How To Write a Good Course Title (Guide + Examples)

Rahul Mehta

on Feb 25, 2023

• 7 min read

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Wondering how to name your course? This guide will take you through the process of choosing a great title for your online learning venture.

How To Select A Good Course Title?

When it comes time to pick a course title, don’t do something cringe-worthy.

What should I call my online course? That's a question I often get asked here at FreshLearn.

You probably already know that online users have short attention spans and frequently make hasty decisions based on a quick first impression.

Most people only stay on a web page for approximately 15 seconds, so if the name of your course doesn't draw their attention, they may browse elsewhere for content that sounds more worthwhile.

So how can you leave an impression that sticks in users' minds?

The ideal title is where it all begins.

What Are The Elements Of An Eye-Catching Course Title?

Course titles are not just names, but are the first step in marketing your course and attracting students.

If you don't have a clear idea of what your course is about, it's hard to rank.

Let us help!

We'll take some key elements and break them down into something that makes sense for both students and teachers alike so they can find their perfect match right away

Be Clear

Clarity is crucial when writing a course title.

You don't want to leave any doubt as to what your course is about.

A clear title makes it easy for people to find your course and start learning.

A title that is too generic, such as “Introduction to Business,” will make your course seem like it is not worth taking.

On the other hand, a title that is specific, such as “How to Make a Million Dollars in Your Spare Time,” sounds good.

Picking a niche will also help you charge more for your work.

The best titles are those that are specific enough to be interesting, but not so specific that they limit the potential audience.

It is a good thing to be creative.

Utilizing your creativity is fantastic.

However, sacrificing clarity to sound overly innovative is not the best way to create a course title.

When your mind is racing with brilliant ideas, it's normal to get off course and overdo it when writing the titles of your online lectures and modules.

But keep in mind that here, being concise and clear are the keys to success.

This is an example of a Freshlearn course title created by Kristina Konstantinova. You can see that the course title is clear, concise, and direct - so you know exactly what to expect when taking her class!

Be unique

A catchy and unique course title can be the difference between a student signing up for your class and opting for another one.

In a world where there are an endless variety of courses available, it's important to make yours stand out from the rest.

When coming up with a title for your course, think about what makes it special and use that to your advantage.

Use puns, wordplay, or jokes to add some levity to the title and make it more memorable.

With a little effort, you can create a course title that's both unique and eye-catching.

Example:

A course on world religions could be titled "Journey to Faith."

This title immediately sets a tone of exploration and adventure and raises questions about different belief systems that students may be curious to explore.

In addition, the use of the word "journey" implies that there is more to faith than simply acquiring knowledge; it is an ongoing process of discovery.

By contrast, a course entitled "Introduction to World Religions" would likely sound more dull and dry.

In choosing a title for your course, consider what you want your students to get out of the class, and select a title that will reflect that goal.

Be specific

When you're creating a title for your course, it's important to be as specific as possible.

A vague or general title can make it difficult for students to know what the course will be about, and it can also make it difficult for you to plan lessons and assignments.

Here’s an example of a unique title from our FreshLearn creator, Bola Eniola:

A course titled "How To Create Cake Tops?" is likely to attract students with a wide range of interests, including those interested in learning how to make cake toppings.

However, a course named "How to Make 3D and Character Cake?" on the other hand, is likely to appeal largely to students who are specifically interested in crafting 3D toppings.

How To Pick A Great Course Title?

It's often said that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

But people are always doing it.

A great course title can make all the difference in whether or not students enrol.

It's important to spend some time brainstorming and testing out different titles to find one that resonates with your target audience.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a course title:

Keep it short and sweet

A course title should be concise and to the point.

A long, rambling title will only serve to confuse potential students and make it harder for them to find your course when they are doing a search.

Stick to keywords that accurately describe the topic of your course and avoid using flowery language.

This will help ensure that your course shows up in relevant search results and that students know exactly what they will be learning.

In the end, a clear and concise title is essential for attracting students and ensuring that they get the most out of your course.

Be Keyword savvy

While it may be tempting to choose a course title that is clever or catchy, it is important to be keyword savvy when selecting a title for your online course.

In order to ensure that your course appears in search results and attracts the right audience, be sure to include keywords that relate to the subject matter and level of difficulty.

For example, if you are offering a beginner's guide to HTML, be sure to include "HTML" and "beginner" in the title.

By including relevant keywords, you can help ensure that your course reaches the right students.

Make sure your title accurately reflects the content of your course

A good title is one of the most important things when it comes to creating an engaging and successful online course.

It can be tricky to come up with a good title for your course.

After all, you want it to accurately reflect the content while also being catchy and attention-grabbing.

However, resist the temptation to be too clever or cutesy with your title.

A cute or clever title might get people's attention, but if it doesn't accurately reflect the content of your course, you'll just end up frustrating your students.

So how can you make sure your title is accurate?

First, take a close look at the overall content of your course.
What are the main topics that you'll be covering? Make sure those topics are prominently featured in your title.
Avoid using vague or general terms that could apply to a wide range of courses.
Be specific about what your course will cover.

So put some thought into it, and craft a title that accurately reflects the great course you've created.

Test it out!

You've come up with the perfect title for your course. Great job!

But wait, there's one more important step you need to take before you can pat yourself on the backtesting of your title.

Why?

Because even the best titles can fall flat when they're put to the test.

The best way to test a title is by doing a little market research.

Just like you would test a headline before publishing an article, you need to test your course title to see if it's effective.

For this, you can create two versions of your title and promote both of them online.

Then, track the click-through rates and see which one performs better.

You can also ask your potential students what they think of your title.

Does it pique their interest?
Do they understand what the course is about?
Would they be likely to sign up for it?

Getting honest feedback from potential students can help you fine-tune your title and make sure it's as effective as possible.

You can also use Google Ads to create a few ad campaigns that target keywords related to your course.

Make sure to set a high enough budget so that your ads get plenty of impressions.

Once you've let the campaigns run for a few days, take a look at the click-through rate (CTR) for each ad.

The CTR will give you an idea of how many people who saw your ad ended up clicking on it.

If the CTR is low, that indicates that your title isn't very effective and you may want to consider changing it.

Would YOU Click On YOUR Course Title?

If not, then you’re in the same boat as most other course creators.

The vast majority of courses have terrible titles that make them sound either too complex or like a complete waste of time.

So ask yourself: Would you click on your course title?

If not, keep brainstorming until you come up with something that packs a real punch.

With $20M already earned by creators, there’s no better time than now to get started on Freshlearn.

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