Host Your Own Course On Your Own Platform Or Use Udemy?

Over the years we have seen a massive increase in online learning and platforms like Udemy – Teachable – skill share to name but a few, Udemy is one of the world’s leaders when it comes to courses online for sure.

My Journey.
So I set off on my mission my journey my goal, I wanted to be an instructor, I wanted to share with the world my knowledge, and on the back of that possibly get paid for doing so! (smiley face), which let’s be frank, is a nice perk for all your hard work you put into creating a killer course right?.

I created my first killer course, “How To Rank Videos On Google Web And YouTube”, and within just 7 days I had 5 students, I was so excited, I had students, what a great feeling!, I have 100 students from all over the globe today and I have helped them with their video marketing needs, I charged $97 for my course, but really only ever sold it for around $30, Udemy did most of the promotion and affiliate sales so after all that it was like $10 per sale, I actually got a student and got paid $3 (What $3!!) I no unbelievable right?!, and because they are a student for life they can ask questions and hound you down for every last piece of information you have to give, sometimes they actually want you to do it for them, which is totally cool, but $3! really come on.

I have probably helped students at least 3-4 hours of my time that’s like 50 cent per hour! 🙁

So I spat my dummy, and decided to host my own site and members area, I built my own membership site using optimise press, I then went and registered with Jvzoo (Jvzoo is a platform that will handle payments and also you can get affiliates to promote your stuff), I got video hosting, I got graphics, I got hosting and so on…

Do you have any idea how much I spent? $500! Yep, $500!

So, I was ready, lets go, I set a launch date, I hustled to get some affiliates to help me promote my courses (I paid 50% to my affiliates) the first few days I made some sales which was amazing, I thought what a great move, I have my own site my own platform, I get all the commissions unless, from an affiliate sale, I was set, I was ready to take on the world.

Then I had a problem with Jvzoo and the delivery of the content after purchase, which I had to sort ASAP, I lost sales because of this, what a nightmare! After a day or two problem was solved.
Now I need to get more sales, so I did more blogging I did more YouTube, I did more social media, I ran retargeting campaigns, I ran some solo adds, and made more sales, GREAT!

But I was working my ASS” off to get there, 12 hour days to make a sale, I forgot about what I actually started this for, you see I love to teach, I love helping people, I have loads of knowledge in the online world and wanted to help as many people as possible but am bogged down with the marketing, and sorting tech stuff out.

You see the thing with Jvzoo and Click bank, people are becoming more familiar with the process, they no if they buy your course they then are on your list, they know that after the front end purchase they get up-sold 90% of the time an OTO, (up-sell of some other shiny object) so they just don’t buy this stuff any more, sure some people do really well with tools and software but overall it’s pretty hard work whatever your niche!

Udemy Retargeting Or Doing It On Your Own?”
Have you ever clicked on a course on Udemy and then that course follows you around the internet until you buy it?! (freaky right??!)

Well, that’s retargeting and paid for by Udemy, so they know that the buyer is interested in your course so they cookie them to then follow them around until they buy it. Guess what, when that buyer then buys the course, Udemy gets there cut, good business right? Well hell yeah, have you ever tried to set this up on your own? It’s hard work and can cost you plenty to do split testing and media buying.

I was so tied up looking at my own platform and hustling my way to get more students, I forgot about my course on Udemy, so I went back to my dashboard and could not believe it! I had more students in Udemy than I had spent that week hustling 50 hours! And I did not do a thing to promote my course on Udemy, nothing! diddle squat!

Am happy I built my own platform and it’s always good to have other options and streams of income, but honestly stick to Udemy as a platform to teach, the time running your own marketing campaigns you will be lucky if you break even, and if you think about it, you could of put another course out and banked $$”

So $3? or Break even?
So what am getting at here, my point is, Udemy is freaking awesome, and if your thinking of going it alone because you are not happy with Udemy price setting or the fact you only make $3 for a student sometimes? Think again my friend, you have got a costly journey ahead of you, I am a very experienced marketer and I can tell you that if your sole purpose is to teach then do nothing but that, and let platforms like Udemy handle the heavy lifting.

My goals
I will have my third course live by the end of July, and have 20 courses in the next 12 months, I started Udemy November 2016 and wish I had worked harder and not doubted by moving to my own platform.

Peace Love and Chips people.