How can you prevent your online course from becoming obsolete?

One of the biggest challenges most Producers face is being able to have a complete online course that’s always necessary for people’s lives. And this is not something to be taken lightly. After all, no one wants to create content that is going to become obsolete in time.

The world, and especially the job market, has been changing faster and faster, and this is even more perceptible when we talk about the digital world.

Have you already noticed how technology has been constantly changing? If you buy a mobile device today, it is very likely it will be considered outdated in a month’s time.

But don’t go thinking this is a problem for physical products only. It’s possible there are online courses that go through similar problems. And this happens because there are competitive niches in the market, which are constantly explored by different people. (We’ve even written a post on how to innovate in a saturated niche, which you can read to understand that it is possible to stand out in an already very explored market.)

So, is coming up with new areas of expertise the secret for when we notice that our products are behind the newest ones in the market?

Don’t panic! You can still create content about what you know best. What you need to do is to come up with some things that can prevent your online course from becoming obsolete.

And today’s post is all about this! Here, we’ll show you 9 tips that will help you keep your product always updated:

1. Never stop studying;
2. Update your content whenever necessary;
3. Keep an eye on the competition;
4. Analyze the criticism;
5. Take your student’s experience into consideration;
6. Invest in training and events;
7. Work in a cooperative way;
8. Learn to adapt;
9. Plan your future.

At the end of this text, we’re sure you’ll do whatever is necessary to keep your online course as updated as possible. Let’s?

1. Never stop studying

Before you decide the theme of your online course, you have certainly researched a lot about it first, or you were even an authority on the topic. Regardless of the path you’ve taken, you’ve studied a lot to be able to create all your material.  

After the course was created and sold, many people believe the work is done. However, if you have engaged students and an audience that reads your blog, for example, you always need to study not to be left behind.

When you have a faithful audience, it’s likely they have questions and want to clear them with you. That’s why you should never stop seeking knowledge. And, the more information you have, the better you can assist people who are looking for solutions on your website or product.

2. Update your content whenever necessary

The second tip to avoid that your online course becomes obsolete is connected to the first one. The more you study, the more you learn thus being able to notice loopholes in your content that you didn’t see before.

So, don’t be afraid to make small changes whenever necessary. You need to make available to your students the best product possible. By doing so, besides helping them come up with a solution, you’ll also be improving their experiences with your course thus becoming your brand ambassadors and recommending your online course to other people.

3. Keep an eye on the competition

Even if your online course is considered the best in your niche, it’s always good to keep an eye on the competition. When you have a clear idea of other people in your market are doing, you’re able to come up with the best strategies to get a head start and stand out.

Besides, different people create different products. When you see another course in your market with critical eyes and not Producer eyes, you’re able to see what sets it apart from yours. This can be one way of finding some details you can improve on your online course.

4. Analyze the criticism

You know it’s impossible to please everyone with the same content. When we think of online courses, this is also true. For this reason, it’s guaranteed that you’ll be criticized along your journey as a Producer.

Sure that some criticism should not be taken into consideration, especially the ones that target your personal life. What you need to do for your online course not to become obsolete is analyze all feedback you’ve received and use what is constructive. Having that in mind, think of ways to improve what people pointed out.

5. Take your student’s experience into consideration

In a world so technology-prone like the one we’re living in, “empathy” is the go-to word if you want to stand out. This means that you should always put yourself in someone else’s shoes, who, in your online course, is your student. Therefore, you understand what the person is possibly feeling and, from that, you can propose changes in your product to improve your user’s experience.

To ensure your course is never outdated, always worry about the student’s usability:

• Is the distance learning platform chosen to host your online course ideal for your users?
• Do students find answers easily whenever they have a question?
• Did you use a responsive design?
• Is it easy to access your lessons?

Other than these questions, think of different ones you can ask to ensure you’re doing the best you can so that your user has a good experience.

6. Invest in training and events

Do you know when people tell you how important it is to have daily doses of encouragement? Training and events in your area of expertise can be great for that.

There are different options for people in the digital marketing and you shouldn’t miss them.  When you attend events, you end up meeting people who are in the same market as you. With it, you can have new ideas for your online course, besides getting in contact with people who might become your partners in the future (we’ll talk more about partnership in the next topic.)

Always keep an eye for training and events around you and don’t be afraid to invest in some of them. Choose those you find that are interesting to your business.

7. Work in a cooperative way

As we said in the previous topic, getting to know new people is always a good thing. But more than knowing them, it’s important to try to establish some partnerships.

Of course that, if you want, you can work alone. However, if you have people who support you and give you different ideas, it is possible that you can update your online course whenever necessary.

8. Learn to adapt

In the beginning of this post, we talked about how the world has been changing fast, especially when it comes to technology. The way to follow these changes is to learn to adapt when necessary.

Keep in mind that not only will you open up new opportunities for yourself, but also face new challenges, and it is your duty to be able to complete them. So, learn to adjust how you create or promote your online course whenever you feel you have to.

A good example of how you can adapt is thinking of a market beyond your own country. If you have a product that is working well in your country, you can research to see if it also works well in a different market, like Latin America, for example, so, why not translating your product to Spanish?

Try not to limit your horizons! But be careful not to lose focus and try to take on more than you are able.

9. Plan your future

To conclude, our last tips to help you prevent your online course from becoming obsolete concerns you.

Who are you now and who do you want to be in 5 years time, for example?

What are the goals of your online course now and what goals do you wish to reach later on?

Will your course be useful for someone who buys it 10 months from now?

Thinking about the future, whether near or far, is essential to understand what you need to do so your product doesn’t get outdated. Think of the actions you need to take so that people still look for your course in the years to come.

As you can tell, it’s possible to create an online course and prevent it from becoming obsolete. From here on now, think about these tips and put them in practice so that your product is always a good reference in the market.

Do you have any questions? Leave your comment and take advantage to share this post on your social media. See you!