How to Create a Profitable Online Course

If you enjoy teaching, it’s a great way to make money. In fact, the online course industry is expected to exceed $243 billion in 2024! In this article, you’ll learn how to create a profitable online course, and even get the low down on places you can sell your courses.

Below are just some of the benefits of creating and selling online courses:

• Scalability
• Passive Income
• Global Reach
• Flexible Schedule
• Low Overhead Costs
• Reputation and Authority Building
• Customization and Personalization
• Diverse Revenue Streams
• Creative Control
• Community Building

Scalability

Once created, online courses can be sold to an unlimited number of students without the need for additional resources, allowing you to scale your business efficiently.

Passive Income

Online courses generate revenue over time with little ongoing effort. After the course is developed and launched, it can continuously bring in income without constant work.

Global Reach

With online courses, you can attract students from around the world, breaking geographical barriers and expanding your potential customer base far beyond local limits.

Flexible Schedule

Online courses offer flexibility for both creators and students. As a creator, you can work on content at your own pace, and students can access the material at their convenience.

Low Overhead Costs

Compared to traditional teaching methods, online courses require fewer resources, eliminating the need for physical classrooms, materials, or extensive staff, leading to cost savings.

Reputation and Authority Building

By teaching your expertise through a course, you position yourself as an authority in your field, which can enhance your reputation and open up further business or speaking opportunities.

Customization and Personalization

You can continuously update and improve your courses based on feedback, new trends, and student needs, allowing you to provide a more tailored learning experience over time.

Diverse Revenue Streams

Selling courses allows you to diversify your income, especially if paired with other revenue sources like consultations, books, or workshops, creating a more resilient business model.

Creative Control

As the creator, you have full control over the course content, structure, and delivery method. This autonomy allows you to design the course according to your unique vision and teaching style.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a profitable online course. By following these steps and continuously improving your course and marketing, you’ll be able to create a profitable and sustainable online course business.

1. Identify Your Course Topic
2. Define Your Target Audience
3. Set Clear Learning Objectives
4. Plan Your Course Content
5. Create the Course Material
6. Choose a Platform to Host Your Course
7. Set a Price for Your Course
8. Build a Sales Funnel
9. Market Your Course
10. Launch Your Course
11. Engage With Your Students
12. Gather Feedback and Repeat
13. Expand Your Course Offering

1. Identify Your Course Topic

• Focus on Your Expertise
• Research Demand
• Niche Down

Focus on Your Expertise

Choose a topic you’re knowledgeable about and passionate about. The more confident you are, the better you’ll teach.

Research Demand

Validate that there’s an audience willing to pay for your course. Use platforms like Google Trends, Udemy, or forums to check if people are searching for your topic.

Niche Down

If your topic is broad, narrow it to address specific problems or audiences. This helps differentiate your course and attract a more targeted group of students.

2. Define Your Target Audience

• Create a Student Persona
• Survey Your Audience

Create a Student Persona

Outline the demographics, interests, and pain points of your ideal student. Understanding their needs will help you tailor your course to solve their problems.

Survey Your Audience

If possible, reach out to your existing audience through surveys or social media to gather insights about what they want to learn.

3. Set Clear Learning Objectives

• Outcome-Based Learning
• Break Down the Course Content

Outcome-Based Learning

Define what students will achieve by the end of the course. Clear learning outcomes help students see the value and justify purchasing your course.

Break Down the Course Content

Outline the steps, modules, or milestones students will go through to achieve the end result.

4. Plan Your Course Content

• Create an Outline
• Choose the Format
• Determine the Length

Create an Outline

Organize your course into logical modules and lessons. Start with an introduction, cover the main content, and finish with a summary or action steps.

Choose the Format

Decide whether your course will include video lessons, written material, quizzes, assignments, or a combination of formats.

Determine the Length

Your course should be comprehensive but not overwhelming. Break content into digestible lessons, ideally 5–20 minutes per video.

5. Create the Course Material

• Script or Plan Your Lessons
• Record Videos
• Create Supporting Materials
• Edit and Polish

Script or Plan Your Lessons

Write scripts or notes for each lesson to keep content structured and on point.

Record Videos

Use a good camera and microphone to ensure high-quality video and sound. If you’re screen recording, use software like Loom or Camtasia.

Create Supporting Materials

Develop any additional resources like PDFs, workbooks, or checklists to enhance the learning experience.

Edit and Polish

Edit your videos and materials for clarity, flow, and quality. Tools like Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or iMovie can help you create professional-looking videos.

6. Choose a Platform to Host Your Course

• Third-Party Platforms
• Self-Hosted Platforms
• Membership Sites

Third-Party Platforms

Platforms like Teachable, Udemy, or Skillshare handle hosting, payment processing, and marketing tools for you.

Self-Hosted Platforms

Use WordPress plugins like LearnDash or platforms like Thinkific or Kajabi if you prefer to own your content and audience more directly. With self-hosting, especially using WordPress, you’ll need to register a domain and purchase reliable web hosting.

Membership Sites

If you're offering ongoing content or multiple courses, consider building a membership site where students pay a subscription fee for continuous access.

7. Set a Price for Your Course

• Research Competitors
• Test Pricing Tiers
• Consider Your Audience

Research Competitors

Analyze how similar courses are priced in your niche.

Test Pricing Tiers

Offer different pricing tiers with additional features like one-on-one coaching, bonus content, or live Q&A sessions.

Consider Your Audience

Price based on the value your course delivers and the affordability of your target market. You can always raise the price as you gain credibility.

8. Build a Sales Funnel

• Create a Free Lead Magnet
• Develop a Landing Page
• Automated Emails

Create a Free Lead Magnet

Offer a free resource, such as a mini-course or eBook, to capture leads and build your email list.

Develop a Landing Page

Design a landing page with a strong headline, benefits of your course, testimonials, and a clear call-to-action (CTA) to enroll.

Automated Emails

Use email marketing platforms like ConvertKit or Mailchimp to send a sequence of automated emails that nurture leads and encourage them to enroll.

9. Market Your Course

• Leverage Your Audience
• Content Marketing
• Paid Advertising
• Partnerships & Affiliates

Leverage Your Audience

Promote your course to your existing audience through email marketing, social media, or a blog.

Content Marketing

Write blog posts, record podcasts, or create videos around your course topic to drive traffic to your course landing page.

Paid Advertising

Use Facebook, Google, or Instagram ads to target your ideal audience and drive traffic to your course.

Partnerships & Affiliates

Partner with influencers or use affiliate marketing to reach a larger audience through third parties who earn a commission for promoting your course.

10. Launch Your Course

Once you've created your course and are ready to market, it's time to launch or even pre-launch. Consider the following when launching your course:

• Pre-Sell or Launch
• Use Scarcity and Bonuses

Pre-Sell or Launch

If you want to gauge interest, pre-sell your course before it’s completed, offering a discount to early buyers. Otherwise, set a launch date and build excitement with a countdown.

Use Scarcity and Bonuses

Offer time-sensitive bonuses or discounts to create urgency and boost enrollment during your launch phase.

11. Engage With Your Students

In order to engage with your students, these are areas you should have:

• Offer Support
• Create a Community

Offer Support

Provide regular feedback, respond to questions, and engage with your students to keep them motivated.

Create a Community

Build a community around your course through private Facebook groups or forums where students can support one another.

12. Gather Feedback and Repeat

This is important to make sure your courses stay up to date and keep your students happy. Make sure to focus on:

• Collect Reviews
• Update Content

Collect Reviews

After students complete your course, ask for testimonials or feedback to improve the course and use the reviews to market future launches.

Update Content

Regularly update your course to ensure it remains relevant and valuable as trends or technologies evolve.

13. Expand Your Course Offering

When you're looking into expanding your courses, here are some areas to focus on:

• Upsell
• Membership or Subscription Models

Upsell

Once students complete your course, offer additional, more advanced courses or coaching for increased revenue.

Membership or Subscription Models

Consider offering a subscription model for ongoing learning, exclusive content, or regular updates to maximize long-term profitability.

If you're looking to sell online, these platforms provide diverse tools and services, allowing course creators to choose the one that fits their business model and audience best. Here are 12 popular online platforms for selling courses:

1. Teachable
2. Udemy
3. Thinkific
4. Kajabi
5. Podia
6. Skillshare
7. LearnWorlds
8. Udacity
9. Coursera
10. Ruzuku
11. Gumroad
12. LearnDash

Teachable

Teachable allows creators to build and sell online courses through customizable landing pages. It offers tools for payment processing, student management, and marketing, making it a comprehensive platform for online educators.

Udemy

Udemy is a marketplace that hosts thousands of courses across various fields. With a large built-in audience, it is a great platform for reaching students globally, though it has set pricing structures and commission fees.

Thinkific

Thinkific helps creators launch, sell, and market their online courses with its easy-to-use interface. It offers customizable course websites, automated emails, and tools for engagement with students.

Kajabi

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform that lets you create, market, and sell digital products like online courses, membership sites, and coaching programs. It also includes email marketing, funnels, and automation tools.

Podia

Podia offers a user-friendly platform for selling online courses, memberships, and digital downloads. It provides a clean, simple interface with integrated marketing tools and no transaction fees.

Skillshare

Skillshare focuses on creative fields, offering project-based courses. It operates on a subscription model, where creators are paid based on the number of minutes watched by students enrolled in their courses.

LearnWorlds

LearnWorlds allows you to create and sell interactive online courses with advanced features like assessments, certifications, and course tracking. It is ideal for educators looking to create engaging, multimedia-rich courses.

Udacity

Udacity specializes in career-focused, skills-based courses, often partnering with top companies for its programs. It is particularly suited for technology, data science, and business professionals.

Coursera

Coursera partners with top universities and organizations to offer courses, certifications, and degrees online. It’s ideal for academic or professional courses, though it typically requires partnerships to publish content.

Ruzuku

Ruzuku allows course creators to design structured, easy-to-follow online learning experiences. It emphasizes simplicity in course building, with tools for live webinars, assignments, and community interaction.

Gumroad

Gumroad is a simple e-commerce platform that allows creators to sell digital products, including online courses. It's known for its simplicity and flexibility in selling various digital content, with a straightforward checkout process.

LearnDash

LearnDash is a WordPress plugin that allows you to create and sell online courses directly from your WordPress site. It offers advanced features like quizzes, drip-feed content, and certificates for course completion.

Creating a profitable online course takes thoughtful planning, valuable content, and effective marketing. By following these steps and continually refining your approach, you can build a course that not only generates income but also provides real value to your students. With the right strategy, your course can become a long-term source of passive income and a powerful tool for expanding your brand.