Online courses are a great way to earn money in 2022. After all, we’re living in the age of the internet. Freelancing is one of the most popular and profitable means of livelihood today. I was looking for new Spectrum cable packages for my home connection the other day and came across dozens of online courses. But before you start creating an online course, you will need to consider a few things. This guide will explain the total process in a step-by-step manner. Moreover, you will need to look at the different types of online courses.
Now, without wasting any time, let’s begin.
What are the Different Types of Online Courses?
Online courses come in different forms. We’ve divided online courses into two broader categories. We’ll be explaining the purpose of each type of content. The first category of online courses pertains to corporate training. The second category, on the other hand, is aimed at individuals. Let’s discuss the first domain of online courses.
Onboarding & Compliance Courses
The first type involves the training of new hires in an organization. The purpose of onboarding courses is to equip new employees with all the tools and processes in the new environment. HR representatives or line managers usually impart such training courses. Recruits receive briefings about the company culture, its core values, and information related to the industry. Moreover, it may include job-specific training.
Compliance courses are part of the onboarding process. Organizations provide this training to new hires. It is worth mentioning here that such courses are mandatory. They include industry-specific rules and regulations. Other information may include business ethics, work safety, and basic first-aid.
Soft Skills & Product Knowledge Courses
Soft skills are an important part of company culture. They are different from job-specific skills. New employees need to be taught these skills. Such courses can serve multiple purposes. The goal is to improve communication, manage time efficiently, and make informed decisions. Every industry requires its employees to learn these soft skills.
Product knowledge courses are in great demand in the service industry. They can come in handy if you’re part of an organization that sells products or provides services. Such courses provide crucial information about the product like its features and costs. Sales representatives can benefit greatly from product knowledge courses. Product-specific courses can help employees handle customer queries with ease.
Leisure & Hard Skills Courses
We will now be discussing the second category of online courses. This category includes four different types of courses. They are leisure, hard skills, personal development, and coaching courses. Leisure courses, as the name implies, refers to knowledge that people want for entertainment. Painting, cooking, gardening, and dancing courses are some popular examples of leisure courses. YouTube is full of content creators offering online leisure courses.
Hard skills courses share many similarities with professional training courses. Coding, website development, etc. are examples of hard skills training courses. The only difference between corporate training and hard skills training courses is that the latter is aimed at individuals willing to receive professional courses. The former takes place within a corporate setting with the organization bearing all expenses of the training.
Personal Development & Coaching Courses
Personal development courses seek to address everyday challenges. These courses can overlap with soft skills courses. Examples include time management and public speaking. Such courses aim to provide happiness as well as improve productivity.
Coaching courses are important online courses. They are in great demand in 2022. Such courses involve back and forth interaction between the coach and learners. Examples include health and fitness, body language development, marketing, etc.
How to Create an Online Course?
Both the categories of online courses provide multiple benefits. No matter what category you choose, it is important to proceed with a clear strategy. Next, we will be going through the entire process of creating an online course.
Prepare
The importance of prep work cannot be overstated when it comes to designing an online course. Make sure to give proper time to prep work. Remember, your course will only be as productive as your planning stage. Think of all the scenarios and what-ifs before creating your course. This way you’ll be able to prepare contingencies.
Set Your Objectives
Think from a learner’s perspective. What would your clients want in an online course? It is important to define the purpose of your training. Setting clear objectives will help you get the best out of your training program.
Define Your Target Audience
Do not brag about your program to the whole world. It would be a waste of your time and effort. Instead, focus on a specific group. You could prepare a list of your prospective learners. It is advisable to conduct a market survey and find your target audience. Consider factors like the number of participants, their characteristics, and prior training (if any).
Identify Your Learning Platform
You cannot provide courses without a platform. It is important to identify the type of platform you’d want to use to provide training to your clients. Have a clear perspective about how you want to distribute your content. If you intend to provide corporate training then you could go with learning management software.
How to Sell an Online Course?
The Internet has made it extremely easy for us to sell a product or service. You could market your content via a website, a mobile app, or social media. It is advisable to create a website and market your content. You could create a YouTube channel and link it to your website. The more marketing channels you have access to, the better. Moreover, you could start guest blogging to expand your reach.
Make sure to leverage different social media platforms. Sites like Facebook and Instagram provide dynamic marketing tools. Take care of your website SEO (search engine optimization) and you’ll take your organic traffic to new heights. Remember, well-written content with a balanced visual presence is a great way to sell online courses in 2022. Do not forget to add a call-to-action on your website.
