How to Make Money Online Selling Courses - BloggersBond
What You'll Learn: How to Make Money Online Selling Courses
You don't need to be a celebrity expert to sell online courses. If you know something that others want to learn, you can turn that knowledge into income. This guide shows 9 beginner-friendly ways to create and sell online courses, digital products, and coaching programs with zero investment.
- ✓ 9 course-selling methods (Udemy, Teachable, Gumroad, and more)
- ✓ Step-by-step instructions using free tools
- ✓ Realistic earnings (month 1: $100-500, month 6: $1000-5000)
- ✓ 30-day action plan for absolute beginners
Udemy (Largest Course Marketplace – Free to Publish)
What it is: Udemy is the world's largest online course marketplace. Millions of students browse courses daily. You create a course once, and Udemy brings the traffic. They handle hosting, payments, and support.
Step-by-Step:
- Sign up as instructor at udemy.com (free)
- Choose a topic you know: "Beginner Photography", "Learn Excel", "Budgeting 101"
- Create 10-20 short video lessons (use your phone – good lighting is enough)
- Use free screen recording software (OBS Studio) for computer tutorials
- Upload videos, add quizzes, and assignments
- Set your price ($20-50) – Udemy often discounts courses, you earn 37% of sales
- Promote your course to get initial reviews
Teachable (Your Own Brand – Keep 100% of Profits)
What it is: Teachable lets you create your own branded course website. You keep 100% of profits (minus payment processing fees). No revenue sharing. You control pricing and marketing.
Step-by-Step:
- Sign up free at teachable.com
- Create your course outline (5-10 modules)
- Record videos using your phone or computer
- Upload to Teachable (they host everything)
- Set your price ($50-200) – you keep all of it
- Create a free landing page using Teachable's templates
- Share your course link on social media, Reddit, and Facebook groups
Gumroad (Sell Mini-Courses & Digital Products)
What it is: Gumroad is the easiest platform for selling digital products. Upload PDF guides, video courses, templates, or any digital file. They handle payments and delivery.
Step-by-Step:
- Sign up free at gumroad.com
- Create a PDF guide: "7 Days to a Better Morning Routine" (20 pages)
- Use Canva to design the PDF (free templates available)
- Upload the PDF to Gumroad, set price $7-15
- Create a sales page (Gumroad has simple templates)
- Share your link on social media and Reddit
- Gumroad takes 10% of each sale
Skillshare (Passive Income from Minutes Watched)
What it is: Skillshare pays you based on how many minutes students watch your course. You earn a portion of their subscription revenue. No need to sell – Skillshare brings students to you.
Step-by-Step:
- Apply to teach at skillshare.com (free application)
- Create a 30-60 minute course (5-10 short lessons)
- Record using your phone or screen recording software
- Upload to Skillshare (they review within 1 week)
- Once approved, Skillshare promotes your course to their 10M+ members
- You earn each month based on total watch time
One-on-One Coaching (High Ticket – $100+ per hour)
What it is: Offer personalized coaching in an area you're knowledgeable. Fitness coaching, career coaching, business coaching, language tutoring. Charge $50-200 per hour. No platform fees.
Step-by-Step:
- Choose your niche: "Weight loss coaching for busy moms" or "Career change coaching"
- Create a simple website using Google Sites (free) or Carrd (free)
- List your services: "3 sessions for $150" or "$75 per hour"
- Join Facebook groups where your ideal clients hang out
- Offer free 15-minute discovery calls to attract first clients
- Use Zoom for sessions, accept payment via PayPal or Venmo
Template Courses (Sell Course + Templates Bundle)
What it is: Create a mini-course + templates bundle. Students get both education and ready-to-use resources. Example: "Instagram Marketing Course + 50 Caption Templates + 20 Post Templates".
Step-by-Step:
- Create a 10-lesson video course (30 minutes total)
- Create templates in Canva or Google Sheets that support the course
- Example: "Budgeting Course + Budget Tracker Template"
- Bundle them as a single product on Gumroad or Teachable
- Price at $40-80 (higher than course alone)
- Promote the value: "Course + Templates + Worksheets – Everything you need"
Email Course (Build Audience, Sell Later)
What it is: Create a free email course to build your email list. After 5-7 emails, pitch your paid course or coaching. People buy from people they trust.
Step-by-Step:
- Sign up for free email marketing platform (Mailchimp free tier, ConvertKit free up to 1000 subs)
- Create a 7-day email course: 1 email per day for 7 days
- Use ChatGPT to write email drafts, then personalize them
- Create a landing page offering "Free 7-Day Course" to collect emails
- Share the link on social media and Reddit
- In email #7, pitch your paid course or coaching service
Course Affiliate Marketing (Promote Other People's Courses)
What it is: Join affiliate programs for popular course platforms. Promote courses on Udemy, Skillshare, or Teachable. Earn 15-50% commission on each sale. No course creation needed.
Step-by-Step:
- Join Udemy's affiliate program (free) or Teachable's affiliate network
- Choose courses related to your niche (business, marketing, fitness, etc.)
- Get your unique affiliate link
- Write honest reviews of courses on your blog or social media
- Share your link: "I took this course and learned X. Highly recommend. Link below."
- Earn 15-30% commission per sale
Workbook & Worksheet Courses (No Video Needed)
What it is: Create a course using only PDF workbooks and worksheets. No video required. Students learn by filling out worksheets. Perfect for planners, goal-setting, and step-by-step guides.
Step-by-Step:
- Create a 30-page PDF workbook in Canva
- Include worksheets, checklists, and action steps
- Example: "Goal Setting Workbook – 30 Days to Achieve Your Goals"
- Add 5-10 video explanations (optional – use your phone)
- List on Gumroad as a "PDF Course" for $15-30
- Promote as "Self-paced workbook course – No video required"
Monthly Earnings Expectations for Selling Courses
| Method | Setup Time | Expected Month 1 | Expected Month 6 | Passive Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-40 hours | $50-200 | $500-2000 | High | |
| 20-40 hours | $100-500 | $1000-5000 | High | |
| 5-10 hours | $100-300 | $500-2000 | High | |
| 10-20 hours | $20-100 | $200-800 | Very High | |
| 0 hours | $200-1000 | $1000-5000 | Low | |
| 10-20 hours | $200-800 | $1000-5000 | High | |
| 5-10 hours | $0-100 | $500-2000 | Medium | |
| 0 hours | $50-200 | $500-2000 | Low | |
| 5-10 hours | $200-600 | $1000-3000 | Very High |
📅 30-Day Action Plan for Selling Courses
- Week 1 (Pick Topic): Choose a topic you know. Create a 5-page outline. List 10 things people want to learn about this topic.
- Week 2 (Create Content): Record 5 short videos (5 minutes each) using your phone. Create 3 worksheets in Canva.
- Week 3 (Setup Platform): Sign up for Gumroad (free). Upload your videos and worksheets. Set price $15-25.
- Week 4 (Launch): Share your course link on social media, Reddit, and Facebook groups. Ask friends to buy and leave reviews. Aim for 10 sales = $150-250.
Frequently Asked Questions about Selling Courses
Do I need to be an expert?
No. You just need to be one step ahead of your students. If you've learned something recently, you can teach beginners. You don't need a PhD.
What equipment do I need?
Your phone is enough for video. Good lighting and clear audio matter more than expensive cameras. Use natural light and speak clearly.
How long should my first course be?
Start with a mini-course: 30-60 minutes total. 5-10 short lessons (5-10 minutes each). Easier to create and sell. Expand later.
What topic should I choose?
Something you already know or are learning. Best topics: budgeting, fitness, social media, Canva, Excel, cooking, language learning, parenting.
🎯 Your Action Plan - Start Selling Courses Today (Zero Investment)
- Write down 10 things you know how to do well (cooking, budgeting, Canva, Excel, fitness)
- Pick one. Outline 5 short lessons (5 minutes each)
- Record 1 lesson using your phone right now
- Sign up for Gumroad (free) and upload your sample lesson
- Price your mini-course at $15 and share with friends
- Get feedback, improve, and launch next week
Remember: Your first course doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to be helpful. Start small, get feedback, and improve. Your knowledge is valuable – don't underestimate it.