How to Choose an Online Course Topic That Sells (Ultimate Guide)
Not sure how to choose an online course topic for your niche? Knowing how to choose a profitable online course topic that sells is key to starting an successful online course business.
As an online course creator and edupreneur, let’s go over how we can help you choose an online course topic idea that you will be passionate about and a course topic that your audience will love.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Understand your audience for a successful course. Focus on needs, problems, and engage through surveys and emails.
- Choose a topic that reflects expertise, meets audience needs, and has high demand. Stand out with a unique perspective and distinctive niche.
- Test ideas via surveys, reviews, and a mini-course before full commitment. Adjust based on real user experiences.
- Choose the right platform – self-hosting for control, online marketplaces for quick sales, or all-in-one online course platform for a balance of control and reach.
- Innovate, respond to learner needs, adapt to trends, become a thought leader, and regularly update course content for sustained success.
How to Choose an Online Course Topic Idea
Choosing the right online course topic start by understanding who are your audience.
Your audience is the key to everything, they are the one you should be concern of.
I’ve once read a book on copywriting, and it mentioned one very important concept which is probably the key to this section.
The word is W.I.I.I.F.M.
W.I.I.I.F.M. is the acronym for “What is it in for me?”
This is the only question your audience is thinking about and when choosing the topic you should always keep this in mind.
“What is it for your audience?”
1. Understanding Your Audience
Choosing the right topic for your online course begins with a deep understanding of who your audience is.
This understanding will guide you in creating content that addresses their specific needs and problems.
Identifying the Target Audience
Start by defining your target audience. Consider demographics such as age, occupation, education level, and interests.
For example, if you are creating a course on digital marketing, your target audience might include marketing professionals, small business owners, or even students interested in entering the field.
Analyzing Audience Needs and Problems
Once you’ve identified who your audience is, it’s crucial to dig into their needs and pain points.
A detailed audience analysis can reveal what your prospective students hope to achieve and the hurdles they face.
Understanding these will help you tailor your course description, course objectives, learning outcomes that converts your potential students into actual enrollees, as relevant messaging resonates more effectively.
Engaging with Prospective Students through Surveys and Emails
Engage directly with your audience through surveys and emails to validate your assumptions about their needs.
Tools like surveys can uncover invaluable insights, while emails can help establish a personal connection, encouraging prospective students to share their thoughts and preferences.
This feedback is essential in refining your course topic to ensure it has the best chance to sell.
2. Selecting Your Course Topic
Creating an online course begins with a critical decision—choosing a topic.
- Your course topic should reflect your expertise.
- Your course topic should address your audience’s needs.
- Your course topic should have a high market demand.
Regardless, of what type of online course you are creating, your course topic should be specific enough to stand out amidst competition.
Assessing Your Expertise in Specific Subjects
Reflect on your qualifications and experiences to determine areas where you can offer authoritative insights.
Your course should establish your authority in a topic where you can confidently impart practical knowledge and skills.
Brainstorming Ideas
Begin by jotting down subjects you’re passionate about and skilled in. This is where creativity meets your professional strengths.
Consider browsing through 200+ Best Online Course Ideas for inspiration and to jumpstart your brainstorming process.
3. Understand Your Customer Needs and Pain Points
To ensure relevance, deeply understand the problems and ambitions of your potential customers.
This knowledge will guide you to create content that resonates and provides real solutions, making your course an attractive investment.
Ask questions such as:
- What is the one thing your audience love to know?
- What is the pain point of your audience?
- Why that is the pain point and how you can help them relieve their pain?
These are powerful questions to get started in finding a specific topic which your audience is interested.
If you want a perfect topic for your course, becoming an expert in your topic is not enough, the content of the course needs to resonate with your audience if you want to launching a successful best-selling online course
4. Checking for Market Demand and Profitability
Researching online trends and keyword searches will reveal what people want to learn and pay for.
Aim for a profitable intersection between your expertise and what’s in demand. Utilize tools to gauge the volume of interest in different subjects.
Evaluating Competition and Finding Your Niche
Finally, consider the level of competition in potential topics.
Use your unique perspective to find a niche—a specific angle or approach that differentiates your course.
Investigate existing courses and how you can offer something distinctive and valuable.
5. Testing and Validating Your Course Idea
Before launching a full-scale online course, it’s essential that you test your idea to ensure there’s a demand and tailor it to meet your potential learners’ needs.
These methods will guide you through the validation process.
Conducting Surveys and Reading Reviews
To start, create surveys that ask specific questions related to your potential course topic.
- Use platforms like social media to ask your followings.
- Send survey to you email lists to get insights.
Look for patterns in the answers to gauge interest and identify common problems or desires your course could address.
Additionally, reading reviews on existing courses can provide insights into what learners are finding valuable and what gaps you might fill with your own course content.
On the side note, I personally feel getting feedbacks from your email subscriber is the best way.
I’ve create my own email list and my email subscribers are my best fans that have provided me a lot of insight over the years.
- Email subscribers are your greatest fans.
- Email subscribers are verbal and truthful in what they want.
- Email subscribers are the people who love to connect with you and give you feedbacks.
Creating a Mini-Course or Sample Module
Developing a mini-course or sample module can serve as a practical test for your course idea.
- Offer a condensed version of your full course
- Receive direct feedback on the content’s relevance and engagement level.
- Iterate and refine your offering based on real user experiences before investing in a comprehensive course.
This is the most cost efficient way to get started.
I’ve made a mistake last time where I’ve create a full length course that nobody wants, there is just no demand for the topic.
While, I’ve enjoy creating it, it wasn’t what my audience want which lead to low sales volume. You can avoid making the same mistake by creating a sample of your course and test out the waters.
Using Testimonials and Case Studies
Finally, leverage testimonials and case studies from your mini-course or from related work you’ve done.
These can validate the impact of your teaching and convince potential students of the value your full course offers.
Ensure that these testimonials are authentic and reflect genuine success stories that resonate with your target audience.
Choosing The Best Online Course Creation Platform
When deciding to create and sell an online course, your choice of platform can significantly impact your course’s success.
It’s essential to pick a platform that aligns with your goals and offers the best features for your course’s topic and target audience.
There are many options you can choose from to host your online course, each have its own pros and cons, however, one of the option offers much more pros making it the best option for most course creators.
Self-Hosting Platform
Self-hosting your online course on platforms such as WordPress, Wiz or Squarespace gives you complete control over your content, pricing, and branding.
Self-hosting of your course allow you to build and customize your course’s website to suit your needs. Offering online course creation process that is seamless and easy to use.
- You’ll benefit from the ability to create a unique look with your own branding.
- You’ll build an intimate community for your students
- You’ll build a powerful online presence and reputation in your industry.
Great option for educators who are prepared to handle the technical aspects of owning your own platform, that gives you the full control of your online course business.
Online Course Marketplace
On the other hand, using an online course marketplace helps you tap into an existing audience hungry for education. However, keep in mind that you’ll compete with other course creators.
- May lead to quicker sales without the fuss of building a website, but with higher competition.
- May have less hassle for online payment, but much higher fees for payment processing.
- Little to no control over your course’s presentation and student interaction.
Online Course Platform
All-In-One online course platform offers the benefits of both course marketplace and self-hosting.
Personally, I will choose to get started with all-in-one online course platforms as these online course platforms offer:
- Powerful marketing tools to scale and grow your business.
- Give you full control of your business, meaning all your students are yours.
- Hosting your course business for you so you don’t need to handle the technical aspect of creating and managing your online course business.
These all-in-one course platforms are highly customizable platform without the need for external hosting. Here is an article where I’ve handpicked the best platforms you may want to get started:
It’s vital to weigh the pros and cons of these platforms. Consider the level of customization you require, the audience you’re targeting, and how hands-on you want to be with the managerial side of selling your course.
Staying Relevant on Your Profitable Online Course Topic
In the fast-paced world of online education, staying ahead involves continuous innovation and responding to the needs of learners.
Adapting to Industry Trends and Student Feedback
To remain competitive, it’s vital to keep an eye on the latest trends in education and integrate them into your courses.
Gathering and acting on student feedback can also lead to improvements that keep your content fresh and engaging.
By aligning your online course with current industry practices, you ensure that your content remains valuable and appealing to prospective students.
Becoming a Thought Leader in Your Niche
Establish yourself as a thought leader by providing unique insights and cutting-edge content in your field.
- Fosters trust with your learners.
- Elevates the perceived value of your course.
When you lead conversations and offer new perspectives, students view your courses as a gateway to innovative knowledge and skills.
Evaluating and Updating Your Course Over Time
Regularly evaluate and update your course to ensure that it continues to meet the high standards of today’s educational environment.
This consideration shows that you are committed to quality and relevancy.
By refreshing your content and incorporating the latest information, you keep your course dynamic and maintain student satisfaction.
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Antony C. is a dividend investor with over 15+ years of investing experience. He’s also the book author of “Start Small, Dream Big“, certified PMP® holder and founder of IncomeBuddies.com (IB). At IB, he share his personal journey and expertise on growing passive income through dividend investing and building online business. Antony has been featured in global news outlet including Yahoo Finance, Nasdaq and Non Fiction Author Association (NFAA).
