Are you looking to share your expertise and experience with others through online video courses? Online video courses are an excellent way to engage and educate large audiences, and they can even provide a great income stream or side business for you.
In this article, we will explore how you can create and sell your own online video course, from planning and production to marketing and sales.
We will also discuss why video courses are more likely to sell and how you can use tools like AccessAlly, the WordPress plugin for coaches and course creators, to make the process even easier. This guide will provide you with everything you need to know to succeed in creating and selling your own online video course.
What is an online video course?
An online video course is a type of educational program that utilizes video as the primary means of delivering content and instruction to students. It is similar to a traditional course in that it typically includes a variety of multimedia components, such as videos, reading materials, and assessments, but it differs in its delivery format.
Instead of requiring students to physically attend classes at a specific location and time, an online video course allows students to access course materials and complete assignments from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility makes online video courses an attractive option for students who have busy schedules or prefer to learn at their own pace.
In addition to being convenient and flexible, online video courses also offer a unique opportunity for course creators to reach a global audience. With an online course, experts in various fields can share their knowledge and experience with students from all over the world, helping to expand their impact and influence.
Benefits of online video courses
There are several benefits to creating and selling online video courses, making them an attractive option for educators and subject matter experts looking to share their knowledge and expertise with a wide range of learners. One standout benefit is the growing popularity of video as a media form. Users between the ages of 18 and 25 spend over 20 hours per week consuming video online, making it a highly engaging and effective way to share content with a younger audience in particular.
Online video courses also offer a number of advantages for course creators and students. For course creators, using video allows you to create more professional and personalized courses that are easier to share with a multilingual audience. Simply by adding subtitles to your videos, you can reach a global audience and help ensure that your course is understood by learners who speak different languages.
Another major advantage of video course content is the ability to structure it in a way that is more engaging for your audience. Many learners benefit from a more visual medium of course delivery, meaning that other types of content, like written e-learning materials, aren’t necessarily a good fit for everyone. By providing video course content alongside other online learning materials, you can therefore appeal to a wider segment of your target audience which can not only boost your course sales and referrals but also make your course content a more useful learning resource.
For students, the flexibility of online video courses is a major benefit. They can watch videos at their own pace and replay them as needed to fully understand the content, making it easier to fit their learning into their busy schedules. Additionally, the personalized approach of online video courses allows course creators to tailor the learning experience to each student’s progress and needs, making the course more efficient and effective for them.
Online video courses have the potential to generate significant revenue. With no limit on the number of students who can enroll in a course, you can reach a global audience and potentially earn a passive income stream. According to recent data, the demand for online courses in a variety of subject areas is growing, with the online coaching platforms market size forecast to reach USD 4.1 billion by 2027, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.18% between 2021 and 2027. These figures only go to show the revenue potential for content creators who sell courses online successfully. We’ll dive into how entrepreneurs can go about that next.
How to create your own online video course
Online video courses are a great way for educators and subject matter experts who want to share their expertise with a wide range of learners. Let’s look at the steps required.
1. Gauge market interest and separate your topics
The first step is to identify your niche and the specific topics you will cover. It’s important to understand what your audience is interested in and what questions they have about your subject. To do this, you can research what’s already out there and look for any gaps in the market that you could fill.
For example, if you’re an expert in fitness, you might create specific courses on women’s weight loss training, nutrition, and other related course topics.
One helpful tip is to consider pre-selling your course to gauge interest and ensure you’ll have buyers before you invest time and resources into creating your content. This can be done through a variety of methods, and we have a dedicated guide that runs through all of these in more detail. To generate leads for your pre-sale, you might want to consider some of the following strategies:
- Offer discounted or free course content, such as a free webinar or a related digital product, to entice potential leads.
- Create a dedicated YouTube channel for your product or service to build credibility and develop an audience.
- Utilize content marketing to build authority about your chosen course subject and encourage readers to enroll in your pre-sale. Ensure you include clear calls to action (CTAs) on your landing pages to encourage readers to sign up for your pre-sale.
Pre-selling can help you get a sense of whether your course content meets the expectations of your target audience, giving you valuable know-how on how you can tailor your course to meet their needs and provide high-quality content. It can also provide a clear indicator of whether your course idea resonates with customers at all before you invest too much time and energy into online course creation.
2. Scripting!
Once you’ve chosen your topic and separated it into manageable modules, it’s time to start writing your script. When scripting your course, it’s important to keep in mind that bite-sized content is easier for students to digest. Aim to break your course into 5-8 modules of 10 minutes or less each, and focus on delivering clear and concise information that is easy for your students to follow.
A couple of tips for the scripting process:
- Start with an outline: Before you start writing your script, it’s helpful to create an outline of your course to guide your content development. This can help you ensure that you cover all the key points you want to make and that your course flows logically from one module to the next.
- Use clear and concise language: When writing your script, it’s important to use clear and concise language that is easy for your students to understand. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may be unfamiliar to your audience, and instead focus on explaining concepts in plain language.
- Keep your audience in mind: As you write your script, think about your audience and their needs. What are they looking to learn from your course, and how can you tailor your content to meet their goals? Consider including anecdotes or examples that will help illustrate key points and make your course more engaging and relatable.
- Use visual aids: In addition to your script, consider using visual aids such as slides, images, or diagrams to help illustrate key points and make your course more engaging. These can be especially useful for helping students understand complex concepts or processes.
- Practice your delivery: Before you start recording your course, it’s a good idea to practice your delivery to make sure you’re comfortable with your script and feel confident in your delivery. This can help you ensure that your course is smooth and professional.
The content of your course is obviously extremely important, so you’ll want to spend most of your time on the script when setting up to sell video courses online.
3. Prepare equipment and home studio
Finally, you’ll need to prepare your equipment and home studio to ensure that your course is professional and engaging for your students. Setting up a home studio doesn’t have to be intimidating or expensive, but it’s important to invest in the right equipment to get the best results.
First, determine how you intend to deliver your video course content. This will depend on the type of course you are offering – for example, if you are teaching a course on web design, you’ll likely need to record a lot of your content from your computer screen, whereas if you are delivering an online fitness course, you’ll need a dedicated recording space.
Your course delivery method will then help to determine the equipment you need to build your perfect setup. If you are recording videos directly from your computer screen, you’ll need a suitable screen recording tool. Camtasia and Screenflow are both good options that will allow you to record your screen and add audio.
If you want to film in-person videos, start by choosing a quiet, minimal background for your recording space, and invest in a tripod to hold your phone or camera steady. The camera you choose will have a big impact on your video quality – while smartphone cameras are constantly improving, you will still get better results from a professional-quality DSLR camera if you have the budget.
Lighting is also important, so consider purchasing external lighting online. A ring light is an affordable option that can add a level of professionalism to your video course content. Finally, invest in a microphone to reduce background noise and improve the clarity of your audio. A clip-on Bluetooth microphone is a good wireless option for this, but if you want more control over your audio input, consider investing in a wired XLR microphone and an audio interface.
4. Batch videos and record
Once you’ve written your script and prepared your equipment and home studio, it’s time to start recording your online video course. To make the process as efficient as possible, it’s a good idea to record your videos in batches to minimize set-up and tear-down time. Here are some tips to help you get the best results:
- Make sure you have enough storage and battery power: Before you start recording, make sure that your phone or camera has enough storage and battery power to record all of your modules. This will help you avoid any unexpected interruptions or lost footage.
- Test your microphone: To ensure that your audio is being recorded clearly, it’s a good idea to test your microphone before you start recording. This will help you identify any potential issues and make any necessary adjustments before you begin.
- Set up the lighting from the previous step. Proper lighting can make a big difference in the quality of your videos. Aim for even lighting that is bright enough to clearly see your face and any props or materials you may be using. Avoid harsh shadows and over-exposure, as these can make your videos look unnatural or hard to watch.
- Check the camera positioning: Avoid placing the camera too low or too high, and aim for a position that is level with your face. This will help you maintain good eye contact with your students and create a more engaging experience.
- Stick to your script: While it’s okay to make some adjustments as you go, it’s generally a good idea to stick as closely as possible to your script to minimize the number of edits you’ll need to make later. This will help you save time and ensure that your course flows smoothly from one module to the next.
- Don’t be afraid to stop and start again: If you make a mistake while recording, don’t worry! Just pause and start again from the last line to make edits easier. This will help you ensure that your course is professional and polished.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to record your online video course efficiently and with minimal disruptions. Remember to take your time, stay organized, and focus on delivering clear and concise content to ensure the best results.
5. Edit all the videos at once
Once you’ve recorded your online video course, it’s time to start editing your videos to ensure that they are polished and professional. There are a variety of software options available for video editing, including popular options like FinalCut Pro, Premier Pro, and CapCut. No matter which software you choose, it’s generally a good idea to edit all of your videos at once to minimize disruptions and ensure that your course flows smoothly.
To get started, export your videos from your phone or camera to your computer or an external hard drive, where you’ll have more storage space. This will allow you to work with your videos more easily and ensure that you have plenty of room to store all of your edited files. From there, you can begin the process of editing your videos to remove any mistakes, pauses, or unnecessary segments, and add any transitions or visual effects that you want to include.
Remember to take your time and focus on creating a professional and engaging course for your students! The script is where you share your expertise, but the video and edit is where you perfect the presentation.
6. Create complementary material
To make your online video course more engaging and effective, it’s a good idea to create complementary material that your students can use alongside your videos. This can include a variety of resources such as PDF downloadables, on-screen images, and other visual aids that help your students understand and retain the information you’re teaching.
You might create a series of PDFs that students can download and print out, containing summaries of key points, exercises, or other useful resources. You might also include on-screen images or diagrams that help illustrate complex concepts or processes, or provide other visual aids that help your students learn more effectively.
Depending on the type of course you’re creating, you might also consider adding exercises or brainstorms that help your students practice the skills you’re teaching. This can be especially helpful if your course is focused on practical skills or hands-on learning, as it gives students the opportunity to apply what they’re learning in a more interactive way.
7. Where to publish and sell your course
Once you’ve created your online video course, the next step is to decide where to publish and sell it. There are a variety of online course platforms available that support video content, including options like Udemy, Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi. While these platforms can be a convenient way to get started, they come with a number of downsides, such as fees, ownership of your content, and limitations on scalability.
If you want to have full control over your own courses and have the ability to grow and scale your business without limitations, it’s generally a better idea to create your own site using WordPress and a plugin like AccessAlly. This all-in-one plugin is specifically designed for coaches and trainers, and it allows you to build your courses directly on your own platform without the need for a separate learning management system (LMS) plugin, engage with students, and create a forum-style community for them to interact with each other.
In addition to making it easy to create and sell mobile-friendly video courses, AccessAlly also offers a range of sales and marketing tools, including Affiliate program creation, Email marketing, and easy payment gateway integration with Stripe, PayPal, and other methods. Plus, if you want to create memberships or offer subscriptions, you can do so directly within AccessAlly without the need for additional plugins.
Creating your own site using AccessAlly gives you the freedom and flexibility to create and sell online courses on your own terms, without the limitations and downsides of other course platforms! Here’s what Carrie Faye Harder from the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine had to say about the flexibility that AccessAlly offers:
“AccessAlly is a really full package way to host an online course. We liked the look of AccessAlly better than LearnDash, and some of the functions, like private notes, were really attractive. We just love it so much more than what we were using before!”
Sell video courses using WordPress + AccessAlly
Selling video courses online is a great way to share your expertise with a large audience, create an income stream, and even build a side business. And with the right tools, it’s easier than you might think to create and sell your own video courses, even if you’re a beginner.
One of the best combinations available for creating and selling video courses is WordPress and AccessAlly. AccessAlly is an all-in-one plugin that provides everything you need to create and sell professional-quality video courses directly from your own website. With features like affiliate marketing, email marketing, a dedicated LMS system, and easy payment integration all in one place, AccessAlly makes it easy to engage with your students and sell your courses online.
But AccessAlly is more than just a course platform – it’s a comprehensive toolbox for video course creators. With tools for creating memberships, subscriptions, and even a forum-style community for your students, AccessAlly is the best support available for anyone looking to create and sell video courses online.
If you’re ready to start sharing your expertise and building a successful online business, give AccessAlly a try. With its powerful tools and support, you’ll be able to create and sell video courses that your students will love, and you’ll be well on your way to building a successful business.
