Teach Online - Your Big Move for Big Profits

Teach Online

Out with the chalkboard, in with the keyboard! — Traditional classrooms rapidly evolve into online teaching environments, but are we all ready for this change?

The projected size of the e-learning market is $319 billion in 2029. Students increasingly seek online learning opportunities because they offer a platform to interact with and learn from many teachers worldwide.

But being a great online teacher calls for both subject-matter competence and technical expertise. Because online learning has grown so quickly in the last few years, there is a huge demand for niche teachers.

Teachers are developing creative solutions to keep online students engaged and learning, such as incorporating multimedia or employing interactive platforms. But there’s always room for advancement.

This blog will discuss why being able to teach online is such an important skill for the current education system and how you can start teaching online from scratch. Stay tuned to find out more!

Is Teaching Online Profitable?

Teaching courses online requires you to put significant upfront effort but offers substantial earning potential. However, you must certainly avoid the allure of quick online money-making schemes.

To create and sell an online course is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Your revenue or extra income potential hinges on several key factors:

1. Course Pricing: Whether your course is priced at $5 or $1000 significantly impacts your sales strategy and the potential customers you need to reach.
2. Audience size and engagement: A larger and more engaged audience translates to more potential customers. You can build an email list or start a YouTube channel as a starting point.
3. Marketing and sales expertise: Previous teaching experience in online business and sales can boost conversion rates, helping you turn leads into paying customers more effectively.
4. Customer loyalty: Repeat business and a loyal customer base are crucial for sustaining long-term profitability in online education.

When estimating potential success, consider factors like your expected reach (number of email subscribers or social media followers) and typical conversion rates:

• Low conversions: Typically range from 0.1% to 1%, depending on the course and audience targeting.
• Medium conversions: Typically fall between 2% to 5%, indicating a reasonable level of engagement and interest.
• High conversions: From 6% to 10%, these rates suggest strong appeal and effective marketing efforts.

How much money can you actually make by teaching online?

Teaching online can be highly profitable if you are careful about the following aspects:

Teaching approach

The topic you teach students and how you deliver it is crucial. For instance, teaching English online typically pays between $10 to $20 per hour, with fixed rates and minimum hours. There’s a high demand for English teachers, especially in foreign language countries.

On the other hand, as an online English teacher, creating and selling specialized courses can yield substantial returns. For example, selling three $2,000 courses monthly could bring in $72,000 annually, with less time spent on direct sales than tutoring.

Platform and format

The platform you choose also influences your earnings. Glassdoor says online English teachers teaching ESL (English as a second language) earn around $51,360 annually. Alternatively, offering personalized coaching or consulting allows for more flexibility in rates.

Successful coaches can charge $100 to $500 or more hourly rates, potentially earning six or even seven figures annually by leveraging their expertise and reputation.

Why Should You Teach Online?

The majority of online degree recipients (86%) feel that the benefits outweigh or are comparable to the expenses. Why not use the opportunity to monetize quality content? Online teaching offers numerous benefits that can be truly game-changing for educators:

• Cost savings: Teaching online is cost-effective compared to traditional methods. You don't need to rent physical space or buy expensive equipment. Many platforms also offer flexible pricing, allowing you to keep more of your earnings.
• Global reach and brand building: By teaching online, you can reach international students, expanding your reach beyond geographical boundaries. When you do this, you strengthen your online presence and establish your brand, opening up job opportunities worldwide.
• Access to rich resources: Online teaching platforms provide extensive libraries of resources and tools. You can create engaging courses with pre-made templates, stock images, and video editing tools. Some platforms even allow seamless integration of external teaching resources like web links and multimedia files.
• Easy to start: The world of online teaching has no access restrictions. You can start online teaching anytime without needing exams or accreditation (unless required by your field). You can begin working with students within days of making the decision.
• Flexibility to scale: Online teaching offers the flexibility to scale your business according to your own schedule. Whether you want to increase or decrease your workload, you can adjust your marketing efforts and student intake accordingly.

Do You Need a Certification to Teach Online?

The need for certification when teaching online varies depending on your niche. Different fields and platforms may have different expectations regarding formal qualifications.

In academic subjects like those taught at universities, certification might be required. However, certifications or a bachelor’s degree are often optional for business people teaching creative topics such as drawing, video editing, or online marketing.

While some teaching platforms view certifications or a minimum bachelor’s degree as a way to validate educational quality, not all platforms mandate them. As discussed, many online teaching jobs do not require formal certificates.

Ultimately, the certification required to create and sell courses online depends on the specific subject matter, course content, and local regulations in your country.

What should you do to establish trust as an expert?

To establish yourself as an expert when teaching online, consider these effective strategies:

1. Provide value and insights:

Start by ensuring your courses deliver real value. Understand your audience's challenges deeply and offer solutions that genuinely help them.

• Build trust and credibility by effectively addressing three or four key pain points.
• Create valuable short courses as lead magnets to grow your audience if you're new.
• Share insightful content through podcasts, blog posts, and infographics.
• Contribute to relevant publications, which boosts your visibility and enhances your reputation as an expert.

Here is an instance of a guest post in a particular niche that allows visitors to visit the course page while also providing information about the subject and a link to the course.

2. Highlight your background:

Communicate your journey and qualifications clearly to establish credibility, even without formal certifications.

• Share how you became interested in your niche, your learning journey, and any achievements or milestones in your career.
• Have a dedicated "About" or "Bio" page on your course website to narrate your story and showcase your expertise authentically.

Look at this example from Gayle Howard, who teaches resume writing. In her online school, which she created using FreshLearn, she has a space where she highlights her credentials and expertise.

3. Use student testimonials:

72% of consumers claim testimonials and favorable reviews affect their brand confidence. Displaying testimonials from satisfied students is an effective way to build trust.

• These testimonials serve as proof that your courses deliver value and can help potential students achieve their goals.
• You can use the "Bandwagon effect" — where people are influenced to join something popular — to attract more students to your courses.

Here’s how Codecademy uses visual testimonials, video testimonials, and client success stories on its website and in its marketing. For instance, under the title "Stories from real people" on the homepage, you may see several customer images and anecdotes.

Self-Hosting vs. Course Marketplaces: Which One Should You Pick?

When deciding where to host your courses online, you often choose between self-hosting or using a course marketplace. Each option has advantages and drawbacks, so the best choice depends on your specific goals as a course creator.

Self-hosted online course platforms

If you're considering where to host your courses, platforms like FreshLearn offer you the freedom to sell courses on your terms.

With a self-hosted system, such as FreshLearn, you retain all the revenue and completely control how your brand is presented and how students interact with your courses.

Pros

• Retain control over your student's email addresses, allowing you to build direct relationships and encourage repeat business.
• Customize your online school’s appearance, brand it with your logo, integrate various tools, access detailed analytics, manage affiliates, and more.
• Set your course prices, offer payment plans, and receive payments instantly, minus a small transaction fee. Depending on your hosting plan, you keep all revenue.
• Joint venture partners prefer courses hosted independently due to higher revenue shares than marketplace courses.

Cons

• Marketing your courses entirely can be challenging and time-consuming.
• Using Self-hosted school platforms charges recurring fees as your business grows. Additionally, email marketing automation tools are costly with a larger student base.
• Managing all aspects of your online teaching requires significant time and effort, especially as your operations expand.
• Gaining trust through reviews and testimonials can be more difficult without a well-known platform’s endorsement.

Online course marketplaces

Online course marketplaces can boost your visibility and attract potential customers to your own course platform. Marketplaces such as Udemy or Skillshare are effective marketing channels, driving leads to your online store, where you can encourage larger purchases and subscriptions.

However, using marketplaces comes with challenges, especially regarding control over the learning environment and pricing.

Pros

• Marketplaces invest heavily in marketing, driving traffic to your courses and potentially increasing your sales.
• Established marketplaces attract a vast audience actively seeking courses, enhancing your course’s visibility.
• They provide support and access to instructor communities for better collaboration and growth.
• Well-established marketplaces have built trust over time, which can benefit your course’s reputation.

Cons

• Marketplaces do not let you own your students’ email addresses, limiting your ability to build direct relationships and scale outside the platform.
• They dictate rules on communication, pricing, and promotions. Non-compliance can result in penalties or expulsion from the online school.
• They take a significant cut (often 50% or more) of each sale, reducing your earnings, especially with discounted sales or third-party affiliates.
• The marketplace overshadows your brand visibility, with limited customization options for course presentations.

Why Opt for Self-Hosting?

Choosing a self-hosting platform is often the better choice for creators looking to build a sustainable online education business for several reasons:

• Long-term profitability: Despite the initial investment, the potential for higher net earnings is significant since you're not sharing revenue with a marketplace.
• Brand development: You have the opportunity to build and enhance your own brand rather than just being another instructor in a marketplace.
• Customer relationships: Direct access to your customers allows for better customer relationship management, repeat business and personalized marketing strategies

How to Choose the Right Platform to Teach Online?

When you're deciding on the best platform to teach online, it's crucial to consider several key factors that align with your objectives and preferences. Here’s a breakdown to help you make an informed decision:

• User experience- User experience isn't just about how easy the platform is for you as an admin. It's also about ensuring it's intuitive and engaging for your students. Can they navigate your courses easily? Can they interact with multimedia content and control their learning schedule, like fast-forwarding videos? - Choose the one that answers “YES” to these questions.
• Marketing capabilities- Look for platforms that offer built-in marketing tools. These can include email campaigns, affiliate programs, and discounts to help you attract more students. Also, check if the platform supports SEO and integrates well with social media for better course visibility.
• Advanced analytics- Analytics are crucial for improving your courses. They help you understand student behavior and identify areas where they need hard work. Advanced analytics provide insights into the most effective content and where improvements are needed, allowing you to refine your teaching skills.
• Platform pricing- Understand how the platform’s pricing works. Some charge transaction fees per sale, which might be suitable for beginners. You can even test features from many platforms offering free trials before committing financially. Free plans often have basic features, while paid plans offer more customization, marketing tools, and support.
• Scalability- You need a platform that grows with your business. Ensure it can handle unlimited courses and students as your teaching expands. Look for features like custom branding and integration with other tools (like CRM systems) to support your growth and marketing efforts.

Your Roadmap to Online Teaching

Now that you've defined the aspects you need from the platform you teach on, it's time to structure and deliver your content effectively. We have a roadmap to make your online teaching journey quick and easy.

Designing your online course

This part will be straightforward if your course curriculum follows a clear, step-by-step progression—like learning to use a tool easily.

You'll need to break down more complex topics into smaller sub-topics. Divide the curriculum into smaller, digestible segments or "chunks." This helps prevent cognitive overload, making it easier for students to absorb and retain information.

Group similar themes, tips, and ideas into modules, and arrange the lessons within each module logically. You must aim to design classes such that they flow seamlessly into one another.

Let’s simplify the steps here. For example, if you're creating a curriculum on digital marketing, you might structure it into modules like:

1. Introduction to Digital Marketing
2. SEO Fundamentals
3. Content Marketing Strategies
4. Social Media Marketing
5. Analytics and Reporting

Each module should conclude with a summary or a short quiz to reinforce the learned material and gauge the students' understanding before moving on to the next topic.

Incorporating diverse multimedia elements into your course can significantly enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. You can help children with various learning styles by using videos, interactive simulations, and infographics.

FreshLearn allows you to integrate various multimedia elements easily. You will have tools to create visually engaging content, including video lectures, animated explanations, and interactive assessments.

You can use this diversity in content delivery to maintain student interest and encourage deeper exploration of the subject matter.

Pro tip:

Create an "Introduction to the Course" video and a "How to Navigate the Course" video to guide students through the content and platform. Explain what topics you'll cover and how you'll teach them. This video should also guide students in navigating through the course.

Engaging and retaining students

Research indicates that the average completion rate of online courses is around 13%. So, if you do not engage your students, just a small portion of your class will make it through to the end.

Conversely, interactive classes can accelerate learning significantly—up to six times faster than other methods. When designing effective courses, it's crucial to recognize that one-size-fits-all content structures won't suffice for every student or course.

Differentiated instruction is the key.

It’s simple- using a diverse mix of teaching approaches. It acknowledges that students come from different cultures and learning backgrounds and also absorb information differently.

For example, some students struggle with learning from lengthy text and prefer video presentations. Others benefit more from reading at their own schedule rather than watching videos.

Creating a strong community is vital for student engagement in online learning.

Setting up dedicated discussion forums and encouraging peer-to-peer interactions help build a sense of belonging. Live sessions or weekly group discussions can further enhance this sense of community by facilitating real-time interaction.

For example, take a look at FreshLearn’s community-building feature. Launching a community gives you full control over its automation, moderation, and the ability to charge members to join and participate. When you and the learners engage in discussions, retention rates will rise.

Pro tip

Teaching others is often the best way to learn a subject deeply, so why not encourage your students to do the same? Synchronous methods, like Zoom breakout rooms, allow real-time interaction for discussions post-class. Asynchronous learning involves students answering questions or quizzing each other, reinforcing their understanding independently.

Assessment and feedback

Assessments are crucial in online education, benefiting both learners and instructors significantly. They test students' knowledge and new skills and enhance the effectiveness of online teaching. It's vital that assessments:

• Align with course goals and objectives
• Match the course’s level and scope
• Clearly guide students with well-organized instructions.

Here are some types of assessments:

• Quizzes: These give quick feedback on learning progress.
• Assignments: Students apply what they’ve learned practically.
• Peer Reviews: Students evaluate each other’s work, promoting collaboration.

Effective learning relies on timely and specific feedback tailored to individual student needs. Freshlearn streamlines assessment grading and feedback with a dedicated dashboard, simplifying the process of managing student submissions.

You can use multimedia elements such as music, video, and photos in your multi-select or multi-choice questions. For advanced assessments, you can include negative scores in each assessment at the question level, and you can add or bulk upload any questions to the QnA bank for speedier assessment development.

Pro tip:

Use the 3-2-1 technique to encourage learners to reflect and deepen their understanding after your lessons.

Ask learners to:

• List 3 key concepts or facts they've learned from the lessons. It reinforces their grasp of the material.
• Identify 2 areas they want to explore further. This encourages curiosity and motivates deeper learning.
• Pose 1 question they have about the topic. This promotes critical thinking and helps clarify any uncertainties.

Monetization strategies

When it comes to monetizing your online course, you have several revenue models to choose from, each with its own set of benefits:

i). One-time purchase: This model involves learners paying a single fee to access your course indefinitely. It's straightforward and works well for courses that cover evergreen topics that require minimal updates.

ii). Subscription: With a subscription, students may access your courses indefinitely for a set monthly cost. This approach is suitable for learners who are interested in continuous learning or frequent updates and offers a reliable cash source. It's like a Netflix model for educational content, where learners can dip in and out of different subjects as they wish.

iii). Membership: Similar to subscriptions, but often includes additional benefits like exclusive content, community access, or special events. Memberships build a sense of community and loyalty among learners, contributing to a steady stream of income over time.

iv). Freemium: You provide basic course content for free while charging for more advanced features or content. Use this model to attract many users and convert a fraction into paying customers, serving as an effective lead-generation tool.

v). Course bundling: Offering several courses together at a discounted rate can attract learners interested in comprehensive learning paths. This approach increases perceived value and boosts sales by providing a more complete learning and teaching experience.

vi). Corporate packages: Tailored courses designed for businesses that want to train multiple employees. It often involves bulk access and can include customized content that aligns with the company's training needs.

FreshLearn, as a platform, supports these monetization strategies through integrated payment gateways and promotional tools, making it easier to implement whichever model best suits your business. These features facilitate smooth transactions and offer all the help you need to effectively market your courses to the right audience.

Pro tip:

When your customer is about to complete their purchase, offer them an enticing deal, like a discount on a second item, or suggest a related product that complements their purchase.

Provide a clickable button that adds the extra product directly to the customer's cart to make it effortless for them to accept the offer. This strategy leverages upselling techniques to increase sales while ensuring a convenient and seamless shopping experience for your customers.

Marketing your online course

You need a good plan to get the word out about your course and get people interested in enrolling. Whether you're an expert teacher or just starting, getting people to enroll in your online classes can be challenging, especially if you don't have a loyal following.

Fortunately, there's a way to take control of your promotion without breaking the bank: learning how to market your course.

Content marketing: You must create valuable content related to your course topic. This could be blog posts, free resources, or professional development webinars providing insights into course material. For example, hosting a webinar can be a powerful way to connect directly with potential students and give them a preview of your course.

To keep potential students interested, Emily Regan, the author of the Unicorn Digital Marketing Course, consistently updates her blog with fresh trends, insights, and pertinent information.

Email campaigns: When you build an email list by offering lead magnets like free ebooks or an email course, you can keep your audience engaged and informed about new classes and special offers. You can do this by releasing regular newsletters. Email marketing keeps potential students informed and interested in your material, which helps them later convert into paid students.

FreshLearn ensures seamless marketing by letting you build an email list, create blogs, and create mini web pages where you can feature your key links. You can even build a sales page and generate leads.

Don’t skip SEO

If you plan to increase your online course’s visibility, search engine optimization is a must-do. Here are some strategies to optimize your course listings for better search engine rankings:

1. Keyword optimization: Identify relevant keywords that potential students are searching for and incorporate them into your course title, description, and content. To identify low-competition, high-volume keywords, use a service like SEMrush or Google's Keyword Planner.
2. Quality content: Google favors content that is valuable and relevant to users. Ensure your course description is detailed, informative, and addresses common questions potential students might have.
3. Backlinks: Gain backlinks from reputable sites in your industry to improve your site’s authority and rankings. You can achieve this by guest blogging, collaborating with other teachers, or getting featured in educational articles and resources.
4. Mobile optimization: Check that your course page works well on all devices. Most of the traffic to websites comes from mobile devices and Google gives preference in search results to sites that are easy to use on mobile devices.
5. Loading speed: Make sure that your course pages load quickly. Search engines prioritize faster sites because they offer a better user experience.

Pro tip

Consider offering a free mini course as a lead magnet on your website. This mini-course can be a teaser for larger courses, drawing in potential students.

For instance, you can create a mini course with three sections and offer the first section completely free. Unlike a time-limited free trial, this approach allows potential students to explore your content without any time pressure. Your mini-courses must provide immediate value and are easy to access.

5 Actionable Tips to Make Money Teaching Right Away

With the right approach, you may immediately start generating money from your courses online. Here are a few tips you can readily implement to teach online and make money.

1. Validate your course idea

Before launching your online course, it's crucial to validate your idea to ensure there's a demand for it. You can do this through market research, surveys, or by offering a mini-version of the course to gauge interest.

FreshLearn provides tools to help you test course concepts with potential learners before fully developing your content. This step enables you to gauge interest and refine your content based on actual learner feedback before fully launching the course.

2. Provide free content

Free content is an effective strategy for attracting potential students and building trust. This could be free lessons, downloadable resources, or introductory videos that provide a preview of what students can expect from the full course. Free content acts as a lead magnet, enticing users to subscribe or purchase the full course.

In this case, we have Alexis Haselberger, a productivity coach who offers a free masterclass to spread awareness about her brand and eventually convert them into paid learners.

3. Use automation

When you use automation tools, you save time and enhance the learning experience. FreshLearn offers automation for enrollment processes, email notifications, and marketing, which helps streamline operations and maintain consistent communication with your students. The platform also supports personalization in the email campaigns as part of its pre-built automation.

4. Gamification

You must add gamification elements such as badges, leaderboards, and certificates, which can significantly increase student engagement and motivation. FreshLearn supports these features, allowing you to create an interactive and fulfilling learning environment that encourages continued participation. Look at this feature from FreshLearn, for example. These rewards can encourage learners, especially children, to do better.

5. Use social media channels

Promoting your course and reaching more people is easy with the help of social media. Share insights, course updates, and student testimonials on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. These platforms are invaluable for building a global community around your course content and driving enrollments through targeted advertising and organic reach.

For instance, @itsmattprince, a professor at Chapman University, gained notoriety after he offered his students the chance to earn a million likes on a clip posted to TikTok in return for having their final exam canceled.

Wrapping Up

So, there it is- Your potential journey as an online teacher! With over 63% of world internet users now engaging in some form of online learning, the demand for digital education continues to grow exponentially.

FreshLearn provides an ideal platform for teachers looking to tap into this expanding market. With our user-friendly course creation tools, integrated payment gateways, and robust marketing features, FreshLearn simplifies setting up and selling courses online.

Whether you're looking to automate enrollment, enhance student focus through gamification, or leverage powerful marketing strategies to reach your target audience, FreshLearn offers comprehensive solutions to help you succeed. Join FreshLearn and begin creating impactful learning experiences now!

FAQs on Online Teaching

1. Is online teaching a good career?
Online teaching jobs are considered a rewarding and flexible career option, especially with the rising demand for digital education. They offer a variety of career paths, from instructional coordinators to training and development specialists, and often provide competitive salaries comparable to traditional teaching roles.

2. Can I teach online and earn money?
Yes, an online teaching career can be quite lucrative. Online teachers usually earn between $10 to $40 at an hourly rate, depending on their teaching experience and qualifications. Specialized courses or those that attract higher student satisfaction may offer opportunities for increased earnings.

3. Which platform is best for online teaching?
FreshLearn is an excellent platform for online teaching, especially for creators looking to have complete control over their course content, pricing, and student interactions. It offers tools for course creation, marketing, and sales, along with features that enhance learner engagement, such as interactive quizzes and multimedia integration.

4. How to become a tutor online?
To become an online tutor, you typically need expertise in a specific subject, a stable internet connection, and potentially a teaching certification, depending on the platform or subject matter. Platforms like FreshLearn provide a great start, allowing tutors to create and market their courses directly to learners worldwide.

5. How do I start an online lesson?

To start teaching online lessons, you should:

• Prepare your lesson plans and objectives clearly.
• Choose a reliable platform like FreshLearn that supports live sessions and interactive content.
• Prepare any necessary learning materials and digital tools in advance.
• Have a stable internet connection to have an uninterrupted teaching experience.

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