Want to know how to create an online course that stands out? Figuring out which is the right online course platform to generate passive income for yourself?
If yes, you’re in the right place!
In this article, we’ll get familiar with different ways to create online courses. Then, we’ll explain why using an LMS plugin might be a suitable option and go through detailed steps.
The eLearning world is blooming! You can create and sell your course online with ease.
Doing an online course creation can be a revenue stream to boost your income like never before! How? You can earn a lot for a longer period of time like a pro using the WordPress LMS plugin.
So, let’s get into this article without further ado.
Different Ways to Create Online Courses
There are plenty of different ways for an online course creation. To make it easier, we have selected and elaborated on the top 5 ways.
1. Learning Management System (LMS)
It is really simple and convenient to create an online course using LMS.
Wanna know how? Its flexible nature will enable you to administrate, document, track, report, automate and deliver course topics and training program materials.
As of today, it makes up the largest segment of the eLearning market.
Here are some of the reasons:
- LMS saves your time and is an economic option.
- Enables the learner to prioritize their subject matter and complete it accordingly.
- Deliver content for your online courses in a systematic way with better engagement.
- Tracks progress. Also, it lets you catch up right where you left off and more.
Some of the top LMS that lets you start an online course business are:
These platforms provide their users with a robust suite of monetization tools, seamless communication, better learning outcomes, and more.
2. Video Based Platforms
Video-based platforms enable you to create dynamic and engaging content.
Using this platform, you’ll be able to properly demonstrate your audio and visual elements. You can convey your concept in a unique way which will eventually uplift the learning experience of learners.
This platform is best known for its flexibility, interactivity, accessibility, and more.
Online course creation is super easy. You can simply record while creating a course and post it publicly for your target audience.
You might have seen plenty of successful online courses on video-based platforms that range from 1 min to 15 minutes. However, if your account is verified, you can post videos longer than that with ease!
Some of the most popular video-based platforms are:
Video-based platforms enable monetization options like ads or membership programs. Hence, this platform is very simple, but some users claim that it might have somewhat limited options.
3. Online Course Marketplaces
There are a lot of online course marketplaces where you can sell your course.
It provides online course creators with a readymade audience and marketing support. Along with that, you get the infrastructure to host and deliver your course content.
You need to look in detail for revenue-sharing models, flexibility for pricing, and many other terms and conditions.
We’d suggest you evaluate performance and features to make sure that your online course marketplace fits your goal and teaching style.
Some of the most well-known online course marketplaces are:
4. Webinar Platforms
Webinar platforms enable people to host online events to provide information about your course topic.
It provides you with multiple live-streaming video feeds, interactive polls, private or public chatting, and more.
The best thing about the webinar platform is its ability to support thousands of participants. It has integrated audio connection options for all the attendees.
This approach lets you have real-time conversations which includes Q&A sessions and discussions. You can do live online course creation and deliver them or provide interactive training sessions.
Some of the well-known webinar platforms are:
5. Self-Hosted Websites
You can build your own websites using platforms like WordPress and Drupal.
It enables you to host your website and sell your course using a WordPress plugin or custom development.
While building courses using self-hosted websites, you can have complete control over:
- The structure of the course
- Overall design and layouts
- Functionalities to be provided
You can have full control over your data, privacy, and computing infrastructure. At the same time, you can save your potential cost and improve your skill.
Your online course creation will include a user-friendly interface, a wide range of themes and plugins, flexibility, and will be SEO friendly.
Hence, if you were to take our suggestion, we suggest you create course platforms using self-hosted websites. The reason? You can have full ownership and control over data, design and control, and much more.
Why do Online Course Creation Using LMS Plugin
Whenever we say using an LMS plugin, we intend to use WordPress – A Free and Open-Source Content Management System (CMS).
This CMS enables you to create, customize and manage your website with ease.
With WordPress, you can use plenty of themes, plugins, and add-ons to manage your functionalities.
Moreover, we can say that the online course creation process is easier using an LMS plugin. Wanna know how?
Let’s get started!
- An LMS plugin enables you to cater to many students as per the requirements.
- It provides a centralized platform. So, you can create, manage, organize, and sell your course with ease.
- Delivering course material is really convenient. You can upload multimedia content like videos, presentations, documents, quizzes, etc.
- After selling your online courses you can easily manage student enrollment, progress tracking, communication, and provide feedback.
- Owners can customize or create course layouts, structures, and other elements to align with their online course creation process.
Using an LMS plugin will enable you to enhance student’s learning process in a better way. Similarly, you can provide essential administrative tools to manage and grow your online course.
Masteriyo WordPress LMS Plugin
There are hundreds of LMS plugins available out there on the web. So, why do we suggest using Masteriyo WordPress LMS plugins for an online course creation?
Let’s have a brief introduction and get to know why it could be a suitable choice!
Masteriyo is a revolutionary powerful WordPress LMS plugin that lets you teach anything, anytime from anywhere. It has both free and premium versions.
It is extremely easy to use, both in the backend and front end. Instructors can do an online course creation in just a couple of minutes. Similarly, learners are provided with a fast and easy learning experience.
This plugin enables all the features that are required to provide lively student-teacher interactions. In simple words, it is an all-in-one solution for every LMS requirement!
You can use this plugin to turn your online course platform into a thriving online learning hub.
Top Features of Masteriyo WordPress Plugins
There are numerous advantages to using the Masteriyo plugin. However, we have listed down some of the top features.
- Simple and fast: This plugin will get you up and running in just a minute. Do more in less using its drag & drop course builder. Its distraction-free page will show just what is needed!
- Intuitive and advanced: Do you want to build a cutting-edge website? If yes, use Masteriyo’s powerful tools for structured content, interactive quizzes, and certificates.
- Easy selling options: The plugin has an inbuilt order system that enables selling online courses without using any extra plugins. It offers integration with WooCommerce and supports major payment gateways.
- Seamless integration: You can use Masteriyo’s add-ons collection to extend the plugin’s core feature and create successful online courses.
- Expert support, anytime: Contact through live chat for instant support or submit a support ticket for assistance. Also, you can join its Facebook group for instant updates, expert insights, and friendly support.
How to do an Online Course Creation Using an LMS Plugin?
As we’ve already chosen the right LMS plugin, let’s walk through the step of creating one.
These steps might look lengthy, but they are simple and straightforward!
Step 1: Website Building Prerequisites
To start an online course business you need the following:
1. Web hosting and domain name
You can get domain and web hosting from the same provider for your online course creation. To do so, we recommend using SiteGround Web Hosting.
Domain registrars like Google Domains or Namecheap will let you check the availability of the domain after you finalize it.
Similarly, you can also look for other popular web hosting sites like Cloudways, Hostinger, Kinsta, and GreenGeeks.
While choosing web hosting for your online course creation, make sure that it has multiple plan options. This way you can switch to different plans as per necessity.
2. WordPress
Whenever users ask us, which CMS might be the best option for online course creation, we always suggest using WordPress.
The reason? It has powerful tools to create any kind of feature-packed website. It has become a major part of the internet since 2003.
Not only that, but they also value their users. Due to that reason, the updates are made as per the user’s requirements and market needs.
Some of the above-mentioned web hosting provides WordPress setup options. However, if it doesn’t you can manually install WordPress and get started!
Step 2: Select the Suitable WordPress Theme and Plugin
For an online course creation, we suggest using WordPress eLearning themes and LMS plugins.
If you want to start with a free WordPress theme, you can visit the WordPress repository. Moreover, for premium WordPress themes, visit websites like ThemeGrill and ThemeForest.
Don’t know which LMS WordPress theme to choose? We suggest you use any of these themes: Online Education or Zakra.
Step 3: Install the WordPress Themes and Customize
In this article, we’ll get into detailed steps to install and customize the Online Education WordPress theme.
i. Installing and Activating an Online Education Theme
First, head to Appearance>>Themes. Then, click on the Add New button at the top of the page.
You need to type Online Education in the search box, and it will be displayed on the screen. Finally, click on the Install and Activate button, then you’re done with the installation of this theme onto your website.
ii. Import the Demo and Customize the Theme
To import the demo, go to Appearance>>Demo Importer>>Import.
This theme enables you to make your online course creation process presentable. Wondering how? You can see all the changes before publishing your website with the Live Preview option.
Now, you can customize the pages of your website using WordPress Customizer.
To do so, go to Appearance>>Customize.
As you can see in the left sidebar, you can customize everything. Make changes to Global, Header, Content, Footer, Masteriyo, Menus, Widgets, and more as you want.
After making all the changes, you can click on the Publish button at the top of the page.
This is the end of our third step for creating online courses.
Step 4: Install and Activate Masteriyo LMS Plugin
As we’ve already known about Masteriyo LMS Plugin, let’s go through the installation process.
First, navigate to Plugins>>Add New option from your dashboard.
Search for the Masteriyo WordPress plugin in the search box. Then click on the Install Now button.
After installing the plugin, click on the Activate button.
Step 5: Configure Masteriyo WordPress Plugin Settings
Once your installation and activation are completed, you’ll be directed to the short setup wizard. You’ll be able to see the Welcome page as shown in the screenshot below.
You can simply click on the Start Now button to set up the plugin. If you want to change the settings later, click on Skip to Dashboard button.
In the second step, you’ll land on the Course setting page.
Here you’ll be able to choose Course Per Row and Course Per Page. Then you can hit the Next button.
If you want to change the previous changes you’ve made, you can simply click on the Back button.
On the Quiz page, you can select the number of questions per page.
You can make pages for your online course creation like Course List, Learning, Account, and Checkout through the Pages.
In the Payment tab, choose the Currency and its position as per your requirements. Then, click on the Next button.
Select Publish or Draft option for your Courses Status in the Sample Courses tab. Then click on the Install button.
That’s all! Now you’re all set to get started with online course creation.
Step 6: Create New Courses, Lessons, and Quizzes
After completing your setup, you can either go back to the dashboard or start an online course creation.
To begin with, you need to click on Create a new course button. It takes you to the course builder page where you can add the course content.
1. Online Course Creation
First, add a relevant Course Name. Then write an accurate Course Description to let the learners know the content of your online course.
Add the Course Highlights and Categories accordingly. If you want to add a featured image, click on Add Featured Image option.
When you’ve completed adding all content, click on the Next button at the top right of the page.
Now, you can Add New Sections to your content.
Enter a suitable Section Name and click on Add button.
You can easily Add New Lessons and Quizzes to any section by clicking on Add New Content option.
Similarly, add as many sections as you want by clicking on Add New Section option.
2. Add New Lesson
First, you need to add Lesson Name and Description. Then you can add relevant Featured Images.
Also, you can Add Video lessons by embedding videos from YouTube, Vimeo or uploading a Self-Hosted Video. The self-hosted video can be of 60 MB size at maximum.
3. Add a New Quiz
As we’ve seen before, to add a quiz, click on Add New Content then Add New Quiz.
To create a complete quiz, you’re provided with three setting options: Info, Questions, and Settings.
In the Info tab, add your Quiz Name. Then click on Add New Quiz button.
Similarly, in the Questions tab, click on Add New Questions to add as many questions as you want.
Write your Question Name. Then, you can select your Question Type from three different options: True False, Single Choice, and Multiple Choice.
You can also assign Points for your questions.
The answers will be displayed according to the type of question you choose! If you choose the True False question, the answer option will be either true or false.
Similarly, add an answer manually by clicking the Add New Answer button if you choose Single Choice or Multiple-Choice questions.
Tick the right option to let the learners know what’s the correct answer. When you’re done making all the changes, click on the Update button.
The Settings tab is divided into two parts, General and Display. In the General section, you can set full marks, pass marks, quiz duration, and the number of attempts to answer the quiz.
Likewise, the Display section lets you display quiz questions per page as you need.
You can choose to display Questions Per Page according to global settings or set it individually.
Make sure to click on the Update button to save all your settings.
This is the end of the seventh step of an online course creation!
Step 7: Configure the Payment Settings to Sell Your Course
Masteriyo WordPress LMS plugin provides its users with an inbuilt payment system. This way selling online courses and earning passive income is really easy.
To do that, you need to configure basic payment settings.
First, navigate to Masteriyo>>>Settings. Then click on the Payments tab.
There you can see five different options on the left side of the page. The options include Store, Currency, Standard PayPal, Offline Payment, and Checkout Fields.
In the Store settings, you can add Country, State, City, and Address.
You can make changes to Currency, its position, and other options from the Currency tab just below the Store.
We suggest you enable Standard PayPal. If you do so, you’ll be able to accept payments through PayPal.
In the Standard PayPal tab, you need to add details such as Title, Description, PayPal Email Receiver email, and more.
Masteriyo plugin lets the users use Offline Payment. To use it, you need to enable the option and add details like Title, Description, and Instructions.
From the Checkout Fields, you can enable or disable the provided option as per your online course creation requirements.
After making all the changes, click on the Save Settings button.
Step 8: Publish Your Courses Online
Once you add all the courses, lessons, and quizzes and make the necessary changes, it is all set to be live.
To do so, go to Masteriyo>>Courses on the left side of the page. Then click on the course that you’ve just created.
If you are in doubt, we suggest you Preview your course. This way you’ll get to know what your course will look like in the front end.
Moreover, if you feel everything is good, simply click on the Publish button.
Following this detailed step-by-step guide will definitely help you do online course creation in the best way.
Conclusion
Creating an online course using an LMS plugin is the best option available out there!
You might wonder how? LMS plugins like Masteriyo enable its users to automate and deliver course topics and training program materials with ease.
The entire process of an online course creation might seem lengthy. But these detailed steps are simple to understand and follow.
If you want our suggestion, we recommend you try Masteriyo WordPress LMS Plugin. This complete LMS plugin has everything you need to stand out for your business.
Moreover, you also need a theme. For that, we’d suggest you try the Online Education theme. The reason? It is compatible with all LMS plugins and is easy to use! Also, go through Zakra as it can also be a suitable premium WordPress theme.
Do you want to gain detailed knowledge on SaaS LMS vs. Hosted LMS? No worries we’ve got your back with a detailed article.
Have you ever done an online course creation? What do you think of using an LMS plugin to create or sell your courses online?
Tell us your story below!
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