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What's your best piece of advice for course creators?

I'm thinking about getting into course creation.

So I want to ask the current course creators: What your best piece of advice for someone just starting out.

E.g. What do you think is the most important thing to understand/do with course creation? What's a specific lesson you've learned that you didn't know before you started? If you could start over, what would you do differently?

  1. 2

    You want to understand the course creating framework.

    Fundamentally how to build an audience and then convert that into a paying audience.

    I'd listen to this podcast. It maps out how Steve and Adam sold Refactoring UI for $1M+

    Also the Indie Hacker podcasts with Wes Bos and Adam Wathan are mandatory.

    And Andrea's email advice is spot on.

    1. 1

      Awesome, these are great resources. I'll definitely check them out.

  2. 2

    I make a free hacking course on YouTube. Probably don't start free :)

    For a mic I have a blue yeti with a shock mount (important), pop filter, and stand. OBS is great for desktop recording. I use camtasia for (light) editing.

    Udemy makes you money on volume. Premium course on cost.

    Downsize your recording. I'm sure your 4k pico pixel monitor looks sexy, but you probably want to record a 720p rectangle. Maybe 1080p if your audience is very technical and has great vision. Increase your font size.

    You're usually selling people a different version of themselves, a new career. Good luck!

    1. 2

      Great stuff, thank you.

      What do you use for a camera?

      Did you start the free course on YouTube to build an audience? What makes you say to not do that?

      1. 2

        I have a Logitech Brio, it was freezing on some recordings, but I think that was an issue with the USB port / motherboard power issues. My face is usually pretty small in the videos so I think it is probably overkill, at the same time not sufficient if I was filming myself talking with no screen.

        I think long term it will be good, build an audience to launch paid courses to. I think the more successful teachers only use their free content as a funnel for paid stuff though. I think the other direction of making a paid course then making impressive free content to drive traffic to it is better (if you're trying to make a living). I'm a bit in the trap of "eh I make enough money, I should keep posting free to give back".

        I tried making a paid course before but was ambitious and kinda lost momentum a third of they way through. Posting to YouTube was a hedge against that, I can upload as I go and if I take a month off at least people can still see the old stuff.

  3. 2

    Start collecting emails from day one.

    1. 1

      Yeah I hear this a lot about everything—makes sense.

    2. 1

      I think this advice applies to anything really.

  4. 1

    Do not do sh*t for free. It might be tempting to test the waters but don't. Get paid. Period.

  5. 1

    Hire a company to make the production of the course for you, build the content. Profit.

    1. 1

      I don't necessarily agree with this approach as not everyone can afford that. Its pretty simple to just do it yourself. You don't need a pro everything to get going. Improve on things as time goes on and more students sign up.

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