So, how long does it take to create an online course? As you can see, there’s no easy answer to that question! It largely depends on the scope and complexity of the project, as well as your own individual needs and preferences. However, with a little bit of planning and forethought, you can create a course that meets your needs and helps you achieve your online course goals.
One of the main factors that will affect how long it takes to create an online course is how complex your course may be.
If you’re creating a course with a lot of multimedia elements or interactive components, it will naturally take longer to put together than a course that consists mainly of text-based lessons.
Typically you can expect to take anywhere from a few weeks to 3 months. Some of my students have launched their courses in under 6 weeks while others look to launch a flagship course that can take 3-6 months.
To create an online course you also have to take into account your own time.
If you are a solopreneur you’ll have to figure out how much time you can allocate to course creation apart from your normal business duties and responsibilities. If you are a corpreneur (work a day job and have a side hustle) juggling your time between two responsibilities. You’ll have to be highly productive in the time you allocate to create an online course.
Complexity in creating an online course
Another thing to consider is the level of customization required. If you’re working with a content management system (CMS), for example, and need to design your own course modules and lessons, that will add time to the overall process. That is why I always recommend to my students using Systeme.io to create an online course and management. It’s easy to use even for non-techy clients that can’t afford outsourcing uploading and updates to a VA or a course & funnel designer.
The good news is that online courses on systeme.io are easier to create than fully online programs, which often require extensive coding or technological development. As a result, you have more room for creativity when creating online course content.
Ultimately, online courses can range from being fairly simple and straightforward to incredibly complex and intricate in design. Whatever your particular needs may be, there is likely an online course format available that will work for you.
The platform you use to create an online course impacts your timeline
Before I switched to Systeme.io I used Teachable. Teachable is a fairly easy platform that offers easy course formatting. The draw is the hefty monthly price for hosting your course on this platform.
With so many different factors at play in terms of the process itself, it’s difficult to give an exact answer about how long it takes to create an online course. The best thing to do is simply discuss your project with a content strategist or marketing coach specialized in course creation and launching who can advise you on the best way forward for your needs.
Here is a course creation checklist that I offer my clients at the beginning of our first coaching session along with a full course creation workbook. For more information on coaching for course creation visit theprofitablesocialboss.com
If you’re looking for a more general estimate, however, plan on spending at least six weeks creating a basic online course, and potentially up to 3-4 months if you have more complex requirements or are new to creating course content. Remember that this is just a guideline – each project is unique and will require its own level of time and effort to complete.
Thanks for reading! If this article was helpful, you may be interested in reading similar articles that help you create an online course like online course design, online course development, or online course templates. Make sure to subscribe to my newsletter to get the latest info on creating online courses for female solopreneurs. Subscribe Here