Content strategy for an online training course
The purpose of this article is to summarize my learning for my MA thesis at FH Joanneum, Content Strategy program.
Where does your course fit into the market?
You have a great idea for an online course, but it is important to consider the market first. There are already hundreds of thousands of courses, and this number will only increase in the future as more people recognize that they can make money with their knowledge by creating courses.
Before you create your course, you should do a search on the platform you want to use (e.g., Udemy, Thinkific) to see what other courses are out there and how far down the list yours would be if someone searched for it. If your course doesn’t fit into a niche, or if it seems very similar to others that are already out there, then you may want to alter your course.
One way to find a niche is to look at popular topics that haven’t been explored much in-depth yet. This can give you an opportunity to create a high-value course for students who are interested in learning about that topic without having much choice right now.
Another way to find a niche is by seeing what people have requested information about and filling gaps where there is high demand but little supply available currently (more info on finding gaps below).
In either case, remember that there is always room in the market for good content — you just need to make sure yours stands out!
Who is your audience?
It’s important to understand the people for whom you’re creating the course. Information like their location, age, education level, and what they want or need to know will help you determine where to begin and how in-depth to get with your content. What are they already knowledgeable about? What would they consider themselves beginners at? Would they prefer a series of short videos that gets straight to the point, or a more thorough online course that presents lots of different information? Make sure you have a clear understanding of who your audience is before making any final decisions regarding format or length.
What kind of learning formats work best for your audience?
Choosing the right format, or combination of formats, to deliver your training course can be a difficult decision. In this section, we’ll help you find the best options for your brand and audience.
First off, online video is generally a very popular learning format. The majority of people prefer watching videos to reading. However, it’s not always the best option for learners who like to read (or write) more than watch videos. In addition, this kind of content tends to have shorter shelf life; content that is created specifically for online video will quickly become outdated as technology advances and trends change.
In order to choose the best learning formats for your training course, consider the following: What type of learner is your audience? If you’re not sure, ask them directly! Brainstorming sessions with either existing customers or audiences who fit your desired customer profile can help you understand how they prefer to receive information and which learning formats they like most.
Once you’ve determined what kind of learner makes up your target audience(s), think about which formats would be most effective in helping them learn. A few common options include:
- Interactive activities (activities on computer or mobile devices that require clicks/taps)
- Blogs
- Podcasts
How will you fill the gaps in knowledge for novices?
- As you are creating the content for your training course, make sure that you cover all of the basic concepts that a novice would need to know.
- As you are creating the content for your training course, include a glossary of terms and definitions that your students should know.
- Make sure to provide supplementary materials or reading lists where students can go to continue their learning if they desire.
- Throughout your training course, be sure to work examples into lessons so that learners can see how the concepts apply in real life situations.
- Test for knowledge gaps at appropriate points throughout your online training course using quizzes or exams.
How will you keep advanced learners engaged?
More advanced learners can use the built-in features of most course platforms to interact with their fellow students and instructors. Here are some ways that more advanced learners can stay engaged:
- Work with an instructor or mentor.
- Create a community of learners. Allowing participants to create groups, participate in forums, and send messages allows for peer learning and collaboration
- Use advanced features of the course platform such as videos, flashcards, and quizzes
How will you create opportunities for application of newly acquired knowledge?
One of the best ways to boost learning is to create opportunities for learners to apply newly acquired knowledge in practical situations. In fact, recent research shows that this simple technique can improve performance and retention by more than 100%!
So how do you create opportunities for application? Here are some tips:
- Make sure that your course includes activities where learners apply concepts in a safe, low-stakes environment. Try asking them to make predictions and draw conclusions — these techniques help them use what they’ve learned instead of just memorizing facts.
- Encourage learners to immediately apply new knowledge or skills on the job. For example, if you’re teaching a sales course, ask participants to role-play a common customer interaction within 24 hours of finishing the training. This will help them solidify their new knowledge and give you an opportunity for coaching and feedback as well.
- Before launching your program, make sure that participants have everything they need to succeed. If a learner doesn’t have access to tools or resources necessary for applying new skills on the job, his or her confidence may suffer — and with it, motivation and performance
How will you ensure success by making sure learners have what they need to succeed in your course and beyond?
You need to know what your learners need. This is a simple, but important point. You should also make sure you know what they don’t need — what won’t help them reach their goals or align with the goals of your project. Your learning objectives should answer this question clearly.
Next, you want to think about what they will need to succeed in your course. What type of equipment do they need? What type of content? Will there be prerequisites for this course?
Finally, you want to think about how you can best prepare your learners for success beyond your course. Are there additional resources that would help them solidify the skills they’ve learned in your training? Are there other gaps that they may have that could limit their effectiveness at work once the training is over and it’s time to apply their new knowledge and skills?
Content strategy is a must when planning any type of online course.
Content strategy is a must when planning any type of online course. We often see instructors or course designers who come up with a concept for an online course, then start creating the content before they have fully defined the scope and goals of the project.
What does this mean? It means that without a content strategy, you may not have enough information to truly plan out your online course. Without knowing exactly what you want to get out of your online course (learning objectives), and how your target audience will learn best (target audience analysis), you could be missing out on important details that will make the difference between a good course and an exceptional one.
Reflective posts by my colleagues:
Rosa- Studying during the pandemic: Say goodbye to Graz | by Rosa Winkler-Hermaden | Jun, 2022 | Medium
