Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting
The world of Teacherpreneurish can be exciting. However, it is paved with many mistakes for new teacherpreneurs. Who are teacherpreneurs? Teacherpreneurs are individuals who combine their expertise in education with entrepreneurship. And, we are making waves in the world of online content creation and product development. Our unique blend of skills allows us to share our knowledge, resources, and creativity with a global audience while also generating income.
But, the path to becoming a successful teacherpreneur is filled with challenges, lessons, and discoveries. In this comprehensive guide to teacherpreneurship, I will discuss with you what the “real” world of teacherpreneur entails, and the things that I wish I knew before I started. I will discuss the many mistakes I made along the way, the many lessons I have learned, and the mistakes that new teacherpreneurs make. This post will cover everything from marketing strategies to platform mastery. Whether you’re considering embarking on this exciting journey or you’re already a teacherpreneur already, you’ll want to keep reading!
What are Some of the Mistakes that New Teacherpreneurs Make?
- Not Realizing The Importance Marketing
- Waiting to Start Marketing
- Not having Another Platform other than TpT or Social Media
- Not having a blog or website
- Not realizing the Importance of Pinterest
- Not learning S.E.O.
- Not being consistent
- Not Hiring Help
- Not Invest in Yourself
The Importance of Marketing for Teacherpreneurs
Wow! If there was one thing that I regret the most out of all my years as a Teacherpreneur, it’s not learning marketing. And, this is the first big mistakes that new teacherpreneurs make. Teacherpreneurs often begin their journey by creating educational content and products, such as lesson plans, printables, or online courses. However, one crucial aspect that many overlook at the outset is marketing. Here’s why it’s essential and what you should know:
Marketing Is Key to Success
Marketing plays a pivotal role in getting your educational products and content noticed by your target audience. Without effective marketing, your valuable resources WILL go unnoticed.
I made this mistake. I started creating and selling products on Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) without a clue. And, although I did fairly well, I left money on the table because I didn’t know how to market my products. HUGE MISTAKE!
Start Marketing Early
Don’t wait until you’ve created a library of materials to start marketing. Don’t wait until you feel ready. You may never feel like you are ready. Instead, begin your marketing efforts even before you upload your first product or launch your YouTube channel. Research your niche and competition to gain insights into what works.
Social Media and Beyond
Social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, are great places to market your products. However, don’t limit yourself to these platforms. Consider email marketing and even creating your own website or blog for additional exposure.
It may be social media, but SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a vital skill for teacherpreneurs. Understanding how to optimize your content for search engines can significantly boost your online visibility and increase the amount of sales that you can make. Consider taking courses or workshops on SEO to enhance your knowledge. So, yes, pay the money. I wrestled with taking online marketing courses, but in the end, I realized the importance of knowledge when it comes to being a teacherpreneur.
The Power of Blogging for Teacherpreneurs
Another one of the mistake that new teacherpreneurs make is not starting their own blog. While not a strict necessity, having a blog can greatly complement your teacherpreneur journey. Here’s why blogging matters:
Establish Authority
A blog is an excellent platform to showcase your expertise and establish yourself as an authority in your field. You can share teaching tips, insights, and valuable information with your audience.
Connect with Your Audience
Blogging allows you to connect with your audience on a deeper level. You can engage in discussions, address common challenges, and build a community around your brand.
Expand Your Reach
A well-optimized blog can attract organic traffic from search engines. It can also help you to expand your reach beyond your social media following. Over time, your blog can become a valuable source of passive income. (Like I said earlier.)
This is one of my greatest regrets. I started a blog even before I became a teacherpreneur. But, I didn’t keep it up. I didn’t realize just how important it was. Almost ten years later, I realized how much more of an impact I can have with my blog. I also realize that blogs have the capacity to make you extra money. Through affiliate marketing and advertising revenue, you can make a comfortable income within several months. And, I regret it…regret it…regret it! My advice: Do the blog!
Create Valuable Resources
Use your blog to create valuable resources, such as guides, tutorials, and freebies, which can attract and engage your audience. This can also be an excellent strategy for growing your email list. What’s so important about an email list?
You own your own email list. No social media platform can take it away from you. They can shut down your page, but they can’t get your email list. This means that you will still have a way to connect with your audience if the social media platform goes down or fails.
Pinterest: Beyond Pretty Pictures
Pinterest is a goldmine for teacherpreneurs like me, but it’s more than just a platform for pretty pictures. Here’s why not using Pinterest is one of the worst mistakes that new teacherpreneurs can make:
Create a Business Account
If you haven’t already, switch to a business account on Pinterest. This provides access to valuable analytics and marketing features.
Optimize Your Boards
Optimize your Pinterest boards for SEO (There’s that word again) by using relevant keywords in board names and descriptions. This will make your content more discoverable.
SEO for Pins
When you create pins for your educational products or blog posts, ensure they are optimized for search. Craft keyword-rich descriptions and titles for your pins. Don’t worry. I’m still figuring this out. Thus, the class on Pinterest that I’m currently enrolled in.
Join Group Boards
Engage with group boards in your niche. Contributing to these boards can increase the visibility of your content and attract a broader audience.
Learn SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
This is probably the most important thing that any businessman, businesswoman, and teacherpreneur can learn! SEO is absolutely crucial. Here is why SEO matters and how you can master it:
Optimize for Search Engines
SEO is all about optimizing your content so that it ranks higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This helps your content get discovered by a broader audience.
Keyword Research: Start with thorough keyword research. Identify the keywords and phrases your target audience is searching for. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Keywords Everywhere, and SEMrush can be immensely helpful.
On-Page SEO: Implement on-page SEO techniques, such as optimizing your blog post titles, headings, and meta descriptions with relevant keywords.
Quality Content: Content is king…or queen! Remember that quality content is at the core of SEO. Produce valuable, informative, and engaging content that your audience finds useful.
Backlinks and Authority: Building backlinks from reputable sources and establishing your website’s authority are advanced SEO strategies that can take your teacherpreneur business to the next level.
Courses and Workshops
Another huge mistake that new teacherpreneurs make is not investing in courses or workshops. I know money can be tight in the beginning, but you have to invest in yourself. Consider enrolling in SEO courses or attending workshops to deepen your understanding of this critical skill. Some sites like HubSpot have free SEO courses that you can take. It’s free. So, take the course. I won’t cost you anything but time. Remember that these expenses can often be deducted from your taxes as business expenses.
Master Your Platforms
Teacherpreneurs often utilize various online platforms, from Teachers Pay Teachers to YouTube to Facebook to Instagram. Here’s how you can master these platforms:
Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT)
If you’re selling educational products on TpT, you will need to become familiar with how the platform works. Attend TpT conferences or virtual workshops to gain insights into best practices. Learn how to market your own products. Don’t wait for TpT to market your products for you
YouTube
If you’re creating video content, then you will want to hop on YouTube. It is also a search engine, and by posting your videos you can reach a wider audience as well as build trust and authority. You will need to learn how to video edit, optimize video titles and descriptions, and engage with your audience.
Thankfully, YouTube has a creator studio where you can plan and schedule your video content. For me, the ability to schedule content in advance was a big game changer.
Instagram was also once a place for pretty pictures. Not anymore. Instagram has become a place for social media influencers and marketers wanting to sell their products. It has also become a platform that pushes video content in the form of Reels. I love Instagram best of all, but it is a content monster. It takes massive amounts of time and content to stay on Instagram’s “Good List”. I pay for a scheduler, but in all honesty, Instagram can be hard.
X (The Platform formerly known as Twitter)
I found “X” to be easier than Instagram because I didn’t have to worry about posting Reels. Although they are also encouraging video content, it isn’t as important as it is on Instagram.
Tik Tok
This is one of the newest platforms. And, if you want to go viral, Tik Tok offers teacherpreneurs one of the greatest opportunities. However, it is another platform that requires a lot of time and massive amounts of content.
Each social media platform has its own dynamics. Study how to effectively use Instagram, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or X to reach your audience.
Consistency Is Key
No matter the platform, consistency in posting and engagement is vital for growing your audience and maintaining their interest.
My best take aways from social media:
- Find the platform that fits into your life best. I love Instagram, but YouTube works better for me because it doesn’t require the massive amount of content that Instagram does.
- Only try to master 1 or 2 platforms at a time. Trust me. I tried to do them all at once. I quickly learned it wasn’t sustainable even with the social media schedulers.
Be Prepared to Put in the Work
Becoming a teacherpreneur is rewarding but demanding. And, many new teacherpreneurs make this mistake. They don’t realize the amount of work that it requires. Here are some insights into the dedication it takes to be successful as a new teacherpreneur:
Time and Energy: Creating content, marketing, and managing your teacherpreneur business can be time-consuming. Be prepared to allocate a significant amount of your time and energy to your venture.
Sacrifice and Persistence: Success often requires sacrifices, such as late nights and weekends dedicated to your business instead of hanging out with your friends. Be persistent and keep your long-term goals in mind. Trust me if you don’t you can easily forget your “why”.
Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Help
Finally, don’t hesitate to seek assistance when needed. If you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, consider hiring help. A virtual assistant, editor, or content creator can take some of the workload off your shoulders.
Network and Collaborate
Connect with other teacherpreneurs. Collaborations can lead to mutually beneficial opportunities and shared insights.
Start Your Own Blog or Website
I touched on this earlier, but I’m going to do it again. You Need YOUR OWN BLOG OR WEBSITE! Don’t depend on an algorithm or some social media site to push your content. Don’t only depend on Teachers Pay Teachers to promote your product. Create your own blog and/or website. This way YOU are in control of what goes on. And, if one of those social media sites goes down, then you are still in business.
In conclusion, becoming a successful teacherpreneur is an exciting journey filled with opportunities for growth and impact. By understanding the importance of marketing, embracing blogging, mastering platforms, and continuously improving your skills, you can navigate this path with confidence. While challenges and sacrifices may arise, the rewards of sharing your knowledge and resources with a global audience are well worth the effort.
So, whether you’re just starting your teacherpreneur journey or seeking to refine your strategies, remember that success in this field is attainable with dedication, continuous learning, and a passion for education.
Happy Teacherpreneurship!!!