We are excited to invite all Udemy Instructors to an exclusive AMA (Ask Me Anything) session featuring @FrankKane  and @TrevoirWill. This event will be held on April 30th at 11:00 AM PT, offering some insight into some of the community’s best practices with AV and Course Quality!

We wanted to inform you the community platform will be set to read-only for a brief period of maintenance today, April 9th, 2024.  During this time, you'll still be able to access existing content and browse the site, but won't be able to post new content, comment, or make edits.

Hello Instructors! We are pleased to announce two exciting policy updates straight from our Trust & Safety Team. These changes have been driven by valuable feedback from our esteemed instructors like you. Get ready to embrace more flexibility in your course creation process! 🚀

Hello Instructors! 

It’s now April and this month’s theme is AV! We’d love for you to stop by our coffee chat and network with fellow instructors while sharing your experience with improving the audio and visual quality of your online courses.

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

Hey there instructors!

It’s officially April and this theme should be a hotly discussed topic -  AV. Now, what is AV you may ask? 

AV stands for Audio Visual and the month’s discussions are going to revolve around all things related to upping the quality of your online course recording.

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.

Hello Instructors! 

It’s now March and this month’s theme is Course Quality!! We’d love for you to stop by our coffee chat and network with fellow instructors while sharing your experience with improving the quality of your online courses.

What is a virtual coffee chat? 

The community virtual coffee chats are hour-long informal networking sessions held via Zoom. During these sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to network with and get to know other Udemy instructors worldwide.

How does it work?

March’s theme is Course Quality, so for the first 30 minutes, we will discuss various questions and Search Engine Optimization. Then we will open the floor for some questions you may have for other instructors regarding Course Quality as an instructor.

How do I sign up?

Glad you asked! You can sign up for the coffee chat here!

We look forward to seeing you on Friday, March 29th at 11:00am Pacific Time! 

(Please click the link here to see out your local time) 

*We understand that this time may not be ideal for all time zones, however, we will change the times of the coffee chat each month to accommodate different locations.

Hey there instructors! 

Last month, we had the opportunity to host our monthly networking session and we wanted to share what we went through. There was a lot of great information within the networking event covering SEO! Through our time together, we asked a couple of questions about instructor’s experience in SEO and here is a recap of what we discussed. 

Hey there!

It’s officially March and our next topic to discuss is course quality. Throughout the month, we will have discussions about how you can improve your course’s quality and provide a better experience for your learners.

Hello there!

We're always looking for ways to make our community a valuable and enriching space for all of us. To do that, we need your input!

Thank you for joining us for the first Instructor Insider of 2024. Many of you have told us you want more ways to reach and engage learners — and maximize your earnings potential. And we’ve heard you. So this Insider we’re focusing on:

Your content – We want to make it easier for you to do what you do best: create fantastic content for learners. 

Your brand (and ours) – Where you teach is important, so we’re working hard on building trust and name recognition for new and existing learners.

Your revenue – We’re making enhancements that will help skill-oriented learners discover and engage with your courses (so they keep coming back).

Read on for more of how we’re doing it

Hello there!

We're thrilled to announce that applications are now open for our super user program, the Community Champions!

WHY?
✅ Build your personal brand

✅ Promote your courses and teaching style

✅ Tap into Udemy’s audience of over 12M followers

✅ Connect with Udemy learners across the globe

✅ Share your knowledge help others grow personally and professionally

✅ Grow your community by engaging with new and existing learners

If these perks sound appealing, this opportunity is for you!

The Udemy social media team is looking to feature video content from instructors across Udemy’s social channels. For a chance to be featured, record a short video clip of you sharing ANYTHING related to learning (must be under 60 seconds).

In 2024, we're trying to provide more transparency and align pricing with the value you deliver to learners. We’ve highlighted our focus areas in pricing strategy for the next few months in this Teaching Center Article. You can find a summary of the updates below:

Hello Instructors! 

It’s now February and this month’s theme is SEO!! We’d love for you to stop by our coffee chat and network with fellow instructors while sharing your experience with SEO.

What is a virtual coffee chat? 

The community virtual coffee chats are hour-long informal networking sessions held via Zoom. During these sessions, you’ll have the opportunity to network with and get to know other Udemy instructors worldwide.

How does it work?

February’s theme is SEO, so for the first 30 minutes, we will discuss various questions and Search Engine Optimization. Then we will open the floor for some questions you may have for other instructors regarding SEO as an instructor.

How do I sign up?

Glad you asked! You can sign up for the coffee chat here!

We look forward to seeing you on Friday, February 23rd at 11:00am PT (Pacific Standard Time, US)! 

*We understand that this time may not be ideal for all time zones, however, we will change the times of the coffee chat each month to accommodate different locations.

Hey there!

We’re excited to start off the new month with a theme that is highly discussed within the community, SEO. Through February, we will discuss various aspects of what SEO is and how you all are utilizing it as instructors. 

Hi all,

Tax season has arrived in the United States, and so have 2023 tax forms for US instructors! If you submitted form W-9 (for US persons and businesses), you should be able to access Form 1099-MISC summarizing your 2023 Udemy earnings and withholding at this point. You can view your form and securely download a PDF of it in your Payout & Tax Settings page. A physical tax form will be sent to the mailing address you provided when you completed your tax documentation, unless you selected to receive your year-end tax forms electronically (and so Udemy won’t send a copy by mail).

We are excited to invite all Udemy Instructors to an exclusive AMA (Ask Me Anything) session featuring our esteemed Chief Marketing Officer, Genefa Murphy. This event will be held on February 6th at 11:00 AM PT, offering a unique opportunity to delve into the intricacies of Udemy and its dynamic landscape.

Hey there instructors,

We are super proud that Udemy plays a part in so many of your lives and anytime we get to share one of our instructors our learner's stories we are always super excited.  With that in mind, we are pleased to showcase the inspiring story of Udemy instructor Angela Yu, and the impact she has had on one of her learners, Alvin Lim.

Hello Instructors,

We wish to address a situation regarding duplicate payments received by a small number of instructors using PayPal for payouts.

Hey there!

It’s the new year and we want to start of 2024 strong with our new theme, New Year New Goals. We want to make sure that you are set up for success and create the perfect goals for you to crush in 2024! 

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!

2023 kept us all on our toes with exciting new technologies like generative AI.

Luckily for the millions of Udemy learners across the globe, instructors like you were there to help them adapt — and even thrive.

We put together a year-in-review video that highlights the impact that you’ve made teaching with Udemy. Trust us when we say that you’re not just helping improve lives through learning — you’re transforming them.

Got a story of your own you’d like to share? Your fellow instructors would love to hear it!

Hello Instructors!

We wanted to wish you all a happy and safe holiday this season, and we are so grateful to have you all as members of this community!

As we approach the holidays, we wanted to reach out and let you know that our community team will be slower to respond until the new year. 

Thank you for being a valued part of our community, and we look forward to connecting with you in 2024!

Happy holidays!🌟

The Udemy community team

Hey there Instructor Community!

We are excited to share another challenge for you to join in! Last time we gave you all a challenge, it was related to updating your courses to be prepped for the holiday season. Now we have something that will take place in this community! We wanted to challenge you all to connect and communicate with your fellow instructors within this space.

Hello Instructor Community!

The results are in and we have our winners for the second annual Udemy Community Awards! Congratulations to all the winners!

Hello Instructor Community!

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to cast their vote for the second annual Udemy Awards nominees! Your choices have been recorded and we now have our nominees for each category! 

You can cast your vote for each category here.

Udemy awards! Vote for your favorite instructors!

We are excited to announce the second annual, “End of the Year Instructor Awards” (unofficially known as the Instructor UdEmmys). 🏆

This is an opportunity to recognize the community members that we all have come to know and respect in categories like ‘community member of the year’, ‘the technical guru, or ‘most motivating’.

We will be kicking off the nomination process today and it will be open until 12/12/23 @ 11:59pm ET.

How does it work?

• Use this form to nominate your favorite instructors & discussions in each of the categories listed.
• Form will be open from 12/5/23-12/12/23
• Come back to the community on 12/14/2023 to see who made the nomination list and then cast your final vote for a single winner in each category.
• Winners will be announced on 12/20/23

Leave us a comment or post a gif below once you’ve nominated your instructors!

Hey Instructor Community!

November is here and that means there’s a new theme for the instructor community, AI! There have been a LOT of discussions revolving around this subject and we are excited to finally cover it! Generative AI is here and is a game changer for a lot of different aspects.