How to Create and Sell an Online Course

Why Your Knowledge is Worth Selling

Thousands of creators, freelancers, and professionals are turning their know-how into income streams. According to Thinkific, the global online course market is projected to hit $325 billion by 2025. Whether you're a coach, designer, developer, or hobbyist, there's an audience out there hungry to learn what you already know.

But here's the catch: most people never get past the "I'll create a course someday" stage.

Why? Because the process feels overwhelming: too many tools, too many options, too much pressure to be perfect.

This guide is your no-fluff, step-by-step breakdown to help you create and sell an online course—and actually finish it. We'll walk through idea validation, course creation, video production, pricing, launching, and even using tools like Sharelo to boost your engagement and conversions.

1. Choose a Profitable Course Topic

Market Demand for Your Course

Start by asking: What do people already ask me for help with?

Validate your topic with:

• Google Trends – see if search interest is growing
• Reddit & Quora – find recurring questions
• Udemy/Skillshare – see if similar courses exist (this is a good sign!)

Define Your Audience

Are you speaking to beginners? Intermediates? Freelancers? Busy moms?

The clearer your audience, the better your course will resonate.

2. Structure Your Course for Success

Create a Course Outline Based on Outcomes

Structure your content around transformations, not just topics.

A basic outline might look like:

• Introduction: What they'll learn
• Module 1: Laying the foundation
• Module 2: Tools & techniques
• Module 3: Application or case studies
• Bonus: Templates, checklists, or interviews

Keep Your Course Engaging

• Break lessons into 5–10 minute videos
• Use real-life examples
• Add reflection questions and activities

3. Choose the Right Online Course Platform

There are two main ways to host your online course:

Hosted Platforms (Best for Beginners)

• Teachable
• Thinkific
• Podia

These handle payments, hosting, and delivery for you.

Course Marketplaces (More Traffic, Less Control)

• Udemy
• Skillshare

Great if you're just starting and want built-in traffic.

4. Create Your Content Like a Pro

Record Your Videos

You don’t need a fancy studio. A clear mic, good lighting, and a screen recorder like Tella or Loom works great.

More screen recording suggestions:

Want to take it up a notch? Use Sharelo to make interactive videos where learners can:

• Click through decisions (like a quiz)
• Book calls
• Reply with text or video

Upload Your Videos to Sharelo (for Free)

1. Go to Sharelo
2. Upload your recorded content
3. Add clickable buttons, quizzes, links, or calendars
4. Embed it on your course page or share the single link from Sharelo

Now your course is not just informative—it’s interactive.

5. Price and Package Your Course

Price Your Course Strategically

• Beginner: $27–$99
• Intermediate/DIY: $100–$299
• Advanced/Transformation: $300–$999

Offer a Free Mini-Course or Lead Magnet

Build trust with a freebie like:

• A 3-day email course
• A downloadable worksheet
• A free intro module using Sharelo

6. Build Your Course Page to Sell

Elements of a High-Converting Course Page

• Clear promise/headline (what’s the outcome?)
• Testimonials or results
• Module breakdown
• Bonuses
• FAQ
• Call-to-action (Buy Now, Enroll Today)

Use tools like Carrd, Hostinger Website Builder, or Notion to easily build your first course site.

7. Launch and Promote Your Online Course

Start with Your Inner Circle

Announce it to your:

• Email list
• LinkedIn audience
• TikTok or YouTube followers

Promote with Content

• Blog posts that rank for "learn how to create…"
• YouTube tutorials with CTA to enroll
• Carousel posts on Instagram or LinkedIn

Add Interactive Video Promos

Use Sharelo to:

• Replace boring sales pages with video walkthroughs
• Let viewers click to see previews or book a call
• Answer FAQs through clickable choices

8. Keep Improving Your Course

Collect Feedback

• Ask students what’s missing
• See where drop-off happens in videos
• Improve based on actual data

Add Bonuses & Updates

People love lifetime updates. Add:

• Bonus lessons
• Guest interviews
• Templates or checklists

This increases course value over time.

FAQs About Creating and Selling Online Courses

Do I need to be an expert to create a course?

No. You just need to be a few steps ahead of your students.

What’s the best platform to sell an online course?

Use Teachable or Thinkific if you want control, or Udemy if you want traffic.

How can I create a course for free?

You can:

• Record with Loom or Tella
• Host with Sharelo (free account)
• Share on a simple Notion or Carrd page

How do I know if people will buy my course?

Pre-sell it. Offer it at a discount before launching. If no one buys, tweak and try again.

Start Creating Your Course Today

Creating and selling online courses doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You don’t need a perfect camera, a million followers, or a team of designers.

You just need a clear transformation, simple tools, and the willingness to share what you know.

So start today. Create your first video. Upload it to Sharelo. Build your course page. And invite your first learners.

There’s someone out there waiting to learn what only you can teach.

Book a Demo or Share Your Feedback

We’d love to hear from you!

Whether you're curious about how Sharelo can help your business or you have suggestions to make us better, we've made it easy for you to reach out.

👉 Watch the interactive video below to:

• Book a personalized demo
• Share your thoughts and feedback
• Ask questions directly

Here's another Tella video you can watch: