4 Tips for Creating Online Courses

Maria Peagler, founder of Social Media Online Classes, has spent years teaching businesspeople to harness the power of technology. She started out when PCs were new, working for an Atlanta-based computer training company that helped Fortune 500 companies make their employees productive on PCs. In 2009, Peagler saw a need for small-business owners to learn how to harness the power of social media, so she began developing online courses to teach them. In her first month as an online course provider, Peagler made more money than she'd made the entire previous year in her second career as a book publisher.

"I'm a lifelong learner myself and would much rather take an online class from an established small-business owner than have to schlep to a university or take their courses on the semester schedule," Peagler says.

That flexibility and the expertise of the instructors are some of the main reasons online courses are successful. For instance, Christina Hamlett had written successfully for the stage and screen for years before she began offering online courses in playwriting and screenwriting to share her knowledge and earn a second income.

"Distance learning is a fun and practical way for people to dabble in new pursuits without having to disrupt the rest of their lives," Hamlett says. "The fact that instruction is conducted exclusively online invites participation by students of all ages throughout the world, allows them to work at their own pace, and provides them with one-on-one feedback they wouldn't necessarily receive in a traditional classroom."

If you have expertise in a particular subject that others may want to learn about, creating and teaching online courses can be a relatively easy way to share your knowledge and generate extra income.

Here are four tips for getting started.

1. Choose the right technology. There are numerous technology platforms available for online classes, and much of what you'll need is in the cloud, Peagler says. "The most important resources are an excellent web host, an easy-to-navigate website, a course delivery system that is nimble and easy to update, and a shopping cart system that allows you to sell your classes and keep them private from the general public."

Some of the best software costs very little, if anything at all. Michelle Dunn, author of The Guide to Getting Paid, offers online courses for small-business owners who need help with collections, using Anymeeting, a free webinar platform, and an autoresponder that costs $8 per month.

2. Be a student first. Like most fields related to technology, the world of online classes is constantly changing -- so be committed to ongoing learning. "Take some online classes before you set up yours," Dunn says. "Find out what you like and don't like about them, and try to improve upon those things. Also read blogs, articles or books about presenting online classes so you can learn all you can."

3. Conduct a test run. "Test your material on friends or co-workers before you actually go live with it," Hamlett says. "Sometimes you can be so immersed in the subject that you inadvertently assume knowledge on the part of the students. This can lead to confusion and frustration as they start to work through the lessons. Your volunteer guinea pigs can help you work the bugs out and perhaps even provide you with some fresh ideas on what to include."

4. Focus on the students. Peagler says she worries much more about what her students think than about her Klout score, a rating of social media influence. She develops new courses and makes adjustments based on student feedback. "Stay close to your students and what their needs are," she says. "Too many entrepreneurs focus on the technology, their products and speaking engagements. While all those are important, they shouldn't be your focus. Remember, it's all about the students."

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