In the dynamic landscape of social media and search algorithms, the significance of owning and managing your channels has never been more pronounced. “best platforms” The evolving nature of these algorithms underscores the importance of establishing a digital presence that you have control over. Online courses emerge as a potent tool for fostering community engagement and expanding your audience.
In the contemporary digital sphere, the accessibility to disseminate knowledge is as simple as uploading a video to platforms like YouTube. However, delving deeper into a subject, building a thriving community, generating income, or expanding your business through the sale of online courses requires a more comprehensive approach.
A robust setup is essential to facilitate the design of course pages, develop a well-structured curriculum, and effectively promote your educational offerings.
Having continually updated this article over the years best platforms, my exploration and evaluation encompassed over 60 applications dedicated to the creation and sale of online courses. Through thorough research and testing, the culmination of my efforts has led to the identification of the top contenders in this domain.
These selected platforms not only facilitate seamless course creation but also empower individuals to navigate the intricate landscape of online education, ensuring a holistic and effective approach to knowledge dissemination and business growth.
The 8 best online course platforms
best platforms Udemy for launching your first course
- Skillshare for teaching creative skills
- Teachable for creating an online school with advanced marketing
- Podia for selling digital products and memberships
- Thinkific for customizable add-ons
- Kajabi for marketing a course on autopilot
- Mighty Networks for building a paid community
- Simplero for managing your business
What makes the best online course platform?
In crafting this article, my focus centered solely on best platforms tailored for the creation and sale of online courses, deliberately excluding consideration of learning management systems (LMS).
Despite the frequent interchangeability of these terms, it’s important to note that LMS software is typically deployed in educational institutions or corporate environments to facilitate training for students, customers, and employees.
In contrast, the highlighted platforms for online course creation showcased here are specifically crafted for businesses and individual creators seeking to monetize their expertise or cultivate an audience.
The distinction lies in their dedicated functionality, emphasizing the facilitation of revenue generation and audience building through the sale of courses, catering to the distinct needs and objectives of entrepreneurial endeavors and individual content creators.
- Online course creation platforms can be broadly divided into two categories:
- Course marketplaces
- Course creation software
Within the realm of online course distribution, two primary avenues exist: course marketplaces and online course creation software, each offering distinct advantages and catering to diverse needs.
In the case of course marketplaces, your course becomes part of a catalog, and while you have the flexibility to customize the landing page, the overall customization is limited. Most marketplaces allow free course publication but claim a percentage of sales. The key benefit lies in tapping into an established student base; this is advantageous for those with limited online visibility, providing an initial platform for exposure.
On the flip side, online course creation software presents a more versatile approach. It offers extensive customization options, enabling the creation of branded landing pages and flexibility in selecting content formats. Additionally, these platforms equip users with tools for effective course marketing. However, this comes at a fixed monthly cost, often supplemented by transaction fees.
Recognizing the absence of a universal solution, the choice between these avenues hinges on individual needs and objectives. If best platforms online courses form the core of your enterprise, a platform facilitating maximum student reach might be essential. For those passionate about interactive teaching, a course creator with engaging tools is pivotal.
Alternatively, if your goal involves engaging an existing audience, a tool with robust marketing features becomes paramount, emphasizing the tailored nature of best platforms course creation platforms to meet specific goals and aspirations.
While every platform has its own unique selling point, I’ve judged the online course software below based on certain criteria:
- Content formats supported, including video, audio, PDFs, and images
- Editing features and customization options
- Whether or not they’re realistically affordable for small and medium businesses
- Support for assessments: quizzes, exams, certifications, etc.
- Marketing and payment features
With those criteria in mind, I narrowed it down to 24 apps worth testing, then spent several days exploring them and running through an in-depth testing process. Here’s what it looked like:
- Signing up for an account and completing any onboarding flows offered
- Walking through the core workflow to create a new course, including browsing any course templates, building out the curriculum, and adding course content in varying formats
- Testing out other core features like building quizzes and tests, designing course certificates, scheduling live sessions, and setting up drip schedules
- Customizing the overall design, colors, fonts, logos, landing pages, and more—to the extent possible with each app
- Finally, looking at payment and marketing features like email broadcasts, pricing structures, community building, and SEO
Online courses software
Teachable stands out as a valuable platform for savvy course creators seeking to cultivate and expand their best platforms online audience. The platform provides a myriad of options for customization, empowering creators to tailor the look and feel of their courses. Whether building a website that mirrors their brand identity, crafting compelling sales pages for course launches, or utilizing the Power Editor for those versed in code, Teachable caters to diverse needs.
For those less code-savvy, the platform offers three customizable templates to streamline the design process. Adding to its versatility, Teachable’s course builder seamlessly integrates with file-sharing platforms like Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, accommodating various content formats.
One notable feature is Teachable’s generative AI, still in beta but demonstrating promise by generating course outlines, lesson content, and section summaries—a valuable starting point for course creation.
The best platforms flexibility extends to pricing options, allowing creators to offer standalone courses or bundles, and choose between one-time fees, payment plans, or subscriptions. Launching courses is further enhanced with the creation of coupon codes to stimulate sales.
Teachable also simplifies the process of building a sales team through its built-in affiliate marketing option. Creators can effortlessly add affiliates who earn a percentage of course sales, eliminating the need for third-party integration.
The best platforms native email marketing tool facilitates communication with students at various stages, from enrollment to coupon redemption and course completion. Additionally, Teachable supports the collection of student feedback and insights through Google Forms and surveys.
To maintain post-course engagement, Teachable enables the addition of students to email lists through integrations. For those seeking even greater automation, the platform seamlessly connects with various apps through Zapier’s automated workflows.
This integration allows for tasks such as automatically adding students to marketing campaigns or tracking them in Google Sheets, showcasing Teachable’s commitment to providing creators with a comprehensive toolkit to optimize their online course creation and management experience.
FAQs About best platforms
Which course is best for earning money?
The effectiveness of a course in earning money depends on various factors, including the individual’s skills, market demand, and marketing strategies. Courses in high-demand areas like digital marketing, coding, or business skills tend to have good earning potential.
How can I make a free training course?
To create a free training course, use platforms like Google Classroom, Teachable, or Udemy, which allow you to upload content, engage with students, and monitor progress. Develop a comprehensive curriculum, incorporate multimedia, and leverage free tools like Google Forms for assessments. Promote your course to reach a wider audience.
Which course is best for passive income?
Courses in affiliate marketing, passive income strategies, or investment education can be lucrative for generating passive income. Additionally, creating courses on evergreen topics like personal finance, digital marketing, or content creation can attract a continuous audience, allowing you to earn passively over time.
What is the easiest course with high salary?
Determining the “easiest” course is subjective, but fields like information technology, data analysis, or digital marketing often have high salary potential and may be perceived as accessible. However, success depends on personal aptitude and dedication. Continuous learning and skill development are key contributors to achieving a high salary in any field.
Conclusion
In 2024, the landscape of best platforms online course creation and sales has evolved, offering a diverse array of platforms to cater to varying needs. The top eight platforms stand out for their unique features, customization options, and user-friendly interfaces, providing creators with powerful tools to reach and engage their audience effectively. As the demand for online learning continues to grow, these platforms empower educators, entrepreneurs, and individuals to monetize their expertise, build communities, and thrive in the dynamic digital education space. The year 2024 marks a pivotal moment for online course creators, with these platforms serving as instrumental allies in the pursuit of educational innovation and financial success.
