We are living in an era where anybody can share information as fast and readily as you can post a reel on Instagram. But to share your expertise with a community in an in-depth manner, you should create an online course.
It is possible to reach a far larger audience with online courses than with live, classroom-based training — and at a cheaper cost.
Whatever your area of expertise, there are several things you must do before you can be successful in teaching online. We've put up a list of eight steps for designing and launching your own online course.
Here’s how to create an online course:
Step 1: Choose the topic of the course
Choosing a subject is the first step in creating an online course. Decide on a subject you know a lot about and like talking about. Think about what your audience needs to know before creating an online course.
The more relevant your knowledge and experience, the more valuable it is.
If you've previously been teaching online, this stage will be much easier for you. Divide your core subject into subtopics to produce more focusedcourses.
Step 2: Determine if your course has a market
There should be a certain group of people who would be interested in taking your online course before you start creating an online course.
You don't want to put in the time and effort to create a course only to discover that no one is interested in the subject when you begin marketing the course.
Using Google Trends or Ahrefs, you can see how many people are looking for information on your subject.
This five-step method can tell you whether or not there is a large enough market for the course you wish to offer.
Step 3: Do a thorough research
To succeed in creating an online course, you must know what your audience wants or needs in order to communicate effectively with them. Even if you teach the same subject to a different audience, each course will have a different emphasis. Having shared interests makes it easier to sensibly form study groups.
Observe:
- How people learn
- What questions they ask often
- What they find most intriguing about the subject you've chosen to teach
Take it a step further and seek out a wide range of resources on the subject. To know what people are searching for, do keyword research. You'll have a better idea of what your target market's interests are if you do this.
Search for courses on prominent learning sites like Coursera to learn the level of competition you'll have, and the average price individuals are willing to pay for a course in this field.
Research: How to learn what your customers want
Step 4: Create the outline of your course
At this point, all you need to do is describe the main themes of each lesson using bullet points. Use Headings to establish a visual hierarchy for your individual:
- Modules
- Topics
- Lessons
Start drafting an outline after you've figured out what your audience wants to learn or hear from you. Study units may be created by grouping related topics together. You'll quickly see the course's logical progression.
Additionally, you'll be able to estimate how many hours of instruction you'll need. You'll be able to see any gaps in your knowledge if you use the outline.
Think-tank sessions are always encouraged!
Step 5: Build your online course
This is the beginning of the process of making the course, including:
- Videos, including screencasts, whiteboard videos, or webcam videos
- Audio recordings, using a free tool like Audacity or your cell phone
- Multimedia web pages
- Interactive texts
Your online course should have a well-defined structure at this point, as well as an organized set of materials. You should have a clear understanding of how each component will be delivered.
When creating an online course, keep in mind the preferences of your students when structuring and designing the content. Keep in mind that a lengthier course doesn't always equate to more earnings for the online course-creation company.
Related: How to make a video without spending a bomb
Step 6: Launch your course
The actual work starts now.
It's a common misconception that after you've completed your course and published it, you'll be earning money.
You need a plan for sales and lead generation.
One good way to advertise your course is by creating a landing page that is optimised for search engines. When a prospective student arrives at your course's landing page, they can find out more about it and register for it.
A social media marketing campaign to promote your course and direct individuals to your sales page should also be launched. You can create a link in bio to include it in your social channels bio, you can also use it to add a feedback form, a discount code or a voucher, your own website or any articles you may have written. It’s a great all in one link you can use to promote yourself and the course as well
Step 7: Build your community
An excellent online course increases student agency. It allows students the liberty to enable possibilities for relevant and meaningful learning.
Making your students feel a sense of community and belonging is an important part of your job.
If you have a private Facebook group for your students, you may schedule live Q&A sessions with them, or you can provide one-on-one comments on their work.
The most important thing is to foster a feeling of belonging among your pupils. To keep people coming back, you need to make them feel like they are part of a team.
Create a structure that makes it easy for them to communicate with one another and with you so that they can get the most out of your class.
Step 8: Get feedback from learners
The final step in creating an online course is gathering responses from students.
Do you know that E-learning has a 25% to 60% retention rate. But it can only be possible when your course is interesting enough!
Your course will need an update from time to time. Any online course will lose its usefulness and accuracy as it gets older. As a result, it's critical to review your course on a regular basis.
Getting feedback from students who take your online course is a great approach to making it better.
Find out:
- What they liked and disliked
- What was unclear
- What might be improved
Surveys, interviews, and focus groups can all be used to solicit input.
It is essential that you make use of this input in order to make your course even better for the students who join next time!
What is an online course?
If you’re learning something from the comfort of your own home, you are probably visiting an online course. They come in a variety of lengths and scopes. To put it another way, an online course offers a way for you to gain new skills or broaden your knowledge while sitting at home in your pajamas.
When you factor in the cost of accommodation and transportation, you'll find that online education is often more economical than traditional classroom instruction.
It takes 40-60% less time to study in an e-learning environment than in a typical classroom. This is because learners can learn at their own speed, going back and rereading and skipping or accelerating through subjects as they want.
You can create an online course
Creating an online course takes time and effort. However, the results are well worth the effort. Preparation is key when it comes to launching your online course. Interactive components like interactive quizzes, scenarios, and multimedia make online courses a very engaging medium that may increase learners' engagement and conversion.
Also, don’t forget to keep your course content fresh and up to date by reviewing and making modifications as needed on a regular basis!
Have a great idea for an online course? Register the domain name now:
