There's no better time to create an online course than now. Recent studies show that college students want more digital learning options than before. One survey on U.S. colleges revealed that 46% of students would prefer taking some of their courses fully online.
Entrepreneurs are also willing to pay for online courses that add value to their businesses and help them make more money. So, if you’re a lecturer or a subject matter expert, start creating online courses worth paying for. Follow these tips to create a popular online course.
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Choose the Right Course Topic
The right course topic is one that you're passionate about and knowledgeable about. Money is only a by-product of creating value for other people--especially when you teach about something you love and are skilled in. You don’t have to be a university lecturer or professor.
You can teach students how to play a musical instrument, teach yoga, or photography. Ensure that the topic has adequate demand and that people are willing to pay for it. A simple strategy to help you zero in on the best course topic is to list your skills, passions, and experience. Pick two or three topics from the list, see where your strengths lie, and find out the market demand.
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Create Your Course’s Content
Your course’s content should answer the students' burning questions directly. Apart from the knowledge and experience you already have, it's critical to include new, relevant information. Leave out any information that does not align with the course topic. Focus on what adds value to the students but is not featured in the competitors' course. Creating a popular course is easier if you have a large audience on Facebook, a popular Youtube channel, or a blog.
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Don't Stop Marketing
Creating a great online course is not enough, the hard work is making it popular. You'll need to dedicate time and resources to marketing the course, and you won’t start seeing profits from day one. Marketing should be a continuous process that doesn't stop shortly after the launch. Like any small business, create a marketing plan that runs for at least 18 months continuously.
It’s important to budget for marketing. If you don’t have the money saved up, there are multiple small business financing options you can explore. Alternatively, you can get a title loan and use your car as collateral. Use search terms like “car title loans near me” or “best car title loans” to find the best lenders in your area. You may only need to provide basic information like your annual income and monthly expenses. A short-term loan will be more affordable and easier to pay back
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Choose an Engaging Delivery Method
A great online course should offer the best learning experience to students. This is only possible if the best content delivery mode is used. Pay attention to the learning preferences of different age groups to make the course engaging. Here are some questions to help you pick the best delivery method:
- Will you use audio, video, or text content?
- What types of visuals do you intend to use?
- What do you plan to include to make the course more fun and engaging?
- How do you plan to help students with different learning styles?
Your online course should engage learners from the beginning to the end. Try to make it short--between 10-25 hours--to increase engagement. But this will also depend on the course topic.
