Free or paid? Best long term strategy?

I have been following the discussions about free courses with interest. I have 2 courses almost finished and a third in progress. None published.

I was planning to offer my first course as free but having read the pitfalls, I am thinking I will put them all up as paid. I am not expecting to get rich quick from Udemy! In my mind, I want to create 10 courses, then evaluate.

I LOVE making these courses. I spent a year just researching the best approach and equipment. But now I have started although I feel like everything is slow and I obsess over details, I will have 3 courses finished soon. That will be 3 courses in 3 months. The past 2 months, I have set aside a lot of time for this. Now my other work will consume most of my time until Christmas.

What do you all think is the best long term strategy for Udemy? Free or paid?

Comments

  • I'm with you.. I just put up my first course and I'm not going to sell it for free. I've got another course which is a week away from being finished and I think I'm going to try to make sure they are for sale but not free. I just have to come up with a stratergy, but I do believe if I wanted the information I have made in my course I'm sure no one would give it to me for free. I think if my courses took off and I was making good money I would help out my students who stuck by me but not for free to anyone.. I don't know if you feel that is the right attitude or not. Hope that helps along the lines of what you are asking..

  • Lizzy
    Lizzy Posts: 162 specialist rank

    Hi @ShaunPoole67
    thanks for sharing your thoughts. I like your thinking. It's a good idea to focus freebies on loyal students. I am quite generous by nature so giving something for free doesn't bother me. But it would bother me if it wasn't appreciated.

  • Hi Lizzy, yes I'm the same as you... I love helping people and giving it away would make me feel good anyway. But you just bought up an idea I wasn't thinking of which could do more halm then good. What if they got it for free and then gave a bad review.. besides breaking my little heart. lol it would most probably hurt my ratings. So you make no money and get a bad rating behind the scenes Udemy might view my products as low grade.. hmmmm food for thought.. Thanks Lizzy, something to think about..