Best Online Course Platforms for Instructors

You have created that amazing course after going through how to create quality course content, but you need a more in-depth analysis of the best online platform for instructors to sell and market their content. The next step is to delve deeper into finding the ideal online platform for your content, so let’s get right into it.

I have gone over five major course platforms, and I will be highlighting their strengths and exciting features to help you choose what’s best for you and your audience.

5 Major Online Course Platforms for Instructors to Sell and Market their Content

1. Udemy:

Onboarding Process:

•    Sign up for an instructor account on Udemy.
•    Create a course outline and structure.
•    Add video lectures, quizzes, and assignments to your course.
•    Set a price for your course or offer it for free.
•    Publish your course after it meets Udemy’s quality standards.

Features:

• Udemy provides a user-friendly course creation interface.
• Instructors can offer lifetime access to their courses.
• Udemy’s marketing tools include promotional announcements, discounts, and Udemy for Business (a corporate training platform).
• Instructors can participate in Udemy’s affiliate program to promote their courses.

Payments:

• Udemy has a revenue-sharing model. Instructors typically earn 50% of course sales (or 97% if the instructor’s marketing efforts drive the sales). 
• Payments are made monthly through PayPal or Payoneer.

2. Coursera:

Onboarding Process:

•   Apply to become a Coursera instructor and provide information about your credentials.
•    Create course content following Coursera’s guidelines.
•    Collaborate with Coursera staff to develop and review your course.
•    Coursera handles course publishing.

Features: 

• Coursera offers a more structured structure for course creation, with defined start and end dates for courses.
• Courses on Coursera can specialize in full degrees.
•  Instructors can utilize Coursera’s marketing channels and reach a global audience.

Payments:

• Coursera has a revenue-sharing model, and earnings can vary based on factors like course popularity and whether the learner subscribes to Coursera Plus.
• Payments are made through PayPal or direct bank deposits.

3. edX:

Onboarding Process:

• Apply to become an edX instructor and provide relevant information.

  Collaborate with edX’s instructional designers to create and review course content.

   Courses go through a quality assurance process before being published.

Features:

• edX is focused on academic and professional courses, often associated with universities.

   Courses can lead to edX MicroMasters or Professional Certificate programs.

   Instructors benefit from the edX marketing platform and global reach.

Payments:

• edX has a revenue-sharing model, with instructors receiving a percentage of course sales.

   Payments are processed through PayPal or bank transfers.

Certainly, let’s explore the onboarding process, features, marketing support, and payment methods for instructors on Skillshare and Teachable:

4. Skillshare:

Onboarding Process:

• Sign up as a Skillshare teacher and complete your profile.

   Create a class outline and content, including video lessons and class projects.

   Follow Skillshare’s guidelines for course quality and format.

   Publish your class once it’s approved.

Features:

• Skillshare focuses on short, project-based classes.

   It offers a subscription-based model where students pay a monthly fee for access to all classes.

   Teachers can earn royalties based on the number of minutes students watch their content.

Marketing Support: 

• Skillshare promotes classes through its platform, which can increase the visibility of your content.

   Teachers can earn referral income by inviting students to Skillshare.

Payments:

• Skillshare pays teachers on a monthly basis based on the minutes watched by premium members in their classes.

   Payments are made via PayPal.

5.Teachable:

Onboarding Process:

• Sign up for a Teachable account and set up your school.

   Create and customize your online course content using Teachable’s course builder.

   Customize your school’s branding and domain.

   Set pricing and enroll students.

Features:

• Teachable provides a platform to create and sell your online courses, including video content, quizzes, and assignments.

   You have more control over the branding and customization of your online school.

   Teachable supports various pricing options, including one-time payments, subscriptions, and payment plans.

Marketing Support:

• Teachable provides tools for marketing your courses, including email marketing and integration with marketing platforms like ConvertKit and Mailchimp.

   It also offers affiliate marketing capabilities, allowing others to promote your courses for a commission.

Payments:

• Teachable offers several payment gateways, including Stripe and PayPal, to receive payments directly from students.

   You have control over your pricing and can set your own revenue-sharing model if you choose to partner with affiliates.

If you are looking for an online platform where you can onboard thousands of students and customize your entire program, Zuriboard is your best shot. It is a powerful learning management system that combines the features of online course platforms and analytics. Giving you the capabilities of an online school.

Explore the Zuriboard here