To help, in this post we will talk about the step by step you must take to accomplish this mission.

Setting up an online course: educational entrepreneurs

Before start setting up an online course, let’s talk about why this is a good idea.

According to a 2017 industry report, the Global E-learning Market is expected to reach at $275.10 billion by 2022.

Its expansion is due the benefits that e-learning offers ranging from more flexibility in the learning process, lower costs, easy accessibility and increased effectiveness by animated learning.

The rise of this market also provide an opportunity to entrepreneurs who want to share and monetize their knowledge.

– Global eLearning market

Called “edupreneur”, the term refers to an educational entrepreneur, someone who plans, open and successfully operates an educational service.

The job of an edupreneur is to educate the public, teaching a specific subject and helping them to develop a specific skill.

As many established edupreneurs say, online courses are more fun and rewarding than starting other businesses.

Furthermore, all agree that it is a more economical, easy and profitable venture, and offer the best business model.

Another great advantage is that you do not need any credentials or certification to create a course.

All it needs is some experience, passion and knowledge about the subject you want to teach.

However, when thinking about setting up an online course, you will have to define what is the purpose of your course and how it will add value to the public.

By doing this, you achieve the dream of many: work doing what you like and selling something you are proud of.

Setting up an online course: step by step

A good online course requires planning which, combined with effort and strategy, turns into a profitable business and a powerful leads generator.

This is the case of Lili Balfour, a financial advisor for startups. In an interview for Forbes, she says that she created six online courses for entrepreneurs, some within thirty minutes but most lasting 2-3 hours. The price range varies between 47 and 197 dollars.

“The goal is to help entrepreneurs understand finance in a fun way,” says Lili.

On setting up an online course and how long it takes, the consultant says that in her opinion is about the same time that you need to write a book.

“Of course, if you’ve already written a book and are doing a course about it, it takes a fraction of that time. If somebody is coming in with their own content, such as blogs and workshops they’ve already created, they can probably sit down in one weekend and create a 2-3 hour course.”

If you already have some stuff ready or will start from scratch, in both cases you need to know exactly what your next step and budget.

To help you, we prepared a five-step process for you to go from planning to publication of your course.

Step 1: Idea

Your online course should be in your area of expertise and experience, but decide which specific topic to address can be trickier.

In this case, the tip is look for inspiration in your daily routine and ask the following questions:

• Have you solved a problem that others are struggling for?
• Do you friends, customers and colleagues ask for your help in a specific thing that you are considered an expert?
• Are you an expert on a software or a method that other want to use?

You can set an online course on anything that people are looking for advice, since relationships to car maintenance tools, for example.

Step 2: Course Outline

Time to let your creativity run free. Make a brainstorm and think about all the things you would like to address in your course.

Write everything down and then start to think about how to setting up an online course from what you wrote.

You must put all the ideas in a logical order and then decide how your content will be organized.

Two easy ways to get your student understand and follow your course are:

• Course divided by subjects;
• Course divided by difficulty level: basic module to advanced, for example.

Before define how the material will be made available, it is easier to decide what content will be covered in each lesson or module of the course.

Step 3: Research

As many people say, when in doubt “ask master Google.”

To have a clear idea of how to build an effective online course that suits your audience, go to the online world and search for competitors.

Find out who else works with similar content to yours, how their classes are set, what their students think and what makes them successful or not.

– Three ways to validate your online course idea

That will help you update your brainstorming ideas, include more information and find information that will add to your own knowledge.

Also stay tuned for the case of no competitors, this can be an alert for an area in which few people are interested in investing money.

If so, expand your search, define your target audience and find out about what they would be interested on learn.

If that happens, no panic, you are still in the planning phase, which means that there is time to review your ideas without prejudice.

Go back to Google and search on what is working and what people are interested in knowing and there’s still little competition.

And remember that teaching requires constant research and updates. Search for materials similar to the subject you teach will help to develop your own content.

Step 4: Content

The first thing you should understand about setting up an online course, is that you must write your content.

No matter what resources you will use to teach, such as videos, quizzes or audio, you still need to put in lines what you will say.

Here is where you are combining your course outline with the collected information into an actual course.

If you are starting your first course, the easiest way to begin is using content that you’ve created previously.

Search your computer files for documents, articles, notes, videos and any other material that you can reuse. Even books kept in a drawer may be useful.

You’ll probably find something that can be great to use in your online course and will help you save time.

We have listed some examples of what you can look and that can even serve as inspiration to create your own classes:

• Videos (screencasts, webinars, etc.)
• eBooks and PDF files
• Presentations and Slides
• Quizzes
• Blog Posts
• Audio Files (podcasts, interviews, etc. .)

Content organized, it’s time to define how your classes will be (videos, tutorials, handouts, etc.) and finally start to shape your course.

– Different types of content for online courses

If you are a little insecure, start using the tool that you’re more familiar with, as PowerPoint for example, which is great to create beautiful and animated presentations.

There are several free software on the Internet for those who want to record video and screen capture tutorials.

– Tips for creating online courses

With a little time and dedication you will learn to use the tools and will soon be setting up an online course with professional look.

Step 5: Upload

Now that you have learned how to setting up an online course, you need to understand how to make it available to your audience.

Unless you have your own website, with capacity to store videos and tools needed for teaching online, you will need the help of a LMS (Learning Management System).

• What is a Learning Management System

A LMS is an online platform like Coursify.me, whose goal is enable teaching and learning online.

Software developed specifically for distance education, it has a list of features that allow teachers and students to interact in the virtual world.

Some of the features you find in Coursify.me, for example, are:

• Customization: customize the look of the course identity;
• Hosting: safe and reliable environment;
• Modular courses: possibility to organize courses in modules with sections and lessons;
• Integration: integrate and import content from other platforms (Dropbox, Vimeo, YouTube);
• Online payment: receipt of payments via PayPal or PagSeguro;
• Growth charts: charts showing the number of sales;
• Student management: accompany the progress and performance of each student;
• Chat: space to talk and interact with the student;
• Responsive: optimized support for desktop, tablets and mobile.

Out all these features, the platform has a user friendly design and intuitive navigation system, which ensures that its use is easy for all audiences.

Is no need to be expert in computing to use Coursify.me and within minutes anyone can create and register your course.

Setting up an online course: video tips

When we think about the technical side of how to setting up an online course, we think of tools such as text editor, slides templates, video editing software, among others.

For text, there are several options, but the best is that you choose what suits your computer such as Word for Windows, Pages for Mac, OpenOffice for Linux and for those who prefer work in the cloud, Google Docs or Office 365.

However, when it comes to video, choose one of the various programs available online can be a mystery.

– How to create better video classes

To help, we’ve listed some that are considered the best and/or easier to use:

1 – Camtasia

Powerful tool for video editing that allows you to record your screen and edit the final material.

2 – Screencast-O-Matic

Free and easy to use, the software enables recording of multiple screen sizes and, in the end, you can send the material direct to YouTube if you want.

3 – Stone Screen Recorder

Application for Windows light and fairly easy, it is ideal for recording tutorials, reviews and informational materials.

4 – Ezvid

Ezvid is a screen recording program that comes with a built in video editor, which you can divide recordings and add text between two clips.

5 – Adobe Premiere

The most professional option, Adobe Premiere is a powerful video editor capable of creating professional quality materials, however, is a bit harder to use.

Preference among the public, provide video lessons is a good way to attract more audience for your course.

The best thing to do, however, is vary the resources used, providing lessons and support materials in different formats to make the most dynamic and interesting content to the user.

– Design and video editing tips

Now that you already know everything you need about how to setting up an online course, it’s time to start.

Do not let uncertainty stand in your way. Here in Coursify.me we have several successful cases of professionals who have created their first courses and today only work with it.

Complete elearning platform, the Coursify.me is used by over 450 users and serves businesses and professionals in more than 60 countries.

Visit our website, test the platform and see how easy it is to create, sell and advertise your online course.

The post Setting up an online course appeared first on Blog Coursify.me.

Deliver content to the consumer is the basis of Inbound Marketing, unlike traditional marketing, it is focused on creating a relationship with the customer.

How to get students with free online courses and Inbound Marketing

Capturing students is a challenge to every professional who is starting to sell online courses.

– Learn how to sell online courses

There are several forms of dissemination and ways to communicate with your target audience, but for results, you need to know and study different marketing strategies.

– Digital Marketing and SEO

Currently, there are two ways to prospect new clients: passively, through inbound marketing, and actively, with outbound marketing.

As mentioned earlier, Inbound Marketing is to make the customer come to you, luring him with content of interest. Here some examples of how this can be done:

• blog posts;
• free online courses;
• webinars;
• eBooks, among others.

Outbound Marketing focuses on a direct approach, which is to identify your audience, go to them and offer your product. Some Outbound approaches are:

• billboards;
• banners on websites;
• television and radio advertisements;
• contact by phone, among others.

To get a better sense of other differences between the strategies, see the following diagram.

Source: BioStrata

In summary, while with inbound you create mechanisms to attract potential customers, with outbound you identify who has potential to become a client and makes an approach.

Both strategies have value, but you must remember that the Outbound Marketing uses means that require greater investment and therefore are not as accessible to a beginner.

Inbound Marketing, on another hand, is accessible to all, as the largest investment required is time and knowledge.

Direct result of the consumer habits change brought by the Internet, the also called Attraction Marketing is the market response to an increasingly digital society.

By offering the consumer something in which he has interest, such as free online courses, you attract it to your business and earn the opportunity to show your product/service.

From there, it is easier to present your solutions and turn them into customers and even promoters of your brand.

Advantages of Inbound Marketing to promote and sell online courses

Inbound Marketing is, above all, a friendly approach. Focusing on giving something of value, before asking anything, it seeks to approach and create a relationship with the customer.

This strategy does not interrupt the consumer but delivers a message and waits for him go to those who created.

Balanced way to attract potential customers, Inbound search lasting results, which generates many benefits for your business, be it big or small, B2B or B2C.

Method that has everything it takes to build a strong brand and increase sales, check out some of its advantages.

Qualified audience

When it comes to relevant content production, we mean just that: relevant content for your target audience.

This means that if you are launching a course on English Literature, for example, and create posts on the topic, people who reach your blog have done a search on the subject, ie, have every interest in what you have to say.

These people are considered leads with high potential for conversion because they are searching for what you offer.

According to Content Trends 2017, companies that adopt content marketing reach 2.2 times more visits compared to those that don’t.

Proving what we mean by qualified audience, the same survey showed that these companies also generate 3.2 times more leads than those that do not apply similar strategy.

Confidence and Credibility

There is a big difference between offering and pushing a product/service, especially when it comes to consumer perception.

For example, if you offer it free online courses with quality content despite you not be paying anything for it, plus the confidence that it generates, it is normal that the customer feel grateful and indebted to you.

This is a first major step in building a relationship of partnership with its audience, and very important for the sustainability of your business.

From this successful interaction, even if the customer is not ready to make a purchase, you ensure a potential lead, and continues to work yours relationship by delivering other types of content.

This is how you will gain more credibility and authority to your customers that also become promoters of your brand.

Short sales cycle

Sales cycle is the time taken from initial customer contact to closing the sale, considering all stages of the journey.

– Tips do make a Customer Journey Map

This is a very important aspect to consider when adopting a marketing strategy, because the higher the cycle, more costly it becomes.

According to Martech 2017 survey, 50.4% of technology companies that adopt Inbound Marketing have a sales cycle that lasts less than 30 days. Only 29.5% of those who use Outbound methods have this performance.

This is due to relevant and personalized content delivered to the lead, which accelerates their movement by the sales funnel to the decision making.

A shorter sales cycle is a great advantage for those who have little capital investment and need to attract new customers faster.

Reduced costs

Inbound means provide content to the consumer and, therefore, initially you only need internet and dedication.

Offer free online courses, for example, is a way to use inbound to promote and sell your course with little investing.

After all, what cost to you? Research time, preparation of the material and lodging in an online platform like Coursify.me. Only.

The same is true when writing articles for a blog, participate in webinars, podcasts, update your social networks, etc. Means for content production are available to all, and the vast majority, is free.

It is not necessary invest large sums in ads in newspapers and TV, as in outbound marketing, which generates a greater economy of resources for you to invest in more assertive and focused strategies.

Real time measurement results

Successful marketing is always results oriented, and for that we need to draw metrics to monitor the effectiveness of the implemented actions.

– How monitoring content can help your digital marketing strategy

According to HubSpot, 72% of organizations that calculate the return on investment say that their marketing strategy is effective.

With most of the actions of Inbound being held in the virtual world, there are several tools that enable the measurement of results.

In the case of blogs, for example, there is the Google Analytics, when it comes to social networks, the platform itself usually keep charts with access data, YouTube shows the number of views, and so on.

Monitor carefully the data from each of your strategies, and do not be afraid to try other approaches if the results are not going as expected.

Free online courses: how to use it in your marketing strategy

We already hit this button, but to prove that offer free online courses works, we brought a successful case of our own platform.

Rachelle-Ann Louear is a professional that has been building businesses for over eight years and is very passionate about assisting women to use their natural giftings to advance their careers or businesses.

https://unlock-the-you-within.coursify.me/

To disclose her course she released a first free module, and the results could not be better.

With the audience conquered, soon Raquel released a second lesson, which became a bestseller.

And this is not our only case, so trust us, free online courses as strategy to attract students work out!

Free online courses as complement to classroom lessons

Another idea we witnessed here that works, is the case of classroom teachers who decided to use the Coursify.me to host support materials for their students.

The concept is simple: provide content that could serve as an aid to study at home.

With this, the teacher has gained more credibility and recognition, and soon his students began to disclose its course to others.

The success was so great that the business quickly climbed to complete online video lessons, marketed by varying values.

Note that all started slowly with the teacher using material that he already owned and disclosing for whom it was his client.

Currently, much of the disclosure statement is made by the students themselves and the business continues to grow.

Free online courses in Coursify.me

The conclusion we reached is that the buying habits are changing and purchase products and services online grows in preference between the current consumer.

In this scenario, the great advantage of inbound marketing is that it allows creativity to attract consumer attention and differentiate a brand from others.

SEO, Content Marketing and Social Media are the three pillars of Inbound and make it clear that its focus is the delivery of content and creating a relationship with the customer.  

Complete elearning platform (LMS), the Coursify.me is optimized for SEO and is fully integrated with social networks.

The software also allows you to create free online courses without you have to pay anything for it.

The Coursify.me is the ideal solution for those who want to create, sell and publish courses on the Internet, investing only time and effort to start their own business.

Visit our website,  test the platform and realize how easy it is to profit working with what you love.

The post Free online courses as strategy to attract students appeared first on Blog Coursify.me.

Informations on the Elearning Market in Brazil

In a previous analysis of the Elearning market in Brazil and worldwide, data already appointed a growth scenario.

Now, a more recent survey by the Censo EAD.BR brings updated information.

See below a summary of key information presented in the survey.

Student Profile  

The students profile is a reliable indicator of the inclusiveness of the elearning market in Brazil.

A large portion of those enrolled are “workers who study” and not “working students”.

In addition, another defining characteristic of distance education is the highest proportion of women among students.

From 2016 to 2017 a new profile of distance learning students began to appear more: high school graduates.

This students began to consider distance learning courses as a natural choice to continue to university education.

This breaks up  historical notion that Distance Education attend only excluded from natural schooling cycle.

Age group

The highest concentration of students in distance learning courses is between 26 and 30 years and between 31 and 40 years.

It was observed that 29% of fully distance regulated courses and 33% of blended courses have an average age of students between 26 and 30 years.

In other hand, 37% of fully distance regulated courses and 16% of blended courses have an average age between 31 and 40 years.

This high incidence of students after the typical graduation age is significantly higher in distance education that in classrooms.

Among the free courses, both corporate and noncorporate, the highest incidence of students is in the range between 31 and 40 years.

These numbers reinforce the potential of distance education for continuing education.

Courses Offer

The offer of distance learning courses, both corporate and noncorporate, says a lot about the practical vocation of online learning.

Were reported 1,233 offers of free courses in corporate operational training area.

Among noncorporate courses, the highest number is on the refresher courses.

The survey notice that companies emphasize training to meet their specific needs.

However, refresher courses serve as a good option for those looking to expand their educational horizons, regardless of the demands of the companies.

The professional training also has a significant offer in the elearning market in Brazil.

In terms of areas of knowledge, the courses offer focuses on the humanities and social sciences.

It was found that only the military has no fully distance courses, but does offer blended courses.

Enrollment

Analysis of enrollments in distance education courses separated by knowledge area, showed a higher concentration in the humanities and social and applied sciences, with 61,316 and 58,584 students, respectively.

Regarding the free courses it can be seen that the highest concentration of students is on professional training classes.

The category also includes very significant number in the noncorporate free courses.

This proves that online courses are being sought as way to acquire new skills and improve the curriculum for the labor market.

Content

The survey found that video classes and digital texts that are not characterized as books, are the most frequent type of content in the elearning market in Brazil.

The distance learning courses also excel in offering innovative features that are coming now to the education market, such as electronic games (18%), online simulations (10%) and adaptive resources (11%).

The leadership in innovation and variety of content goes to fully distance regulated courses.

Among the free courses, the greatest content diversity was observed in the noncorporate ones.

This probably because they compete for free membership of their students and have to further strive for the quality of content.

Content Distribution

The distance learning courses are distributed primarily through virtual learning environments such as Coursify.me.

It was observed that 91% of public agencies, 88% of municipal public institutions, 78% of private profit institutions and 76% of non-profit use this feature.

The other tools adopted for the distribution of content include email, social networks, chat groups and blogs.

Distance courses fully regulated and noncorporate free courses are the ones that use more virtual learning environments.

The survey conducted by the Censo EAD.BR is quite complete and provides important information to those interested in entering the elearning market in Brazil.

To access its full content, please visit the following link: Censo EAD.BR 2016/2017

Complete elearning platform, the Coursify.me is the right choice for those who want to offer the best distance education experience for their students.

Visit our site, test our platform and start to profit with one of the fastest growing markets.

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