Why build an online course?

You have the same amount of time as everyone else – time is the most important commodity in life. You can’t have more time, it is impossible, so you have to make the most of every moment.

Trading your time for money will only get you so far, you are not scalable. Getting more and more students into a room or online can help, but this can’t be scaled up like an online course.

Once you create an online course or product you can automate your sales process, to maximise your revenue.

If you can increase sales of your product, service or course, whilst saving manual work, this will allow you to reach more people and generate more money for your business – so what’s stopping you?!

This guide will help you understand the process to plan, create and execute online e-learning courses from someone who has done it successfully.

How do you build an online course?

There are now millions of courses in every field imaginable.  You can get an online course about pretty much any subject, some are good and some not so good.  

There is a lot more to the success of a course than the course itself, however I have seen people spend far too much of their valuable time creating e-learning platforms for customers they don’t understand or know how to find.

The teaching platform you choose is important so the user has the best experience, but that is determined by the type of course you create, the platform it is on is less important. 

We have studied most of the online course software available, so here I’ll go through a few of the best softwares available and help you choose the correct one to get started.

Kajabi

https://kajabi.com/
“Basic” package
$149/month ($119/month if paid annually)

In Kajabi’s own words…
“Has everything you need to grow in one place. You can access your website, products, marketing, community and more from a single dashboard. And since everything is built together, it just works together, better. All that frustrated energy you’ve spent fixing tech problems? Now you can focus that same energy on growing your business.”

What it looks like…

Summary…
As much I love the sounds of this all in one approach, in my experience these all in one softwares sounds great, they sometimes being “jack of all trades, master of none” can be quite restrictive as the tools are sometimes not as good as a few separate tools combined. This package is very expensive and it might be too much if you are just starting out on your course creation journey.

Thinkific

https://www.thinkific.com/
“Basic” package
$49/month ($39/month if paid annually)

In Thinkifics own words…
Thinkific’s powerful, all-in-one platform makes it easy to share your knowledge, grow your audience, and scale the business you already love. Whether you’re educating 10 students or 10 million, feel confident that you’ve got the easiest technology and best support in the business.

What it looks like…

Summary…
Thinkific is the only big online course platform that actually has a free option to create to sell courses. As a course builder, it’s so easy to use and the feedback from students using this platform is excellent. So if you’re just starting out, I’d say this is perfect for you.

Teachable

https://teachable.com/
“Basic” package
$39/month ($29/month if paid annually)

In Teachable’s own words…
Create online courses and coaching services. Transform your experience and know-how into a thriving knowledge business.

Summary…
Teachable is a very good course builder, but doesn’t have as much flexibility as other softwares. So if your course is super simple and you just want to get it out into the world, this might be the option for you.

Hotmart

https://www.hotmart.com/en
Commission based plan
Free to create courses, but they take a percentage of your sales.

In Hotmart’s own words…
The solution to create, grow, and easily manage your online business. Your knowledge has value. Transform what you know into a digital product and sell to millions of people all around the world. Promote products online and make a business out of it. Use your audience or take advantage of tools to promote links and earn commission on every sale.

What it looks like…

Summary…
Hotmart is an all-in-one software solution for building courses and selling them online. They have had major success in South America and are now rapidly increasing their market share in the UK, the EU and the US. Their commission-based pricing structure means they offer a great solution to those considering building courses without the need for a big financial investment. They are definitely one to watch for the future.

Podia

https://www.podia.com/
“Mover” package
$39/month (Save $78 when paid annually)

In Podia’s own words..
Everything you need to sell online courses, webinars, downloads, and memberships without worrying about the tech.

What it looks like…

Summary…
Another all in one software, but Podia’s main USP is marketing. The software allows you to send newsletters, drip email campaigns, build funnels, segment lists and create sales pages. If you are just starting out and want all in one software, I’d prefer Podia over Kajabi.

Overall summary…

I would definitely recommend Thinkific, it’s a great place to get started and is extremely affordable. It’s simple and very easy to use yet has flexibility that allows you to create courses that not only look great, but give your students a straightforward experience that will keep them coming back.