Selling online courses can be a profitable venture if you start with a solid foundation. A big part of that foundation is choosing the right online course platform for your needs.
If you’re ready to dive into the world of online courses, one of your first—and most important—decisions will be selecting the platform to host and sell your content. And trust me, there are plenty of options out there. But don’t stress—I’m here to help.
I’ve done extensive research on this topic, so I know what to watch for. While I haven’t developed a course myself yet (time is tight!), I’ve already tackled the foundational steps.
With so many platforms to choose from, the decision can feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s essential to focus on key factors that will guide you to the best choice—one that aligns with your teaching goals and business vision.
Let’s break it down. Here are the most important things to consider when selecting the right platform to create and sell your online course.
1. Pricing
Pricing should be one of the first things you consider—it directly impacts your profit. Some platforms charge a flat monthly fee, while others take a percentage of each sale.
On one hand, if you plan to sell a high volume of courses, a flat monthly fee could be more cost-effective in the long run.
On the other hand, if you’re just starting out, a platform that takes a percentage of each sale might be better since it lowers your upfront costs. It’s important to evaluate how the platform’s pricing structure aligns with your business model and sales expectations.
2. Essential Tools
Consider the tools you’ll need to create and deliver your course. Do you want to include videos, quizzes, certificates, or other interactive features? Some platforms offer these tools as part of their package, while others charge extra. On the flip side, certain platforms are more basic and cater to a traditional, no-frills course format.
It’s crucial to choose a platform that suits your course type and teaching style. For example, if your course relies on interaction, a platform with robust quiz and discussion tools would be a better fit. Match the platform’s features to the experience you want to create for your students.
3. Ease Of Use
Ease of use is a critical factor, especially if you’re not particularly tech-savvy. This is often linked to the tools and features a platform offers—the more user-friendly the platform, the easier it is to manage those extras. Remember, it’s not just your lessons that should be student-friendly; your platform should be too.
A platform that’s intuitive and straightforward can save you significant time and effort. Instead of struggling with complicated software, you’ll be able to focus on what matters most: creating high-quality content for your course.
On top of that, platforms with simple, student-friendly interfaces enhance the learning experience and minimize potential frustrations for your audience.
4. Marketing Features
Even the best course on a feature-rich platform won’t succeed if the marketing tools—or the platform’s reputation—aren’t up to par. Effective marketing is essential for growing your course sales.
Look for platforms with built-in marketing tools like email campaigns, discount options, or affiliate programs. These features can save you time and money by reducing the need for third-party tools. For example, offering automatic discounts or sending follow-up emails can significantly boost conversions, helping you attract and retain more students.
5. Customer Support
Once you’ve found an easy to use platform with solid pricing, great features, and effective marketing tools, the next thing to evaluate is customer support. No matter how good a platform is, issues will inevitably come up.
That’s why reliable customer support is crucial. A platform with fast and efficient support helps you quickly resolve problems, keeping your course operations smooth and your students happy.
Whether it’s a payment issue or a technical glitch, having access to prompt assistance ensures you can maintain a positive experience for both yourself and your students.
6. Customization Options
Now, let’s move into the secondary considerations. Beyond essential tools and marketing features, it’s important to choose a platform that allows you to personalize your course and reflect your brand.
Look for options like customizable templates, color schemes, and the ability to add your logo. Additionally, a good platform should let you integrate with other programs, incorporate branding elements, and adjust existing templates to better align with your content or website.
Having the flexibility to make your course uniquely yours not only enhances professionalism but also strengthens your brand identity.
7. Payment Processing
Payment processing is another important secondary consideration. Why secondary? Because most platforms today already support widely used payment methods like direct bank deposits and PayPal.
That said, not all platforms are created equal. Make sure the platform you choose offers seamless payment processing and supports multiple payment options—especially if you’re outside the United States or don’t use the most common methods.
8. Student Management Tools
Depending on the platform you choose, you may need to interact with or manage the students enrolled in your online course. If that’s the case, having the right tools to track their progress and communicate effectively is essential.
Look for features like student dashboards, progress tracking, and email integration. Some platforms offer more advanced student management and communication tools, making it easier for you to stay organized and provide a seamless experience for your students.
9. Platform Type
Now, let’s dive into a more technical consideration: platform type. When choosing where to sell your online courses, it’s essential to understand the two main types of course platforms—course marketplaces and standalone platforms. Each has its pros and cons, depending on your goals.
Let’s start with course marketplaces like Udemy and Skillshare. They provide instant access to a large audience, giving you exposure to thousands of potential students. This can be a great way to start quickly and generate initial sales.
However, these platforms come with several limitations like restricted branding options, revenue sharing, and platform control.
Online course marketplaces often limits your ability to customize and showcase your brand. They also takes a percentage of your sales, reducing your profit. And they also
have greater control when it comes to metrics like student engagement, course visibility, and overall reach, which waters down your ability to manage your courses.
Meanwhile, standalone platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, and Podia offer more control and flexibility. You own your branding, set your pricing, and have full access to student data, allowing you to build stronger relationships with your audience. These platforms also let you create a custom-branded website, which can be an excellent foundation for blog monetization or other business ventures.
However, the added control comes with more responsibility. You’ll need to invest time and effort to set up the platform, market your courses, and drive traffic to your site. Unlike marketplaces, you’ll be building your own student base from scratch.
10. Hosting Type
Another technical consideration is deciding between a self-hosted or hosted solution for your course. Let me break it down for you.
A self-hosted solution means you install course software on your own website. The most popular option for this is WordPress with a Learning Management System (LMS) plugin like LearnDash or LifterLMS.
The main advantage of self-hosting is that you have full control over your course and website. You can customize everything to fit your needs, and you’re able to sell your courses directly on your WordPress site. However, this requires a certain level of technical expertise.
With a self-hosted solution, you’re responsible for things like website hosting, security, and software updates. If you’re not tech-savvy, this can be overwhelming, and managing it all can take time and effort.
Meanwhile, a hosted solution, on the other hand, handles all the technical aspects for you. These are the online course platforms like Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi. You simply sign up, create your course, and the platform takes care of everything else.
The downside is that with a hosted solution, you have less control and fewer customization options. You’re also dependent on the platform—if they change their features or pricing, you’ll need to adapt.
FAQs
I’ll admit, this could be a much larger post since there’s a lot to cover. But for now, I hope these FAQs can help address some of the common questions you might have.
1. Do I need a website to sell courses online even if I’m on a platform?
No, you don’t need a separate website to sell courses if you’re using a course platform like Teachable, Thinkific, or Udemy. These platforms allow you to create your course pages and manage sales directly on their site.
However, having your own website can enhance your brand, give you more control over your content, and allow you to integrate a blog or other monetization strategies. It’s optional but can be a useful tool for building long-term business growth.
You can also use your site to market your course and also build your credibility and authority over the topic or subject matter you wish to teach.
2. How can I ensure my course is protected from piracy even if it’s on the platform?
Most online course platforms offer built-in security features, such as encryption and DRM (Digital Rights Management), to help protect your content from piracy.
Additionally, you can limit access by adding watermarks to videos, disabling video downloads, or offering your course in smaller modules to reduce unauthorized distribution.
So, always check the platform’s security and copyright policies to understand how your content is protected.
3. Is it necessary to have video content in my online course?
No, video content isn’t strictly necessary, but it is highly recommended. Video is one of the most engaging formats for online learning, and it allows you to deliver content in a dynamic and interactive way.
However, if you’re not comfortable creating videos, you can use other formats like audio recordings, slideshows, and text-based materials. Ultimately, the format you choose should fit your course content and teaching style, ensuring it meets your students’ needs.
On another note, another advantage of having videos is that you can also use them as marketing materials. You can even post them in YouTube and monetize the content without providing everything in your course.
Conclusion
Selling online courses can be an incredibly rewarding business if you lay the right foundation from the start. The platform you choose plays a crucial role in shaping your business and the experience you provide for your students.
Remember, choosing the right platform doesn’t mean you have to stick to just one. You can expand across multiple platforms, as long as you customize your content to meet their requirements. The key is to make sure your course aligns with each platform’s guidelines while still delivering a great experience for your students.
That’s all for now! I hope you found this helpful. Good luck with your online course journey!
