The Ultimate Guide to Sell Online Courses for Free: Tips and Tricks

Want to sell online courses without spending money? Here's how:

1. Choose a free platform:
   • Coursera, Teachable, Thinkific, or Podia
2. Create engaging content:
   • Plan your course
   • Organize lessons
   • Record and edit videos
   • Upload to your chosen platform
3. Market your course for free:
   • Use social media
   • Write blog posts
   • Build an email list
   • Collaborate with other creators
4. Optimize for course marketplaces:
   • Use SEO techniques
   • Get student reviews
   • Join promotions
5. Offer free samples:
   • Create preview videos
   • Host live Q&As
   • Develop a mini-course
6. Build a community:
   • Set up a Facebook group
   • Run live study sessions
   • Encourage student interaction
7. Continuously improve:
   • Analyze platform data
   • Act on student feedback
   • Update content regularly
8. Expand your business:
   • Offer additional services
   • Create course bundles
   • Try affiliate marketing

Platform	Free Courses	Students	Fee per Sale
Coursera	No limit	No limit	N/A
Teachable	1	No limit	$1 + 10%
Thinkific	No limit	No limit	0%
Podia	1	No limit	8%

Start selling your expertise online today without upfront costs!

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Free Online Course Platforms

Here are some popular platforms where you can sell online courses for free:

Coursera

Coursera works with universities and companies to offer free courses. As an instructor, you can:

• Make hands-on projects
• Create tests
• Reach many students worldwide

But making money is hard on the free plan.

Teachable

Teachable's free plan lets you:

• Host one course
• Have unlimited students
• Build your course easily
• Make basic quizzes
• Manage students

They take $1 + 10% of each sale.

Thinkific

Thinkific's free plan includes:

• No limit on courses or students
• Easy course builder
• Basic quizzes
• Your own web address

But you need to pay for better marketing tools.

Podia

With Podia's free plan, you can:

• Sell one digital product
• Use email marketing
• Take payments easily

They take 8% of each sale.

Platform Comparison

Feature	Coursera	Teachable	Thinkific	Podia
Courses	No limit	1	No limit	1
Students	No limit	No limit	No limit	No limit
Fee per sale	N/A	$1 + 10%	0%	8%
Own web address	No	No	Yes	No
Quizzes	Yes	Basic	Basic	No
Email marketing	No	No	No	Yes
Payments	No	Yes	Yes	Yes

Look at what each platform offers to find the best fit for your online course.

Picking the Best Platform for Your Course

Choosing the right platform for your online course is key to success. Here's what to look for and how to match features with your course needs.

Key Platform Features

When picking an online course platform, focus on these main features:

1. Easy to use: Simple interface for making and managing courses
2. Content hosting: Supports different file types and stores them well
3. Branding options: Lets you add your own look to your course
4. Testing tools: Has quizzes, tests, and homework features
5. Student interaction: Offers forums, chat, and Q&A
6. Course tracking: Shows how students are doing and how well the course is working
7. Connects with other tools: Works with marketing and customer management software
8. Payment handling: Offers safe ways to take payments in different currencies

Matching Platform to Course Needs

Different courses need different features. Here's a quick guide:

Course Type	Features to Look For
Tech courses	Code editors, ways to turn in projects
Art/Design courses	Places to show work, easy file sharing
Business courses	Tools for case studies, group projects
Language courses	Audio/video recording, ways to check speaking
Fitness courses	Video streaming, progress tracking

For example:

• For a coding course, pick a platform with built-in code editors and project turn-in options.
• For a photography course, choose one that shows high-quality images and lets students make portfolios.
• For a business course, look for platforms with case study tools and ways for teams to work together.

Making Your Online Course

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you create a good online course:

Planning Course Content

Start with the end in mind:

1. Set clear learning goals
2. Break down the end result into steps
3. Make a course outline based on these steps

Focus on teaching what students need to know, not everything about the topic.

Part	Purpose
Intro	Get students interested
Main Lessons	Teach steps to reach the goal
Ending	Sum up and give next steps

Organizing Lessons

Set up your lessons to help students learn better:

• Use different types of content (videos, audio, text, PDFs)
• Add small wins throughout to keep students motivated
• Build on ideas step by step
• Include quizzes and tasks for hands-on learning

Tip: Use lesson planning cards to help you create each lesson.

Recording and Editing

To make good videos:

1. Set up a simple filming spot with good light
2. Use a decent microphone for clear sound
3. Practice talking on camera
4. Edit videos to look professional

You don't need expensive gear - a smartphone, computer camera, and basic headphones can work for starting out.

Uploading to Your Platform

When your content is ready:

1. Pick where to host your course (like Teachable, Udemy, or Podia)
2. Learn how to upload files on that platform
3. Put your content in a logical order
4. Use bulk upload if you can to save time

Always test your course after uploading to make sure everything works right.

Making Your Course Sell for Free

Here's how to make your free online course stand out and get more students.

Writing a Good Course Description

A clear course description helps students decide if your course is right for them. Here's what to include:

• What students will learn
• Why your course is useful
• Simple words that explain your course well
• How long the course is and how it's set up
• A clear next step for students to take

Here's a good way to set up your description:

1. Eye-catching first sentence
2. Quick overview of what's in the course
3. Main things students will learn
4. What makes your course special
5. How the course is set up and how long it takes
6. What students should do next

Your description should make people want to take your course.

Creating a Good Course Thumbnail

A good thumbnail picture can make more people click on your course. Here are some tips:

• Use clear, high-quality pictures
• Put your course title in easy-to-read letters
• Use colors that match your course topic
• Keep the design simple
• Make sure it looks good big or small

Part of Thumbnail	What to Do
Picture	Clear, matches what the course is about
Words	Short, clear title in easy-to-read letters
Colors	Use colors that go well together
Design	Keep it simple, not too busy
Size	Make sure it looks good on different screens

A good thumbnail can make your course stand out and get more clicks.

Pricing and Enrollment Options

Even for free courses, you can use these ideas to get more students and show your course is valuable:

1. Free for a short time: Tell students the course is only free for a little while
2. Some free, some paid: Give some parts for free, charge for extra stuff
3. Try before you buy: Let students see part of the course before they sign up
4. Different prices for different things: Offer different levels of help at different prices

Option	What It Is	Why It's Good
Free for a short time	Course is free for a set time	Makes people want to sign up quickly
Some free, some paid	Basic stuff free, extra stuff costs money	Lets students try before they pay
Try before you buy	Students can see some lessons first	Builds trust
Different prices for different things	Different levels of help cost different amounts	Fits what different students need

These ideas can help you get more students, even if your course is free.

Free Ways to Market Your Course

Here are some no-cost methods to promote your online course and get more students:

Using Social Media

Use social media to reach people who might want to take your course:

Platform	What to Post	Tips
Facebook	Helpful tips, updates about you	Use ads to reach people who visited your page
Instagram	Pictures, short videos, longer videos	Use hashtags and talk to your followers
LinkedIn	Work tips, news about your field	Connect with others in your industry

Content Marketing

Make good content to show people you know your stuff:

1. Blog Posts: Write helpful articles about your course topic.

2. Guest Posting: Write for other blogs to reach more people.

3. YouTube Videos: Make videos that teach things related to your course.

Growing an Email List

Build a list of emails to tell people about your course:

• Give away a short free course or helpful info to get email addresses.
• Send a series of emails with course info to keep people interested.
• Send regular emails with tips and special offers.

Working with Other Course Creators

Team up with others who make courses:

• Tell your students about each other's courses.
• Do online talks together to show what you know and get new students.
• Offer your courses together at a lower price to give students a good deal.

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Getting Noticed on Course Marketplaces

Here's how to make your online course stand out on big course websites:

Marketplace SEO Tips

Make your course easy to find when people search:

What to Do	How to Do It	Example
Use good words in your title	Put main topic words in the title	"Learn Python for Data Work"
Write a clear subtitle	Add more info about what you teach	"Use Python to work with data and make predictions"
Write a full course description	Tell what's in the course using topic words	"This course teaches you how to use Python for data work. You'll learn about pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn..."
Pick the right tags	Choose tags that match your course	#python #data #machinelearning

Getting Student Reviews

Good reviews help your course look better:

• Ask students to leave reviews when they finish
• Answer all reviews, good or bad
• Show the best reviews in your course info
• Use feedback to make your course better

Joining Marketplace Promotions

Take part in website sales to get more students:

• Know when sales are happening
• Set your price to fit the sale
• Update your course before big sales
• Make eye-catching pictures or videos for sales

Giving Free Course Samples

Here are three ways to give people a taste of your online course for free:

Making Preview Videos

Preview videos show potential students what your course is like. Here's how to make them:

1. Choose what kind of video to make
2. Write down what you'll say
3. Record and share the video

Video Type	What It's For	What to Include
Saying Hello	Introduce yourself	Your background, why you teach this
How to Use the Course	Show how to use the course website	Where to find lessons, how to turn in work
What's in the Course	Show what students will learn	Tests, projects, what they'll know after

Hosting Live Q&As

Live Q&As let you talk directly to potential students:

• Have regular times to answer questions about your course
• Show what you know and how you teach
• Let people ask about the course
• Share some helpful tips during the Q&A

These live sessions help build trust and answer questions before people sign up.

Creating a Free Mini-Course

A free mini-course can make people want to take your full course. Here's how to make one:

1. Pick a topic related to your main course
2. Keep it short
3. Make sure it's helpful
4. At the end, tell people about your full course

Mini-Course Part	Details
How Long	3-5 short lessons
What's In It	Basic info related to main course
How It's Made	Videos, short tests, or things to download
What to Do Next	Clear way to sign up for the full course

Ask people what they think of your mini-course to make it better. This helps you test your ideas and see what people like before you make the full course.

Building a Course Community

Creating a strong community for your online course can help students learn better and stay interested. Here's how to do it:

Setting Up a Facebook Group

A Facebook group for your course is a good way to build a community. Here's how to make one:

1. Name the group after your course
2. Make it private
3. Add a nice cover photo
4. Write a clear group description
5. Pin a welcome post

What a Course Facebook Group Does
Lets you talk to students directly
Helps you answer questions quickly
Keeps students interested
Lets students help each other
Spreads the word about your course

Running Live Study Sessions

Live study sessions can help students learn better. Here's how to do them:

1. Set regular times for Q&A or topic talks
2. Use Zoom or Google Meet
3. Plan what to cover, but be ready to change
4. Get students to join in with polls or chat
5. Record sessions and share them later

Live sessions help students trust you, get answers fast, and see that you know your stuff.

Getting Students to Talk to Each Other

It's important for students to talk to each other. Try these ideas:

1. Make a place for casual chats
2. Help students form study groups
3. Have students check each other's work
4. Use live polls during sessions
5. Give projects where students share their work

Ways to Get Students Talking	Why It's Good
Discussion boards	Keeps talks going
Group projects	Helps students work together
Peer reviews	Teaches critical thinking
Live chat in sessions	Lets students join in right away
Student presentations	Builds confidence

Improving Your Course

Making your online course better over time is key to its success. Here's how to use data, student comments, and updates to make your course more engaging and helpful.

Reading Platform Data

Look at these important numbers to improve your course:

Number to Check	What It Means	How to Make It Better
How many finish	Shows if course is too hard	Make hard parts easier
How often students use it	Shows what parts students like	Make more of what they like
Test scores	Shows what students understand	Add help for hard topics
Time spent on lessons	Shows if content is right level	Add or remove info as needed

Looking at these numbers helps you see what to fix in your course.

Using Student Comments

What students say can help make your course better:

1. Ask for feedback at the end
2. Check what students say to each other
3. Talk to students one-on-one
4. Let students give ideas without names

Look for things many students mention and fix those first. Student comments help you make the course fit what they need.

Updating Your Course

Keeping your course fresh is important. Here's how:

1. Check your content every few months
2. Add new info from your field
3. Use new examples from real life
4. Help with parts students find hard
5. Add new ways for students to join in

What to Update	How Often	Why It Helps
Small fixes	Every month	Keeps course up-to-date
Big changes	Once a year	Makes sure course is still good
New ways to join in	Every three months	Helps students stay interested
Extra help	When needed	Makes hard parts easier

Growing Your Course Business

Here's how to make your online course business bigger and earn more money:

Selling Extra Services

Offer more than just courses to make extra money:

Service	What It Is
One-on-one coaching	Personal help for students
Group workshops	Teaching many people at once
Course reviews	Looking at student work
Special Q&A times	Answering questions live
Done-for-you work	Doing tasks related to your course

These extras can help students learn more and help you earn more.

Making Course Bundles

Selling courses together can help you sell more:

Bundle Type	What It Is	Why It's Good
Same topic	Courses about one subject	Teaches a lot about one thing
Different levels	Beginner to advanced courses	Shows clear learning steps
Mixed topics	Different but related courses	Teaches more than one thing
Time-based	Courses for a set time	Gets students to stay longer

Bundles can make your courses look worth more and get people to buy more at once.

Trying Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing can help more people find your courses:

1. Start an affiliate program:

• Pick a system that works with your course website
• Decide how much to pay affiliates
• Make things for affiliates to use in marketing

2. Find affiliates:

• Ask people who know your field
• See if your best students want to be affiliates
• Join groups that connect you with possible partners

3. Help your affiliates:

• Show them how to talk about your courses
• Give them good marketing materials
• Keep them updated on sales and changes

4. Check how it's going:

• Look at how well affiliates are doing
• Change pay or plans if needed
• Give top affiliates extra rewards

Wrap-Up

Let's go over the main points for selling online courses for free:

1. Make Good Content:

• Create helpful courses that solve problems
• Keep lessons short (45 minutes or less)

2. Get the Word Out: Use free ways to tell people about your course:

Method	How to Do It
Write blogs and make videos	Share helpful info related to your course
Use email	Send updates to people interested in your course
Be active on social media	Talk to people and answer questions
Work with others	Team up with people who know your topic

3. Make People Want to Buy:

• Write clear course descriptions
• Use good pictures for your course
• Let people try part of your course for free

4. Show You Know Your Stuff:

• Share helpful tips often
• Speak at online events
• Work with other course makers

5. Pick the Right Tools: Choose a course website that:

• Shows you how many people take your course
• Works with email
• Looks good on phones

6. Keep Making It Better:

• Ask students what they think
• Add new info to keep your course up-to-date

7. Make Money in Different Ways:

• Offer one-on-one help
• Sell courses together in a package
• Let others sell your course for a cut of the money

FAQs

How to sell classes online?

Here's a simple guide to selling classes online:

1. Pick a topic

Choose something you know well and that people want to learn.

2. Make your course

Create good lessons, worksheets, and quizzes.

3. Set up marketing

Plan how to get people interested in your course.

4. Set a price

Look at what others charge and pick a fair price.

5. Make a course page

Write about what students will learn and why it's good.

6. Give something free

Offer a small free lesson to get people interested.

7. Use email

Set up emails to keep in touch with possible students.

8. Tell people about your course

Use social media, write helpful articles, and work with others to spread the word.

Step	What to Do	Why It's Important
1. Pick a topic	Choose what you know	People trust experts
2. Make your course	Create good content	Good lessons keep students happy
3. Set up marketing	Plan how to reach people	More people learn about your course
4. Set a price	Choose a fair amount	Right price helps you sell more
5. Make a course page	Write about your course	Helps people decide to buy
6. Give something free	Offer a small lesson	Shows how good your course is
7. Use email	Keep in touch	Reminds people about your course
8. Tell people	Share on social media and more	Gets more students to join