108 · Create and sell online courses

Learning how to create online training courses, but also how to sell them, offers content writers and entrepreneurs a real money-making opportunity. Whether you’re an expert in a field looking to share your knowledge, a teacher keen to explore new pedagogical avenues, or an entrepreneur in search of passive income, creating and selling online training courses gives you the opportunity to share and monetize your skills with a global audience. In this article, we’ll look at the 7 steps you need to follow to create effective and attractive training courses, as well as some other important points to ensure the success of such activity.

• Here's the program
• Introduction
• What is e-learning and why should you be interested in it?
• How to create profitable training courses in 7 steps?
  • 1. Find your niche and target audience
  • 2. Develop a course outline
  • 3. Creating course content
  • 4. Choosing an e-learning platform
  • 5. Set up a pricing strategy
  • 6. Implement a marketing strategy
  • 7. Gather feedback and evaluate performance
• Which hardware and software to choose?
• Tips for success
• Conclusion
• EcoTips
• Pros and Cons
• Information recap

Introduction

In the age of Web 2.0, or 3.0 (we’re not quite sure), the way people choose to learn has changed dramatically in recent years. Where once there was little choice between the library and the classroom, there are now a plethora of ways to learn about different subjects.

The rise of digital learning has literally revolutionized the way we access information and acquire new skills, making education more accessible and flexible than ever. Online courses have made it possible to learn from home, at your own pace, and on various subjects ranging from art and programming to cooking and personal development.

The changing educational landscape has created new opportunities for those wishing to share their knowledge and skills with a global audience, offering significant benefits to those who choose to create and sell online training courses.

The task won’t necessarily be easy, as the number of e-learning platforms and the choice of courses available has literally exploded in recent years. Some subjects, such as language learning, personal and professional development, or digital marketing, are currently saturated with offerings. To stand out from the crowd, you’ll need to focus on a specific niche or adopt a different strategy from the others. I’ll come back to this later.

Hey youngsters, what’s this? (Older folks, stay out of this 😋). Ok, that’s just a joke, and to be honest the reality is more nuanced than that. Because, even if the way of acquiring knowledge has changed a lot nowadays, public library attendance is declining in some parts of the world while it’s increasing in others. Japan, China and the USA seem to be the countries that fare best.
Photo: Susan Q Yin

What is e-learning and why should you be interested in it?

Online training, also known as e-learning, refers to the process of acquiring knowledge and skills via the Internet. This mode of learning enables learners to access courses, tutorials, videos and other educational resources from anywhere, at any time, as long as they have an Internet connection.

Tailoring an individual learner’s needs is possible because of the flexibility provided by online courses, and this allows the learner to progress at his or her own pace and more easily balance study, work and other life commitments. What’s more, online training offers a variety of subjects and areas of study, covering everything from specialized technical skills to artistic and creative fields, making it a versatile and accessible learning option.

Both learners and content creators can gain many benefits by taking an interest in online training. For learners, it offers unprecedented flexibility and accessibility to acquire new skills and knowledge, often at a lower cost than traditional school or university-based learning. Furthermore, courses on specific subjects that are not available locally may be found on online training courses.

For content creators, selling online training offers an opportunity to monetize their knowledge and expertise worldwide and generate long-term passive income. It also enables them to share their passion and know-how with a wide audience, contributing to their professional and personal development.

How to create profitable training courses in 7 steps?

As I said, creating profitable online training courses is an effective way of sharing your knowledge and generating significant revenue. But where do you start? How can you turn your knowledge into a successful and popular online course? That’s what we’re going to look at next.

1Find your niche and target audience

The first crucial step in creating your online training course is to find a niche and define your audience. It’s a subject about which there’s a lot to be said, which is why I’ve written an article specifically dedicated to it. The article is entitled “How to find the perfect niche”, and I recommend you read it.

But essentially, a niche represents a specific segment of the e-learning market, with particular, as yet unmet needs. It allows you to focus your marketing and content development efforts on a specific group of people, and address them directly.

You don’t necessarily have to be the best expert in the field you choose, but you do need to know more about the subject than the people who will be buying your training courses. Of course, this implies that you too will need to train in more advanced subjects that may be of interest to your learners.

By choosing a good niche, you should do everything to become a recognized expert in that field, and thus distinguish yourself from more generalist competitors. This will also enable you to create more relevant and personalized offers, which more closely match the expectations of your target audience.

To find your ideal niche, start by assessing your skills, interests and market needs. Identify what you’re passionate about and where you have real expertise (or can acquire it quickly). Then use market research tools to analyze trends and untapped opportunities. You can use platforms like Google Trends, Answer The Public, Quroa, online forums, and social networks to see what people are looking for and where demand is growing. The more precise your niche, the fewer competitors you’ll have, and therefore the greater your chances of success.

2Develop a course outline

Developing clear learning objectives from the beginning will lay a strong foundation for the success of your course. These objectives will guide the way you create content, and will also enable you to measure where learners are in their progress.

Start by clarifying what you want your learners to be able to do once they’ve completed your course. Make sure these objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART). Every section of your course should contribute to achieving these objectives.

You should also be careful with the way your courses are organized. A clear, logical structure makes learning easier for your learners, guiding them along a logical, progressive path. When you divide the course into modules or chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of the subject, learners will be kept interested and they will easily understand the content.

The next step is to carefully choose what content to include and how to teach it. Make sure the content is not only relevant and of high quality, but also presented in an intriguing and compelling manner. For example, you can incorporate hands-on exercises or quizzes to create a rich, interactive learning experience.

Creating an outline course requires careful thought and planning. By setting well-thought-out learning objectives, structuring your course in a coherent way, and carefully selecting content and teaching methods, you lay the foundations for an informative and captivating e-learning course.

Here’s an example of a course outline. You can find more information and download free templates at Learnworlds.

3Creating course content

Now that you’ve established a solid course plan, with clear objectives and an organized structure, it’s time to move on to creating your course content. This phase is where your ideas and planning come to life in the form of teaching materials that your learners will use to learn.

The most effective format that you can use to create interesting and effective content is video. It’s the most dynamic and interactive way to deliver online learning. It’s a powerful learning medium because it has the ability to combine visuals, narration and interaction, therefore it is capable of capturing learners’ attention far better than any other format.

In terms of realization, the main advantage is that it offers you great flexibility. In addition to presenting complex concepts in an accessible and engaging way, you also have the option of integrating practical exercises, quizzes and other forms of assessment directly into your videos. This results in a richer and more interactive learning experience, encouraging your learners to be proactive and engaged.

Here are a few points to consider to make the most of the video format:

• Production quality: Good image and sound quality are obviously essential to maintain learners’ attention. Investing in good filming and editing equipment can significantly enhance the learning experience.
• Interactivity: Use tools and platforms that allow you to add multiple-choice questions, reflective pauses, or interactive exercises to your videos. This helps to keep learners engaged and check their understanding.
• Personalization: Tell stories, share anecdotes, and show your personality. Videos that contain a personal or emotional element are more likely to hold attention and make learning memorable.
• Accessibility: Make sure your videos are accessible to all by adding subtitles and following web accessibility best practices. This ensures that all learners, including those with special needs, can benefit from your course.

4Choosing an e-learning platform

Once your video has been fine-tuned and is ready to go live, you’ll need to choose a LMS platform (Learning Management System) that offers an optimal user experience. A good platform should guarantee smooth delivery of your videos and offer features that enrich interactivity and engagement through video content. Here are a few criteria to consider:

• Delivery quality: Make sure the platform can deliver videos in high definition without interruption, adapting the delivery quality according to the user’s internet connection.
• Video interactivity: Look for platforms that can integrate questions, quizzes and interactive exercises directly into videos.
• Ease of video management and organization: The platform you choose should offer an intuitive interface for uploading, organizing and managing your videos. This includes the ability to create modules or chapters, and order your videos logically.
• Learner analysis and tracking: It’s useful to choose a platform that offers analytics tools to track learner engagement with your videos, such as viewing rates, progress through the course, and results from built-in quizzes.

These are just a few things to consider, and you’ll probably have your own criteria too, but it’s a good starting point. I’d now like to suggest a few popular platforms that fit these criteria well:

• Udemy is a popular platform that allows course creators to publish and sell their online courses to a vast international audience. Its large audience and user-friendly interface make it ideal for those who want to quickly reach a large number of learners.
• Podia offers an all-in-one solution for creating, marketing, and selling online courses, memberships, and digital products. It stands out for its intuitive interface and built-in marketing features.
• iSpring is an LMS platform specializing in creating engaging and interactive e-learning content, particularly through PowerPoint presentations converted into online courses. Its robustness and simulation tools make it a preferred choice for businesses and educational institutions.
• LearnWorlds is an online course creation platform that enables trainers to design interactive and engaging learning experiences. It stands out for its advanced content creation tools, customization options and gamification features, offering an immersive and comprehensive learning experience.
• Teachable enables creators to build and sell online courses with a simple and customizable user interface. Its strength lies in its flexible monetization options and effective customer support.
• Thinkific offers a powerful LMS platform with integrated course creation, marketing, and sales tools. It stands out for its flexibility and customization capabilities to meet the specific needs of educators and businesses.
• LearnDash is a renowned WordPress LMS plugin known for its flexibility and advanced features, such as interactive quizzes and learning paths. It is particularly appreciated by developers and experienced users seeking total control over course design.
• Kajabi offers an all-in-one platform for creating, marketing, and selling online courses, communities, and memberships. It stands out for its powerful built-in marketing and automation tools, perfect for digital entrepreneurs.
• Ruzuku makes it easy to create online courses with its simple and intuitive interface, ideal for beginners. Its community support and real-time feedback features make it an excellent choice for collaborative learning.

There are many others out there, and feel free to share your good tips in the comments, if you have any. Carefully choose a platform that values and supports your video content, and you will maximize the impact of your e-learning courses, but also deliver a rich, immersive learning experience to your learners.

Thinkific is a simple, easy-to-use all-in-one platform that provides all the tools you need to offer and sell your courses online.

5Set up a pricing strategy

Developing a pricing strategy for online training courses may be a complex step for some, but it’s a crucial one. The price you set must reflect the value your course brings to your learners, while remaining competitive in the marketplace. Here are a few tips on how to tackle this tricky task.

First, assess the value your course offers. What is the unique benefit that learners will derive from your course? Is it a skill in high demand on the job market, in-depth knowledge in a very specific field, or a recognized certification? The higher the perceived value of your training, the higher the price you can justify. It’s important, however, to be realistic about how this value is perceived by your potential learners.

Next, consider your production costs. This includes the initial costs of creating the course such as purchasing filming equipment, video editing software or paying for external contributions, and the ongoing costs associated with platform maintenance, customer support, and any content updates. Your price should cover these costs while allowing you to generate a reasonable profit margin.

Look at the competition. Compare the prices of similar courses on the market. Take into consideration the cost, quality, length and results promised by these courses. If your course offers more value or unique benefits, you might consider setting a higher price. Nevertheless, if you’re new to the market, a slightly lower price may help attract early adopters.

Finally, don’t overlook flexibility in your pricing strategy. Promotions, discounts for bulk purchases or early registrants, and limited free access are all strategies that can increase the attractiveness of your offer. In addition, consider alternative pricing models, such as subscriptions, to make your course accessible to a wider audience.

6Implement a marketing strategy

Implementing an effective marketing strategy is not as simple as getting the word out about your course. It also requires connecting with your target audience, communicating the unique value of your offering and encouraging registrations.

Email marketing to feed leads and retain existing customers, creating blog content and videos to attract organic traffic, paid ads on social networks to reach a wider audience, and free webinars to demonstrate your expertise and generate registrations, are just some of the marketing techniques you could use.

I’m not going to go into detail on this specific subject here, because there’s so much more to say, but I’ve already provided some interesting links in the previous paragraph. I’ve also written a comprehensive article on digital marketing, so I can only advise you to go and read it to learn the basics. Trust me, you’ll need it.

Just note that some strategies for promoting your courses are free while others are paid, and that by combining different tactics in a consistent and targeted way, you’ll be able to build a much more robust marketing strategy. This will not only increase the visibility of your e-learning course, but also encourage enrolments, helping to grow your e-learning business over the long term.

7Gather feedback and evaluate performance

From the very first sales, collect feedback from learners. Encourage constructive feedback by setting up satisfaction surveys, discussion forums, or direct feedback sessions. By creating an open communication channel where learners feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and suggestions honestly, you will gain invaluable feedback that provides direct insight into the effectiveness of your course, areas for improvement, and what learners appreciate most.

Use this feedback to refine and improve your training to ensure its long-term success. This may mean updating certain modules to make them clearer, adding more resources to delve deeper into certain topics, or modifying the pedagogical approach to increase engagement.

Remember to also monitor your training’s performance in terms of sales, learner satisfaction and retention rates. These Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) give you a quantifiable view of your course’s success and impact. There are analysis tools that can be integrated into your hosting platform and help you track these metrics. In-depth analysis of this data enables you to understand which parts of your course are working well, and which need fine-tuning.

Continuous optimization of your online course based on qualitative feedback and quantitative data is key to ensuring its longevity and success. Don’t hesitate to experiment with new teaching methods, content formats, or marketing strategies to see what works best.

Keeping up to date with trends in online education and emerging technologies can also help improve the learning experience you offer. By listening to your learners and being ready to evolve, you maximize the impact and value of your online training.

Which hardware and software to choose?

Choosing the right hardware and software will help you to create high-quality e-learning courses. For hardware, a high-performance computer (CPU: i5 or Ryzen 5, RAM: 8 or 16Gb), a good-quality camera (or even a good smartphone), a studio microphone for clear sound, and adequate lighting are essential for producing professional videos.

As for software, here’s what I recommend:

• Video editing software: Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro are probably the best editing software on the market, but they’re not always easy to get to grips with, so you can opt for more “mainstream” solutions like Filmora, PowerDirector or Movavi, which in my opinion are easier to use, yet quite comprehensive.
• Presentation software: PowerPoint (qui fait partie de la suite Microsoft 365), Keynote ou Prezi are the best options for preparing professional visual supports. Other options include Google Slides and OpenOffice, both of which are completely free.
• Project management software: Trello and Asana are project management tools designed to help teams organize, track and manage their work efficiently. Very useful if you work in a team.
• Graphic design software: Canva and Adobe Express are graphic design tools that can greatly facilitate the creation and sale of online training courses. They provide simple, effective ways of producing attractive, professional visual content, such as branding, marketing materials, social networking, etc.

Smartphones are capable of recording video at optimum quality, which is good enough for creating online courses, but you’ll need to get a good external microphone, as the ones built into these little devices are generally of rather mediocre quality.

Tips for success

In addition to the classic steps involved in creating, promoting and evaluating your courses, here is a selection of tips to enhance your training offer and maximize your chances of success. These tips are intended to complement the fundamentals already mentioned, by exploring other approaches to creating and distributing your knowledge.

• Create an ambassador program: Encourage your most enthusiastic learners to become ambassadors for your brand. Offer them incentives, such as free access to other courses or commissions on the sales they generate, to share their positive experience and recruit new learners.
• Incorporate gamification elements: Make learning more fun and engaging by integrating game elements into your courses. This can range from simple badges and rewards to competitive learning paths, where learners can measure their progress against that of other participants.
• Use real-life case studies: Nothing beats learning by example. Incorporate real-life examples into your training courses by using case studies drawn from real, recent situations in your field of expertise. This helps to make the content of your course more tangible and demonstrates to learners how to apply the knowledge acquired in professional or everyday life contexts.
• Organize live coaching sessions: As a complement to your online training, offer live coaching sessions. These sessions can be used to go deeper into certain topics, answer questions, or offer personalized support, adding great value to your course offering.
• Develop a mobile app for your course: With the ever-increasing use of smartphones, having a dedicated mobile app for your course can significantly improve accessibility and engagement. It allows them to follow the course at their own pace, wherever they are. You can find competent freelancers on Fiverr or UpWork, who will take care of creating your app. Alternatively, there are mobile app builders like Apphive or Andromo. Note that most LMS platforms are already compatible with mobile screens.
• Offer personalized learning paths: Not all learners start at the same level and have the same objectives. Offer personalized learning paths, enabling each learner to choose the modules most relevant to their professional or personal path.
• Collaborate with industry experts and professionals: Enrich your course by inviting recognized industry experts or professionals to contribute in the form of interviews, conferences or special modules. This will add credibility to your course and diversify the perspectives offered to learners.
• Create a community of learners: Creating a community around your course can greatly contribute to its success. Use forums, Facebook and LinkedIn groups, or Slack to enable learners to exchange, support and network.

Conclusion

The road to success in creating and selling online training won’t be easy, mainly because of increased competition in certain niches. Depending on your area of expertise, you may find yourself in a saturated market where standing out from the crowd becomes a major challenge.

If you want to overcome this obstacle, the key lies in the authenticity and breadth of your expertise. Being a recognized expert in the field you teach is a definite asset, as credibility is the currency of trust in the world of online education. Learners aren’t just looking to acquire skills, they’re also looking to understand the subtleties and nuances that only a true expert can provide. Your experience and ability to share knowledge will therefore make all the difference.

In addition to expertise, innovation in the way you convey your knowledge is equally important. Creating engaging content, making intelligent use of technology and learning platforms, and developing a community around your offering are all levers that can propel your training to stratospheric levels.

Finally, remember that patience and perseverance are your best allies. The success of an online training course doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the fruit of hard work, of listening carefully to your learners’ feedback, and of a constant desire to improve and adapt to an ever-changing market.