It’s no secret that creating an online course is great way to build passive income. But which software do you need to successfully create your online course?
Unlike in-person trainings where you’ll pay for event space, tech setup, snacks, and your time, online courses cost much less with higher revenue potential. However, there are essential software that you’ll need to create, market, and sell your online course effectively.
This article explores 6 essential software for creating online courses easily and efficiently.
Microsoft Word
Before you create your course, having a clear outline developed can provide clarity about what you’ll include in your course and how you’ll structure it. Your outline is essentially your course development roadmap so you’ll need software that makes creating an outline simple.
To create online course outlines, I use Microsoft Word. Although you could use any word processing software, Microsoft Word is versatile and can be used across multiple devices. With Microsoft Word you can easily format your course ideas into modules and lessons.
When I’m creating online course outlines, because my ideas are never linear, I often copy and (re)paste my course ideas from one lesson to another as I work out my course structure. It would be near impossible for me to plan my ideas and structure my course any other way. Which is why I use Microsoft Word to create my outlines.
Check out Microsoft Word by Clicking Here.
Canva
Many online course creators will opt for a presentation-type course. For creating appealing online course presentations, Canva is a must-have tool. With Canva’s large library of images and elements to choose from you can make a professionally designed presentation easily. With Canva’s free plan you have an array of features. But when you pay for the Canva Pro plan you gain access to thousands of additional images and a library of premade templates. So if design is not your strong-suit no sweat you can just choose a beautifully designed pre-made presentation template.
Canva is also a great tool for marketing your online course. Whether you’re designing your online course banner or creating social media posts, you can build your online course marketing assets with just a few clicks right inside Canva.
Check out Canva by Clicking Here.
Descript
Next, you’ll record and edit your online course so you’ll need an all-in-one video editing software to record and edit your online course lessons. Descript is the perfect software to do this!
When your course participants purchase your online course, they expect to receive a clear and crisp video experience so having the right software is important. Descript allows you to record and edit video (or audio) content right inside the platform.
Another feature that makes Descript stand out among other products on the market is that it has the capability to transcribe your recordings so you can have a complete transcription of each lesson for your participants. When I launched my first online course, I had several course participants ask for pre-written notes or transcriptions. Transcriptions enhanced the value of my online course and participants experience as they worked through it. And more value means more money.
Honestly, there are not many recording software out there that can record, edit and transcribe like Descript does. So, it’s definitely a must-have for course creation, especially if you want to easily transcribe your lessons for participants.
Check out Descript by Clicking Here.
Kajabi
The most essential software for creating online courses is an all-in-one platform that hosts your course. A good online course software is one that sells your course directly through its platform and sends automated emails with course instructions to new participants so you don’t have too. My favourite course hosting platform is Kajabi.
Kajabi is an all-in-one online business platform that hosts your online courses, memberships, podcast or online coaching; it has built-in sales pages for payment processing; can host your website and/or landing pages; and is an email marketing provider. Kajabi is basically a business in a box (or should I say software). Without a course hosting platform you simply cannot sell an online course.
Check out Kajabi by Clicking Here and receive a free 30-day trial.
Online Legal Essentials Legal Templates
Next, you’ll need to have legal templates for your course landing page and website. Okay, so this might not be a software per se, but it is a requirement if you intend to sell any online course. Something that many course creators overlook is having the proper legal notices and agreements for current and potential participants. Legal templates can protect your course from copyright issues, disputes over payments or refunds and permissions for others contributions to your course. There are a few legal notices and agreements you may want to consider such as:
- Online course agreements to post on your course platform
- Consent release forms other people are contributing to your online course or you intend to use others testimonials from past course participants
- Affiliate program agreements if you intend to create an affiliate program to help sell your course
But where do you get these types of notices and agreements?
The best place is through a lawyer. But some people skip this step because they of the cost. Fortunately, you don’t have to pay thousands on thousands of dollars to hire a lawyer to draft your course agreements for you, you can simply buy already made legally-drafted templates from such as those sold by Online Legal Essentials.
Online Legal Essentials sells affordable legally-drafted online course legal templates for course creators. The legal templates are created by Corinne Boudreau, a Nova Scotia lawyer, and includes everything you need to be legally compliant and to protect your course. Online Legal Essentials offers two packages for course creators: the Canadian Coaching and Course Creator Package, if you want to add coaching elements to your online course. Or the Canadian Course Creator Package which is designed for online courses without coaching.
Check out Online Legal Essentials Canadian Coaching and Course Creator Package or the Canadian Course Creator Package by Clicking Here.
Interact Quiz Maker
The final (and optional) software is Interact Quiz Maker so that you can create a captivating quiz lead magnet that quickly builds your email list. Quizzes are one of the best lead magnets out there and I know because I have two. Quizzes work so well because everyone likes to take a free quiz that reflects themselves and their situation. So having a quiz that aligns with your online course can help you grow your email list faster so when you sell your course it’s a money-maker.
Although, you can build your email list with any number of lead magnets, it usually takes only one quiz to make a huge shift in list growth. My quizzes bring in more email subscribers than any other of my lead magnets combined. So, if you want to expedite your email growth and your course sales, building an aligned quiz with Interact Quiz Maker may just be the answer.
Check out Interact Quiz Maker by Clicking Here.
Want to learn more about Interact Quiz Maker?
Check out Lead Magnet Quiz Software: An Interact Quiz Maker Review.
Conclusion
Essentially, creating successful online courses starts with having the right software that can host, automate and sell your online course. Whether you’re at the beginning stages creating your course outline or you’re ready to get your course out in the world, there’s a software that can help you. These 6 software were game-changers for me. Why not try these software for creating online courses?
Disclaimer
Any links, referrals or promotional codes listed in this article may be affiliate links where Evaspare Inc. may receive monetary compensation, at no extra cost you, when you click or use links or promotional codes.