How to Launch an Online Course?

Technology has been a blessing in such a way, that now one can learn new things by just staying confined in their rooms.  One can get educated, learn new courses, work skills with the help of the internet. Online learning is everywhere now. You can find a course for almost every skill online. It has spread the reach of knowledge as anyone can learn from anywhere. This sounds like a business opportunity, isn't it?

According to reports, the market value of online learning as of 2020 is over $200 billion and it will only keep increasing. Online learning or Elearning has a vast reach and can bring you, customers from different age groups and from any part of the world. You can not only earn from selling your courses online but there are many other benefits for it too. In this article, we will talk about what are online courses and how one can launch them.

What Are Online Courses?
Importance of Online Courses
How to Create an Online Course

What Are Online Courses?

As you have already guessed by the name, it is the courses you can take on your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop or even on your smart TV with the help of the internet. For some people, online courses are much better than traditional classes, as there is no distraction from other people. Although is not always true for some people, as they have always learned in schools or colleges and have a habit of learning with other people in a traditional way. So, this might be a disadvantage of an online course that it doesn’t attract all kinds of people.

Importance of Online Courses

• Flexibility: Online courses can be taken from anywhere. So, people who travel a lot, don’t have to miss their classes. Therefore, as a business owner (online course provider), you don’t have to worry about your customers.
• Payment: You don’t have to worry about getting paid for your online course as people will have to pay before starting their online course. So, unlike traditional courses, you don’t have to ask people to pay their fees.
• Potential Customers: If you provide free courses on your website, then you can identify your potential customers. Only those people will take your online course who are really interested and if they learn something from you for free, they are most likely to buy that product of yours.
• Lower Cost: Both for the course provider and the students, the cost is going to be minimum. As a course provider, you don’t have to invest in a place for the classes, other resources, and teachers. As for a student, you don’t have to spend time and money commuting to the location where you have to take classes.
• Internal Training: You can give online training to your own employees. It will save time and will be effective for your new employee, who can while doing their job.
• Opportunity to Build Network: Nowadays most of the online courses create a common group (mostly on Facebook)  to clear the doubts of the students and run interactive sessions. Thus you may build a network with the community members by joining such groups. You may discover new opportunities from those groups as well.

There are so many advantages of taking and giving online courses. These were some of them.

How to Create an Online Course

• Topic: First and most important step before creating an online course is to decide the perfect topic which will be best for your students. If you are going to give a free course, then chose something related to your own product. For example, if your company deals with the raw material of clothes, then you can provide a course on designing clothes.
• Do a Market Research: After finalizing the topic, you should do complete market research on your upcoming course. If there is high demand for this course or if people are asking too many questions about it. Check the competition and what are the shortcomings of your competitors. Try to fix those loopholes and make your course unique.
• Outlines: Just like we did while writing eBooks, you have to outline the whole course. Write about what you want your students to learn. First, write all the things you can think of, then, shortlist the content and remove the unnecessary content which doesn’t directly affect the skill.
• Structure Modules: Structure the modules of the classes. Plan how much will they learn in how many days will it take. Don’t include too much content for any of the classes.
• Edit the material: Edit your content, which could be anything, videos, written formats, audio, anything. If you think you are not good at editing, then hire someone who can, as it is a crucial part of your online course.
• Test:  Test your classes on someone, by trying to teach someone. Focus on the number of days they will take to learn from your course. Also, if possible, then take a test of their learning. It will help you to know how much your students are learning and what is their progress.
• Pricing Model: Create the pricing model for your online course. Try to predict the number of students you will get. Then make sure that you cover all your expenses with that pricing.
• Choose The Platform: Chose the platform you want to release your online course on. You can go for an online course marketplace or you can opt for some learning management systems, another option is that you can release the course on your own website. It will be the best option if you are going to provide the course for free.
• Launch: Now, when you have the material, you have checked everything and chosen the platform, then what are you waiting for? It is the best time to launch your course online. Even If you are short in your budget then find out inexpensive ways to launch your course.

Conclusion

You can provide online courses for your new tool or just general knowledge of some techniques or you can spread your reach by providing free courses. Online courses can be an amazing opportunity for passive income. Just create some online courses and you will keep earning when people keep learning from your course. You can then update your course anytime you want.

The only thing to keep in mind is that the topic should be useful to people. Moreover, you should have good knowledge of that topic so that you can influence people to buy your course. Make sure that you make the course easy to understand and interesting to learn. If you are not familiar with creating online courses, then hire someone who is. It would be a good investment for your passive income.

FAQs

What online courses sell the most?

• Computer and Technology
• Art and Crafts
• Business and Management
• Physical wellbeing
• Education

Is it worth taking free online courses?

Free online courses can better your skill or can help you learn new things by sitting in front of your computer.