CourageousWP | Creating your first course online

The creation of courses online is on the rise due to increased interest of people in online learning. The trust is also unwavering. But can a professional create a course of his online and make money from it? There are many hopeful who would want to go online and teach whatever they know and in turn expect dollars.

But how many do actually succeed? So, there is a trick to it. It has to do with untiring effort and effective strategy. With the right mix, you can transform online courses dream into a money making factory. It will also serve as a powerful personal branding platform for you.

How much can you make?

On Udemy an average course instructor can up to 7000 USD. In addition, there are other outcomes as well. A small timer who hosts a class online can earn close 60 USD a month but for seasoned lecturers and instructors, the income jumps to six figures during a month. There following is due to their extensive social media presence and their ability to deliver from time to time what their followers desire.

By delivering desired content, you multiply your chances of earning revenue from your online course. As you need a powerful content to work with your SEO so that rankings can come, similarly, a relevant course content will have people interact/engage with you online. For this a through need-based analysis is important. What skills are in demand and what skills are in limited supply in the market are two pressing questions, you have to ask before creating a course(s) online.

How long does it take to create a course?

Creation of a course is equally important. Why? Because the constituents will determine whether you are in this for the long term or your dreams will be shattered because people have realized that your course contents are not up to the mark. Experts say that it takes around as much time as it takes for a writer to pen down his book. I mean, you can create a course overnight too, but would it be enough to hold the attention of the prospect learners? You decide.

If the content is your own that you will be imparting online, well that may take less time as you have already written up some blogs and have in your bag workshops you have previously delivered and have been praised for it. I’m talking about the time if you are doing it from the scratch. A weekend won’t be enough, is all I’m saying to churn out big money. Thus, manage your time appropriately.

What technical skills are required?

There will be some technical stuff required to craft a course online. I know you are creating a course for other but first, you must learn to navigate the essentials of course creation and the technical skill required to achieve that. Look for best custom coursework material online. For instance, creators will usually film and edit their courses by themselves but if you are not well-versed in the art then you must seek someone who will do it for you. Professionals’ help can be sought.

How do you market the courses?

According to one survey, Udemy is the leading revenue generation website through online courses. Close to 50% and then other sites follow suit. So platforms like Udemy are a great way to market your online course to potential students. Provided these platforms host millions of students so it becomes a great tool to get noticed. Also, these platforms, occasionally, features the instructors on their home pages which is another great way to be in the limelight bringing in much-needed marketing to your cause.

Other forms of platforms include Quora, YouTube, and Spreecast (social video platform). So answering questions on Quora can get you the desired fan base and prospects for enrolling in your course. Creating YouTube video is another form of marketing. Your how-tos will generally garner you following which can be catapulted into applying for your online course on a different subject and so on and so forth. You’re getting the idea, right? With YouTube monetization feature, you can explore that area as well.

Is creating an online course for you?

Well, there is no restriction as to who can apply but it is preferable that if you are setting up a course online, it is assumed that you know your niche inside out. Because out there is about building your personal brand in addition to benefitting the audience. So if you are lacking in a particular department or your knowledge is incomplete, you will be making a fool out of yourself. Not to mention the countless number of hours spent on designing the course, laid to waste.

If you teaching professional, it is only relevant to take your personal brand online by creating a course. Furthermore, do not shy away from creating a free course even. This is building a loyal base technique since if you are starting out, people don’t know you and would not trust you with spending their hard earned dollar. Gain their trust and show them you mean business because when the next time you show with a paid course of yours, people wouldn’t hesitate to enroll. So consider free an investment which surely pays off in the longer run. Be patient.

Conclusion

In short, be prepared to lay the groundwork. Write blogs, create a YouTube channel and everything you would do to make yourself stand out of the clutter so that people can notice and will come finding you to enroll in one of your courses which you have so diligently created. Most importantly, keep your target audience in mind. Is it the professionals you are targeting or do you have something that serves the skillset of graduate students and the likes thereof.

You should also try to be sound in the equipment domain that all necessary tools are at your disposal before you begin disseminating information regarding your niche. This may include presentation software such as Keynote or PowerPoint, screen recording software, for example, Camtasia or ScreenFlow, webcam, and microphone.

Author Bio: Dominic Lester is a teacher by profession but is also a tech nerd. He has been in the teaching profession for long and has seen the ways education has transformed from traditional to more computerized methods. You can follow him for updates on his social media channels.