6 Reasons Why Photographers Should Sell Online Courses

Posted 3 years ago by Ron Stefanski

There are many different ways you can monetize your skills as桂a桂photographer. For instance, you can sell photographs as桂stock images on桂websites like iStockPhoto, Shutterstock, and桂Dreamstime.

Alternatively, you can use photo selling apps like Bylined, FOAP, and桂Agora Images.

But, one of桂the桂most lucrative ways to桂earn consistent income as桂a桂photographer is桂to桂package your knowledge into a桂course that you can sell online.

According to桂recent statistics, the桂global eLearning industry will reach 끓꿎桂2026.

The industry is桂growing at桂such a桂phenomenal pace thanks to桂internet connections that are growing faster and桂faster. Also, people across the桂globe can more easily access mobile devices, making NOW the桂perfect time to桂create your own online course.

Photography is桂a桂specialized skill that lends itself well to桂this type of桂online business model.

Read the桂rest of桂this article to桂discover 6桂reasons why photographers should sell online courses and桂how you can get started doing so桂right away so桂you can begin earning from your photography skills.

Online Courses Are Relatively Easy to桂Create

Compared to桂most other methods of桂making money online, online courses are an桂easy way to桂generate revenue from your knowledge and桂skills.

And, with the桂right tools, you�셪l be桂guided every step of桂the桂way, making a桂job even easier.

For instance, these days there are many different types of桂online course platforms designed to桂provide you with all the桂tools you need to桂create, launch, and桂sell your online course.

You can choose from:

Standalone Online Platform: This is桂a桂dedicated platform that comes with all the桂educational resources and桂support you need to桂create and桂sell your online course.
All-in-One Online Course Platform: This type of桂platform provides course hosting, website builders, sales tools, marketing automation, and桂various community management features.
Marketplace Online Platform: These types of桂platforms not only provide you with a桂way to桂arrange your online course, but also a桂ready-made audience to桂whom you can start marketing your new course.

In桂addition to桂being easy to桂create, online courses can provide a桂great means of桂expanding your digital marketing strategy to桂include new forms of桂. Instead of桂trying to桂push products 늡곶桂services out to桂customers you can pull them in桂using your engaging and桂insightful courses.

Online Courses Are a桂Great Source of桂Income

Whether you choose a桂high price tag 늡곶桂a桂lower one, your course can become a桂reliable source of桂part-time 늡곶桂full-time income.

The best part about packaging your knowledge into a桂digital product is桂that you only have to桂create it桂once, and桂you can sell it桂to桂thousands 늡곶桂even millions of桂people.

Also, digital assets like this don�셳 cost a桂lot to桂produce, especially if桂you already have a桂lot of桂content that you previously created f늡곶桂your blog, social media, etc.

Also: 18桂Digital Product Ideas For Almost Every Small Business

Online Courses Are Perfect f늡곶桂Customer Acquisition

As桂a桂photographer, you likely already have other products f늡곶桂sale, such as桂your images, videos, photographer services, etc.

You can invert the桂business model and桂use your online course as桂a桂way to桂build an桂audience of桂eager enthusiasts who will later go桂on桂to桂purchase your other products in桂the桂future.

One way to桂do桂this is桂to桂offer your online course f늡곶桂free, and桂then guide people down your funnel so桂they can become paying customers of桂your other services 늡곶桂products.

However, you can still make money from your photography course by桂packing it桂full of桂value and桂offering it桂at桂a桂low, affordable price that makes it桂a桂no-brainer f늡곶桂your target audience.

Online Courses Help Build Your Authority

As桂a桂photographer, you need to桂set yourself apart from all the桂crowd if桂you want to桂succeed in桂this popular niche.

There is桂so桂much online competition these days that in桂order f늡곶桂your ideal clients to桂find you, it�셲 important to桂establish authority and桂credibility as桂a桂professional photographer. An桂online course is桂a桂great way to桂do桂that, and桂share knowledge along the桂way.

By桂creating a桂high-quality course, you�셪l showcase your knowledge and桂expertise on桂a桂particular topic, which will give you instant credibility and桂help you stand out in桂a桂crowded marketplace.

You Only Need to桂Create the桂Course Once

One of桂the桂absolute best things about creating a桂digital product is桂that you only have to桂make it桂once. Then it�셲 yours to桂sell again and桂again f늡곶桂as桂long as桂you want.

So, even if桂it桂takes you a桂few weeks 늡곶桂months to桂create your photography course, once the桂work is桂done, it�셲 done.

You will then own a桂valuable digital asset that you�셪l profit from f늡곶桂years to桂come.

You Don�셳 Need a桂Large Audience

For most businesses, success depends on桂having a桂large audience, most of桂whom you can convert into paying customers.

However, as桂a桂knowledge entrepreneur, audience size does not impact your success. You can convert your existing network and桂audience into paying customers, but even if桂you�셱e starting from scratch, you�셪l still be桂able to桂find success from where you are.

The absolute best part about selling courses as桂a桂photographer is桂that you don�셳 need a桂huge audience to桂do桂it桂successfully.

With the桂right strategy, you�셪l be桂able to桂build a桂consistent flow of桂customers to桂sustain and桂grow your photography business桂�� even when starting with zero brand followers.

All you need to桂launch and桂build momentum f늡곶桂your new online course business is桂a桂small group of桂actively engaged potential customers who are a桂great fit f늡곶桂your target market.

The reason?

Having a桂small engaged audience with loyalty to桂you and桂your brand can often be桂more lucrative because they know, like, and桂trust you. Sure, big audiences can be桂great too, but just realize it桂isn�셳 a桂requirement f늡곶桂success.

And the桂best part? By桂creating and桂marketing an桂online course, you�셪l benefit from a桂community of桂like-minded individuals that will develop around your product.

Later on, you can leverage this community to桂sell more products and桂services in桂the桂future.

Examples of桂Successful Photography Online Courses

As桂you�셶e seen, there are many good reasons why you should start selling your photography online course.

But, if桂you need extra inspiration, here are a桂few examples of桂photographers with wildly successful online courses:

: Zhang has a桂popular course on桂Artistic Portrait Photography.
: Lara has a桂number of桂online video courses on桂CreativeLive.
: Emily has multiple online courses on桂a桂wide range of桂photography topics.
: John offers a桂course on桂the桂fundamentals of桂photography.

These are some of桂the桂best photographers out there, but you�셪l be桂surprised just how many random, subpar courses there are online that earn their makers a桂lot of桂money every month.

Now imagine just how much more successful YOU will be桂by桂creating a桂high-quality product that answers the桂needs of桂your target market!

How to桂Get Started Selling Photography Courses Online

Listed below are 5桂steps to桂take in桂order to桂create and桂sell your own online course.

Step #1: Identify Your Target Audience

Think about the桂material you�셝 like to桂teach and桂ask yourself the桂following questions:

What type of桂person would buy your online course?
What do桂they do桂f늡곶桂a桂living?
What do桂they want to桂learn from the桂knowledge, expertise, 늡곶桂skills you wish to桂impart?
Which social media networks do桂they frequent?
What websites do桂they like to桂visit online?

Write down as桂many details about your 혫ideal혬 customer as桂you can. The more you know about who your target audience is, the桂easier it桂will be桂f늡곶桂you to桂market your online photography course.

More: How to桂Find Your Target Audience on桂Social Media

Step #2: Find Your Audience�셲 Pain Points

Your next step is桂to桂learn about the桂challenges faced by桂your target audience.

Successful marketing boils down to桂being able to桂identify their pain points, problems, challenges, obstacles, etc., and桂position your product 늡곶桂service as桂the桂perfect solution to桂help them achieve their desires.

For instance, an桂aspiring photographer might be桂dealing with workflow challenges, which gives you the桂perfect opportunity to桂create a桂course around helping them deal with this common pain point.

Other challenges photographers face might include:

Studio issues
Photo management
Finding clients
Being undervalued
�┑쐬꾈삣桂끅늡桂늡꾈.

Step #3: Create Your Course

Once you have a桂clear understanding of桂the桂type of桂content you want to桂create and who your ideal audience is, it�셲 time to桂create your online course.

It�셲 beyond the桂scope of桂this article to桂dive into the桂necessary step-by-step process f늡곶桂creating a桂photography course.

But, it�셲 important to桂know that most online courses are different and桂follow their own unique layout. However, regardless of桂the桂one you choose, you will need an桂outline 늡곶桂course map to桂ensure that your content creation stays on桂track.

Creating an桂outline is桂just the桂first step in桂creating your course content. It桂doesn�셳 have to桂be桂complex, just focus on桂organization.

Take the桂time to桂plan your content modules and桂lessons in桂bullet points to桂ensure that it桂flows well from beginning to桂end.

Here�셲 an桂example of桂how your course outline might look:

Week 1:

Introduction
An桂overview of桂contemporary creative photography

Week 2:

Getting to桂know your camera (shutter speed, aperture, ISO settings)
Practical assessment桂�� photographic ideas

Week 3:

The rules of桂composition
Photographic ideas and桂practice and桂suggestions f늡곶桂improvements

Week 4:

Portraiture
Photo editing, cropping, enhancement, etc.

Week 5:

Landscape photography
Q&A桂�� assignment progress review

Week 6:

The story in桂the桂series桂�� creating interesting photos
Typology, Documentary, Diary Form, Travel, etc.

Week 7:

Printing and桂displaying pictures
Final feedback on桂photography assignments

桂

Once you�셱e done outlining your course, you can then start writing your lessons.

Although the桂majority of桂photography courses contain video lessons, yours can be桂text, 늡곶桂audio-based, 늡곶桂a桂mixture of桂all three.

For the桂most part, successful photography courses are those that include different types of桂content media to桂appeal to桂different student learning preferences.

Step #4: Market Your Course

Your next step is桂to桂promote your photography course and桂get students to桂enroll. Marketing your course doesn�셳 have to桂be桂hard as桂long as桂you know who you are targeting and桂have a桂strong digital marketing strategy to桂help you get your course in桂front of桂your target market.

You might choose to桂use online course marketplaces like Udemy 늡곶桂Skillshare.

Or桂maybe you want to桂market it桂from your own website if桂you already have an桂existing audience.

There are a桂number of桂benefits of桂selling courses on桂your own website:

No桂need to桂share your revenue with online course marketplaces
You have total control over your course promotion and桂interaction with your clients
You can adjust your course content 늡곶桂duration as桂you like
Your website contributes to桂building your personal brand.

The fastest way to桂set up桂your website is桂to桂. You�셪l get a桂free site with a桂built-in online store. You�셪l be桂able to桂sell your course via one of桂the桂ways:

If桂you have ready-made video lessons, you can upload video files to桂your website as桂digital products.
If桂you give lessons 늡곶桂train via an桂online conference in桂real time, you can upload a桂file with a桂link to桂your conference to桂your site.
If桂you do桂webinars, you can automatically invite your clients to桂a桂webinar when they make a桂purchase.

Learn more: �뗢��How to桂Start Selling Online Courses on桂Your Website

Alternatively, you might consider investing in桂affordable to桂host a桂free photography workshop that you can then use to桂try to桂convert your attendees into customers. Or, create a桂strategy that�셲 more focused on桂social media, email marketing, 늡곶桂even a桂hybrid mix of桂different marketing techniques.

The options are endless f늡곶桂driving traffic to桂your product, and桂they depend on桂your own preferences, marketing skills, connections, and桂a桂wide range of桂other factors.

Step #5: Test, Measure, Tweak, and桂Improve

This is桂one of桂the桂most important steps in桂running a桂successful online photography course business.

You can�셳 improve what you don�셳 measure, which is桂why it�셲 important to桂keep track of桂different metrics, such as:

Sales revenue
CAC (Customer acquisition costs)
Return on桂investment
Landing page conversion rates
Social media and桂organic traffic

By桂keeping track of桂these and桂other marketing metrics, you�셪l be桂able to桂track your online course�셲 progress.

This way, you�셪l gain insights into what�셲 working well and桂what isn�셳 so桂you can make the桂necessary changes to桂improve your course content and/or marketing strategy.

Ultimately, this will help you to桂increase your conversions and桂make more money from your online course.

You�셪l also want to桂consistently edit your courses and桂test various strategies to桂see how you can best improve sales and桂other matrices. To桂assist in桂this process, you may want to桂use when creating your online courses. This will ensure that all of桂your courses are polished, professional, and桂tweaked to桂perfection

Conclusion

Whether you already have an桂existing audience 늡곶桂if桂you are just getting started, there are more than enough reasons f늡곶桂you to桂create an桂online course so桂you can start earning real, passive income from your photography skills.

The 5桂steps outlined above are just a桂general guide f늡곶桂how to桂plan, create, and桂launch your new photography course.

And, if桂you follow these steps, you�셪l create a桂wildly successful online course that will showcase your photography skills and桂help you earn a桂good income online.

Has this article convinced you that it�셲 time to桂start building your own photography online course? Share your thoughts in桂the桂comments below!

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About The Author

Ron Stefanski is a and marketing professor who has a passion for helping people create and market their own online business. You can learn more from him by visiting . You can also connect with him on or .

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