There are so many online course creation scams out there on the internet, promising you that you can make thousands, tens of thousands, and even millions of dollars seemingly overnight. Scams like these prey upon vulnerable people in a life situation where they feel like they have nothing to lose. This article has been brewing inside me for a while now and I am here for it.
But really, these scams are designed for one purpose and one purpose only: your money.
The online course creation scam is one of the most common business and marketing scams out there. It’s a variation on the “get rich quick” scheme that has been around for many years. And like all get-rich-quick schemes, it promises you everything: instant results with little or no work required.
I’ve noticed a trend over the past several years of internet gurus promising you riches with online courses in 2 different ways:
- Take their online course teaching you how to make millions through drop shipping, selling stuff on Amazon, investing in cryptocurrency, etc. They tell you that you can make millions by using their system and taking advantage of the internet boom. They promise to show you how to do this without prior experience or expertise in the area. All you need to pay them is a couple of hundred bucks (or more) for their course materials, and then you can get started. I am sure some of these gurus have legitimate things to teach you. But if they made millions doing the thing they’re teaching you to do, why aren’t they doing THAT THING and keep making more millions? Why? Because it’s more lucrative selling you that dream.
- The second scam I see the internet gurus selling to people is the one I am determined to expose. These are people who are outstanding marketers claiming they can teach you how to develop your online course so that you can make MILLIONS. They know how to make well-produced YouTube videos, eloquent sales funnels, and how to tug at your FOMO string (fear of missing out.) I can’t stand by anymore and watch some of these things happen, and so many people are scammed out of their hard-earned money.
The second point here is what I am focusing on in this article and avoiding online course creation scams. Now, don’t get me wrong. Some legitimate people teach others how to take their knowledge and create an online course from it. They have experience and formal education in education, course development, and teaching. And they take their profession very seriously to help you learn how to serve your students well and give them the transformation they desire.
There is an art and science to teaching and course development, also known as Curriculum and Instruction. But we’ll get more into that later. I am hoping with my blog that I can help you navigate this world and make the best decision for you, your clients, and your current and future students.
Let’s break down some of the common online course creation scams you might encounter.
Online courses that promise you can make thousands of dollars overnight without lifting a finger.
Legitimate educators will never make such promises; they will provide information and help you set realistic expectations.
These are the worst scams because they prey on people’s vulnerabilities. When times are tough, people are looking for legitimate ways to earn extra income. Parents are looking for ways to earn an income online to have more flexibility with their families. Coaches realize that there are only so many hours in the day and get burned out. Speakers get sick of traveling and being away from their families and want to find a way to reach more people over the internet.
Don’t get me wrong. It can 100% be done. But most of the people teaching it are just REALLY GOOD marketers, not curriculum and instruction professionals. Heck, I think those are the people you should look to learn how to market yourself online. I’ve learned a ton about internet marketing from those types of internet gurus.
Online courses are not an overnight phenomenon and require a lot of work to be truly successful. There is no such thing as passive income regarding online education and online course creation scams try to sell you on that. If someone is teaching you how to take your coaching program, presentation, or expertise and create an online course from it the proper way, you will be putting a TON of work into your course. Your students still need access to you to get their questions answered and receive feedback. You are the expert. You can’t outsource your knowledge. You CAN outsource video editing, creating graphics for social media, and other administrative tasks. But if you are a coach, consultant, educator, expert, or speaker, people want access to YOU. This is not passive income.
Online Course Creation Scams from Unqualified “Gurus”
It drives me nuts when I see people who have figured out how to amass a large social media or YouTube following say they can teach you how to create your online course. My problem is that when you don’t have enough background on a topic yourself, it’s hard to discern whether or not someone truly is a curriculum and instruction professional or an excellent marketer (or both!)
It’s not that they are bad people. I’m sure they have some excellent information to share. And there are some marketers out there who know how to create an excellent course. But if you’re looking for someone to help you develop a course from scratch, make sure they have the proper education and experience in teaching and course development, not just the ability to make a well-produced YouTube video!
So if you’re interested in creating your online course and you want to learn from someone, what is it that you should look for?
Look for someone who has formal education in Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Teaching, e-Learning, Educational Leadership, or something similar. This person will have taken undergraduate or graduate-level classes on developing courses, designing learning experiences, assessing student learning, implementing different instructional techniques, and evaluating the effectiveness of courses and programs.
Check to see what their experience and credentials are in curriculum and instruction. They should have a degree in education, learning, teaching, educational leadership, or a very closely-related field. MAKING MILLIONS off online course sales is not the type of experience you should be looking for. MAKING MILLIONS means they’re either lying or an outstanding marketer.
Look for someone who has worked in the education field or online learning as either an instructor, instructional designer, curriculum developer, educational leader, learning and development professional, or a combination thereof. They know the ins and outs of online education and can help you avoid common mistakes that lead to student frustration and dropping out of your course.
Education in curriculum and instruction, teaching, e-learning, educational leadership, or similar gives someone the theory of learning. Practical experience in an academic setting provides someone the wisdom to apply the theory and know what works in practice and what doesn’t in various situations.
They should also have experience aligning curriculum to adult education frameworks, instructional design models, and course development best practices. These are the people who have spent their careers figuring out how to help students learn effectively in various contexts and situations. They can teach you what works (and what doesn’t).
Look for someone who is an active educator. Online learning is constantly changing, so education technology and platforms are continually evolving. It would help if you had someone who understands how students learn today and how they want to learn. They should also be up-to-date on the latest tools and technologies for online education. They should be active participants in educators and ed-tech professional learning networks. Online courses about creating online courses are acceptable. Still, you’ll want an education coach who has direct experience as an instructor and curriculum developer to ensure that your course is developed in the most effective way possible.
Look for someone who has a proven track record of helping others create successful online courses that have people enrolling, graduating, and raving about the program. Online education is not just making videos and throwing them up on Teachable or Thinkific. This person may be working (or have worked) with an academic institution, primary or secondary school, continuing education provider, or other education-based business. Education professionals who have helped create successful online courses know what it takes to develop an engaging, informative course, and leads to student success. Online education takes time, planning & preparation to make sure students receive the best learning experience possible. You want to work with someone who’s done this before.
Look for someone passionate about learning. Online educators are constantly learning and trying new things in their courses. They should be excited about the latest tools, technologies, trends, and evidence-based research in online education and adult education and be able to share that excitement with you.
Look for someone who will teach you the curriculum design process, not outsource writing a video script. Many people out there copy information off the internet, create some very well-produced videos that look very professional, and tell you that they can teach you how to do the same thing. If they are teaching you to outsource writing a script, then you record the video, RUN, and bring your wallet with you. Online education is not an automated process. Online education takes a lot of planning and preparation to ensure that the content is engaging, informative, and successful. If someone tries to tell you otherwise or sell you on their copy/paste formula, they set you up for failure. Online learning isn’t just “stick your PowerPoint slides online and go.
Look for someone who advocates for selling your course once the curriculum is complete. One of the things that people do when creating an online course is to pre-sell it. They make a landing page, a video sales letter and start collecting email addresses from people interested in taking their course. This can be an effective way to determine whether or not there is a market for your course. But there are more effective ways to determine if there is a market for your online course.
Why would you pre-sell a course that puts the pressure on you to get your course completed by a specific deadline? Are you willing to put out crap content to meet your deadline? I hope not.
Look for someone who doesn’t promise that developing an online course is passive income. No course should be entirely passive. Your students should have access to the instructor (you) through office hours, in the learning management system, or other means to ask questions and receive feedback about how you’re progressing through the course.
Online course creation scams are everywhere. Online educators who have created successful online courses know that this process requires careful planning to ensure your content engages learners and provides them with the knowledge they need to be successful and have the transformation they desire. The bottom line? Online education isn’t easy; if someone tries to tell you otherwise, don’t buy what they’re selling! If you’re interested in taking your knowledge, coaching program, speaking content, or book and transforming it to an effective and engaging online course, look for an experienced educator to work with you to help you learn how to design, develop, and launch your course.
Are you looking to create an online course but don’t know where to start?
Creating an online course can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right help and advice, you can create a course that engages your learners and provides them with the knowledge they need to be successful.
An experienced educator can help you take your content and transform it into an effective and engaging online course. With their help, you’ll avoid the common mistakes made by online educators and create a course that is both successful and enjoyable for your learners.
It is my intent with this website to help people who want to create an online teaching business learn how to do it the right way. Online course creation is more than just putting together a powerpoint and recording a voice over.
If you’d like to discuss more, please contact Dr. Monthie here.
