Udemy

@shreya-gupta-usc It is almost an impossible question to answer because there are so many determining variables. For example...   A course can be thirty minutes or thirty hours.  Do you have an existing knowledge/instructional base? When I started I had already spent several decades doing similar training and writing. So, my first courses were exploiting my existing work. I wasn't generating new intellectual property.  Do you currently have the needed tools (camera, microphone, lighting, editing software) and do you have the skills to use them effectively? Much of my first couple of years was spent mastering these tools and learning how to use them well.  These are just some of the more obvious variables that make the question difficult to answer.    ... View more

Esther, do  you want to know why your promo video is not working?    ... View more

Yes, I think giving away free coupons and making a course free has the same or similar result, a lot of enrollments, but few actual students and few reviews. Also, the reviews tend to be more negative. It is ironic, but when you pay for something you value it more, when it is free you discount it.    ... View more

@ilovedogs74    I see that your course is "free." It is normal that free courses have a very low ratio of reviews to enrollments. When you don't give away free coupons you are likely to have between 1/3 - 1/5 reviews to enrollments.        ... View more

You can make any lecture a "preview" lecture. I suggest you choose which lectures to include to make up the ten minutes you want to be available. But, there must be ten minutes of previews. If you don't choose them, Udemy will automatically choose the first lectures.  ... View more

The first thing is to BE expert in something. If you are not expert in your topic students will not want to learn from you. If you are expert in a topic, study the best courses in that topic an imaging how your course can be even better. Then... its a long list.   ... View more

The title of this thread "How come we are seen as enemy on Udemy?" sounds very paranoid. Instructors are  not seen as the enemy by students or by Udemy.  Maybe it is a language problem, but to even have this idea is .... ... View more

Your question is about the boundaries of copyright law. But in addition, there is the issue of simple ethics. As an author I have a somewhat strong opinion on this.   First, all of us who publish creative or intellectual content draw on the work of others. In my management courses, on "lean" for example, I draw on the original work of Ohno, Shingo, Jeff Liker and others. I refer to their work and recommend reading their work. This is perfectly acceptable whether in writing or in an online course.   Second, if I were to take Jeff Liker's book, for example, and use his chapter titles as the outline of my course and make the content similar to his book, without actually copying word for word, I would be testing the legal boundary of copyright law, and I would definitely be over the ethical boundary. Your legal right could be challenged. I would not do this without the written permission of the original author.    Third, and this should be obvious, if you use someone else material, directly and word for word, you are outside of both legal and ethical boundaries. Don't do it!   Fourth, as an "expert" instructor the student expects to get YOUR knowledge and experience, not the parroting of someone else's. Someone who is a true expert has learned from many different sources on a subject, even contrary views, and assimilates those into his/her own work. If you are simply drawing on only one authors work, it is a clear sign that you are NOT expert in that topic and it discredits you.    I hope that helps.   ... View more

@gimatek The answer is Udemy. If you are asking about where to host your course. The sites you mention are hosting sites, not course creation. Course creation is an entirely different question. You create a course by a) becoming expert in a topic; b) outlining, researching and developing the content; c) developing graphics and finding good images or videos; d) recording with a good camera and microphone; e) editing with editing software. Then you upload to Udemy or some other hosting site.     ... View more

@dandraguta I don't know why it was rejected, but... I think it is too complicated, too many things happening. An image should be simple and attractive while conveying a strong clue to the content. I would simply simplify this image Also, the text in the upper left hand corner is a violation. My guess is that is why it was rejected.    ... View more

I used to try to be helpful to even the most basic questions from new instructors. But, I have given up and just assume the moderators will do that job. There are simply too many.    ... View more

I couldn't agree more!   ... View more

I think you are right that your topic is one that is not likely to gain a lot of students on Udemy. It is too narrow, too technical.  My topics are intended for a much broader audience, although there is a great deal of competition in my category.    Good luck.  ... View more

@Diptopal I have my own platform on Zenler. The comment  you are replying to is dated 2019.   It is extremely difficult to bring enough students to your own site to make the effort worthwhile. I make about $20k per month on Udemy by relying almost entirely on their marketing. I am accounting for the huge payout difference. I "stick around here", like other successful instructors, because it has paid off very handsomely.  ... View more

What platform are you asking about? If you are asking about Udemy, there is no cost.  ... View more

We all have opinions, but there is research on this. Check out the following:   https://www.uab.edu/elearning/news/faculty-best-practices/what-is-the-best-length-for-an-instructional-video#:~:text=The%20results%20verified%20that%20video,only%20indicator%20of%20video%20reception. The results verified that video engagement initially declines between minutes one and three, levels out between minutes six through 12, then continues a steady loss of viewer engagement after the 12-minute mark.   https://www.techsmith.com/blog/video-length/   https://www.qualitymatters.org/qa-resources/resource-center/articles-resources/research-video-length   https://blink.ucsd.edu/faculty/instruction/tech-guide/instructional-videos/best-practices/video-length.html   ... View more

It is only hidden because it is in the "Published Instructor Club" and you haven't published yet. Regardless, here is the post:   The reasons why Udemy may suspend your account.   To be frank, I am getting a bit tired of seeing posts claiming Udemy has suspended someone's account for no reason. There is always a reason, it is usually a good reason. Below are common reasons for instructors being suspended. Also, taking your course out of UB is something different. If your course is below 4.4 rating it is likely to be removed from the UB catalog. It is your job to maintain high course quality and high value standards. Both UB and the general marketplace are competitive markets, and the competition is increasingly competent.    Violation of Content Guidelines: Instructors are expected to adhere to Udemy's content guidelines, which may include restrictions on topics, copyright infringement, inappropriate or offensive material, or any other violation outlined in the platform's policies. Quality and Relevance Issues: Udemy expects instructors to provide high-quality and relevant content. If an instructor consistently delivers low-quality courses, fails to update their content, or provides misleading or irrelevant information, it could result in a ban. Plagiarism: Copying or plagiarizing content from other sources without permission and proper attribution is a serious violation. Instructors are expected to create original content or use authorized resources. Violation of Intellectual Property Rights: Instructors must respect intellectual property rights, including copyright, trademarks, and patents. Unauthorized use of copyrighted material or infringing on any intellectual property can lead to consequences. Fraudulent Activities: Engaging in fraudulent activities such as creating fake accounts, manipulating course ratings or reviews, or engaging in any other form of deceptive behavior is strictly prohibited and can result in a ban. Unethical Practices: Instructors are expected to act ethically and professionally. Any misconduct, harassment, or violation of Udemy's code of conduct can lead to disciplinary action, including a ban. Non-compliance with Policies and Guidelines: Failure to comply with Udemy's terms of service, instructor policies, or any other published guidelines could result in a ban. This includes any violation related to pricing, course structure, promotional activities, or other platform-specific policies. Teaching on Udemy is a privilege and not a right!  You don't have a "right" to  teach at a university or to be hired by a corporation to teach their managers. You earn this privilege, it is competitive, and can be easily lost!   ... View more

@sum-mah I just looked at your course. You have 11,273 students and 78 ratings. This indicates that you have given away at least ten thousand free coupons. It may not be selling because you are giving it away. Just looking at your intro video, a couple observations for what they are worth:   The topic of public speaking is an extremely competitive topic with some of the best instructors on Udemy dominating the topic. TJ Walker, Jimmy Naraine, and Chris Haroun are the top instructors and they are all excellent instructors and, they do a great job of marketing their own courses. It will be very hard to compete against them. Ask yourself, "why would I buy your course instead of theirs?" The audio seems to be out of sync with the video. This will turn off potential students very quickly. I think the microphone is also not very good.  With South Asian instructors there is always the issue of accent. To my ear, you are speaking too fast and I have trouble understanding all of your words. Slow down. Enunciate.  Editing: There are too many cuts. Count the number of edit cuts in your intro video. Record it again a try to cut the need for editing so there are only one third the number of cuts. A number of the stock videos you have inserted are just distracting. You have a full minute of dead time at the end of your intro video. This is not professional and shows a lack of attention to your editing.  During the first minute of the promo there is background music or noise that is a rhythm sound. It is annoying.  The second lecture is 14 minutes. Lectures shouldn't be more than 3-5 minutes. I thought your presentation style was very good in this lecture. You asked... so those are some opinions you might consider.   ... View more

@TomDeLoughr351 You might want to check out https://www.udemy.com/user/transformationservicesinc/.   They have been very successful as a husband/wife team.    ... View more

No one here can answer that because we do not know the details of what you did.    ... View more

It is not simply your accounts that have been banned. It is you who have been banned. Why did you have five accounts anyway? That smells of doing something dishonest or deceitful. Most successful instructors have one account and we build our brand around that one account.    None of us here in this forum can do anything about your situation. We are  only instructors. I suggest you move on and find another way to make a living.    ... View more

So I corrected it and asked it about an instructor of management.   "Write the lyrics for a talking blues in the style of Woody Guthrie about a Udemy instructor who teaches management and leadership courses and finally past the one million dollar in earnings mark."   (Verse 1) I’m just a man, no tie or suit, Teaching lessons that took root. Looked at my life, and made a deal, Found my purpose, made it real. (Chorus) I’m talking 'bout management, talking 'bout lead, On Udemy I sow the seed. No more grind, no more corporate arc, Just made a million, in the digital park. (Verse 2) Started with lessons on leadership might, People came looking for some insight. Dug deeper into the managerial well, Suddenly my course, it began to sell. (Chorus)  It's a high-tech hustle, but it's righteous work, Where the ambitious and the curious lurk. Hit the leaderboard, made my own spark, Just crossed the million, teaching in the digital park. (Verse 3) Had days of worry, nights of strife, The ebb and flow of the teaching life. But kept my vision, knew I had the spark, Kept on teaching, lighting up the dark. (Chorus) Here's to all you dreamers, wherever you embark, Find your passion, make your mark. Just hit a million, teaching after dark, A Udemy teacher in the digital park. (Bridge)  From team dynamics to the executive suite, Teaching on Udemy is quite a feat. Never thought I’d be here, but here’s the lark, I’m a million-dollar teacher in the Udemy park. (Outro) So that’s my story, from the start, A humble instructor, playing his part. Finally hit the million, lit the spark, Just an Udemy dreamer, teaching in the park. (Chorus) Oh, it's a sweet ol' journey, from daybreak to dark, Finding your purpose, making your mark. Just crossed a million, shining like a lark, An Udemy millionaire, teaching in the digital park. ... View more

If I had to describe my performance this year so far I would call it "stable." Which in my case I consider to be a good thing. More specifically, and you know I track a lot of data...   I passed the the one million in total revenue mark, finally, which is satisfying but doesn't feel that significant now after eight years.   I published my eighteenth course a few months ago and that is now the best seller in its category which is very nice.  My two year mean growth rate in revenue is +13%. Marketplace year-over-year revenue is down -15%. My Udemy Business revenue is up 16% year-over-year and is just over 70% of my total revenue each month.  ... View more

Yes it matters. This is not Tick Tock. Look at every TV screen, every movie screen, the eye naturally sees more horizontal space and that is why every professional production is "landscape" and not vertical.  ... View more

Now I see in "related content"  that Lindsey Marsh seems to be the author before it was copied here.   ... View more

Who is the author of this post? @Bella It appears that you copy and pasted this without attributing it to the author. It also seems to be several years old, but I can't see any date on it. Not good.  ... View more

@TejaswiniAllikanti  You asked for feedback, which is a smart thing to do. I just looked at the first minute of  your opening video. You need to redo this. The audio is terrible. You need to use a good mic that produces a clear audio track. It is very muffled and this on top of the inherent difficulties with your accent, means the most will stop after only a few seconds. Also, you have your head tiled backwards to look up at the camera. That is uncomfortable. The camera should be exactly at the same height as your eyes so you are looking on a horizontal plane.    I hope that helps.    ... View more

Yes. Students want to learn from a human being, one who is expert in his or her field, one who is personable and one who can be trusted to share their experience and knowledge. If  you want to succeed as an instructor you have to build your brand around your own identity. Not a cartoon.   ... View more