Selling courses online is a fantastic way to share your expertise, grow your business, and create a new revenue stream. Whether you’re a coach, educator, or business owner, offering courses online allows you to reach a wider audience and provide value at scale. One of the best ways to get started is by using a Learning Management System (LMS) on your WordPress site. But don’t worry if you don’t use WordPress there are plenty of other options, too! Let’s dive into how to sell courses online with both WordPress and non-WordPress platforms.
Selling Courses on WordPress
If you have a BCK managed WordPress site, you’re in luck. WordPress offers a flexible, customizable platform for selling courses with many LMS plugins available to simplify the process. An LMS plugin allows you to create, manage, and sell courses. BCK provides access to three powerful LMS Plugins that allow you to sell your content through your site, and customize the look-and-feel for your customers to make their experience seamless.
Step 1 – Choose a LMS
Here are the three top LMS plugins that we provide:
- LearnDash: One of the most popular and robust LMS plugins, LearnDash lets you create multi-tiered courses, quizzes, and certificates. It also integrates with various payment processors, allowing you to sell your courses directly from your site.
View features here - LifterLMS: This plugin offers features like course building, student management, and even memberships. It’s great for creating engaging learning experiences and has various add-ons for more advanced functionality.
View features here - TutorLMS: This plugin provides an easy-to-use course builder, as well as features like quizzes, reports, and a detailed analytics system to track student progress.
View features here
Once you’ve chosen your LMS plugin, you’ll need to create your course content. Break down your material into lessons or modules, and use features like quizzes, assignments, and downloadable resources to engage your students. Most LMS plugins have a drag-and-drop interface that makes setting up your courses simple.
Step 2 – Set Up Your Courses
Once you’ve chosen your LMS plugin, BCK will take care of the technical set up, while you’ll need to create your course content. Break down your material into lessons or modules, and use features like quizzes, assignments, and downloadable resources to engage your students. Most LMS plugins have a drag-and-drop interface that makes setting up your courses simple.
Step 3 – Enable Payments
To start selling, you’ll need a way to collect payments. Most WordPress LMS plugins integrate with popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or WooCommerce. If you have not chosen how to accept payments on your site, read how to choose a payment processor here. Once you have selected a payment gateway, you can start sell courses individually or offer subscriptions and memberships for ongoing access to your content!
Step 4 – Market Your Course
Now that your course is ready, it’s time to attract students! Promote your course through social media and email marketing. You can also create a landing page specifically for your course, showcasing its benefits and pricing.
Selling Courses without WordPress
Don’t have a WordPress site? No problem! There are plenty of standalone platforms designed for selling courses that don’t require WordPress. Here are some of BCK Consulting’s recommended options:
- Teachable
Teachable is a popular all-in-one platform for course creators. It’s incredibly user-friendly and allows you to create, market, and sell your courses without the need for a separate website. Teachable handles everything from course hosting to payment processing.
View their pricing here - Kajabi
Kajabi is a full-featured platform that not only lets you create and sell courses but also offers tools for building a website, running email campaigns, and managing memberships. It’s a great solution if you want everything in one place.
View their pricing here - Thinkific
Thinkific is similar to Teachable, offering a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop course building tools. You can create engaging courses, add quizzes, and even build a membership site. Thinkific also includes marketing tools to help you grow your audience.
View their pricing here
What to Consider When Selling Courses
Regardless of which platform you choose, here are a few important things to keep in mind when selling courses online:
- The Quality: Your course material should be well-organized, engaging, and valuable. Use a mix of videos, text, quizzes, and downloadable resources to keep students interested.
- Pricing: Decide how to price your course. You can sell it as a one-time purchase, offer subscriptions, or even create bundles with other courses. Look at competitors’ pricing to find a range that works for your audience.
- Marketing: Successfully selling courses requires marketing. Use social media, email marketing, and partnerships with influencers or other businesses to promote your course.
- Support Your Students: Make sure you offer some form of support, whether it’s a help desk, a Q&A section, or a community forum. This will help retain students and encourage positive reviews.
Selling courses online can be incredibly rewarding, whether you’re using WordPress with an LMS plugin or a standalone platform like Teachable or Thinkific. The key is to choose the platform that best fits your needs, create high-quality content, and market your course effectively. If you’re looking to have an LMS integrated in your website, or would like to get started with a standalone platform, reach out to us! We will be happy to help.
