How Do You Launch An Online Course in 2023? The Complete Guide for Sucesss

his is an exciting time to enter the world of online education, and there are more opportunities than ever before to create and launch your courses.☺️

The process of launching an online course can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. With a bit of planning and some creativity, you can launch an online course that is engaging and informative and that will help your students reach their learning goals.

In this blog post, EducateMe walks you through the entire process of launching an online course, from picking the right course topic to creating and launching your course, plus a checklist. By the end of this post, you should know everything about how to launch a successful online course.

So let's get into it.🚀

Why should you launch an online course?

If you have a passion for helping others and want to make a difference in the world, launching an online course is a great way to do it. You can reach people from all over the world and help them to achieve their goals while becoming famous. And, best of all, you can earn a good amount of money!

According to this report, the value of the global eLearning market worldwide is projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2028, over triple the 2021 value. That’s great news for course creators like you.

Here are 5 reasons why you should launch your online course sooner rather than later:

• Increased demand: There has been a growing demand for online courses and learning opportunities in recent years. This is partly due to the flexibility and convenience that they offer learners. Since the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for eLearning has increased by 400%, according to statistics.‍
• Improved technology: The technology used to create and deliver online courses has also improved, making it easier than ever to create high-quality courses.‍
• Greater accessibility: Online courses are now more accessible than ever, thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices and high-speed internet access.‍
• Increased visibility: With the rise of social media and online marketing, online courses are now more visible than ever.‍
• Greater credibility: Online courses have gained greater credibility in recent years as more institutions and organizations offer them.

Learn the top 3 reasons course creators fail

If you are considering creating a course for the first time, this section is probably the most important for you. Course creators face a lot of challenges when it comes to building and launching successful online courses. However, here are the top three reasons many course creators fail:

🙁 Not determining the target audience

This is probably the biggest reason course creators fail. You must never launch online course if you are not clear about the group of people the course is going to serve. I can’t tell you how many times I've seen people create a course and get leads but never hear from them again.

This is because they try to make the course for too many people at the same time. The reality is you need to take the time to figure out who you're trying to reach and then create the course for that specific audience.

When creating a course, you should brainstorm ideas for online courses and narrow them down gradually until you settle for a topic. You can't just say that you want to reach "people who want to start a business." That's not specific enough. It’s a great idea to niche down to know who these people are, what they're looking for, and what their biggest pain points are.

If you don't take the time to figure out who you're making the course for, you're going to create a course that appeals to no one. And that's a huge mistake.

🙁 Not promoting the course early enough

Another big mistake that I see course creators make is that they try to create the entire course before they even start promoting it. They create all of the content, they create the sales page, and they wait until they have everything perfect before they begin to drive traffic to it.

The problem with this is that they end up spending months or even years creating content that no one cares about. And by the time they're ready to launch, they're so exhausted from the process that they have no energy left over to actually promote it.

You can create a landing page, start driving traffic to it and start collecting email addresses as soon as you’re creating the course. Then, when you're ready to launch, you already have an audience that's interested in what you're offering. Early promotion must be a part of your course launch strategy.

🙁 Choosing the wrong platform to launch the course

This often happens for one of two reasons. Firstly, the course creator may not have done their research to find the right platform for their course. Secondly, even if they did their research, they may have chosen a platform that didn't meet their needs. Both of these reasons can lead to a course that fails to meet the expectations of the course creator or the students.

To avoid this, it is essential to do your research and make sure that you are choosing the right platform for your course. Once you have chosen a platform, ensure it meets your needs and those of your students in line with recent course trends.

Extra Tips 

1) Get very specific about who you're creating the course for.

2) Start promoting your course as soon as you have the idea.

3) Carry out in-depth research to find the LMS platform that best meets your needs.

How do you launch a successful course?

After you have come up with a great course idea, you need to do some quality thinking and put a good effort into creating and launching your course. Here’s the step-by-step process you should follow to increase your chances of having a successful course.

Choose the right topic for your course

The right topic for your online course is dependent on your audience, your niche, and your goals. Finding a topic that you are passionate about will help you stay motivated and invested in creating and teaching your course. You can research online courses ideas to draw some inspiration.

Researching your audience is essential to getting your topic right. Your research must provide answers to these questions:

• What are my audience’s needs and wants?
• What are their pain points?
• What kind of topics would they be interested in?

After researching your audience, you must ensure whatever topic you settle for aligns with your goals.

• What do you want to accomplish with your online course?
• Do you want to generate leads, build your brand, or generate revenue?

After considering the above factors, go ahead to choose a topic that will help you meet your goals.

Creating the course

You have to break down your course idea into smaller topics that you will cover in the course. Each of these topics will become a lesson in the course. When you have the lessons planned out, you carefully create the content for each lesson. Take your time to create content that your students will appreciate. Remember, content is king, so ensure the content is organized, engaging, and high-quality.

 Now you’ve created the course content. That’s great! The next step is to put it all together in a format that can be published online.

Choose the right format & platform

The course content can be in the form of text, audio, videos, infographics, or slide presentations. You need to put on your thinking cap to pick the format that is best suited for your course. Consider what would be the most effective format for your specific audience and the subject matter you're teaching.

• 🎥 Video format is the most popular means of delivering online courses because most people love watching video lessons. It is also the most interactive. 
• 📻 Audio courses are ideal for individuals who are constantly on the go and may not have the chance to watch videos. 
• 📖 Text-based courses are perfect for an audience who have a preference for reading or wish to watch or listen to video/audio at a later time.

The good news is you don’t necessarily have to stick to only one format. You can spice things up by combining two or more formats to deliver your course.

Publishing your course is the next step, and you need an LMS platform to do that. Around 74 million people utilize LMS globally. There are many factors to consider when choosing an LMS for your online course. Some of the most important factors include the following:

• Ease of use: You want an LMS that is easy to use and navigate
• Functionality: You want an LMS with all the features and functions you need to deliver your course effectively.
• Scalability: You want an LMS that can accommodate the number of students you expect to enroll in your course.
• Cost: You want an LMS that is affordable and fits within your budget. 

The best format and platform for your online course will ultimately depend on your specific goals and needs. Consider the type of content you will be teaching, the delivery method, and the financial costs when making your decision. EducateMe ticks all boxes for the factors to consider when picking an LMS.

Pricing your online course

When it comes to online courses, you can charge whatever price you want. However, you'll likely have more success if you price your course based on its value and what similar courses cost.

To determine the value of your course, consider how much time and effort you put into creating it, as well as how much it can help your students. You can also research how much other online courses in your niche cost.

Once you have an idea of how much your course is worth and what others are charging, you can set a price that you feel confident about. Keep in mind that you can always adjust your course's price in the future if you need to.

Promoting your course

There are several things you can do to promote your course. You don’t only need a good course launch strategy but also a decent marketing strategy. A good marketing strategy may be the missing piece of the puzzle that will make your course successful. Here are some top promotional activities you can do to attract students to your course:

🎯 Use social media to promote your course

Make sure you are using social media to promote your online course. You will want to post about your course on your personal page and in relevant groups. The more eyes that see posts about your course, the more potential students you could have.

🎯 Create a landing page

A landing page is a great way to promote your online course. You can use a landing page to give potential students more information about your course and why they should enroll. It allows you to collect email addresses to follow up with potential students.

🎯 Use email marketing

After collecting email addresses through your landing page, send email messages to potential students about your course and why they should enroll. You can also use email to follow up and answer any questions they may have.

🎯 Use paid advertising

You can use paid ads to target potential students and get your course in front of them. Paid ads can also help to drive a ton of traffic to your landing page. It could be an expensive way of promotion, but if you have a budget for it, you should go for it.

🎯 Write a blog post and make a video

You should consider writing a blog post and making a video about your online course. They are helpful in giving potential students an overview of your course and driving traffic to your landing page. Remember to include a link to your landing page or to the course directly.

🎯 Give away a free course

Giving away a free course is an effective promotional strategy. Use the free course to give potential students a taste of what your course is like. The free course is also a powerful tool for building your email list. However, ensure the free course you are giving is of a high value and not some easily available content. 67% of leading course creators make use of ‘free courses’ to drive sales. 

Enrolling first students in your online course

There's nothing quite like that feeling when your first paying students enroll in your online course. All of your planning, prepping, and marketing has finally paid off, and people are excited to learn from you!

But once the excitement wears off, it's time to get down to business. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you enroll your first students and get ready to launch your course.

Set up a system for managing your students

The first thing you'll need to do is set up a system for managing your students. This includes creating a way to track their progress, communicate with them, and keep track of their payments. There are a few different ways to do this, but the most popular option is using a learning management system (LMS).

Create a welcome message for your students

The next step is to create a welcome message for your students. This is your chance to introduce yourself, give an overview of the course, and set expectations for the students.

Onboard your students

Once your students are enrolled, it's time to onboard them. This is the process of ensuring they have everything they need to be successful in your course. This includes providing them with access to the course materials, setting up their account, and sending them a welcome email.

With these tips in mind, you're ready to enroll your first students and launch your online course!

Online course launch checklist

This checklist is designed to guide you on everything you should do to ensure a successful launch of your online course.

• Determine your target audience.
• Gather materials for creating the course.
• Create your course outline and modules.
• Choose the delivery format(s) 
• Decide on a hosting and delivery platform.
• Price your course.
• Publish your course.
• Promote your course.
• Build a community. 
• Launch your course.
• Evaluate your course after it has been running for a while.
• Celebrate your success!

You can also have a few component activities under each item on the checklist to advance your plan. Whether you are a first-time online course creator or an experienced one, an online course launch checklist is essential.

Conclusion

Now that you know the nitty-gritty about how to launch a digital course, it's time to start working towards launching that course you’ve had in mind. Use the info and checklist in this post to plan and launch an engaging, informative course that will help your students reach their learning goals.

Launching your course on the right LMS platform is a vital aspect of your plan. Picking the wrong LMS can ruin all your effort and preparations.

EducateMe is a leading LMS that makes your course more interactive and helps you create a collaborative and enjoyable learning experience for your students.

On EducateMe LMS, you can:

• Automate the process of live sessions using familiar tools
• Turn your learners’ activity into analytics charts and measure progress
• Record live lecture sessions
• And accomplish much more with all the powerful features available

With some preparation, proper planning, creativity, and EducateMe LMS platform, you can create and launch a successful online course.