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Having aspirations to create and sell a digital course for the marketplace is one thing, but to actually build an online course potential students ultimately want to buy is another.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fortunately, there are numerous best practices you can use before you ever hit \u201cupload\u201d to ensure you have a course you are proud to put your name on \u2013 and people will want to purchase.<\/p>\n
Planning ahead instead of just winging it is the best approach when it comes to creating instructional content. The more you can plan ahead, the better off you and your audience will be. Your content will flow, your students will be more engaged, and you will truly look like the subject expert you are.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before we jump into what it takes to build an amazing online course, let\u2019s refresh our memories on why online courses are so vital in today\u2019s e-learning environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the effects of 2020 was how we all learned to pivot and conduct as many tasks virtually as possible, including learning online. As we all adjust to a post-quarantine lifestyle, it appears online learning is still as popular as ever.<\/p>\n
All indications are this style of learning is not going away, and so much so the market is predicted to reach $375 billion by 2026<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve contemplated how you can own a piece of that mega-sized pie then you\u2019ve likely realized an online course is a great opportunity to take advantage of our \u201cnew normal\u201d with learning.\u00a0<\/p>\n Another major consideration on why you should build an online course is the passive income potential. With an online course, you put the bulk of the work in ahead of time. But once you\u2019re ready to launch your course, you can be rewarded with sales while you sleep. Sure, there are still responsibilities once you upload, but the majority of your work is on the front end, and then you can enjoy the fruits of your labor.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s take a closer look at what it takes to not only build an online course, but a successful one.<\/p>\n You might have heard \u201cniches build riches\u201d and it certainly seems to apply to building an online course.\u00a0<\/p>\n You will see broad subject matters out there, such as \u201cHow to become a freelancer\u201d or \u201cHow to start a business online.\u201d However, to make your product stand out, narrow down your topic to something you know freelancers or online entrepreneurs struggle with.<\/p>\n Examples of narrowing down your niche are to solve for specific pain points related to your topic. Sticking with our freelance example, a niche for an online course might include \u201cHow beginners get started in freelancing with the Fiverr platform.\u201d You\u2019re addressing your audience (beginners) and offering a solution to jumpstart their ideas (with Fiverr).\u00a0<\/p>\n Chances are, your topic is already available, or maybe other courses only touch on your niche. It\u2019s ok if there is duplication \u2014 what sets your course apart from others will evolve as you continue to build your online course.\u00a0<\/p>\n Next, take a little time to understand who your target audience is. Once you have your niche defined, it will naturally guide you towards your potential audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n Why is choosing your target audience important? Once you know who is likely to buy your course, it sets the stage for:<\/p>\n To pinpoint your audience and understand how to build your content, consider the following factors of someone who might buy your course:<\/p>\n These are only a handful of points, but knowing this information in general helps guide your topic, research, outline, and platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the heart of your course is showing your students your expertise. You want them to walk away with the feeling they have learned something new from someone who clearly knows what they are talking about. Researching your topic backwards and forwards is one way to feel confident you\u2019re communicating the right information to your audience.<\/p>\n What does researching look like? While you might imagine hours on end at the library it usually doesn\u2019t require quite this level of intensity. Research means building on what you already know, but digging a little deeper.\u00a0<\/p>\n This could mean using Google, but it could also take on the form of interviewing other experts. Perhaps asking others questions and getting different opinions and perspectives.<\/p>\n Another option is to join a forum or Facebook group specifically related to the topic of your course. As you know, people are willing to say just about anything online, so this means you\u2019ll quickly figure out what pain points exist \u2013 and perhaps learn different ideas on solving for these pain points.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong>How to Get Started Selling Online Courses<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Creating an outline for your course is another way to show your students you know what you are talking about. This is when you take all the information you\u2019ve researched and group it together in a way that makes sense.\u00a0<\/p>\n When your topics \u201cfit\u201d together seamlessly, and your content flows from one idea to the next, then you\u2019ve created a well-structured course.\u00a0<\/p>\n Each main topic in your course outline should build on the next one. Creating an outline is an essential part of not only making sure all the important topics are covered, but it also ensures you stay on track.\u00a0<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t have to be anything formal or worthy of a college professor\u2019s seal of approval. Simply putting your course topics into some sort of outline keeps you on track and ensures you\u2019ve covered all the right considerations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Your online course wouldn\u2019t be possible without your content. This is where everything comes together, including your knowledge and research.<\/p>\n Practically speaking, you should keep your modules no more than 20 minutes each. This helps break up your content into manageable chunks.\u00a0<\/p>\n But another way to build a course is to add a variety of mediums, or ways of presenting information. You may think you have to pre-record your lessons with your webcam, but truthfully, you can teach in a variety of ways.<\/p>\n Possibilities for teaching include:<\/p>\n Variety is the spice of life as they say, so mixing up how you teach is one way to hold people\u2019s attention while also getting your main points across.\u00a0<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve built your online course, choosing the platform is one of the most crucial steps.\u00a0<\/p>\n You have a few options to choose from:<\/p>\n There are pros and cons to each option. Hosting on your own website means you have to do all the marketing yourself. This is ideal for someone who a) enjoys marketing and b) has a built-in audience already with their own site.<\/p>\n A platform which allows you to create a domain for hosting your course, plus provides additional marketing tools, may be pricier each month.<\/p>\n Choosing one with a marketplace, where someone has to go to a specific website and choose your course out of several, is convenient, but you are relying on the popularity of the platform to drive growth.<\/p>\n Examples of platforms are Teachable<\/a>, Udemy<\/a>, and Thinkific<\/a>. And one may not necessarily be better than the other, it simply comes down to what works best for you and your budget.\u00a0<\/p>\n Speaking of budget, knowing how to price your course is another strategy when you build an online course.\u00a0<\/p>\n There\u2019s no set way to price a course, but there are guidelines to helping you know what to charge. Consider the following as you\u2019re setting up the price of your course:<\/p>\n1. Narrow down your niche<\/h3>\n
2. Know your audience<\/h3>\n
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3. Research your topic thoroughly<\/h3>\n
4. Create an outline, even if you think you know your topic<\/h3>\n
5. Create content, including various mediums<\/h3>\n
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6. Choose the right platform\u00a0<\/h3>\n
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7. Choose the right price<\/h3>\n