Are online courses worth it? This is a question that many people are asking, and the answer may not be as clear-cut as you think. In this blog post, we will take a look at the pros and cons of online courses, and help you decide if they are right for you. We will also discuss how much online courses can cost, and whether or not the information is worth the price tag.
When it comes to online courses, there are two main types: those from accredited schools, and those from influencers. Each type of course has its own set of pros and cons, so let’s take a look at each one in turn.
The first type of online course is the kind that you would find from an accredited school. These courses are typically more expensive than those from influencers, but they also tend to be of a higher quality. The main advantage of taking an accredited course is that you can be sure that the information is accurate and up-to-date. Additionally, these courses often come with a certificate of completion, which can be helpful if you are looking to add to your resume. However, the downside of taking an accredited course is that they can be quite time-consuming, and you may not have as much flexibility in terms of when you can complete the course.
The second type of online course is the kind that comes from Influencers. These are usually more specific and target a specific topic or niche. For example, you can take courses in how to grow a following, how to create a successful youtube channel, how to do SEO and the list goes on and on. These courses can help shortcut your learning curve and typically offer more specific detailed instructions on how to build. Accredited online courses will be packed with more theoretical information.
If you’re someone who wants to start their own business, then taking an influencer course may be a better option for you. However, it’s important to remember that not influencers can scam you. Not all influencers are genuine and not all influencer courses give you exclusive information that you couldn’t find for free online. It’s important to do your research before spending any money on an influencer course.
One word, profit. Online courses are extremely profitable because rather than 1 on 1 training, online courses can be sold one to many. This means that an influencer can make a lot more money by selling an online course, than they could by giving one on one training.
It’s not just about the profit though, many times these influencers will offer free or webinar courses to build an email list. Once they’ve got you on their email list, they’ll attempt to warm you up and get you to purchase a higher ticket course down the road.
Here are some tips on how to pick a good course and ultimately a good influencer to learn from.
Google their name, read about them on forums like quora and reddit. Watch youtube videos about their courses but be careful. Influencers can pay people or incentivize them with affiliate links to give their courses good reviews.
Tip 2) See If They Have Any Bad Reviews
If they have any bad reviews, that’s usually a huge red flag that they are not to be trusted. You should always trust your gut feeling as well. If something feels off about the influencer or the course, then it probably is.
Tip 3) Are They Salesy?
If an influencer is constantly trying to sell you on their courses without giving any value upfront, then they are probably more interested in your money than actually helping you.
In the case of Dropshipping, there are so many scammers it’s not even funny. Understand that when they show you screenshots of them making 20K in one day, it’s because they probably spent 20K or more on ads to generate those sales. Or they can use photoshop to modify the images.
Another thing they’ll do is hammer you with social proof. If they show screenshots of what people are “saying” about their course every hour of every day, it’s not a good sign.
Tip 4) How Successful Are They At What They’re Teaching?
Have they built a legit brand that you can visit online? Do a google search for their brands and see what comes up.
Tip 5) Cameos
Scammers will pay people who are more successful than them to create videos about the scammers success. For example, you can get a cameo shout out from Kevin O Leary for $500 -$1000. For that kind of money, he does a 30 second video congratulating you on your “success”.
Courses can be worth it, but you have to do your research both for accredited programs and especially for influencers. There are a lot of scammers out there and it’s not worth risking your hard earned money on someone who’s not going to give you any value. Pick an influencer that has been in the industry for a while and has a good reputation.