You want to create an online course. How can you make it stand out from the crowd?

1 Know your audience

Before you start creating your course, you need to know who your audience is, what they want to learn, and how they prefer to learn. You can do some research, surveys, interviews, or use existing data to find out more about your potential learners. This will help you tailor your course content, format, style, and tone to their needs, preferences, and expectations. You will also be able to craft a compelling value proposition that shows them how your course can solve their problems or improve their skills.

2 Choose your format

There are many ways to deliver an online course, such as video, audio, text, interactive, or a combination of these. You need to choose the format that best suits your topic, your audience, and your resources. For example, if you are teaching a functional training skill, you might want to use video to demonstrate the exercises and techniques, and provide feedback and coaching. If you are teaching a theoretical concept, you might want to use text or audio to explain the ideas and provide examples and exercises. You also need to consider the length, frequency, and pace of your course, and whether it will be self-paced, live, or blended.

3 Create engaging content

Your content is the core of your online course, so you need to make sure it is clear, relevant, and engaging. You need to structure your content in a logical and coherent way, and break it down into manageable chunks. You need to use different types of content, such as stories, examples, case studies, quizzes, exercises, or games, to keep your learners interested and motivated. You need to use visuals, audio, or animations to enhance your content and make it easier to understand and remember. You also need to use clear and concise language, and avoid jargon or technical terms that might confuse your learners.

4 Provide feedback and support

One of the challenges of online learning is the lack of feedback and support from the instructor and peers. You need to provide feedback and support to your learners throughout your course, to help them monitor their progress, overcome difficulties, and achieve their goals. You can use different methods, such as quizzes, assignments, self-assessments, or peer reviews, to provide feedback and assessment. You can also use forums, chats, emails, or calls, to provide support and guidance. You can also create a sense of community and collaboration among your learners, by encouraging them to share their experiences, questions, or insights with each other.

5 Promote your course

Creating an online course is not enough. You also need to promote it and reach your target audience. You need to have a clear marketing strategy that includes your goals, your message, your channels, and your metrics. You need to create a landing page that showcases your course and its benefits, and captures your visitors' attention and interest. You need to use social media, email, blogs, podcasts, or webinars, to spread the word about your course and generate leads. You also need to use testimonials, reviews, or referrals, to build trust and credibility for your course.

6 Evaluate and improve your course

Your online course is not a one-time project. You need to evaluate and improve your course regularly, to ensure that it meets your learners' needs and expectations, and delivers the results you promise. You need to collect and analyze feedback and data from your learners, such as their satisfaction, completion, retention, and performance. You need to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your course, and make the necessary changes or updates. You also need to keep up with the latest trends and developments in your field, and incorporate them into your course.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?