Make money from teaching online and lose track of time while you’re at it! Teaching online can be enjoyable and adventurous at the same time. Best of all, it gives you the flexibility of time because you get to work from home.
Make it enjoyable by teaching something you love. Teaching online has been a rewarding learning curve for me. I’ve learned to edit, produce and market content. So, how do you get started?
Identify Your Niche
Choose a subject you are passionate about and have expertise in. It could be a skill you teach step-by-step or practical knowledge you can share. It could be something you’re talented and good at. Take healthy smoothies for example.
My friend Casey would serve smoothies for dessert when we visited, and they were always a blast. Soon enough, I started collecting his recipes. But it was his method and equipment that made the difference. To achieve his taste and texture results, he recommended a range of VitaMix blenders I could choose from, and I even discovered a less expensive Ninja brand that gave me similar results. Today, he creates filling, meal replacing smoothies adapted to every palate and age range. The bottom line is, by the time he realised there was a need, he was monetizing his knowledge and skill in no time.
The beauty of selling knowledge is that it can be left online. Recorded as a shareable product, you don’t always have to be physically present to produce it.
It’s helpful to identify a problem your skills can solve or a need your expertise can satisfy. That way you know there’s demand for your product and you can share your know-how. Research what skills people are needing and see if they would be willing to pay to learn them.
Define your market. Identify who your potential students are. Understand their needs, pain points, and what they hope to achieve from your course. Remember, you ultimately want to make money from teaching your skill. So, you want to be sure there is a market and that you would be able to satisfy their needs.
Plan Your Course
Make an outline by breaking down your course into modules and lessons. Create a detailed outline of what each lesson will cover.
Set learning Objectives. Define clear, measurable goals for what students will be able to do after completing the course.
Determine Course Length. Set your course duration based on the depth of content and the needs of your audience.
Create Course Content
Choose Your Format. This was the most daunting task for me. I had to decide whether my course would be video-based, text-based, or a combination of both. Consider including quizzes, assignments, and interactive elements. Depending on your budget, there are entire learning management systems that allow you to follow easy, intuitive and engaging templates.
Script and Storyboard. Write scripts for your videos and create storyboards to visualize the flow of content.
If you’ve chosen to use videos as your teaching format, get ready to Record Videos. Use a good quality camera and microphone to record your videos. You can use your phone if you wish. Ensure proper lighting and a quiet environment.
Edit. This is important and only fair if you want to make money from teaching your course. Your students should only pay for quality. If you are using a video format, use video editing software to cut out mistakes, add graphics, and enhance the overall quality of your videos. But this also applies to text courses, where you want to use correct grammar and an accessible layout.
Set Up Your Online Course Platform
I highly recommend you Use a Platform. This starts you on a well-established standard and provides you a readily available market. You also get to see what others in your selected topic are teaching and where there is a gap to fill.
Select an online course platform like Teachable, Udemy, or Thinkific. Alternatively, you can use a learning management system (LMS) like Moodle or create a custom website using WordPress.
Prepare to publish. Upload your content, organize it into modules and lessons, and set up your course structure on the chosen platform.
Set Pricing. Decide on a pricing strategy. You can offer your course for free, charge a one-time fee, or opt for a subscription model. Remember to price in taxes and other fees. If you’re in Portugal, I recommend you talk to our tax advisor and accountant on how to incorporate taxes and fees to your pricing.
Market Your Course
Build a website. Create a website or landing page to promote your course. Include a compelling sales page, testimonials, and a clear call to action.
Leverage Social Media. Use social media platforms to reach your target audience. Share valuable content related to your course topic to attract potential students.
Email Marketing. Build an email list and send out regular updates, valuable tips, and promotional offers to your subscribers.
Collaborate and Network. Partner with influencers, bloggers, and other content creators in your niche to reach a wider audience.
Launch Your Course
Pre-Launch. For the pre-launch, build anticipation by offering sneak peeks, early bird discounts, and countdowns.
Launch Day. Announce your course launch through all your marketing channels. Ensure your website and course platform are ready to handle the influx of visitors.
Post-Launch. Continue promoting your course, gather feedback from students, and make necessary improvements.
I Keep Improving and Learning
Like I said, it’s been a learning curve from me. I started with physical trainings, then moved to an online platform. All the way, I would collect feedback by asking students for their view of the course content, structure, and delivery. I had to be sure I was meeting student needs.
A great advantage of online courses is you get to analyze data and data doesn’t lie. Use analytics tools to track enrolment numbers, completion rates, and student engagement.
Finally, update your content. I can’t tell you how often I am changing content to make it more relevant and accurate. Regularly update your course content to keep it relevant and engaging. Add new modules, lessons, or resources based on student feedback and industry trends.
A Few Additional Tips I found Useful
Engage with Students: Create a community through discussion forums, live Q&A sessions, or social media groups.
Offer Support: Provide prompt support to address any technical issues or questions from your students.
Working is fun when you don’t even feel like you’re toiling at it. If you’re teaching something you love, your passion would drive your motivation. Try these steps and you could well be on your way to creating a successful online course that helps you make money from teaching.
Leave a Reply