If you want to create an online course, you cannot just sell information in it.

In the world, information is easily accessible to the majority of us. Don’t know how to jump-start a car? Simply "google" it or find a YouTube video tutorial. It’ll take you a minute or two to find out exactly what you need to know. So, you can’t just sell information anymore with all of this freely available information.

You can collect/compile  information that saves people time; however, this isn’t a course--it's just an information product. Information products are products containing knowledge and are usually sold digitally. But that's not an online course. Any course that purely provides on-screen text and downloadable ebooks or white papers is not going to be engaging and may be perceived as having low value. When a course only provides information, it may as well be a book because the experience will be exactly the same as reading a book.

There are always exceptions but, when it comes to courses, we can’t just sell information (as a rule). Because that’s not how people learn. People need to consume the same information in a variety of different ways to be able to learn. A course that has video content and a place for people to get answers to their questions is likely to be a lot more engaging and can be offered at a higher price. People will pay more for a variety of content formats and the access to support when they need it.

So, what’s the easiest way to take an information product and turn it into an engaging and effective online course? Add the personal touch. People need to know they will be supported when taking an online course. Knowing they can reach out to someone if they don’t understand something or have a problem is important.

Following are 5 ways to add personal interaction to your course:

1. Let them know how they can get in touch for help as soon as they sign up.
2. Show up for live Q&A sessions (held either weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly).
3. Provide a forum for personal interaction with you and fellow course participants.
4. Be present via regular emails and announcements to your course participants.
5. Record and share quick videos clearing up any misunderstandings about topics/assignments.

When you are present and engaged in your course, your course participants are more likely to be also.

So, what do you think? Do you agree that courses cannot just sell information?