How to Make Money Selling Courses Online

The online education industry is booming.

Revenue from online education is projected to reach US $185.20 billion in 2024, with a growth rate of 8.56%, and is expected to surpass US $279.30bn by 2029.

With a growing knowledge economy, creating and selling online courses is a big opportunity right now.

Every single day, people sign up for courses on every topic imaginable, from math to design and general business.

This means that selling online courses can be a great source of passive income once you have an established customer base.

While making money by creating online courses isn't simple, it can become lucrative and get easier over time with the right planning and approach.

There are a lot of ways to make money selling online courses. However, one needs to know the simplest ways to do so.

In this post, we'll explore various tactics to help you make more money selling courses online.

The Profitable Path to Selling Courses Online

1. Delivering Value to Learners Via Online Courses

Creating online courses for making money is great, but providing value to your learners is important.

Here are several factors that can affect your course’s value:

• Personal Brand Recognition: Your presence on social media and the web matters. How visible you are can impact your reputation. Google your name to see what’s out there, and consider using tools to track brand mentions and social media activity.
• Expertise: The more knowledgeable you are in your subject, the better your content will be. This helps establish you as an expert.
• Training Content: Make sure you have a variety of ready-to-share content like blog posts, videos, and podcasts.
• Course Topic: Choose a profitable topic that many people are interested in.
• Audience Size: A large social media following or a big email list gives you an advantage. Established professionals and influencers can leverage their audience to boost sales.
• Audience’s Income: Consider how much your target audience can afford to spend on your course. This will help you set a fair price.
• Market Size & Competition: Research your niche to see how many people need your course and how your competitors perform. This helps you understand the demand for your course.
• Website User Experience: Track how visitors interact with your site. Monitor their journey from landing to sales pages to optimize their experience.

2. Using AI and Machine Learning for Trend Prediction

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) continue reshaping industries, redefining processes, and reimagining possibilities.

According to Gartner, integrating augmented intelligence into daily workflows is expected to grow by 25% within the next two years.

It can help predict and suggest meaningful course topics and ideas beyond individual knowledge and across different fields.

AI can analyze vast amounts of data from various sources, such as search engines, social media, and forums, to identify trending topics. 

ML algorithms can study user behavior and preferences to recommend courses that individuals are more likely to purchase.

For example, suppose you are a Python course instructor selling your course on Udemy. In that case, the platform will use AI and ML to enhance coding exercises by automating the creation of solution code, test cases, and evaluation logic.

This feature, available for languages like Python, C++, and Java, allows instructors to generate these components quickly using AI, which they can then review and customize.

Additionally, AI integration helps analyze learner interactions through the Practice Insights report.

Source: Udemy

It provides instructors with data on how many students viewed, attempted, and completed exercises, enabling them to improve their courses based on this feedback.

3. Structuring Your Course Content Effectively

Students don't need more; they need a pathway to get a good result.

It should come as no surprise that the highest-selling courses are often career-related.

Consider your learning aims and intended outcomes to start creating a logical course structure.

Once you have these outcomes, you’ll be better positioned to create your course content.

Here are a few best practices to keep in mind while structuring your course:

• Break down the content into smaller, manageable units called modules.
• Use multi-format content to communicate learning to your students. 
• Follow the cause-and-effect logical flow to outline your content.
• Incorporate interactive elements such as PDF worksheets and activities.

For example, this online course on Udemy has structured course content into lecture series.

Source: Udemy

4. Optimized Platform Selection - Where to Sell?

Choosing the right place to host and sell your online course is important. You will use the platform to host and sell your course. 

You have three main options:

• Online Course Platform: These platforms are designed for course creators and offer video hosting, marketing, and customization. They are great for all-in-one solutions.
• Self-Hosting: Set up your server to host and sell courses from your website. It’s more technical and costly but gives you full control.
• Online Course Marketplace: Use platforms like Udemy or Edx to host your course and allow branding. However, these platforms often have strict rules and take a large revenue share.

For example, Digital Advertising & Marketing 101, led by Ben Silverstein, is offered on eLearning by AdCoach platform and Udemy marketplace.

This dual-platform strategy maximizes exposure and leverages platform-specific strengths to drive sales.

eLearning by AdCoach emphasizes personalized learning experiences and direct access to industry experts or specialized content.

Source: Adcoach

As a popular online learning marketplace, Udemy allows instructors to reach a global audience and offers course customization, promotional tools, and analytics to track student engagement and progress.

Source: Udemy

5. Freemium and Subscription Models

A combination of “free” and “premium”—has become dominant in the online course market.

Students get basic insights at no cost and can access additional course content for a subscription fee.

Freemium offers a free basic version of the course, enticing students with valuable content while upselling premium features or advanced modules.

It relies on converting free users into paying customers through compelling content and additional perks.

For example, the Justin Guitar platform offers free access to its basic online courses on its website. These courses include tutorials and foundational content that users can access without charge.

However, users are encouraged to subscribe to the paid app version to access enhanced features and convenience, such as play-along songs and 10-minute practice sessions designed for quick, efficient practice.

This freemium strategy leverages the free content to attract users and upsell them to a premium experience with added features and enhanced usability.

Source: Justin Guitar

The subscription model charges learners a recurring fee, typically monthly or annually, for access to a library of courses or ongoing updates.

It is a great option for generating predictable revenue streams with learners who benefit from ongoing learning opportunities.

Subscriptions also let you monetize post-course benefits. For example, you could have a private community that students need an active membership to be a part of.

For example, this Web Development Bootcamp led by Victor Bastos offers a monthly subscription plan and a lifetime access plan.

Source: Web Development Bootcamp

6. Multi-touchpoint Campaigns

Simply put, a multi-touch campaign delivers your message in multiple formats to reach the target audience consistently at every stage of the enrollment journey.

The goal is determining which marketing channels contributed to the conversion and allocating future spending to acquire new leads.

Remember, choosing a trigger isn’t easy.

When deciding on your channels, consider your target audience. Where and when are they most likely to be online daily? 

For example, a prospective student is considering enrolling in an online fitness course. Here's how a multi-touchpoint campaign might work to convert them into a customer:

Initial Awareness - What is the trigger?

The prospective student researches fitness programs and sees a "FitLife Online Course" display ad on a fitness blog. They see the ad but need to take immediate action.

Engagement on Social Media - What message should we send? 

Later, while scrolling through their Instagram feed, they come across a native ad from FitLife, showcasing a success story of someone who transformed their health using the course. The compelling story catches their attention, and they click on the ad, which takes them to the FitLife website.

Website Interaction - What information is the user interested in?

They browse the course details but still need to enroll. However, they sign up for a free trial or a free eBook on fitness tips, providing their email address.

Email Follow-up - Where should we send the message? 

A few days later, they receive a personalized email from FitLife with a limited-time discount offer on the full course. The email highlights the course's benefits, testimonials, and the special discount code.

Final Conversion - How many attempts should we make?

Motivated by the discount and the additional information, the potential student takes advantage of the promotional offer and enrolls in the FitLife online fitness course.

Therefore, these ads and messages represent a touchpoint in the enrollment journey. 

7. Building a Learning Community

Building a learning community through video series, webinars, and online live sessions can significantly boost course sales.

You can launch a video series related to your course topic to create anticipation and interest, encouraging viewers to enroll in the full course for more in-depth content.

For example, Henry Wang, a Product Marketing Manager course creator, conducted an online Q&A session with three Associate Product Marketing Managers working at Google to provide prospective students with insights and motivate them to invest in the course.

It lends credibility to the course, and students are more likely to trust its value when they see it endorsed by successful industry professionals.

Source: YouTube

Moreover, webinars can address common questions, provide additional insights, and demonstrations of course content.

Here’s an example of Latasha James, course creator of the Social Media Management Accelerator program, conducted an interactive webinar that helped her build trust and a sense of community.

This webinar was directed towards the importance of social media, representing her brand as a thought leader in this niche, and relaunch of the course.

Source: YouTube

8. CRM Integration for Seamless Student Management

CRM integration for seamless student management helps increase course sales by enabling better tracking and communication with prospective and current students.

 With a CRM, you can:

Tailor your marketing efforts to individual students based on their behavior and preferences, leading to higher conversion rates.

Provide prompt and personalized support, improving student satisfaction and encouraging positive reviews and referrals.

Gain insights into student interactions and course performance, allowing for data-driven decisions.

For a real-life example, consider Pat Flynn, an entrepreneur and online course creator who uses ConvertKit, a CRM tailored for creators.

Flynn uses ConvertKit to manage his email marketing campaigns, segment his audience based on their interests and behaviors, and automate personalized emails. As a result, Flynn has seen a significant increase in course sales.

Source: SPI

9. Localization and Translation Services to Expand Reach

Course localization and translation services help increase course sales by making the content accessible to a global audience.

Moreover, offering localized courses can enhance the learning experience, making it more relevant and engaging for diverse learners, increasing student retention, driving more sales and revenue.

Here’s an example of Machine Learning Specialization Course by Andrew Ng that is available in 21 languages, helping course creators can tap into new markets and attract non-English speaking students.

Source: Coursera

10. Implementing Accessibility Standards (WCAG)

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) can help increase course sales by making them usable for everyone, including people with disabilities.

All parts of your course should be available to them regardless of their ability to see, hear, or touch.

• To make your online content accessible, you can:
• Add alt-text to images, buttons, and other objects
• Ensure color isn't the only way of communicating information
• Allow learners to resize text
• Ensure screen readers can detect the language used
• Provide clear instructions when requesting input from learners
• Build consistent navigation and identification throughout the course
• Add subtitles, closed captions, and transcripts to videos

For example, if your exam requires a spoken portion, you should provide accommodations to accept sign language or written responses for those who cannot speak.

Conclusion

There's no definite way to know how much money you'll make as a course creator.

However, if you have expertise in a popular topic area, there’s a ton of opportunity.

You just have to know how to capitalize on it.

But first, you'll need to research your chosen topic thoroughly before launching a new course.

Starting your first course might feel overwhelming, but it can actually be quite simple.

To succeed, focus on giving your students real value. This will attract more prospective students and increase your earnings.

See how we help online course creators grow

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