pop Pilates." -- Cassey Ho
Already, it has supported over 55,000 entrepreneurs, who have earned around $4.9 billion. This number is growing each minute.
We're going to get rid of middlemen so that you take all the profits along with the rights to customers, your model of company, and possibly even your own brand.
To learn more about how to control your destiny and excel in your work as an entrepreneur and creator, catch Cassey and Matt Steffanina, 's President/CPO Sean Kim, and Jim Louderback at the sponsored stage at SXSW next month.
If you're interested in expanding your earnings by selling digital goods, try your luck the possibilities with fourteen-day free trial.
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