How To Choose The Best Format For Your Online Course
Creating an online course is the perfect way to teach and reach so many more people than you ever could by working one-on-one or teaching from a stage. It’s also a lot less expensive and time-consuming. If you already know what you want to teach but aren’t sure how to choose the best format for your online course, I’ve got some great, out-of-the-box ideas. If you’re looking for a list of tech that you could use, check out my list of online course resources here.
When it comes to creating course content, you have a ton of options for how it’s presented to your student, each with its own merits. So how do you make the right choice? There are 3 main things to consider: your client or student, your content, and your comfort zone.
Your Client
Some people enjoy watching videos, while others prefer concise written instructions. Some people learn best by actively doing tasks with a checklist as guidance, while others prefer audio content they can consume while driving or walking the dog. It’s important to understand what your clients want from the online courses they purchase.
Your Content
The reality is that certain information naturally lends itself better to specific formats. For instance, explaining how to use software is best done through a screen-sharing video. On the other hand, if you’re guiding clients through a discovery process, a fillable worksheet is probably the best way to guide them through.
Your Comfort Zone
Your biggest consideration should be your clients and their needs, but your preferences matter, too. If you’re uncomfortable with creating videos, you’re probably going to end up procrastinating and stressing out over completing your course. Likewise, if writing isn’t your strong suit, forcing yourself to produce extensive written content will lead to frustration.
Besides the format itself, you also need to think about how you’ll deliver the material. Here are a few options to consider:
Course Platform or Membership Site
This is the standard but most complicated online course delivery option. You can use one of the main online course platforms that I mentioned earlier from this list (no opt-in required), or you can set up a membership portal where buyers can log in to access the course material. This allows you to deliver the content all at once if you prefer and allows you to better protect your content from unauthorized access.
Email Delivery
This is the easiest way to deliver an online course, especially if you want to drip out content across multiple days, weeks, or months. All you do is set up an autoresponder or sequence in your email marketing software (I recommend ConvertKit) to send scheduled emails with your materials. You can attach files, but your delivery rates may take a hit, or you can share links to extra resources like videos, templates, or other downloads.
File Download or File Sharing
If your online course is smaller or you’re not concerned about overwhelming your students, you can give them a zip file or a link to a file folder in Dropbox or other cloud storage. All they’ll need to do is download the entire course through a link provided by your shopping cart and work at their own pace. However, you should keep in mind that some people will have slower internet connections, and this may cause issues for them. While this method works, it would be a last resort for me.
Here’s the deal: when it comes to planning your online course, the number one rule is to focus on your clients’ needs. Their preferences and desired delivery methods are what ultimately matter for you to launch your course successfully. Understanding what they want and how they want it delivered is key to launching a successful online course for your business.
I always encourage my own clients to choose a course platform that is simple and easy to use, easy for your client to access, and allows you to format your content in multiple ways so your clients and students can get the information they need, the way they want it.
