So you want to create your own freelance online course: FAQ

I have been creating online courses since 2005 and have been doing a fair amount of online course consulting of late so I thought I would share a few FAQ with you.

What portal is best for me? (Skillshare vs Udemy)

The two big names for freelancers right now are Skillshare and Udemy. Neither are really set up like an academic site that facilitates assignments to be marked etc. Skillshare is great for project based ‘hobbyist’ type of learning while Udemy looks to be more academic structured, but not really. The other big difference between the two is the pricing structure. Skillshare is a subscription based whereas Udemy is set you own price (sort of).About SkillShare and Udemy.

What about Youtube?

If you just want to share your expertise to a large audience and are not concerned about monetizing your idea, then Youtube might be the way to go. Skillshare also has a free set up that helps build your brand and attract others. To become a youtube $$$ star takes tons of work promoting your brand and lots of luck. If you have time (10 hours/week to work on branding and building an audience) AND have experience making video content, then you can take a serious look. Youtube specs.

Why don’t you (Jeff) create a course on creating a course?

I am. But it takes time to do it right, and teaching full time makes it even more of a challenge. However, here is a quick tips link.

Why do I need any help? Why can’t I just learn from these sites and do it myself?

You can! But chances are you will make the same mistakes as the learning curve is quite high. Especially if you are not used to making and editing videos. This is one way to streamline the learning curve as well as your development time frame.

Why might I need a consultant?

Based on some project I recently facilitated, here are some reasons you may need a bit of assistance:

• You are new to making videos or new to video editing software
• You have never created a self-paced online learning course before
• You are not sure how/where to source images, music, sound effects that won’t get you into trouble
• You think organizing an online course is pretty much the same as in class.

Samples from a recent client: SAMPLE 1 — — SAMPLE 2

Is there no ‘prepackaged’ software I can just drop my content into and post online?

Sort of, but they suck! And amazing software like Captivate or Articulate is expensive, has a high learning curve, and usually is not compatible with freelance sites. Not to mention your course will look like everyone else.

FINAL THOUGHT: feel free to drop me a line to see how I might be able to assist you further.