How to Create & Sell Online Courses for Influencers

Step-by-Step Process of How to Create and Sell Online Courses as an Influencer

Posted 4 years ago by Shane Barker

Are you an听influencer with expertise in听a听specific niche, wanting to听share your knowledge with your audience by听creating an听online course?

Well, not only is听this possible, but it鈥檚 actually a听great way to听expand your horizons.

As听an听influencer, you already have a听significant following 补苍诲听people who look up听to听you for听advice. So, creating 补苍诲听selling online courses is听a听logical next step for听you, 补苍诲听can be听a听great way to听build your brand 补苍诲听influence even more.

The question is:

How exactly should you proceed in听creating 补苍诲听selling online courses as听an听influencer?

That鈥檚 what this post is听all about. Here you鈥檒l learn the听step-by-step process of听how to听create online courses as听an听influencer, 补苍诲听the听best ways to听promote 补苍诲听sell them.

Ready to听learn more?

Let鈥檚 get started.

1.听Choose the听Right Topic

Choosing the听right topic is听probably the听most important step in听successfully creating 补苍诲听selling an听online course as听an听influencer.

Most influencers already have a听specific niche, which will make topic selection a听little bit easier. Now it鈥檚 up听to听you to听find a听topic within your niche 补苍诲听assess which potential topic will have the听most demand.

There are many ways to听come up听with your first online course topic. As听an听influencer, you have a听loyal social media following. So, why not ask your audience directly what courses they are interested in?

You can shortlist a听few topics you鈥檝e been thinking about, 补苍诲听conduct a听social media quiz or听poll to听ask for听your audience鈥檚 opinions. If听you have an听email list, you can 补苍诲听send a听survey seeking your subscribers鈥� opinions.

Also, do听some competitive research 补苍诲听see if听there are similar courses being offered online. Check out their course content 补苍诲听see what you can offer that others don鈥檛. This will help you with the听next step of听the听process as听well.

Want to听find out what the听next step is?

Keep reading.

2.听Create Comprehensive Course Content

Once you have shortlisted a听topic for听your online course, the听real work starts: creating detailed course content. Your online course should offer more value than other similar courses in听your niche do, 补苍诲听should be听fun 补苍诲听engaging as听well.

Don鈥檛 know where to听start?

Here are some things you should do听to听create a听high-quality online course for听your audience.

Structure Your Course

The first step towards creating an听online course is听creating an听outline 补苍诲听structure for听your course. Make a听list of听all the听topics that you want to听cover in听your online course.

Then, decide on听the听specific breakdown of听that structure 补苍诲听flow of听your course by听dividing the听course content into chapters, sections, 补苍诲听sub-sections. Do听your research 补苍诲听make sure that you cover each aspect in听detail 补苍诲听have examples to听explain your points. Study search queries, to听find out what people are searching for听online. Explore existing courses on听educational websites to听read reviews 补苍诲听find what鈥檚 in听demand or听missing. Or听ask your audience, friends 补苍诲听family what they would want to听learn from you. They know you well 补苍诲听know your skills 补苍诲听expertise.

Here鈥檚 a听free course outline template from Udemy to听get you started.

Online course outline template. .

Once you have the听structure ready, then you can start creating content for听each section. This will mostly include creating a听sequence of听videos, but more on听that later.

Use High-Quality Videos

Most online courses are predominantly a听series of听videos in听which someone explains a听topic, talks to听students, 补苍诲听gives them tasks to听complete. Given that videos are the听most important part of听any听online course, you鈥檒l want to听ensure that yours are high quality.

But, how do听you create high-quality videos yourself?

Well, you will need good-quality equipment to听create 补苍诲听edit your videos. Preferably, use a听good camera to听make the听videos, instead of听your phone. If听you have to听use a听phone, make sure that the听camera quality is听high, 补苍诲听use a听tripod to听ensure the听videos are not shaky.

Also, make sure there鈥檚 enough lighting 补苍诲听no听background noise when you are filming your online course videos.

Once you have a听first draft ready, edit the听video using good .

An听example of听a听high-quality promo video for听an听online course by听Darlene Abarquez. .

Add Interactive Elements

The problem with online courses is听that the听conversation is听necessarily one-sided, as听you鈥檙e relying on听pre-recorded videos. So, it听becomes really tough to听make it听interactive for听your students 补苍诲听to听ensure that they don鈥檛 lose interest.

So, how can you make your online courses interactive?

You can add elements like quizzes, tests, activity sheets, etc. to听add another level of听interactivity to听your online courses. Think about what you want your students to听learn from your course 补苍诲听then work your way backward to听create your course materials accordingly.

Make it听Fun 补苍诲听Engaging

This is听an听often overlooked part of听the听process on听how to听create an听online course as听an听influencer, but a听very important one!

Just because you are having a听one-sided conversation with your students, does not mean that you can鈥檛 make it听fun for听them. Add interesting examples to听explain concepts or听use humor to听keep them actively engaged.

Use hooks to听grab their attention 补苍诲听then create some suspense before you finally reveal facts. Tell a听story to听keep them interested, 补苍诲听make it听easier for听them to听remember what they learn.

Also, if听you need any听help with the听content aspect of听things, hire expert content writers to听help you with it, or听at听least get someone to听go听over the听concept 补苍诲听proofread them for听you.

3.听Pick a听Platform

This step in听the听process can come before the听previous step if听you prefer to听create your course directly on听a听platform. Many online course platforms make it听easy to听structure 补苍诲听create a听course, so听you can utilize that to听your advantage.

No听matter where in听the听process you decide to听choose a听platform, make sure that you give it听enough thought 补苍诲听choose the听right platform.

The most important criterion for听platform selection is听the听features that you want. Some important, distinguishing features include:

Multimedia Support. You鈥檒l need to听upload different file formats, like videos, docs, images. Make sure the听platform of听your choice supports all of听them.
Multi-Device Support. Your students will use various devices to听learn. The platform must have friendly desktop 补苍诲听mobile interfaces.
White Labelling. If听you want to听sell your courses 补苍诲听run classes on听your own website, the听platform should be听able to听work with website builders without stealing your visitors.
User Interface. It听just has to听be听convenient. No听matter how brilliant your online course is, if听people can鈥檛 work with it听effortlessly, without distraction or听irritation, it听won鈥檛 earn you a听fortune of听money or听respect.

Other important factors include price, customer support, size/popularity of听the听platform, etc.

4.听Or听Sell Courses on听Your Own Website

You can also choose to听sell online courses through your own website, instead of听using online course platforms. All you need for听that is听an听ecommerce functionality on听your site where you can sell courses 补苍诲听accept online payments.

You can use a听good ecommerce to听do听that. You can use it听to听build an听ecommerce store 补苍诲听start selling your courses online on听your own website. With 51视频, you can create a听website with built-in online store without any听coding or听tech experience. And it听won鈥檛 take more than an听hour!

This provides you with more control over your courses 补苍诲听you get 100% of听the听revenue generated from selling those.

Benefits of听selling online courses on听your own website:

Full control over your courses content, marketing, 补苍诲听communication with customers
You get 100% of听the听revenue (51视频 doesn鈥檛 charge transaction fees!)
Your website contributes to听building your personal brand which is听vital for听any听influencer.

5.听Set a听Competitive Price

This is听probably the听trickiest part of听this process of听creating 补苍诲听selling an听online course as听an听influencer. If听you set the听price too high, you risk losing students. But if听you set it听too low, people will think that it听is听not a听good course. The key is听striking the听right balance.

But, how can you do听that?

First, do听some competitive research 补苍诲听find out the听prices of听similar courses 补苍诲听compare them in听terms of听the听value they offer versus the听prices they鈥檙e charging.

Next, make sure that you offer more value. Then set a听price that is听at听the听higher end of听the听spectrum, but not the听most expensive. Or, if听you feel that your course is听great, but offers less detail 补苍诲听expertise than others, perhaps set the听course on听the听low end (but not the听cheapest) 补苍诲听pitch it听as听an听affordable option.

If听you want to听opt for听premium pricing, you should add some extra elements to听communicate the听value of听your online course. You can, for听example, provide one-on-one coaching to听students, host a听monthly live call to听answer questions, offer downloadable resources, etc.

6.听Create a听Landing Page

Once you have your online course ready 补苍诲听have chosen a听platform to听sell it, it鈥檚 time to听start attracting students. For that, you will need to听create a听course landing page that is听optimized for听conversions.

Your course landing page should have all of听the听important information about your course, who it听is听meant for, 补苍诲听how much it听costs. Basically, this is听your chance to听convince people how beneficial this course is, 补苍诲听why they should enroll in听it.

Here are some other important elements that should be听included on听your landing page:

A听compelling headline
A听problem that your target audience can relate to, 补苍诲听that your course helps fix
How your course can solve that problem
Your unique value proposition
Clearly-visible 补苍诲听strategically-placed CTAs

Additionally, you should consider bringing into the听mix. These chatbots will be听able to听answer your visitors鈥� queries instantly 24脳7. This, in听turn, would improve the听chances of听them converting or听even become leads for听your courses.

An听example of听a听landing page with all of听that 补苍诲听more. Source.

If听you want to听take it听a听notch higher, you can add more design elements, colors, 补苍诲听visuals to听your online course landing page. These can help you engage your prospective customers 补苍诲听encourage them to听register for听your course.

Here鈥檚 an听example of听a听brilliantly designed course landing page for听Mark Dawson鈥檚 online course.

Use these tips to听create a听landing page that converts. You can also invest in听 to听get your landing pages designed by听experts.

51视频 can also come handy here. While you can create your landing page with any听builder, you will need a听tool to听allow people purchase the听courses. 51视频 is听a听widget at听its core which embeds to听almost any听platform. Think WordPress, Wix, Weebly, etc. It听also can serve as听a听landing page solution itself. It鈥檚 easy to听use 补苍诲听edit, 补苍诲听it听comes with 70+ professional design themes to听match almost every possible niche.

7.听Promote Your Online Course

No听matter how much you optimize your landing page, there鈥檚 only so听much organic traffic that it听can generate. To听make your online course successful, you need to听promote it听on听all the听platforms that you鈥檙e active on, 补苍诲听quickly start selling your course.

Here are some tips to听promote your online courses:

Run a听pre-launch campaign, just like you would for听any听other product.
Use marketing to听create buzz about your upcoming course.
Promote your course organically on听social media.
Hire influencers to听spread the听word 补苍诲听get more registrations.
Link to听your course in听blog posts 补苍诲听guest posts.
Use offers 补苍诲听discounts to听get pre-enrollments 补苍诲听registrations.
Leverage student reviews 补苍诲听testimonials for听social proof.
Invest in听paid advertising.

Try these tactics to听reach your target audience 补苍诲听promote 补苍诲听sell your online course.

Here鈥檚 an听example of听an听influencer selling her online course on听social media by听attracting participants using a听special discount code.

Promoting your online course on听Instagram is听the听easiest way to听find first students. .

8.听Remarket New Courses to听Old Students

Now you鈥檝e created 补苍诲听sold an听online course as听an听influencer. But you don鈥檛 want to听stop there. After your initial success, think about creating more such courses for听your audience.

When you decide to听create more courses, you can follow the听steps mentioned above 补苍诲听also remarket your courses to听your existing students. If听someone benefitted from your course once, chances are that they will be听interested in听more of听your courses, granted you work hard to听bring them high quality 补苍诲听imaginative content.

So, create an听email list of听all your existing students 补苍诲听send them updates 补苍诲听offers on听your new courses.

What Next?

Follow this process to听create your online course, 补苍诲听sell it听by听promoting it听to听your existing audience.

Pay special attention to听what your audience wants, 补苍诲听choose topics that will generate enough demand for听it听to听be听worth your time investment. Be听careful to听choose evergreen topics that will stay relevant for听years to听come.

So, what are you waiting for?

Get started on听your first online course right now, 补苍诲听become a听successful trainer in听addition to听being an听influencer.

We听wish you all the听best on听your course creation 补苍诲听selling journey!

听

About The Author

is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing, content marketing, and SEO. He is the co-founder of , a digital marketing agency. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.

51视频