Launch guideContent products
How to launch an online course
Courses sell on trust in the teacher and clarity of the outcome. The strongest launches start with a small pilot (often a live cohort) that produces real student results you can quote. Then pick a platform by how it charges: marketplaces bring buyers but take a larger cut, while selling from your own page keeps more but you bring the audience.
Updated · platform facts checked against the official docs linked below
At a glance
- Gumroad fees
- 10% + 50¢ direct; 30% via Discover[1]
- Best proof
- Pilot student outcomes, with permission
- Launch window
- A defined enrollment period creates a deadline
Where people find online courses
- Your audience: Newsletter, social followers and community; courses mostly sell to people who already know you.
- Course marketplaces: Marketplaces bring search traffic but set pricing norms and take a share.
- Communities in your topic: Teach there first; sell only where rules allow.
- YouTube and podcasts: Long-form teaching builds the trust a course needs.
Assets to prepare
| Asset | Spec or guidance |
|---|---|
| Outcome statement | What a student can do after the course that they can't do now. |
| Curriculum | Module list with lesson titles and time needed. |
| Free lesson | One real lesson people can take before paying. |
| Sales page | Outcome, curriculum, who it's not for, teacher, price, refund policy, FAQs. |
| Pilot testimonials | Real quotes from real students, with permission (template). |
Store and listing rules
What the platform itself says, with a link to the page we checked.
- Gumroad charges 10% + 50¢ per sale through your profile or direct links, and 30% for sales through its Discover marketplace.[1]
- If you email a list, follow CAN-SPAM: accurate sender, postal address, working opt-out.[2]
A 4-week launch timeline
Week 1 · four weeks out
- Run customer interviews on the problem (script).
- Write the outcome statement and curriculum.
- Open a small paid pilot.
Week 2 · three weeks out
- Teach the pilot; record lessons as you go.
- Collect questions; each becomes a lesson or FAQ.
- Pick the platform and fee model.
Week 3 · two weeks out
- Build the sales page and free lesson.
- Ask pilot students for testimonials.
- Write the launch email sequence.
Week 4 · launch week
- Set the enrollment window and price.
- Prepare social posts that teach one idea each.
- Set up a refund policy you'll honor.
Launch-day checklist
- Open enrollment and email your list with the outcome and the deadline.
- Post a teaching thread with a link to the free lesson.
- Answer questions publicly; they're other buyers' objections.
- Add the course page to LaunchRanked.
After launch: SEO steps
Launch boards reset; search pages don't. These steps keep people finding you after launch week.
- Turn lesson topics into free articles that link to the course.
- Target "how to {skill}" searches with genuinely useful pages.
- Add a FAQ section with real student questions.
Common mistakes
- Building the whole course before anyone pays.
- A vague outcome ("master marketing").
- Fake scarcity you don't honor.
Templates for this launch
- Launch email to your waitlistA launch email for people who joined your waitlist: one link, one ask, a reason to act now, and the sender rules that keep it out of spam.
- Testimonial request emailAn email that asks happy customers for a testimonial with three easy questions, clear permission, and an option to review a draft, with a filled example.
- Customer interview scriptA 30-minute customer interview script about past behavior, not opinions: warm-up, story, workarounds, cost and wrap-up, with example questions.
- Onboarding email sequenceA five-email onboarding sequence for new signups: welcome, first win, common blocker, social proof and a check-in, with timing and a filled example.
FAQ
Should I pre-sell a course?
A paid pilot tells you whether people will pay and gives you real outcomes to quote. Build the full course after.
Where should I host an online course?
Choose between marketplaces (they bring buyers and take a bigger share) and selling from your own page. Compare the fee pages before deciding.
What goes on a course sales page?
The outcome, curriculum, who it's for and not for, the teacher, price, refund policy, real testimonials and FAQs.
How long should the launch be?
Many creators use a set enrollment window so there's a real deadline. Only use deadlines you'll keep.
Sources
Checked . Platforms change their rules; open the source before you rely on a number.
Related launch guides
- How to launch an ebookLaunch an ebook on Kindle and direct: KDP cover size, 4,000-character description, royalty options, KDP Select exclusivity, and building an audience first.
- How to launch a newsletterLaunch a newsletter: pick a platform with a recommendation network, write the first issues ahead, meet sender rules, and build archive pages that rank.
- How to launch a Notion templateLaunch a Notion template: creator profile, Marketplace submission and fees, publishing with duplicate on, previews that sell, and channels.