How to Sell Courses on YouTube, the Fast and Easy Way
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According to the latest YouTube statistics, as of 2022, the platform has 2.6 billion users worldwide and is the second most popular social network after Facebook.
It sounds like there’s a huge opportunity for creators to make money on YouTube. So you, dear creator, might be wondering, can I sell videos on YouTube? I can’t wait to use this massively popular platform to sell my online courses!
Hold your horses.
ΥouΤube may have a massive reach, but selling courses directly on YouTube is not a realistic option.
For starters, YouTube gives you access to its monetization features only if you meet, above others, the following requirements:
And even if you sell a course on YouTube, there’s no way you can prevent people from sharing the link to your course. This automatically “halts” your income, as new learners will join for free. That’s the first major roadblock.
In 2023, selling courses on YouTube will become a reality. YouTube is on a mission to support online education, gradually launching the YouTube player for education, a Community feature, and Quizzes.
Until then, YouTube will remain a great place to promote your course.
There are ways to stand out when selling a course on YouTube, and this is what we’ll discuss today!
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Benefits of Having a YouTube Channel
So, why should you bother creating a YouTube channel in the first place? How will it bring value to your online course business? Let us give you a few reasons why you should consider that:
Reach a Wide Audience
We’ve already told you that the number of YouTube users is impressive. Add to that the fact that it’s the second biggest search engine after Google. If you play your cards right (and we’ll explain how to do that in a second), you can get discovered by a whole new audience who is actively searching for what you’re offering.
Strengthen Your Authority
Winning people’s trust can go a long way to boost course sales. The more active you’re as a professional, the better – be it on social media, blog writing, podcast interviews, networking events, etc.
Having your own YouTube channel increases your chances of being seen and demonstrates that you have a lot to say. Keep this in mind as you plan your marketing strategy.
Free Advertising
No, YouTube ads don’t come for free; but word-of-mouth does.
You know how we all like to share videos and other content that has made us laugh, learn, or that caught our attention in any other way? Similarly, you should expect your YouTube viewers to share their favorite videos with their friends.
11 Tips to Promote Your Online Courses on YouTube
You’ve got your online course ready, you’ve already built some hype, and now you’re ready to take the next step – create a YouTube channel that reflects the quality of your offerings, engages, and brings in more course sales.
1. Create Teaser Videos
You can’t expect people to hit the buy button if they don’t know what they’re signing up for. So how about giving them a sneak peek into your awesome course? Create a brief, free video with your favorite part, ensuring it contains a truly helpful piece of information! Alternatively, create a video tutorial from scratch where you’ll share the top tips from your course.
Whatever type of video you choose, let your target audience know there’s more goodness and in-depth exploration waiting for them.
It’s also important to introduce yourself briefly! Presenting yourself in a video is much more direct than posting a bio. Don’t brag, but make sure you sound confident that you know what you’re talking about.
🎥 Do you want to master video creation for YouTube – and not only? Then check out this talk by Matthew Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador at TechSmith Corporation/Camtasia, during the 2022 Worlds of Learning Summit.
2. Create Valuable Content
Use video to provide actual value and not for self-promotion. In other words, don’t build an entire YouTube channel talking about your courses. That would be just a series of ads that – trust us – no one would want to sit through and watch.
Ideally, you want your visitors to find a list of videos so captivating that they won’t be able to pick what to watch next! And you want them to like you and trust you, which won’t happen if you’re salesy and pushy. Buying from you will come next.
To achieve this level of engagement, create diverse, high-quality video content offering advice relevant to your course topic and niche.
For example, if your course is about Copywriting, create videos discussing practical tips about how to get your first client as a freelance copywriter, how to build your portfolio, top mistakes to avoid in your copy, etc. You can also give away a checklist, step-by-step guide, eBook, or mini-course.
3. Add a Call to Action
You still need to direct your viewers to complete an action in your YouTube videos. Perhaps you just want them to subscribe to your channel, get a free downloadable, visit your website for exclusive content, or sign up for your course!
The point is that every video is an excellent chance to take your viewer to the next step in the sales funnel, start building a deeper rapport with them, and definitely grow your email list.
💡 Tips to write effective CTAs:
4. Create an Offer
For your purely promotional videos, remember that special offers work every time. Make them limited, and they work even better. Create offers for online classes valid for a limited time only or for a limited number of new sign-ups to help potential clients decide to purchase sooner than later! Or promote products on YouTube they won’t find on your websites, like digital downloadables or even merchandise and gadgets.
5. Apply SEO and Other Optimization Techniques
If you’re using YouTube to increase awareness, you need to boost this effort by applying SEO techniques and other optimizations on your channel’s landing page to drive traffic your way.
👨🏫 SEO can be tricky. Check out our detailed SEO guide for course creators with tips on keyword research, technical SEO, and more.
6. Upload New Content Regularly
Consistency is critical in becoming an algorithm’s favorite. YouTube algorithms identify creators who regularly upload content and show their channels higher among search results.
Apart from the algorithms, people will also get excited knowing that you release content at specific time intervals. Do you remember what the fox told Little Prince? “If you come at four in the afternoon, I’ll begin to be happy by three. The closer it gets to four, the happier I’ll feel.” Well, that!
So if you’re serious about this, make publishing new content on YouTube a priority on your agenda. Create a content plan beforehand and have a few videos “in the bank” so you don’t have to scratch your head every week to come up with new ideas. Meanwhile, keep an eye on what’s trending to adjust and diversify your offerings accordingly.
7. Livestream Videos
Live videos are wildly popular, so don’t miss out on the chance to build some excitement and have true one-to-one time with your audience. Hold a brief live session or a masterclass to share top tips and interact with viewers. Ask them what they would like to learn next, whether in a video or a full course. You can even stream to Facebook and YouTube at the same time to reach an even wider audience and learn about their preferences. Do audience research right on the spot and hear it straight from the horse’s mouth!
8. Add Testimonials
People love social proof – it gives them peace of mind that they’re making the right choice. But can you fit testimonials into your YouTube channel? You can by creating a fun video. Ask satisfied learners to join you for a live session to meet fellow learners.
Tell them to come prepared for a couple of questions you’ll be asking, like “What did you learn in this course?” “How has this course changed your life?” It will be more believable and convincing than written reviews – plus, it can be part of a learning experience and not just a promotional piece.
9. Polish Your YouTube Channel
You want to sell your expertise online and make money from it, so you must appear professional and consistent. Start by using your logo and the colors you’re using on your website. Again, describe what your channel is about and use hashtags to group your channel with similar ones.
Keep it simple and brief in your About you page. Instead, focus more on creating a memorable and descriptive tagline to tell people what you do. For example, instead of saying, “Creative Copywriter,” say, “Helping you write better copy every day.”
Create playlists if your videos can be grouped into different categories, like beginner/intermediate level or by course topic. This will make it easier and more likely for visitors to stick around and explore more of your content.
10. Build a Community
Building a community and interacting with your subscribers is perhaps the second most important thing after uploading the content itself. You can do many small and big things to nurture an online community, so it’s important always to be around and put energy into it.
One example is replying to comments even when they’re negative (without engaging in heated debates!). Livestreaming is another. It’s a huge opportunity to see how viewers respond to your content, what they like, and what they want to see in the future.
A YouTube channel differs from your academy’s online discussion forum, where learners usually stick to the course topic; you should expect the conversation to steer away from your course – and that’s a very good thing. That’s when you’ll really get to know your audience. What else are they watching? What do they care about?
11. Create YouTube Ads
You don’t need to go overboard to create YouTube ads. Remember to be authentic and brief and provide true value. It’s also important to create original ads, not those you already use for Facebook and other social media platforms.
Are You Ready To Conquer YouTube?
Yes, the competition on YouTube is fierce, but there’s always room for great content! And great content starts from your online course. Do you want to create some using one of the best online course platforms out there? Then, we invite you to try LearnWorlds with a 30-day free trial! Take LearnWorlds for a spin and find out how you can build the course you’ve imagined, create a beautiful website, and get access to impressive promotional tools to sell your courses!
FAQs
Can I sell my course on YouTube?
YouTube will enable creators to sell paid courses as of 2023. In the meantime, you can sell your online course via a marketplace like Udemy. This option might give you some easy exposure but keep in mind that marketplaces are extremely crowded, and they take a huge cut of your revenue. The best way to sell your online course is through your own website, which is easy to build with a course creation platform or a Learning Management System that features a website builder and powerful marketing tools to help you promote and sell your online courses.
How to sell video content online
You can sell video content online by creating a membership site, provided you plan to upload new content regularly. Alternatively, you can sell video content as a course via an online course marketplace or your own website.
Further reading you might find interesting:
Androniki Koumadoraki
Androniki is a Content Writer at LearnWorlds sharing Instructional Design and marketing tips. With solid experience in B2B writing and technical translation, she is passionate about learning and spreading knowledge. She is also an aspiring yogi, a book nerd, and a talented transponster.
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