At the moment there are thousands of people eager to learn from the comfort of their homes and looking for experienced teachers. The world is moving towards online educational platforms (e.g. MOOC, Udemy) and new skills are in great demand. There is a lot of non-systematic and false information on the internet, that’s why students are willing to invest in reliable and useful education. You can capitalize on this desire and generate a successful business. Creating an online school is also one of the most profitable investments you can start and generate a stable income. This article will reveal various steps and tips to start your online school.
1. Choose a business model
There are two main business models suitable for the online school setup: the standalone course model and the comprehensive academy model. The first one is focused on a specific course/topic. With the second model, you can cover multiple topics and constantly create new courses. Both options are profitable but the comprehensive academy model is more suitable for a startup and will more likely attract a larger amount of students.
2. Select a learning management system (LMS)
It’s a software application for educational courses that automates the training process and minimizes human error. Choosing an excellent LMS will allow you to track the progress of the students (exam results etc.) and help your business to grow. There are two the most common LMS solutions - an open-source (requires installation and setup) and a cloud-based LMS (no installation required).
3. Create a website
Pay attention to brand identity and customization. If you don’t have an IT background, the best option is to hire a professional software development team that will help you to integrate LMS, eCommerce features (payment, enrollment), and customize your landing pages. Don’t forget to add a great logo to your website. It is also necessary to conduct marketing research as well as being active on social media. These measures will strengthen your brand identity.
4. Notifications
In order to attract your target audience and keep old clients interested, always share news about upcoming courses, discounts, and referrals. It’s a good business practice to send enrolment emails, subscriptions, and support notifications. Integrate them into LMS and don’t waste time sending notifications manually.
5. Course structure
Create a plan, your courses should be creative and solve customers’ problems. Choose suitable educational goals and pedagogical approach. It will help you to build a loyal audience and get more positive feedbacks from learners. Before launching your website, make sure it is easy to navigate and every part of the course is transparent (enrollment, paying, taking the final exam).
Remember that knowledge is power and successful people will always want to transform themselves. Identify new trends in online education, be innovative, and use every opportunity. An online school is one of the most scalable and flexible business models as well as profitable.
Evercode Lab develops online educational systems, using modern technologies and improving the quality of the study process.
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