How to Create and Sell Online Course: The Ultimate Guide for Content Creators

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Due to the massive increase in school tuition fees, E-learning has become more popular than ever. After correctly forecasting $107 billion in revenue in 2015, the market research firm Global Industry Analysts predicts that E-learning will reach $325 billion in revenue by 2025. If you’re a content creator, you should not miss this opportunity. 

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Other content creators like Bloggers make their content available for free on their websites. Previously, they made money off of their blog by using banner ads and affiliate links. But, they realize that creating an in-depth course is a  more lucrative option when it comes to monetization.

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Similar to YouTubers, they have relied on ad revenue for the past few years. It is, however, simple to package all of their video content into an online course. With this, they are able to earn significantly more money than they would have otherwise.

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Creating and selling online courses are no easy tasks. However, with proper tools and knowledge, you will surely create online courses that sell. 

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In this article, you will learn: 

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1. Why online courses are profitable for content creators?
2. How can content creators create and sell online courses? 
3. 3 tips for selling online courses for content creators
4. And many more… 

Why online courses are profitable for content creators?

A wide range of factors are at play while creating an online course, and the earnings you make can vary greatly. You can make a few hundred dollars per year to six or seven figures as an online educator, which is not bad as a side hustle. 

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As a content creator, there are many alternatives available to you to develop an online course. One option is repurposing your previous content, such as blog entries, video/audio recordings, and books/eBooks connected to your channel. It is definitely up to you how you will alter your content to look like something new and still valuable for your audience. 

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The good thing about this is that you do not have to spend a lot of time and capital to make an online course. You can finish a course in about 40 hours or so, achieving your ROI easily. The challenging part is marketing and selling your online course, which we will discuss in the following section. 

How can content creators create and sell online courses? 

Online courses can now be created and sold by anyone, which is fantastic news. You only need a little bit of information and the ability to speak passionately about a topic to get started.

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Choose Your Course Topic 

It would be best if you are passionate and interested in your course's subject matter or topic. Your online course will be as dull as a cardboard sandwich if you aren't passionate about your topic.

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To make money by offering online courses, you don't need to be an expert in your field. There is no end to the topics that can be covered in an online course. However, you have to consider all of your accomplishments, abilities, and life lessons. Here are a few topics that you may want to try: 

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• Business and entrepreneurship
• Freelancing 
• Blogging 
• Copywriting 
• Personal development

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You cannot expect someone to buy your course just because they like you or your product. The reason people sign up for online courses is that they want to move from where they are now to where they want to be. This is what they call “professional and personal development.” 

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As a content creator, you know that you need to choose a topic with a market willing to pay for it. You may use Google Trends to search for topics that have the potential to generate revenue. Ask yourself, “What are topics that people are interested in?”

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Determine Course’s Learning Outcomes 

In no way should the relevance of learning outcomes be understated. You do not need to become a content creator to understand that if you don't do this, you could be putting everything at serious risk, not to mention making the process of creating your courses a difficult and frustrating one.

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Would you give someone your money for a thing that you don't fully comprehend and about which you have no concept of what the product can achieve for you? Of course not.

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Even while you are aware of your online course’s benefits to your students, this does not guarantee that they will also be aware of these benefits. If you don't explain to them how taking your class would benefit them, there's a good chance they won't sign up for it.

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You may follow this format. 

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At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to: 

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• Identify the difference between copywriting and content writing
• Understand the basic concepts of SEO 
• Create an SEO campaign 
• Conduct a keyword research

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Create your Course Content 

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After settling on a topic and learning outcomes, it's time to go to work developing your online course. Keep in mind that you will need to maintain a high output level. Although the process seems similar to what content creators usually do, your courses should be of higher quality than the average YouTube vlog.

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To begin, you will require:

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A high-definition camera. Using good quality digital cameras like Fujifilm X-S10  avoids making it appear as if you are recording in a fortress. Take a look around for high-quality light fixtures. Using lighting rings for online course videos is cost-efficient. 

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Using a video editor like Adobe Premiere Pro is recommended, especially  If you've already honed your editing skills to a professional level. On the other hand, if you have no prior editing knowledge, you may want to try video editing apps for content creators. 

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A good background. With a green screen, you may use any image as a background. Images, graphics, and b-roll film may be added more easily.

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A story. It's possible to use a whole script with tools like Teleprompter Lite, which allow you to read the script while looking directly into a camera.

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Pick a perfect platform where you will sell your online course 

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You'll need a platform to host your online course. Ideally, your course should be hosted on a platform that is easy to use, flexible enough to incorporate your brand’s identity, and of course, visually appealing. ‍

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These are your top three choices:

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Use web hosting to set up your own server to host and sell online courses. Self-hosting allows you to have entire control and autonomy over your content, but it can be expensive and complicated to set up.

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An internet marketplace for online courses. A learning marketplace can also be used as a host. Your course can be hosted on a marketplace platform, and you can design your branding. It is important to remember that these platforms have tight guidelines and may charge up to 50% of your revenue.

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An online community platform for content creators. Online community platforms like Backspace are also options to host online courses. They have everything you need from marketing, customer service, and community management system. Plus, various payment gateways are available. 

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Price your online course

There's a solid reason why setting a fair price for your online course is so critical. In addition to conveying your worth, it influences the profitability of your course and the quality of the content you produce. People may not buy from you if you price it too high. Likewise, you will not make a great revenue if you price it below its worth.

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There are a couple of considerations to keep in mind if you want to do this correctly:

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• It is essential to consider the length of your course and the amount of time and effort it took you to put it together.
• How much of a difference do you make in the life of the students you teach? How valuable is your course to them?
• Observe how people perceive your business and how much confidence and esteem they accord your expertise in the field.
• How much do you hope to gain from this? Don't undervalue yourself, but don't overprice.

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If you are still unsure, you may want to check the following pricing tiers: 

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• Free. To create leads for more expensive courses or to demonstrate your experience, offering a free course would be beneficial. Customers will buy additional courses when they feel like they have known the instructor and seen the results. 
• One-Off payments. The simplest and most common way to sell an online course is to set a fixed price and grant full access to the course after payment.
• Subscriptions. Membership site models, which provide gated material to which only users have access, are also included in subscriptions. Allowing your customers, clients, or fans to keep an active membership in exchange for access to discounts, bargains, and a community they can join is a better strategy than offering one-off online courses

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Launch and market your online courses

It's a common misconception that once you've completed your course, you'll be able to generate money from it. You need a strategy for launching and promoting your course, as well as for generating leads. The actual job begins now!

3 Tips in Selling Online Courses for Content Creators

Keep in mind that the moment you stop marketing your online course is the moment you stop selling.

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To get you started, here are a few ideas for promoting online courses:

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Pre-sell your online courses

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To prevent producing an online course that no one will purchase, you must first market and sell it. Pre-selling an online course is one of the best ways to ensure that you don't waste your time building a course that no one wants to buy.

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Consider offering a discount to students who pre-register for your online course to encourage them to sign up early.

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Be on the safe side, be sure you can deliver on your promises to your clients on time. Customers may be dissatisfied and request refunds if a product is not delivered on time.

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Build a sales or landing page

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As with all post-click landing pages, the goal of a sales page is to convert visitors. In contrast to all other pages, this page's sole objective is to persuade visitors to buy. With this, you need to ensure that your sales page is even more persuasive. You can add badges, proof, and testimonials. 

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Make lead magnets 

Your main course might be broken down into smaller courses and given out for free if you want to. You can encourage your students to purchase your entire course at the end of the mini-course if they're going to learn more about the subject.

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A funnel can be set up in your email list to convert students who sign up for your course into paying customers. Lead magnets can be anything, such as an ebook or a case study. 

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This guide provided you with the necessary information you need to create successful online courses. There is only one thing you must do. Take action! Do not wait any longer. Be the first content creator to publish an online course in your niche. 

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