How to Write a Course Description that Converts

course description that captures your target audience's attention is essential for all course designers or marketing specialists working on educational projects.

Online courses are major pillars of the e-learning industry. Between 2020 and 2024, the e-Learning market in the United States is projected to grow by $72.41 billion.

Whether you’re creating a new course or revising an old one, your description must accurately convey what the course will include and entices potential customers.

In this post, we’ll discuss what is a course description and all the key components of crafting one that converts and motivates customers to enroll.

Let’s dive into all the details of how you can instantly captivate your target audience with a well-written description of the course.

What is Course Description

A course description provides an overview of a particular educational offering, detailing its content, objectives, structure, and often the target audience. It serves as a concise summary that outlines what students can expect to learn, the methods of instruction, prerequisites, and sometimes the outcomes or certifications associated with completing the course. Essentially, it's a snapshot that helps individuals understand the essence and scope of the course before enrolling.

How to Write Course Description That Converts?

A course description is meant to provide clear information to potential students about the course content and goals. It should be crafted carefully to highlight what makes the course unique to attract as many enrollments as possible. Learning how to write a course description effectively is vital for every course designer.

When writing a course description, course designers should include key points that provide answers to these questions:

• Who is the course designed for?
• What topics will be covered?
• How long will it take to complete the course?
• Are there any required resources or prerequisites?
• What are the expected outcomes after the course completion?

Now, let’s talk about the conversion aspect.

A good online course description should succinctly persuade a target audience that your offering fits their needs. It creates a sense of excitement in the reader’s mind about the subject matter of the course. To ensure that your description converts better, use the following tips:

• Ensure you frame the cours to show relevance for participants' personal growth and development. Paint a glowing image of how this knowledge or experience will benefit them at the end of the course.
• Focus on tangible outcomes rather than dry lectures; emphasize what students will learn or accomplish within the scope of your course.
• Highlight any unique features like guest speakers, special activities, etc.
• Explain why your program is superior to similar courses offered by competitors. Showcase whatever you think sets your program apart from others.

Examples of Different Types of Courses and Their Descriptions

Courses come in different forms and cater to different target audiences. Let’s examine the course descriptions of some of the most popular types of courses.

Cohort-Based Courses

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Writing a course description for a cohort-based course involves providing detailed information about the course content, learning outcomes, schedule, and structure. Here are some steps you can follow to write a course description for a cohort-based course:

• Start with an engaging course title that captures the essence of the course. A catchy title will capture the attention of potential students and encourage them to learn more about the course.
• Write a brief course overview, including its purpose and learning outcomes. This section should give the course summary and what students will benefit from taking it.
• Describe the course content in detail. List the topics covered in each module or unit, and explain how each topic will be explored. Provide examples of readings, videos, and assignments with which students will engage.
• Discuss the course structure and schedule. Explain the mode of lesson delivery (e.g., live webinars, pre-recorded videos), the duration of each session, and how often students will meet. Provide information on any required synchronous sessions, such as group discussions or project work.
• Outline the course requirements and expectations. Explain the grading system, including the types of assignments and assessments used to evaluate student learning. Provide guidelines on how much time students should expect to spend on the course each week and any prerequisites or recommended background knowledge.
• Describe the cohort-based model of the course. Throw light on how students will collaborate and support one another during the course. Provide examples of how students will interact, such as through online forums, group projects, or peer feedback.
• Include any more details about the course, such as the instructor's background and qualifications, the cost and payment options, and any relevant resources or tools students may need.

Bootcamps

A compelling course description for your bootcamp should first describe the main purpose of the camp, why it was created, and how it can benefit participants. It should explain what skills they will gain and any certifications or degrees they may earn by participating.

Following this introduction, your description should outline any prerequisites needed to participate in the camp, such as specific technology and software knowledge. 

The description should also cover specific topics existing within each part of the bootcamp curriculum and offer real-world examples where applicable. This allows potential participants to learn about the skills they will have upon completing their training journey.

Lastly, provide an overview of additional discounts and services you provide along with details about instructors’ expertise to make applicants feel confident about signing up for the course.

Training Programs

Let’s assume you’re organizing a corporate training program, and everything is in place. A poorly written course description can ruin all your efforts.

A converting course description for corporate training programs typically outlines the purpose, scope, objectives, and format of the training. Start by introducing the program conceptually and its value to employees or participants.

Describe what skills will be taught, who should attend, and any prerequisites required to enroll. Outline how much time is available for instruction, special equipment/materials needed, and expected student outcomes after completing the course.

Use concise language with keywords related to your target audience so that potential attendees can quickly identify their need for such training. Lastly, include contact information if a potential participant needs additional information about enrolling for the course.

Dos and Don’ts for Writing Course Descriptions that Convert

The course description is the prospective student's first impression of your course, so you need to get it right. Let’s outline the Dos and Don’ts involved in crafting a course description that converts.

Dos:

• Keep your language simple and clear. A conversational tone is usually more persuasive.
• Highlight course benefits and outcomes, not just features of the content.
• Ensure your description is concise yet informative: showing off enough to spark readers’ interest in what goes on in the class.
• Show how this course will help build competencies or skills that lead to broader outcomes, e.g., job readiness, promoting career progression, etc.
• Aim for under 250 words and use bullet points where appropriate.
• Include an introduction, a body with key topics/concepts addressed, and a conclusion/summary of what students will learn as part of their experience.  

 Don'ts: 

• Don't be overly wordy: keep it focused on what is helpful for the decision-making process.
• Don't leave readers guessing about prerequisites or other technical requirements for taking the course; make them known upfront. 
• Don't forget to include any fees associated with participating in the class.  
• Don’t rely heavily on adjectives like ‘amazing’ or ‘incredible’. Let the course benefits do the selling.
• Don't ignore keywords. They help search engines match up potential participants with courses.

Examples of Real-Life Course Descriptions That Worked

Here are a few real-life course description examples that drove good conversions:

Cultivitae by Emily Liou. It’s a training course that helps professionals get their dream job. This course description example is captivating and evidence-based. Little wonder why the course is successful.

Lose Weight and Keep It Off, a Harvard Health Publishing online course for weight management, is another course description example that works. The course has helped over 50,000 people lose weight and get the body they love.

Using AI-based Tools to Enhance Creativity in Writing Course Descriptions

AI-based tools like ChatGPT can enhance creativity in writing a course description by allowing course creators to generate engaging content and ideas quickly. These tools may provide prompts, suggest new words and phrases, recommend a creative structure for sentences and paragraphs, or even mimic the writing style of specific writers.

AI-based tools can also recommend link words that lead readers from one core concept to another related topic. They can be used to create a unique set of visuals that add an extra element of interest for potential students.

AI-based technologies can help drive higher levels of engagement among target audiences by providing tailored material that draws upon previous interactions between the reader and the description author.

These are some examples of how using AI-based tools ultimately makes the writing process smoother and more efficient. However, it is important to mention that the tools shouldn’t replace the unique human input for the entire creative process.

Online Course Description Sample Template

The course description template below, crafted for a digital marketing course, can inspire or guide you to create yours.

[Course Name] 

Are you looking to start a HIGHLY PROFITABLE marketing career? Then this [Course Name] is the perfect way to get started!

With more than 8 hours of video content, step-by-step instructions, and our expert trainers' practical instructions, you can become a successful marketing master.

With this comprehensive course, you will learn the following:

• The basics of digital marketing and how to leverage it for success.
• Analytical tools needed to measure the performance of your campaigns.
• How to create compelling content that drives conversions across channels.
• Strategies for optimizing campaigns based on data insights.

You don’t need previous experience in marketing or with any digital platform.  By the end of this program, you’ll be empowered with the skills needed for success. Plus, participants enjoy unlimited access to their learning materials, enabling them to take the lessons at their own pace.

With an extensive support system providing post-course mentoring sessions, there’s no doubt why so many find long-term success with this [Course Name].

So don't wait another day. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to unlock your marketing potential by signing up now for only

$99.00

(30% off the regular price)

Conclusion

In conclusion, writing a converting online course description is critical to how successful your online course could be.

For best results, define your target audience, highlight key benefits and features of the course material, use clear and concise language throughout your content, and leverage attractive visuals where necessary. Most importantly, avoid being too ‘salesy’ or promotional in your tone.

Following these guidelines and tips will enable you to craft a compelling description of the course that gets potential students interested and convinces them to sign up immediately.