Creating an online course is a powerful way for coaches, consultants, and course creators to share their expertise and connect with learners worldwide. But many assume that building a course requires expensive tools or a large budget. That’s not the case.
With platforms like CustomerHub, you can create professional, engaging, and impactful courses that reflect the value you bring to your audience without breaking the bank.
As online education continues to grow, more individuals have started creating online courses to teach their skills and knowledge. CustomerHub provides an all-in-one solution for structuring lessons, designing engaging content, and organizing materials in a way that looks professional.
If you’re just starting to create online courses or looking for ways to improve your process, this guide has everything you need. From planning your content to selecting the right hosting platform, we’ll break down each step so you can launch your course with confidence.
What Makes a Successful Online Course?
A successful course is one that leaves learners feeling accomplished and ready to apply what they’ve learned in real life. Here are some key qualities to focus on:
- Break down complex topics into smaller, easy-to-understand lessons
- Organize your course into a logical flow so learners can follow along without getting lost
- Include activities, quizzes, or assignments that let learners practice what they’ve learned
- Use tools and platforms that work well on different devices. Make sure your materials are easy to access and use
If you’re ready to create your own course, we’ll guide you through the process of building and hosting it on a platform you can sign up for free. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions!
Step 1: Choose Your Topic and Define Your Audience
The foundation of creating an online course depends on selecting a topic that matches your expertise and aligns with what your audience wants to learn. This section will guide you through the course creation process and help you understand the people you’re teaching.
1.1 Select the Right Topic
Choosing the right topic starts with your own knowledge and experience. A great course stems from a subject you understand deeply, whether it’s a professional skill, a hobby, or personal expertise. Think about areas where you feel confident and can teach others well.
Once you’ve listed your skills, you can start researching online to see if there’s an audience for your course. You can use tools like Google Trends to analyze search interest over time.
Additionally, explore forums like Reddit, Quora, or Facebook groups to see the types of questions people frequently ask about your potential topic.
Narrowing your focus can also make your course more appealing. Instead of a broad topic like “Cooking,” you could concentrate on “Quick and Healthy Vegan Meal Prep for Busy Parents.” A specific niche allows you to create a course tailored to a well-defined audience.
1.2 Understand Your Audience
Knowing your audience is essential to designing an online course that meets their expectations. Take time to think about who you’re teaching and what they need.
You need to consider factors like their age, background, and learning goals. Are they complete beginners looking for a foundational course, or are they more advanced learners seeking to refine specific skills?
Defining your audience also involves understanding their challenges. If your course is about social media marketing, your learners might struggle with content creation or analytics. Addressing these pain points makes your course more valuable and relevant to their needs.
Once you know your audience, you can adjust the tone, language, and complexity of your course to suit them.
1.3 Set Goals and Outcomes for Your Course
Every successful online course begins with clear goals and measurable outcomes.
A course goal might be to teach beginners how to use Canva for social media design. The outcomes could include learning how to navigate Canva’s interface, creating three types of graphics (posts, stories, banners), and exporting designs in the correct format for sharing online.
Having measurable outcomes also allows you to evaluate your course’s success. If your learners can complete specific tasks by the end of the course, you’ve delivered on your promise.
Step 2: Plan Your Course Content
Creating engaging course content is key to delivering a better learning experience.
With CustomerHub, you can speed up the planning process with its plug-and-play simplicity, scalability, and seamless integrations. These tools let you focus on building impactful courses without getting bogged down by technical challenges.
2.1 Structure Your Course
Breaking your course into modules and lessons is key to helping learners build knowledge step by step. For example, if you’re a coach teaching time management, you could divide your course into modules like "Setting Priorities," "Building Habits," and "Staying on Track."
Each module would then have lessons that cover specific concepts to help learners progress step by step without feeling overwhelmed.
With CustomerHub, structuring your course is effortless. Creating modules and lessons is as simple as drag-and-drop, and no technical skills are required.
Think about the logical order of your lessons. Start with foundational knowledge and gradually move toward more advanced topics. This way, students can build their understanding as they go.
2.2 Create an Engaging Outline
An engaging outline gives your course direction and helps you stay organized during content creation. If you’re a consultant teaching negotiation skills, your outline could include modules like "Understanding the Art of Negotiation," "Reading Body Language," and "Closing the Deal."
CustomerHub integrates with tools like Google Docs or Canva, so you can brainstorm, draft, and refine your course outline without switching between platforms.
Begin by brainstorming all the key topics you want to cover. Then, arrange them into modules and lessons. Here’s an example outline for a course on “Vegan Meal Prep for Beginners”:
Module 1: Introduction to Vegan Meal Prep
- What Is Meal Prep?
- Benefits of Vegan Meal Prep
Module 2: Planning Your Meals
- Creating a Weekly Meal Plan
- Choosing Recipes That Work for You
Module 3: Prepping Ingredients
- Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
- Tips for Storing Fresh Produce
Module 4: Putting It All Together
- How to Prep a Week’s Meals in 2 Hours
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
When writing your outline, think about the flow of information. Each lesson should naturally lead into the next to create a cohesive online learning experience.
2.3 Add Supporting Elements
To keep your learners engaged, consider adding supporting materials like quizzes, worksheets, and assignments into your online course creation process.
With CustomerHub, adding these elements is simple. Its intuitive interface lets you create and upload supporting materials to your course. Additionally, integrations with platforms like Google Drive or Canva allow you to design and share engaging content without extra effort.
Supporting materials don’t have to be complicated. Even a simple task can make the course more interactive and engaging.
Ready to bring your course to life? Save time and stress—start your free 14-day trial with CustomerHub today and launch your course in just days.
2.4 Define Lesson Length and Duration
When planning your course, keep in mind that online learners often prefer shorter lessons that fit into their busy schedules. Aim for lessons that are 5–15 minutes long for video content or concise text summaries for reading materials.
For example, a module on “Lighting Techniques” could include three short lessons:
- Using Natural Light (7 minutes)
- Tips for Indoor Lighting (8 minutes)
- Common Lighting Mistakes to Avoid (6 minutes)
Shorter lessons make the content more digestible and allow learners to feel a sense of progress as they complete each one.
Step 3: Design and Create Course Materials
With your course content planned, you have to create the materials your learners will use. Your materials should be clear, engaging, and designed to support different learning styles.
3.1 Create Videos
Videos are the most common format for online courses because they allow learners to see and hear the instructor explain concepts.
CustomerHub makes it easy to host, organize, and deliver video content directly within the platform. Its plug-and-play feature allows you to upload your videos without worrying about complex setup.
Tips for Recording Video Content
- Keep it simple: A basic webcam or smartphone camera works fine as long as the audio and lighting are clear. Position yourself in a quiet, well-lit space with minimal background distractions.
- Be concise: Focus on one concept per video to avoid overwhelming learners. For example, if you’re teaching a cooking course, one video could cover knife skills, while another focuses on prepping vegetables.
- Add visual aids: Use screen sharing or simple slides to reinforce key points. For example, in a lesson about photo composition, you could show examples of well-framed and poorly framed shots.
Break your videos into smaller segments, each lasting 5–15 minutes, to keep the content manageable and help learners stay engaged.
3.2 Design Visual Aids
Slides and visuals play an important role in explaining concepts and breaking down information. It's ideal to use a clean design with plenty of white space to avoid overwhelming learners.
You can use visuals like charts, images, or diagrams to explain complex ideas. Make sure to avoid too much text on slides and only highlight key points instead of including entire paragraphs.
3.3 Develop Written Materials
Written materials like worksheets, guides, and checklists complement your video and visual content. They help learners practice what they’ve learned and apply the concepts to real-world situations.
.4 Add Interactive Elements
Interactive features are especially valuable when using a learning management system (LMS) to organize your course. Platforms like CustomerHub allow you to include these elements in your course.
Bonus Tip: Use a Custom Domain
If you’re looking to give your course a professional edge, consider using a custom domain for your course website. Hosting your course under a branded URL boosts credibility and helps establish your identity as an online course creator.
With CustomerHub, setting up a custom domain is effortless. It allows you to create a polished, professional experience for your learners.
Step 4: Host Your Course
Now that your course materials are ready, the next step is finding a reliable platform to host your course. A good hosting platform will allow you to upload your content, organize lessons, manage learners, and provide an exceptional learning experience.
For those looking to build a professional course, it’s important to choose a platform that offers robust features and allows you to get started with a free sign-up. This gives you the flexibility to explore the platform and start building your course without upfront financial commitment.
4.1 Select a Hosting Platform
Choosing the right hosting platform is essential to creating and managing your online course, especially if you’re juggling limited time and resources. You need a platform that simplifies the process, saves you time, and removes the hassle of handling technical details.
CustomerHub stands out as the go-to solution for hosting your course. It offers a range of features designed to address common challenges faced by course creators. Its guided onboarding process helps you run your course quickly, even if you’re short on time or technical expertise.
If you need extra help, CustomerHub’s Done-For-You (DFY) services take the workload off your plate so you can focus on creating content rather than managing the tech.
With a 14-day free trial, you can explore everything CustomerHub has to offer without any upfront commitment.
After the free trial, CustomerHub costs just $79 per month, which includes unlimited products, users, videos, PDFs, and other multimedia. You’ll never have to worry about storage limits or hitting caps as your course grows.
CustomerHub works with tools like Zapier, which allows you to automate repetitive tasks. You can set up automation to send certificates to students who finish the course or email reminders to students who haven’t logged in for a while.
Sign up for your 14-day free trial today and see how easy it is to bring your course to life!
4.2 Upload Your Content
Once you've signed up for CustomerHub, it’s time to upload your materials. You have to organize your content into clear sections or modules so each lesson is properly labeled and easy to find.
With CustomerHub, you can upload your video files directly without worrying about technical details like compression or file formats. Simply drag and drop your videos, and CustomerHub handles the rest.
You can also attach supporting slides, worksheets, or guides as downloadable files and make them into universal formats like PDFs for easy access.
CustomerHub allows you to neatly arrange all your course materials, like videos, PDFs, and worksheets. You can organize your content into sections or modules so learners can find what they need.
4.3 Set Up Course Navigation
You have to divide your course into modules and arrange them in a logical sequence. Use clear titles and descriptions to help learners understand what each module covers.
With CustomerHub, you can create a clear, step-by-step path for your students to follow. If one lesson builds on the previous one, you can set it up so students must finish one lesson before unlocking the next.
Knowing how your students are doing helps you improve your course. CustomerHub also lets you see who has completed lessons, how engaged they are, and where they might be struggling.
4.4 Test the Course Before Launch
Before publishing, test your course from a learner’s perspective. Check for broken links, missing materials, or unclear instructions. Here’s a quick checklist for testing your course:
- Do all videos play without buffering or errors?
- Are downloadable resources easy to access and open?
- Are quizzes and assignments functioning as intended?
- Is the course layout intuitive and easy to navigate?
With CustomerHub, testing your site is simple. Make sure you have at least one live product with a live page, and add that product to a test user’s permissions. Preview the site using the test user to ensure everything works smoothly.
Once you’re satisfied, your course is ready to launch!
Step 5: Promote Your Course
Effective promotion helps your course reach the right audience and builds a strong learner base, all without spending money. You can generate interest and enroll students by using free strategies and tools, such as:
5.1 Maximize Social Media
Social media platforms are a powerful and free way to promote your course. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter) allow you to reach a large audience with minimal effort.
You can share engaging content, such as a short clip from one of your lessons, a behind-the-scenes video, or an infographic related to your topic.
Also, you may join relevant Facebook groups or LinkedIn communities where people discuss topics related to your course. Engage in conversations, answer questions, and naturally mention your course as a resource when appropriate.
Using hashtags like #OnlineLearning, #FreeCourses, or niche-specific tags can also help increase visibility.
5.2 Build a Landing Page
A dedicated course landing page is a powerful way to promote your course and encourage learners to sign up. Many platforms allow you to create a professional and engaging landing page that showcases your course’s benefits and makes enrollment simple.
A good landing page should include:
- A clear and engaging headline, such as "Learn Photography for Free: A Beginner’s Guide to Stunning Shots"
- A brief overview of the course, highlighting what learners will gain
- A list of key modules or topics covered in the course
- A call-to-action (CTA) button, like “Enroll Now for Free!”
Adding visuals, course previews, or feedback from other students can make the page more engaging and build trust with your audience.
CustomerHub integrates with Keap to make your landing page even more effective. When a student signs up, their information automatically flows into Keap’s CRM. You can manage leads, send automated email reminders, and nurture relationships with your audience.
5.3 Use Email Marketing
Email marketing is a direct and personal way to reach potential learners. Start by building an email list, which you can do by offering a free resource related to your course, like an eBook or checklist.
You can send a series of emails to your list:
- Announce your course and explain why it’s valuable.
- Highlight specific lessons or outcomes learners will achieve.
- Send reminders to enroll before spots fill up or lessons start.
5.4 Engage in Online Communities
Online forums and communities like Reddit, Quora, and niche-specific discussion boards are excellent platforms for promoting your course. You can participate in discussions related to your topic and offer helpful advice.
When appropriate, mention your course as a resource. But make sure to be genuine and add value to the conversation rather than overtly advertising your course.
With CustomerHub’s scalable platform, you can link learners back to your course page to provide a seamless experience from discovery to enrollment.
5.5 Collaborate With Others
Offering influencers, bloggers, or experts in your niche free access to your course in exchange for a review or a mention on their platforms can generate valuable exposure and credibility.
With CustomerHub, you can manually add collaborators to your product or create a free tier specifically for partners. You can also use its tools to host webinars or live sessions with collaborators to promote your course and engage with the audience.
5.6 Optimize for Search Engines (SEO)
Search engine optimization helps your course appear in search results when people look for topics you’re teaching. You can use your target keyword, such as "vegan meal prep for beginners," naturally throughout your course description, course landing page, and promotional posts.
CustomerHub makes integrating SEO best practices simple and effective. Its custom domain option gives your course website a professional edge while boosting your SEO rankings.
5.7 Cross-Promote Through Your Content
If you already have a blog, YouTube channel, or podcast, CustomerHub’s integrations make cross-promotion simple. You can link your content directly to your course landing page or embed signup widgets to make enrolling effortless for your audience.
Step 6: Monetize Your Online Course
Creating a course on a platform with free sign-up allows you to focus on building valuable content while keeping your initial costs low.
Creating a course on a platform with free sign-up allows you to focus on building valuable content while keeping your initial costs low. Here’s how you can turn your course into a revenue stream while continuing to deliver value to your learners.
6.1 Offer Certifications
Certifications add credibility to your course and give learners something to showcase. You can charge a small fee for a certificate of completion and make your course more appealing while generating income.
For example, a free digital marketing course could offer a “Certified Digital Marketing Beginner” certificate for $30. Platforms like CustomerHub make it easy to integrate certification into your courses.
6.2 Sell Related Products or Services
Another way to monetize your course is by selling products or services related to the topic. These could be digital products, physical goods, or services you already offer.
Platforms like CustomerHub allow you to integrate e-commerce tools like Stripe for ease of processing payments and managing sales.
6.3 Join Affiliate Marketing
If your course mentions tools, software, or other resources, you can earn a commission by recommending affiliate products. Affiliate marketing works especially well for niche courses where students are likely to invest in tools or resources.
Only recommend products you trust and have personally used, and be transparent with your learners by disclosing affiliate partnerships. You can include affiliate links naturally in your course materials, such as in a lesson or a downloadable guide.
6.4 Create a Membership Program
Memberships offer ongoing value, such as access to additional courses, live Q&A sessions, or an exclusive community of learners. This approach works well for online course creators looking to scale their offerings.
For example, a fitness instructor could offer a free beginner workout course but create a paid membership program with live workout sessions, meal plans, and advanced training.
6.5 Monetize Through Sponsorships
If your first online course gains a large following, you can attract sponsors who are willing to pay for exposure to your audience.
Sponsorships can take many forms, such as including a brand mentioned in your lessons, adding their logo to your materials, or hosting a sponsored giveaway.
6.6 Promote Paid Courses or Services
Once your online course has built trust with your audience, offer an intermediate course at a very affordable price. This could include advanced courses, workshops, or related services you offer.
How CustomerHub Helps You Create Interactive Online Courses
CustomerHub is a powerful platform that helps you create, organize, and deliver online courses with ease. It provides all the tools you need to design a professional course, engage your learners, and track their progress.
Here’s how CustomerHub supports you in building a top-notch course:
Organized Content Management
CustomerHub makes it simple to upload and arrange your course materials. You can organize videos, PDFs, and other resources into clear modules or sections.
It also allows you to hide certain materials or provide teaser content for specific groups of learners. This feature is useful if you want to offer premium resources to advanced students while giving beginners access to foundational lessons.
Step-by-Step Learning Journeys
CustomerHub helps you design structured learning paths that guide students through your course in a logical order. You can enforce prerequisites so learners complete one module before moving to the next.
Stay connected with your learners through CustomerHub’s dedicated customer feed, where you can share updates, answer questions, and foster a sense of community.
Detailed Progress Tracking
Managing course operations can often feel overwhelming, but CustomerHub takes the stress out of the process by automating student progress tracking and email reminders.
CustomerHub provides in-depth reports on course completion rates, engagement levels, and individual learner activity. You can easily spot trends, such as a specific lesson where students frequently drop off and adjust the material to make it clearer or more engaging.
For individual learners, CustomerHub helps you identify who might be falling behind and in need of extra support or encouragement. Combined with automated email reminders, you can seamlessly re-engage students and guide them toward completing their learning journey.
CustomerHub turns potential "tech headaches" into opportunities for growth, which makes it the perfect partner for managing your course and supporting your students.
Automation and Integrations
CustomerHub integrates with thousands of apps and tools, making it easy to automate repetitive tasks. You can automatically send certificates to students who complete your course or trigger email reminders for inactive learners.
It also supports seamless connections with tools like payment systems, CRMs, and email marketing platforms.
Monetization Options
With CustomerHub, you can offer free access to introductory courses or modules to attract a wider audience while monetizing premium features. You can sell advanced modules, exclusive content, or premium resources to generate revenue and provide additional value to your audience.
Stripe integration makes it simple to collect payments and manage sales, and you can grow your revenue as your course gains popularity.
Best of all, CustomerHub supports unlimited users and products, so your course can grow without limits.
Create Structured Courses Without Breaking the Bank With CustomerHub
Ready to turn your ideas into an engaging online course? CustomerHub is the perfect platform to help you create courses that are professional, accessible, and easy to manage.
With features designed to guide you every step of the way, CustomerHub allows you to organize your content, add interactive elements, and deliver a seamless experience for your learners.
With CustomerHub, you can host your videos, PDFs, and worksheets while creating a structured learning path for your students. The platform’s user-friendly interface makes it simple to build step-by-step modules, add quizzes or assignments, and even automate tasks.
Best of all, you can start for free and scale as your course grows, which makes it ideal if you're launching your first online course. You'll also stay supported at every step with CustomerHub’s live chat.
Don’t wait to share your knowledge and start building your audience. CustomerHub makes it easy to design, host, and even monetize your course.
CustomerHub helps you create your course for free! Get your free trial now.
FAQs About How to Create an Online Course For Free
How long should my course be?
The ideal course length depends on the topic, but most successful courses are concise and focused. A short course with 4-5 modules, each containing 2-3 lessons, is a great starting point. Keeping lessons between 5 and 15 minutes ensures your content is engaging and digestible for learners.
How much does it cost to create an online course?
The cost of creating an online course can vary depending on the tools and resources you use. Fortunately, creating a course doesn’t have to break the bank.
If you’re using free tools, the cost to get started can be zero. You can record videos using your smartphone or a basic webcam, design visuals with free tools, and host your course on platforms like CustomerHub, which offers a 14-day free trial.
Can I make an online course for free?
You can create a free online course by using platforms that offer free sign-up and affordable tools. These platforms allow you to design, host, and manage your course with minimal upfront costs. This is an excellent way to start your online business without breaking the bank.
