8 Tips for Creating a Profitable Online Course
Creating an online course is an awesome way to generate extra income because it allows you to monetize your expertise, passion and knowledge—and share it with people who want to learn from you. But with so many online courses out there, how do you make yours stand out? Here are eight tips for creating a profitable online course.
#1: Choose your topic wisely
When creating an online course, it’s important to choose a topic that you’re knowledgeable about and passionate about. Your passion will come through in your teaching, helping you connect with your students and encouraging them to learn. A topic that you love will also make marketing your course easier because you’ll feel compelled to share it with others. You may even be able to make some money off of affiliate sales! #2: Create an outline: Once you’ve chosen your topic, write out a brief outline describing what you plan to cover in each lesson. This will help keep you on track as you create your content. It can also help if someone else is involved in creating or reviewing your content—they can see where things are going by looking at what has already been covered and where there is still room for more information.
#2: Write an introduction that hooks people
In general, hooking people with your first sentence is harder when you’re writing an introduction, and there are good reasons why. First of all, introductions are almost always longer than other parts of an essay or post, so it’s harder to hook people with just one sentence. (By contrast, in stories like openers—the first thing we talk about in Chapter 6—the hook is often the entire first sentence. We’ll get into more detail on how to write great hooks later.) Second, unlike in an opener, where we can be pretty sure that our audience will stick around until they figure out what our story is about, if they don’t read past your introduction paragraph, they won’t ever find out what your story is.
#3: Provide value with every word
As you write, don’t forget that you are writing as a business owner. Write with authority and confidence. The language should be brief and to-the-point, but not abrupt or rude. People buy from people they like, so write in such a way that your readers want to get to know you and do business with you. Think of yourself as an expert and use easy-to-understand words, while avoiding any jargon that might lose your reader’s attention. #4: Be consistent: A professional writer is consistent in their approach, tone and voice throughout their work. They stick to one idea per paragraph and avoid rambling on about unrelated topics within one piece of content.
#4: Add visuals to enhance your learning experience
Most of us absorb information better when it’s presented to us visually. Use visuals to illustrate important concepts in your course or share behind-the-scenes videos, if that fits with your brand. This is also an effective way to build trust and show visitors who you are. #5: Make your course stand out from other online courses: If you want to create a successful online course, then make sure it stands out from all of the other courses on offer. You could do something really different by focusing on one topic only, such as how to make money blogging or how to start a freelance writing business.
#5: Be easy to contact and be responsive
A great online course starts with an enticing offer. Don’t make your audience dig around to get to you; clearly state your contact information and be available when people want you. For example, our Contact Us page is right up at the top of my website. This way, anyone who wants to reach me can do so quickly. I also respond promptly whenever someone reaches out to me via email or social media. That way, they know that I am listening and that I care about their needs.
#6: Ask for feedback
Ask your co-workers and friends to take a look at your course. They will notice mistakes you might have overlooked, and they might also catch something that’s confusing or poorly written. The more eyes you get on it, the better. Not only will their feedback make your course better, but it also helps establish you as an expert in your field—and who doesn’t want that? #7: Create a landing page: A landing page is one of those things that most people don’t think about until they need one. But having one makes it easier to direct traffic from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
#7: Keep up with trends
There are tons of ways to get online course ideas, but it’s always good to keep up with trends. That way, you can pick topics that are relevant and timely. Some of my favorite websites to check out include: Udemy , Skillshare , CreativeLive , Teachable and Coursera . You can also search around on niche marketplaces like Fiverr , Guru or PeoplePerHour for existing courses that need some attention. #6: Do your research: Once you have an idea for an online course, do your research. Look at what other people in your industry are doing and see if there is an opportunity to create something better. This is also a great time to think about how much time you want to put into creating your course and how much money you want to make from it.
#8: Analyze your competitors
Before you start, it’s important to learn from your competitors. Take some time to thoroughly analyze their course, and figure out what works and what doesn’t. Then you can use that information to improve your own course. #7: Write an outline: Once you have a plan of action, write an outline for your course. This will help keep you on track as you develop each lesson. #6: Create your first video: Now it’s time to create your first video. But don’t just throw together any old thing—you want to make sure you actually engage and inform viewers so they stick around until the end. Make sure that before you upload anything, it is well-edited with good audio quality and professional graphics. #5: Build an email list: One of the best ways to promote your online course is through email marketing campaigns.