Cassey Ho of Blogilates shares strategies for success prior to SXSW
While the world is grappling with the possibility of a recession, people are looking for an avenue to secure themself, even the creators of content. In the process, many are coming to realize that using only sponsorship deals and brand agreements for revenue isn't sustainable.
A possible recession aside Brand deals, or similar arrangements aren't renowned to be reliable even among creators who have established massive followings. Incorporate a recession in the mix, and deals might disappear entirely as an option to earn income for a lot of creators.
Solutions to this ongoing challenge have emerged, including Social media creator funds similar to TikTok's. While the funds appear they've been criticized for small payouts due to the high number of creators requesting a share of these funds. To address this, TikTok is actively exploring a new version of the creator fund which will offer creators greater payments, however it is too early to tell whether this new variant of the funds will be able to do what the 2020 version did not.
To get to the root of the question of how entrepreneurs can create viable businesses that are free from the restrictions on social networks, we set up a meeting with the queen of entrepreneurship herself -- business mogul Cassey Ho AKA Blogilates.
About 12 and a half years ago, an insignificant home pilates YouTube video earned Cassey's popularity as an influencer. She's motivated over 14 million people with her viral videos , which were watched more than 2 billion times.
This meant that Cassey had the opportunity to concentrate on her passion for fashion. Cassey now has not one, but two multi-million dollar portfolio brands, Blogilates and POPFLEX, as well as an alliance with 24 Hour Fitness, where her unique style of POP Pilates is taught in gymnasiums throughout the United States. Included in the partnership is her signature POP Pilates online certification course that Cassey is the host on .
By leveraging her audience and adjusting to the needs of her audience with multiple products, Cassey has built a business that has been in the spotlight for more than 10 years.
Explore the Q&A with Cassey to go deeper into the way she's diversified her income streams through digital products, physical merchandise and much more.
Note: The responses are lightly edited for clarity.
How do you pitch the elevator song you use?
It is possible to say that I am a fashion and fitness-related entrepreneur. I began my career in the YouTube world as pilates instructors. On all platforms I am averaging 14 or 15 million followers as well as 2 billion views. I essentially got my career started with free workout videos to people but it wasn't really my intention. I always wanted to be fashionable. When I first started teaching classes and built a community and then because of it, I was able to get back to my original desire to be a fashionista. The people I taught to were asking me for yoga mats, clothes, and clothing and I started to outfit my students. And it's just been such a beautiful journey how social media led me back towards my initial love of yoga. Yoga mats are located in Target under Blogilates, and POPFLEX is my clothing business.
Let's dig in and understand some of your social media experience. What inspired you to create you own YouTube channel?
I worked as a freelancer teaching pilates while at college. POP Pilates specifically. This is a form of exercise that involves music and at the time nobody was teaching this format. Pilates was taught to the absence of music, or only to the classical genre. This is why I was teaching at 24 Hour Fitness, and I was graduating, and at the time I received an to teach in Boston and I knew I had to move across the country and that nobody was going to be teaching this form of pilates again. In light of that I decided to make the workout in ten minutes, and upload it on the YouTube website in 2009. The video was intended for just forty people who were who were at the gym. That's it. Then, after I posted it on YouTube, I never looked at it again until about a month later. It received thousands of views and hundreds of comments asking for more, and that's the reason why I started Blogilates!
How has the way you use social media changed for you since starting Blogilates back in the year 2009?
In 2009, YouTube as a form of video. Facebook was where you created a community. It was a great place back then. Throughout time, we've had all of these different social platforms come in the past, and it's been exhausting but you have to be able to stay relevant by adapting to the new platforms. You have to figure out how to speak to your audience on each one and also how you can create articles for each. It is essential to continue playing your game, however social media at the end of it all is an instrument. It all depends on who's watching you on the platform, but for the most part I consider it to be beneficial because it breaks down barriers and there is no one who is keeping you from achieving your goals. You can keep trying and testing until you find a type of content that is effective but you continue working to improve it each time.
What's changed since the time you launched back in 2009 ? What has changed in the process as a creator on YouTube?
A lot has changed! In 2009, being an influencer wasn't something that was popular; earning money via brand deals wasn't an option; AdSense wasn't even a concept at the time. People put up videos on YouTube for the simple reason of wanting to share their expertise and funny moments and their content. That was it. It was not about becoming famous or becoming an YouTube star. Fast forward to now, 2023, and the scene is quite different and it's different in many ways. I'm sure there's less authenticity.
Some people are looking to be influencers or creators as they seek recognition and fame. The self-worth of these people is dependent on the numbers that they're chasing, and it's regret that because a lot of the first creators who started in 2009 were there to make connections. It was the reason I came. I had a desire to teach POP Pilates. This is why Blogilates is around for fourteen years now. It didn't fizzle out which is taking place a lot in the case of younger creators. I believe the market is different and more competitive, but it's an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs as there's no need to depend on traditional media and advertisements for getting your brand there; you can start connecting with people just using your smartphone and making an TikTok short, YouTube video or an Instagram Reel.
How was it as you began earning money through YouTube? Did you have a system for generating a steady income? If yes, could you describe that program?
In all honesty, I'm not sure what was the real idea or not. There was always a job on the side. There was no plan to go full in on YouTube; I always had something going on at the back of my mind, regardless of whether I was selling things or working my first and final work as a corporate employee. Therefore, I did not have a true plan. In the beginning, I began to see that bloggers and YouTubers were getting brand deals, and I didn't even think that getting an agent or a manager was even possible. I remember one blogger friend of mine said "Don't be concerned about it, you don't have to go out. Just keep growing your fan base and they'll come.' So that's exactly the situation that happened. I'm not sure if I considered that a plan or not, but I did my best to focus on my audience and served my audience by creating excellent content that I was passionate about and then everything resulted from that. AdSense, brand dealsand anything else constitute a portion of my source of income, but today, they make up just a tiny fraction of my entire revenue because it's the primary thing.
Was that always the case with you? Or did it first begin on social?
It was initially divided because I was always making yoga mats and yoga bags as well as brand partnerships. They were always present and would grow in the beginning, however when they increased in number, I was also becoming more unhappy. I was not a fan (brand agreements) because usually when you sign up for brand deals, you're bound with a business who doesn't understand or trust your direction It's like you go through the bullet points in the brief, but you add the material, and it knocks off every bullet point. Then they're looking to make changes since they aren't happy with the way it's being presented. It constantly felt like someone was telling me the things I should or shouldn't do with my own content and audience. I became so unsatisfied by brand deals, so it has been my aim over the last several years to fade out of such deals , and instead focus on talking about my branding.
Let's discuss the algorithm. Have algorithms affected your potential for earning money through social media platforms?
The first time I made videos for design a year and two months ago, I realized that how the TikTok algorithm, or the YouTube algorithm performed, perhaps more than the Instagram algorithm, could truly decide the fate of a product and how fast it's going to become a bestseller. We had one of our legging videos explode in popularity and get at least 25 million or more views which was sold out within a matter of hours. Sometimes, however, a video will go viral on one platform and won't on another, and it's exactly the same thing. It's intriguing to know the results in this regard, and I'm not convinced that it's due to my target audience being diverse on different platforms however, I believe it's because, as an example, TikTok has this high probability of being viral because they are able to serve it to a look-alike audience regardless of the audience, it's interesting. The algorithm is a major factor in the way that videos perform in terms of performance, thus, playing significant roles in selling. However, if you continue to focus on a great product, which my staff and I is doing every day, you don't need to watch the videos that go viral. These are nice, but my business doesn't depend on making it viral. Instead, it depends on a quality product.
We're predicting that going forward the creators will recognize that they must use social media more as an opportunity to build audience and traffic source rather than a direct monetization tool like what you've done. What's your opinion on this new trend?
You must be able to offer something worthwhile to your viewers. You have to create value whether that is in education or entertainment. There is no way to grow an audience if you're just going to seek to get money out of them. So whatever it is that you're hearing here today: What is that aspect you communicate with others that they'll want take home to keep in mind? Just keep trying to make your message more useful to your viewers, and then when you're ready to launch your product, they'll think of the time you help them. They'll be eager to become part of the process as you release that product. In my case, even though this wasn't my strategy this is what actually ended up happening.
Free YouTube videos over a period of 10 years, as well as amidst the process of designing products and fans seeing the journey of the product and want to be a part of it. Then, by including them in the design process I've created this project I'm doing a true community.
Most creators think their only option to earn money is through brand and affiliate partnerships on social networks. Where would you suggest that creators diversify their internet sources of income?
We'll list all ways that creators can diversify their income streams. Of course, you have branding deals, but you also have AdSense on YouTube as well as TikTok's creator fund. Creators may also consider creating merchandise and products and digital services like a service or online class on . In the end your day, you need to ask yourself what value are you providing. What is it that people are willing to spend money on? should ask yourself this question since you can make free content, but you can't give the entire world for free. In the event that you do, you'll get burnt out. In addition, research is a proven fact that when a person buys something they're more likely to stick by doing what they say than when the item is provided at no cost.
It's crucial to define what your worth is and then package it into something, which could be a service a product, or even a piece of information.
What strategies have you used to increase your social media followers for POPFLEX and the Blogilates range of products at Target? How have you directed traffic from social media to your website?
I will show the audience what I thought of when I created an idea. If I'm showing an awesome piece of clothing, I'm certainly not telling them 'Ooh I've got a great sweater. You should buy it.' Again, we aren't trying to sell the product to the public. We're educating them. I design to solve challenges. I incorporate them into the design process that helps involve them in the process and engage in the process. Their design requests go to product development, and then we help make it come to fruition, and in doing that, we build confidence with my customers. We don't treat them like customers; we're treating them as collaborators in the design process. I think this makes the journey fun for everyone.
When it comes to getting my viewers to move from social media to my website I concentrate on what is obvious, such as putting an Instagram link. For example, using tags to promote your items. I use links to move my customers from my social platforms to my website. Additionally, I use other content creators to present my items in addition to demonstrating how my clothing can fit women of all shapes and sizes. Yeah, our content is what funnels my audience towards my site. Also, I use a newsletter to generate a lot of sales.
How did you ultimately start at the beginning ? What led you to create the Pop Pilates courses on ?
I had been desperately searching for a site that would host my instructor certification program so at the top of this podcast I talked about the possibility of teaching POP Pilates at 24 Hour Fitness. After a few years later, POP Pilates becomes the official pilates program for all 24 Hour Fitnesses in the US. So I was looking for an online software or portal to house all of the instructors and to share the choreography, and I didn't come across anything. I happened to be watching Chalene Johnson's podcast; she was talking in a casual manner about something, and she brought up . And that's how I found out about ! It truly was the only one that could permit me to accomplish what I needed to do on the scale required to accomplish and I am always grateful for that.
Looking at the creator landscape as a whole. What are some of the most common mistakes that creators making in today's environment today?
There are creators who make numerous mistakes these days however the most common issue I've seen is when creators get a great deal of attention and have a huge following. Then the moment comes that they get brand deals and their content starts to feel like it's been forced. Of course that they require a pay check and need to pay their bills however, at the same that they're losing confidence with their followers. I've seen it [this style of content] degrade creators' brands. Additionally, I'm curious to know how the career of a creator based upon other careers plays out. As an example, a teacher is now an influencer. Their entire rise to fame is based on being a teacher. But what happens when they cease being a teacher because they've become successful [as a creator]?
The answer is simple: Get a new course started .
What's the one thing you don't see creators doing enough?
I hear it all the time 'Everyone wants the same thing you offer. People want to have a product line so that they don't have to talk about different brands all of the time. The thing is, I think you have to desire that. You must be able to envision running a product business. Every creator with an audience must possess a products or services. I think it's definitely where people [creators] should go, but you need to be a believer and actually live the product because if you don't, your product is going to be really hard to market.
What advice do you can offer someone who is new in this field who would like to begin using their digital products?
I think it goes back to what I said earlier, determining what the value is the product offers to its audience before figuring out the best way to present it in a way that they can buy it. You have to be strong in what that is. In case you're not certain, that's fine. You're able to determine the concept by consuming the free content. The key is to feel out your target audience. It is important to note that you should be extremely cautious about following your audience in a direction that isn't something you feel confident in. If you follow the numbers too much and make too many comments, you end up losing yourself. It is possible to lose the purpose you have, and you don't know who you are anymore which is the primary reason why creators are exhausted. Creators who do this are unhappy as they can no have the freedom to live for them. They're living and creating for somebody else. Therefore, pay attention to every signal, even your heart. At the end of the day, you must be creating contents that make you feel happy because otherwise, it's likely to end in failure.
Take control of your future with digital items
The future of creator success relies upon diversifying the income stream so that you can build sustainable businesses, just like Cassey has done.
Through digital offerings, such as online classes, as well as tangible products and brand partnerships, Cassey has been able to increase her influence on the world, and eventually, take control of her own destiny.
When creators begin to adopt the same model how they make use of social media is likely to evolve. They'll use it less as a tool for the purpose of monetization, and instead as for a source of traffic to guide users to other trustworthy sources of income, such as digital merchandise.
"The greatest role I have had in helping me foster an active group of instructors in Pop Pilates." - Cassey Ho
Already, it has supported more than 55,000 entrepreneurs who have earned an estimated $4.9 billion. And, that number grows with every passing minute.
We're ditching the middleman and allowing you to retain all of your profit in addition to owning your business model, audience as well as your name.
If you want to know more about how to take control of your destiny and be successful as a creator and entrepreneur You can catch Cassey as well as Matt Steffanina, 's President/CPO Sean Kim, and Jim Louderback, on the -sponsored stage at SXSW in the coming month..
If you're looking to begin diversifying your income with digital services, check them for yourself the possibilities with a free 14-day trial.