How to Choose the Perfect Course Topic

Choosing the right topic can make or break your course. Follow this simple framework to get it right!

Coming up with a winning course idea can feel overwhelming, but picking the right topic is crucial to your success. A well-chosen topic ensures strong demand, engaged students, and higher enrollments.

This week, we’ll break it down with a simple 3-step framework to help you validate your course idea before you dive in.

1. Why Choosing the Right Topic is Crucial

Many course creators struggle with low enrollments because they pick a topic based on passion alone—not market demand.

A great course idea sits at the intersection of:
✔ Your expertise and interests
✔ Audience demand
✔ Profitability

📊 Fact: According to Thinkific, courses that undergo proper market validation have a 60% higher completion rate compared to those that don’t. Additionally, niche courses have 2x higher engagement rates than broad, general topics.

Let’s make sure your topic checks all three boxes!

2. The 3-Step Framework for Validating Your Course Idea

Step 1: Identify What You Know & Love

✅ List your skills, experiences, and areas of expertise.
✅ Identify what excites you—you’ll need enthusiasm to keep going!
✅ Think about what people often ask you for help with.

Step 2: Research Market Demand

✅ Search for similar courses on platforms like Udemy and Teachable.
✅ Use Google Trends and AnswerThePublic to see what people are searching for.
✅ Ask your audience! Run a poll or survey to see what topics resonate.

📊 Industry Insight: Studies show that 40% of online courses fail due to a lack of proper market validation (Source: Statista, 2023). By researching demand in advance, you significantly increase your chances of success.

Step 3: Test Before You Invest

✅ Offer a free mini-workshop or live Q&A to gauge interest.
✅ Create a lead magnet (e.g., a free checklist or guide) and see how many people download it.
✅ Engage in social media discussions and take note of common pain points.

📊 Engagement Statistics: Courses that offer pre-launch engagement (such as live Q&As and free mini-workshops) see an 80% higher conversion rate when they officially launch (Source: Online Learning Report, 2022).

3. Take Action: Pick Your Winning Idea!

By following these steps, you’ll confidently choose a course topic that aligns with your expertise AND has strong demand.

Let’s continue the journey!
In the next blog, let’s break the “more is better” myth—and how simplifying your course can lead to higher engagement and sales.

Start thinking about:

• Are you trying to teach too much in one course?
• Have you ever hesitated to cut content from your course?

Thank you for being part of this adventure. Want more in-depth guidance? Check out the free PDF below.