Short Course Free to gain students?

mtgingrass
mtgingrass Posts: 10 traveler rank
in First-time course creation

Is there a space for very short courses? Like, 10 to 20 minutes total?

My idea is to give them away free so I can target the students later on to expand on the courses. For example, I can do a 10 minute lecture on how arrays, pointers, and lists work in C++. All in theory on the white board.

Later on, I create a full C++ course covering how to actually write the program.

I guess my question is this, would it hurt to upload 10-20 minute lectures and call it a "course." What are some of the pro's and cons of this method?

Thanks.

Comments

  • FrankKane
    FrankKane Posts: 1,881 rolemodel rank

    Well, you need a minimum of 30 minutes of video content and 5 lectures for a Udemy course. But if you're willing to put in at least that minimum effort, I think it's a good idea. I got started using the same strategy; I released a free "Big Data Basics" course when I started, that promoted my larger, paid course on big data in its bonus lecture.

    You have to give this strategy time, however. Only a small percentage of students will complete the free course and see your offer at the end, and only a small percentage of them will take you up on the offer. But over time it can add up to something meaningful.

    The "con" is that the bonus lecture is really the only opportunity you have to pitch your paid course from a free one. You cannot send promo announcements to free students, nor do you get their email addresses.

  • DeniseFletcher
    DeniseFletcher Posts: 267 mentor rank

    Hi @mtgingrass
    ,
    To add to what @FrankKane
    has said your 30mins or video content also needs to be a complete course as in having a beginning, a middle and a conclusion so you wouldn't just be able to upload a video lecture as a taster.

  • AliciaPaz
    AliciaPaz Posts: 294 visionary rank

    I will also add that a 30 min course is likely to get a lot of enrolled students if it's free, but for the small % who engage, I don't see reviews being favorable for such a short course. If you were wanting to make short 10-20 minute videos engaging on YouTube might be a better idea to gain students. Add your code into the description. All my YT videos have a very brief bio w/ promo link.

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