Udemy

Hey Instructors,   Over the past few months, we've been thinking about how we can amplify the impact of our collective voice to accelerate Udemy’s growth, and as part of this, we have been rethinking and refining our mission and vision to ensure it reflects the collective goals of Udemy and the communities we serve together with you our instructor partners.  You can find the article here.   Firstly, our vision. Our vision is to create a world where everyone, everywhere has access to the skills they need to unlock their potential — a world where they can create possibilities for themselves and for others. Our vision isn't just about the here and now, it’s about looking forward to a world where everyone has a shot at learning what they need to make their mark, and everyone can share their knowledge and skills with the world through teaching. We believe together we are opening doors to opportunities and possibilities that stretch out wide and far.   As part of this vision, we also have a set of beliefs. Our beliefs shape our vision and guide us in where we chose to focus and why and we want to share them with all of you. Some you may agree with, and some you may not, the goal is to state a point of view and use these beliefs to incite conversation, and discussion so that we can evolve our thinking and approach to bringing learning and skills to the world.    Skills are the new currency for talent management We're not just saying it; we see it. Skills are fast becoming the measure by which individual learners and organizations are measuring themselves and their teams. Every time a learner lands a new job, nails a skill, or just feels that click of understanding, that’s your work paying off and they come one step closer to their goals. In many cases, people don’t have access to traditional learning environments or they may not be suited to them so leveraging skills as the new currency is a more inclusive and accessible mechanism for recognizing talent in the workplace and in the world.    Learning should be personalized At Udemy, we're not just sitting back and watching. We're right there with you. We’re making sure our platform is where you can do your best work and where learners can experience your knowledge in a variety of ways. Whether this be through standard courses or through assessments, labs and interactive Q&A. We want to create a community of learners around your courses and in the future provide even more ways to guide learners on which courses to take for which outcomes as well as provide new ways for you to engage with learners in an interactive way.    The wisdom of the marketplace should be embraced: We believe that the model we have with Udemy wins for a reason because, through your commitment to sharing your knowledge, we are able to provide fresh and relevant content to learners when they need it most. You never know where the next best course will come from, it shouldn’t be limited to what we as Udemy decide to publish, it should be based on what the market has to offer. We want to continue to create an environment for instructors from all backgrounds to teach through Udemy. We believe this is the only way to keep up with the pace of change.    AI should be integrated with human knowledge We've got a community of learners who are hungry for the knowledge you have. And we’re here to support you in reaching them. We believe that AI is a transformational technology but we also believe in the power of human knowledge and the real magic happens when we can combine artificial and human intelligence together. We are committed to leveraging AI to the benefit of our learners and instructors to create more opportunities for all of us.    We're excited about the future, and we hope you are too. So let's keep at it. Keep sharing your expertise, keep creating those lightbulb moments, and keep being the incredible instructors you are. We are here to support you and together we can transform even more lives through learning and create a world where everyone everywhere has the power to create possibilities for themselves and for others   With that, I have a question for you. What features would you like to see to help you spread your knowledge better through Udemy?  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.   Cheers to what we're building together.   Teach on, Genefa, Chief Marketing Officer, Udemy   ... View more

Hello Instructors! Earlier this year I shared our 2024 marketing goal to create sustainable hype and amplify the Udemy brand in new ways. One way we’re doing this is by sharing “Stories of Transformation” from our learners, customers, Udemates, and of course from all of you, our instructors! This week the spotlight is on Diego Davila, who has been teaching on Udemy for over a decade now. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch his story, and learn more about his experience in his own words here. We want to help amplify as many instructor stories as possible, so if you want to be featured, please take a few minutes to share a snippet of your own story here. Big or small, we believe that everyone has a story to tell. What transformations have teaching on Udemy unlocked in your life or for others?   ... View more

Hello Instructors!   Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of participating in a live Ask Me Anything session that brought to light the vibrant curiosity and engagement of our instructor community. The session was great for me as both a learning opportunity and a way for me to start to build a closer relationship with our instructors. So I thank you for taking the time to join and engage.     Our discussion spanned a wide array of topics, underscoring the dynamic nature of the learning and skills industry, the role that the Udemy platform and marketplace play, and the dynamic nature of your roles. Below you can see a summary of some of the key topics and questions that arose as well as my key takeaways from the session. With questions ranging from our marketing strategies and plans for 2024 to the ways we aim to diversify content and support our instructors, every question reflected a keen interest in our collective future.   Marketing Innovations: We delved into how we're adapting our marketing efforts to increase brand awareness, improve perceptions, and foster a preference for our platform. This includes tackling the evolving challenges of customer acquisition as traditional channels like email and social media evolve. Top Takeaway: We need to ensure that instructors see our marketing investments and are kept up-to-date in what we are doing to drive awareness, perception, preference & traffic, and how they can get involved.    Enhancing Course Success: The conversation highlighted the multifaceted approach to ensuring course success, from leveraging AI for SEO to advising on effective marketing tactics for instructors. We also discussed the significance of video advertisements and sponsored content as tools for growth. Top Takeaway: Support instructors (especially newer instructors) with the tools, resources, and education on how to thrive in the Udemy marketplace.  Be more transparent in what determines rankings.    Supporting Our Instructors: A core part of our dialogue focused on our unwavering support for instructors. From introducing AI features that assist with course management to exploring user-generated content and influencer marketing, we're committed to empowering instructors with the tools they need to succeed. Top Takeaway: There is room for more education on how to craft quality content and drive awareness of their courses.    Future-Proofing Learning: We discussed our plans for course pricing adjustments in response to inflation and how we're looking to innovate with features like the removal of the 30-minute course limit, in line with micro-learning trends. We aim to keep learning accessible, engaging, and relevant. Top Takeaway: Tap into trends around micro-learning and give instructors exposure on the different pricing experiments we run to optimize value back to them and learners.    Strategic Partnerships and Content Expansion: The partnership with McLaren Racing and our efforts to promote competitive topics like Python exemplify our approach to content diversification and strategic collaboration. Top Takeaway: Ensure that Udemy stays at the forefront of learning innovation and continues to give instructors visibility into what’s trending.    Ensuring Fairness and Opportunity: Addressing concerns around revenue share and the promotion of non-business courses. Top Takeaway: We reaffirmed our dedication to fairness, opportunity, and support for all instructors and we will continue to do so.  Our Commitment to You   This session was the start of the direct dialogue that I hope to have with the instructor community. The bottom line is that we have a shared mission to transform lives through learning whether that be by providing access to meaningful content or by sharing your knowledge on the Udemy platform. Our goal is to support you in this shared mission    We're here to support you, to grow with you, and to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future together.   As we move forward, our focus remains on enhancing our platform, supporting our instructors, and ensuring that we continue to provide high-quality, accessible learning around key skills to learners across the globe. At the same time, we want to make sure we increase visibility for the Udemy brand so that when people want to learn it, they Udemy it. Your feedback, insights, and participation are invaluable as we shape the future of learning and the skills-based economy.   Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. Together, we're not just adapting to the changing landscape of learning; we're leading the way.   Warm regards, Genefa ... View more

Hello Instructors!   As we embark on a new year, I wanted to share a quick note of thanks and also a look ahead at what’s to come in 2024.    Our goal for 2024 will be to create what we call “Sustainable Hype”. What is Sustainable Hype I hear you ask? Well, hype as we all know is about creating an overwhelming amount of excitement, swagger, and interest. However, hype is often momentary. Our goal is to create hype that is sustainable (aka that will last not just for a moment in time but throughout 2024 and beyond). Why? Because, the more sustainable hype we create, the more interest in Udemy, the more interest in your courses and hopefully the more positive outcomes for us all.    Our focus in 2024 will be on 4 key areas; Brand, Global Campaigns, Learner Investments, and Promotions.   1. Brand:   We are excited to be kicking off 2024 with a number of activations that we hope will elevate our global brand identity. Through these activations, we want to focus on the Udemy mission and vision and highlight the key differentiation that having a creator economy model fuelled by instructors from around the world and from different backgrounds creates. We look forward to positioning Udemy as a thought leader in the transition to a skills-based economy and creating lasting excitement for the brand in the global market.  Your association with our brand signifies a commitment to quality education, the power of diversity, and the power of choice for learners and organizations alike, and we are honored to have you as a part of the Udemy community and to showcase your stories and talent.    2. Global Campaigns:   Our team has been hard at work conceptualizing and crafting captivating campaign themes that not only resonate with our learners & organizations but also bring a fresh and engaging perspective to your instructional content. These themes are designed to spark curiosity, foster active participation, and create memorable learning experiences and moments in time that we and hopefully you can leverage to focus key messages to the market.   In 2024 we’ll be focusing on 6 key themes that will run at different points in the year. These themes are based on market research and surveys which we’ve used to understand what people are looking to learn both personally and professionally. From this, we’ve devised 2 overarching/underlying themes and 4 sub-themes.   Overarching Theme for 2024: Skills   This includes the acquisition of skills and certification or validation of skills - this will be a vehicle for us to highlight content on technical skills in particular around AWS, Google, coding, data science, and analytics as well as other core functional skills such as marketing and finance amongst others.    Underlying Theme for 2024: Social Impact    This will not only be about highlighting the work Udemy is doing with non-profits but also the vehicle for content associated with key topics such as diversity and inclusion, sustainability, and others. 2024 Sub-Themes:    Gen AI: This includes establishing a POV on how GenAI will impact the world of work helping individuals and organizations to take advantage of this technological change in a practical way based on their needs e.g. general understanding or the application of Gen AI in specific functions like marketing or retail as an example.  Leadership & Management: This focuses on the role of first-line leaders, new and established leaders, and the skills needed to be successful e.g. how to manage in a hybrid world, how to manage with AI, change management, etc. The Multi-Generational Workforce: This is about helping individuals, leaders, and organizations prepare for and build the skills for a multi-generational workforce. This can include functional expertise in areas like marketing, social media, HR, coding, etc, building digital literacy, skills for entrepreneurship, or how to enhance productivity skills. Leadership Excellence: This is about establishing a POV on key leadership topics ranging from more advanced content for specific functions to key leadership skills such as data analytics and insights, communication skills, design thinking, and more.  We will continue to support the broader marketplace and when we see new trends or themes emerging we will adapt our approach but the themes listed above will get some dedicated attention in 2024.    3. Learner Investments:   In our commitment to the growth and success of learners, we are introducing new and enhanced investments in learning resources. This includes updated course materials and advanced assessment tools, some new AI-based learning features to complement the support our learners get from instructors, and continued enhancements to the overall UX and UI to make navigating Udemy easier. We believe that by providing learners with valuable resources, we can empower both instructors and learners to achieve even greater heights of excellence. Your dedication to teaching and bringing a variety of styles and content is at the core of our learner-centric and choice-centric approach.   4. Promotions:   To amplify the impact of your courses, we are launching targeted promotions to reach a wider audience. Through strategic partnerships, focused marketplace campaigns, and exclusive offers, we aim to increase the visibility of your instructional content. This not only benefits you as an instructor but also rewards your learners with access to enriching educational experiences. Stay tuned for personalized promotional strategies that align with key market themes and moments in time (such as World Education Day) and your unique teaching niche.   We are confident that these marketing initiatives will not only elevate the partnership you have with Udemy but also contribute to the overall success of the shared educational community. As we continue on this journey we want to ensure that you have a voice so please continue to share your thoughts and feedback. You can do so via the community or directly with me at genefa.murphy@udemy.com.    Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. Wishing you a wonderful year ahead filled with endless possibilities! ... View more