Choosing your course topic is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, and one of the easiest to get wrong. There’s a lot of hype around online courses. The reality is that unless you have genuine expertise and real enthusiasm for your topic, you’ll struggle to make money.
This guide gives you six steps to find a topic that fits your expertise and meets real demand. Follow them and you’re far less likely to spend months building something nobody wants.
1. Identify your area of expertise
A good course needs more than knowledge. It needs expertise, and enough enthusiasm to keep you going. Start by listing where you already have both.
Begin with your professional experience. What have you achieved that could help others? What has your career taught you? What do people ask your advice on? If you’re regularly pulled into impromptu coaching over a coffee, that’s a good place to start.
Hobbies and interests count too. Teaching something you love is one of the best ways to deepen your own mastery, because reflecting, creating and getting feedback from learners all raise your level.
2. Assess market demand
Before you commit to a topic, check that enough people want it. Market research shows you what’s popular, what’s missing and what your audience is asking for.
Course marketplaces and keywords
Browse marketplaces such as Udemy, FutureLearn and Coursera to see which topics are popular and where there are gaps. Then use keyword tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Semrush or Ahrefs to see what people search for. Plenty of searches for terms related to your idea suggest real interest.
Social media and online groups
Join Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups and forums in your subject. Look for popular discussions, repeated questions and needs nobody is meeting. Be careful, though. The loudest voices in a group rarely represent the majority, so use groups to find the right people, then ask those people directly. Being active in these groups also builds relationships and shows your expertise.
3. Define your target audience
Knowing who you’re teaching helps you choose a topic that connects with them. Start with their role, their experience level and what they want to achieve. Add details such as age only if they change how you teach or sell. Our guide to defining your ideal learner shows how.
Goals and challenges
Find out what your audience is trying to achieve and what’s getting in their way. A course that helps them reach a goal or solve a problem is far more likely to attract sign-ups. Focus on practical solutions they can use in daily life or work.
Learning approaches
Think about how your audience wants to learn. Some prefer video, others reading or audio. Don’t confuse this with “learning styles”, the idea that each person learns best in one style. It has little research support, although you’ll still see it shared on social media. A mix of formats keeps a course engaging and easy to follow.
4. Evaluate the competition
Knowing what competitors offer helps you stand out. List the courses teaching similar topics, then look closely at how they organise their content, how deep they go and how good the quality is. Read their reviews and testimonials too. What learners liked and didn’t like shows you where you can do better.
5. Test your topic
Before you commit, check the idea with real people: potential learners and others in your industry.
Surveys, polls and pre-sales
A short survey or poll asks your audience whether they’re interested and why. A discounted pre-sale goes further, because it shows who will actually pay, and early buyers can give feedback that improves the course. Be open that the course is still being built. Our guide to validating demand has methods for every budget.
Social media and online communities
Share your idea in the communities you’ve joined, and join the discussion. Ask what people want from a course like yours.
6. Narrow your focus
After your research and feedback, narrow your topic.
Be specific
Pick a particular niche or aspect rather than a broad subject. A narrow course addresses a specific need and is easier to market.
Think about growth
Choose a topic that can grow into more courses or modules later, so you can add to your offer as your audience’s needs change.
Care about it
Make sure you’re passionate and knowledgeable about the topic. A strong personal connection shows in your content and makes the course more authentic.
Choosing the right course idea
Work through the six steps: identify your expertise, assess demand, define your audience, evaluate the competition, test your idea and narrow your focus. It’s a lot of work, but the alternative is building a course that nobody wants.
Need a little help?
If you’d like a second opinion on your topic, we’re happy to talk it through. Book a free 45-minute call.
