How to Monetize Online Courses: Make Money Selling Digital Products

Are you struggling to see returns on the countless hours you've poured into creating and perfecting your online courses? Whether you're facing a lack of sales or failing to reach your desired ROI on ads, we understand the frustration. 

Our first online course wasn’t profitable despite us having consultants and following “proven” strategies. In this blog post, we’ll share a simple process that allowed us to monetize online courses we successfully sell today. 

How to Monetize Online Courses The Right Way

Step 1: Build Your Audience

The foundation of any successful online course business begins with building a loyal audience. We recommend focusing on three primary channels: YouTube, blogging, and podcasting. Why these three? Because they offer searchable content that can attract organic traffic over time. While platforms like Instagram and TikTok have their merits, YouTube and Google have advantages because they are searchable.

On YouTube, create content that provides value and addresses your audience's pain points. Remember, it's not about chasing viral fame but rather building a library of evergreen content that continues to attract views and leads over time. 

Repurpose your YouTube videos into blog posts to expand your reach further. 

Additionally, leverage the power of podcasting to nurture your audience with valuable insights while increasing your content's accessibility.

Step 2: Offer a Compelling Free Gift

Entice your audience to join your community by offering a high-value freebie, also known as a lead magnet. This could be a video training, PDF guide, Excel spreadsheet, or any other resource that addresses a specific need or pain point of your target audience. The key is to deliver exceptional content that showcases your expertise and builds trust with your audience.

For example, our free master class provides insights equivalent to the first two milestones of our flagship course, eLearning Simplified Academy. By delivering immense value upfront, we lay the groundwork for nurturing relationships and eventually converting leads into paying customers.

Related Read: Building the Best Sales Funnel for Your Online Course

Step 3: Implement an Email Marketing Strategy

Once you've captured leads with your free gift, it's time to nurture those relationships through email marketing. Use an all-in-one platform like Kajabi to streamline your email campaigns, website hosting, and course management. 

With Kajabi, you can create evergreen email sequences that continue to provide value to your subscribers while subtly promoting your paid courses.

Craft engaging nurture emails that educate and inspire your audience, positioning yourself as a trusted authority in your niche. Remember, the goal is to build rapport and keep your audience engaged over the long term.

Related Read: Is Kajabi Worth It? We’ve Created a Course In Kajabi, And Here is What We Found

Bonus Step: Execute Promotional Campaigns

Finally, leverage promotional email sequences to drive sales of your online courses. Whether it's a Black Friday sale or a limited-time offer, these campaigns can generate a significant boost in revenue when executed effectively. Use the insights gained from your nurture sequences to tailor your promotional emails to the specific needs and interests of your audience.

Related Read: How to Find Affiliates for Your Online Course: Start Here

In conclusion, monetizing online courses requires a strategic approach that prioritizes audience building, value delivery, and relationship nurturing. By following these steps and leveraging the right tools like Kajabi, you can create a sustainable and profitable online course business. If you decide to try Kajabi, you can get a 30-day extended trial through our affiliate link.