Sensei with WooCommerce Paid Courses

Automattic, the people behind WordPress, created a seamless way for you to sell courses, reach new customers, and offer additional physical or digital products all from the same website. 

Whether you sell products and services online or have a physical location, you’re likely looking for ways to increase revenue. People are currently staying home and looking for new hobbies or ways to improve themselves. One smart way to make money while you also stay safely at home is by selling online courses.

Online courses are a great solution for any business that can teach a new skill: cooking, exercising, painting, playing an instrument, writing, meal prepping, and more. Since courses don’t require physical product development or shipping, they’re affordable, fast to create, and can generate passive income for years to come. 

But how do you sell online courses and make sure that they’re the right fit for your business?

Who can sell online courses?

You can sell courses and workshops by themselves or in combination with existing products and services. Here are just a few possibilities:

Let’s say that you normally teach art classes and workshops in a physical storefront, but it’s temporarily closed. To generate extra revenue, you could sell online painting courses, some geared towards kids and others towards adults. You might include quizzes on color theory, printable painting templates, and videos walking students through techniques. You could even sell courses that include a physical kit with everything they need — paint, paper, brushes, and more. Not only would this supplement your income, it would offer a new hobby for people bored at home that wouldn’t require a trip to the store.

Here’s another example: Maybe you’re a chef at a restaurant that’s only fulfilling takeout orders right now. One way to generate extra revenue is to sell produce and online grocery boxes like these companies did, but another option is to offer cooking classes that customers can use to improve their skills. Film videos of yourself preparing dishes (using items from your grocery boxes!) and provide downloadable recipes. You might offer one series about baking bread and another about summer grilling to meet the varied needs of your customers.

Or perhaps you’re a tutor, with students that are all studying from home. You could create a course for third grade reading or high school SAT prep. Include fun quizzes, downloadable worksheets, and printable activities that keep kids on track. Not only will students benefit from the extra study time, parents will love the help — especially those who were unexpectedly thrust into homeschooling. 

The options are endless! Whether you work in food, education, nutrition, music, art, or any other industry, courses are a perfect way to make some additional income.

How do I sell a course online?  

Automattic, the people behind WordPress, created a seamless way for you to sell courses, reach new customers, and offer additional physical or digital products all from the same website.