How to make an online course step by step (and sell it)

To make an online course you need three things: a topic you know how to solve and that someone wants to pay for, a well-organized syllabus and a platform to host and sell it on. The equipment matters least: with a good microphone and your computer you can record a professional course.

This is the complete process, in 10 steps:

1. Choose the topic.
2. Validate that people are willing to pay.
3. Define the transformation and who it's for.
4. Structure the syllabus.
5. Choose the format.
6. Record with what you have.
7. Choose where to host and sell it.
8. Set the price.
9. Launch it.
10. Improve it and turn it into recurring revenue.

1. Choose a topic you know how to solve and that someone wants to pay for

The best topic for your course is where three things meet: what you do well, what you enjoy explaining and what other people need to solve.

Signs that a topic has demand:

• People ask you the same questions over and over.
• There are Google searches, videos with lots of views or active groups about the topic.
• Similar courses already exist and sell. That's not bad: it confirms there's a market. Your job is to focus it better or aim it at a more specific audience.

2. Validate before recording

The most expensive mistake is spending weeks recording a course nobody buys. Before producing it, check that there's real interest:

• Presale: sell the course before recording it, with a launch price and a delivery date.
• Waiting list: a simple page where people leave their email to find out when it's out.
• Webinar or free class: if people sign up and ask questions, you're on the right track.
• Conversations: talk to 5 or 10 people in your audience and ask what holds them back and how much they would pay to solve it.

3. Define the transformation and the ideal student

A course isn't sold by the hours of video, but by the change it delivers. Write it in one sentence: “From [starting point] to [result] in [time].” For example: “From never having edited a video to publishing your own reels in two weeks.”

Also define who it's for, and who it's not for. The more specific your ideal student is, the easier it will be to write the syllabus and sell it.

4. Structure the syllabus

Start from the end result and work backwards: what does the student need to know and do to get there? Group those steps into modules and each module into lessons.

• Short lessons: between 5 and 15 minutes work better than hour-long videos.
• One goal per lesson: if a lesson needs two titles, they're two lessons.
• Practice in every module: exercises, templates or tasks to apply what they've learned.
• Quick wins early on: having the student achieve something in the first week greatly increases the chances that they finish.

5. Choose the format

• Recorded video, at your own pace: the most common. The student moves forward whenever they want.
• Live or in cohorts: a group starts at the same time, with live sessions. More commitment and better results, but it requires your time in every cohort.
• Mixed: recorded lessons plus live Q&A sessions and a community. It combines the best of both.
• Text and resources: guides, templates and exercises. Ideal as a complement or for very practical topics.

6. Record with what you have

You don't need a studio. You need to be heard clearly and understood.

• Sound matters more than image. A simple external microphone improves the course more than an expensive camera.
• Natural light from the front or a soft lamp behind the camera.
• Screen recording for anything involving software or presentations. You can make an entire course without appearing on camera.
• Script or outline for each lesson: you don't need to read it, but you do need to know where you're going.
• Simple editing: cutting silences and mistakes is enough. Add subtitles: many people watch videos without sound.

7. Choose where to host and sell it

You have two paths:

• Marketplaces like Udemy: they bring the audience, but they keep a significant share of each sale, decide the promotions and the relationship with the student is theirs.
• Your own platform: you set the price, the brand and the relationship with your students, and you can offer community and subscriptions. In exchange, you have to attract the students yourself.

We compare them in detail in online course platforms: which one to choose.

8. Set the price

• Price based on the result: a course that helps you get clients or save money can charge more than one for leisure.
• Look at the competition, but don't compete on being the cheapest: compete on being the clearest and most useful for your audience.
• Several ways to pay: one-time payment, installments or subscription. Split payments boost sales of more expensive courses.
• Launch price: a special price for the first students in exchange for their feedback and testimonial.

9. Launch it

• Email list: it's your most profitable channel. Start building it from the day you validate.
• Launch with a date: opening enrollment for a few days creates urgency.
• Free class or webinar: teach something useful and present the course at the end.
• Testimonials: the results of your first students are your best sales argument.
• Affiliates: other people recommend your course in exchange for a commission.

10. Improve it and turn it into recurring revenue

A course isn't finished once it's published. Check which lessons students get stuck on, answer their questions and update whatever gets outdated.

And think about the next step: many creators turn their course into a membership, with new content every month, live sessions and a community. That way they get paid every month instead of just once. We explain it in how to create a membership step by step.

Common mistakes when making an online course

• Recording all of it before knowing whether anyone wants it.
• Putting in everything you know: a good course leaves out what doesn't help reach the result.
• Long lessons with no practice.
• Obsessing over equipment and neglecting the sound.
• Publishing it and expecting it to sell itself, with no email list or launch plan.
• Forgetting about students once they've paid: the follow-up is what generates testimonials and referrals.

Frequently asked questions about how to make an online course

How long does it take to create an online course?

It depends on the size. A mini-course can be ready in a couple of weeks; a full course, in one or two months, spending a few hours a week. Validating first and recording module by module helps you avoid dragging it out.

How long should an online course be?

Just long enough to deliver the result it promises. Students value a short course they finish more than a long one they abandon.

Can I make an online course without being on camera?

Yes. You can record your screen with your voice, use slides or combine text and exercises. Being on camera builds more closeness, but it's not required.

Do I need to register as self-employed to sell online courses?

If you sell regularly, in Spain the usual route is to register as self-employed or to sell through a company. The rules vary depending on your case, so check with your accountant before you start selling.

Where can I sell my online course?

On a marketplace or on your own platform. If you want to control the price, your brand and the relationship with your students, your own platform is the best option. We compare them in this guide.

Create your online course with Membersfy

With Membersfy you organize your course into modules and lessons, add exams and certificates, open a community for your students and get paid with Stripe, PayPal or Mercado Pago, with no per-sale commissions. All in Spanish and with a free plan for your first course. Discover all the features o see the plans.