5 Keys to Picking the right online course platform for your Business
I've spent the past 20 years developing platforms and selling them, as well as establishing platforms, and more recently, helping hundreds of individuals and organizations back on the correct platform to run their course in business. Five key points I've learned from my experience when it comes to choosing the correct platform:
1. Make the online course platform your only option for your initial step.
First, it is likely that you'll be suffering from "choice overload" rapidly. There are a lot of platforms in the world - as many as hundreds according to some numbers - and this number is growing every day. This is great on a certain level. That means that there's likely to exist a platform that meets your needs. The problem is that your average aspiring course entrepreneur has a very hard time telling one platform from the next. If you've not contemplated course platforms in the past and hardly ever used any, then you don't know the "mental shortcuts" that will help you whittle down the choices.
What usually happens next is the moment that "paralysis by analysis" develops. In other words there is no action. You procrastinate. Not just on picking a platform, but on your entire project.
There's a reason that's not to make the platform the first move.
The second is that it is easy to get involved in the many cool things different platforms can do that you don't even begin to wag the dog. This means that instead of letting your strategy for business and your learning strategy drive the choice of a platform for your learning You choose one solely because of all the seemingly cool sounds and bells. It is then your goal to incorporate it into your business and learning strategy. Sometimes that works. Most of the time, it doesn't.
If this isn't clear, being certain of your strategy for business and your learning strategy must be your primary goal in picking the best platform. You must know what you're looking to achieve in your business. It's important to understand the kind of experience you will need to offer your learners in order to deliver the positive outcomes you plan to provide.
Once you have a good understanding of those items, should you start looking for a platform.
2. Be sure to compare apples against apples
Why?
These are fundamentally different options and platforms that offer fundamentally different alternatives. Apples and oranges, in my opinion.
Yes, they will both offer online classes.
They could each be a part of your approach to learning.
But from a business strategy (and tactics) standpoint, they are actually different. There is much more control of your content as well as your information, pricing, as well as other aspects of your company if you go with platforms like . Of course, with all that control, you will likely have to step up slightly in your the right business decisions. You also will not have a market to sell your courses on, as you do with Udemy.
A variety of choices.
In reality, if you truly need a market then you need to have an online marketplace. If you're really in need of a WordPress plugin, you really have to get an WordPress plugin.
Make those choices early in the process - certainly long before coming to making a decision so that you are actually looking at platforms that fall into the same class.
3.Take the time to go over your requirements thoroughly
When you're clear on your strategy and about the type of platform you're looking for Spend some time thinking about and writing down your specific specifications (i.e., the features you want to have) i.e., the features you need your course platform to offer - prior to you go shopping.
You don't want your tail to be wagged by the dog. The items you require are a result of the strategy you have in mind, not the latest trend at the time you shop.
This can get a bit tedious, especially in the case of a non-detailed person however it can really assists in making sure you stay focused while you explore different platforms and don't get distracted by a bunch of bells and whistles.
For help in this process, consider grabbing my free online course platform guide.
Part of what I include with this is an Excel spreadsheet that lists and lists the main features you'll be looking for on a course platform. It makes it much easier to figure out the features that matter to you and determine your priorities.
It is possible to alter your preferences or even include certain new functions after you take a closer examination of the options available out there however, by making use of the worksheet, you'll have a solid start that is grounded in what works best for your organization, yourself and the students you teach.
4. Be realistic about what a platform can do
One of the most common topics I hear about among Learning Revolution users is the topic of marketing. I'm not certain the number of people who have emailed the last few days to state that they'd like a website that can "do the marketing for me."
It's not going be happening.
It is important to note that, for clarity, that is as true of the "marketplace" platforms as it is of alternative choices. To stand out and actually attract people to these platforms, you have to do marketing of your own which starts by creating an online audience for your course.
(Okay I'm guessing that artificial intelligence could change all of the above one day. If it does, I'll happily return it!)
5. Do not overthink it: your course platform will not be your final destination.
It's easier said than done. In reality, as fantastic as some platforms can be, the value of your online course company isn't in the platform. It's in your content. It's in your relationship with your students. In the end, it's in you.
Sure, switching platforms in the future - if it comes to it - is an inconvenience, but trying to guess the future is not possible.
It is likely that in the future, you'll have to take a break or significantly revamp your courses regardless, and this is a great moment to review, consider, and determine if a different platform makes sense.
In the meantime, find an option that meets your requirements and needs right currently (again, starting by establishing your company and learning strategy), and start working.
Jeff Cobb is a 20-year veteran of the e-learning industry and is a renowned expert on the world market for continuing education. His latest book, Leading the Learning Revolution The Ultimate Strategy for Capitalizing on the booming Lifelong Learning Market is described as "an MBA in a book" to course owners.