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What are you able to do to increase the money from passive earnings you earn through your online course?

Jun 6, 2024

     Reader Disclosure

If we could tell you that you could earn more than passive earnings through your online course by using self-hosted platforms for your online course?

What's Inside? Toggle

Untruths about the Third Party LMS Platforms

You might agree with this statistic for 57% course creators determine the effectiveness of their classes based on students' satisfaction, while 23% take into account student participation while 21% concentrate on income.

This is the reason a large number of instructors believe it's better to make use of third-party LMS platforms, such as Udemy, Teachable, and Kajabi because of:

  • They are convinced that it could lower their marketing expenses, thereby reducing the requirement for massive first investments in hardware and software.
  • They believe it can help to launch their business onto the market at a faster speed.
  • The idea is that it's simple and requires minimal technological knowledge. This makes it easier for course creators to design courses, launch it, and then oversee their courses.

But, these advantages are not without a price such as:

  1. A growing revenue-sharing expense.
  2. 75 percent of course creators make less than $1000 every year. One percent of instructors earn more than $50,000 per year.
  3. Some courses may get missed among the other courses, and require an additional investment in marketing in order to reach the audience you want.
  4. There are few opportunities for students to build relationships outside the portal.
  5. Your page cannot be personalized or the image of your company through these platforms.
  6. It's tough to monitor the progress of your students along the funnel.
  7. The fact that engagement is limited in the digital age is because of the lack of gamification or community-oriented integrations.

     Introduction to Courses that are self-hosted    

If you're an online-based course developer who is unhappy with the excessive cost and limitations of SaaS LMS platforms, you're not all alone. A lot of educators are facing similar problems.

However, there's an alternative which is to use self-hosted platforms for course.

If you decide to host your own course, you can take control of the content you offer, cut down on revenue-sharing costs, as well as discover new ways for earning money.

Take a moment to think about it...

Imagine having the ability to customize your course exactly how you want and keeping some of the hard-earned cash.

Moving to a self-hosted service does not just mean you'll save money It's about unlocking your full potential and building an efficient, long-lasting and sustainable business.

You're still not convinced? Check out this explanation below.

     The High Cost of Revenue Sharing    

If you are using one of the most well-known SaaS LMS platforms to sell and administer your online course it is crucial to be aware of the revenue sharing models they use.

They typically charge large percentage of the earnings that can quickly add up and consume your earnings.

Here's a breakdown of the most common plans for revenue sharing of some well-known SaaS LMS platforms:

     1. Teachable

Teachable offers a range of pricing plans, and their revenue-sharing structure varies on the plan you choose. The annual price of the plans:

  • Free plan: It costs $1 and 10% for each transaction.
  • Basic plan ($39/month): 5% transaction fee.
  • Professional Plan ($119/month) and Business Plan ($499/month) There are no fees for transactions. However, they have a the publishing of course.

     2. Thinkific

Thinkific has a range of pricing levels that have different implications for revenue sharing

  • Free Plan: There are zero transaction fees but with limited options.
  • The Basic Plan ($49/month) The Basic Plan has no charges for transactions. However, it's limited to digital downloads.
  • Plan Pro Plan ($99/month) or the Premier Plan ($499/month) There there aren't any fees for transactions, however there are some online community tools.

     3. Udemy

Udemy has a distinct revenue sharing model that Teachable as well as Thinkific:

  • Organic Sales: Udemy takes 50% of the profits from the salesmade through their marketplace.
  • Promotion of Instructors: Teachers only keep 97% of the profits from sales they generate through their own promotions (using an instructor coupon) and Udemy charging a 3 percent administrative fee.
  • Paid user acquisition: In the case of sales generated through Udemy's paid advertisement efforts, instructors only receive 25 percent of sales.

     4. Kajabi

Kajabi combines subscription costs with extra charges according to the following plan:

  • Kickstarter ($69/month) and the Basic Plan ($149/month) There are no transaction fees, but limited offerings and features.
  • Plan for Growth Plan ($199/month) along with the Pro Plan ($399/month) There is no charge for transactions, however there is a limited number of student enrollments.

The models that are built around revenue share are a good way to highlight the cost associated with utilization by third-party LMS platforms. Although these platforms provide convenience and various features, annual fees and cuts in revenue can significantly reduce your earnings.

Self-hosted system will let you earn the majority of your income and offer greater flexibility in how you manage and present your courses.

A thorough overview of each platform.

     A Comparison of Earnings Potential: SaaS LMS in comparison to. Self-hosted Course Platforms.    

Example: Let's suppose you are selling your online course for $100.

HTML1 SaaS LMS Platform Example:

  • Teachable (Basic plan): In the event of an average transaction cost of 5, this means that you'll lose $5 on each sale.
  • Earnings per sale: $95
  • Monthly subscriptions for $39
  • If you are able to make a profit of selling 20 courses every month, the cost is $20 divided by $95 = $39 = $1.861.
  • Udemy (Organic revenue): If you had a 50 percent income share, your company would be losing the equivalent of $50 on each sale.
  • Profits per sale of $50.
  • If you are able to offer 20 courses per month, you will earn $50 for each course divided by 20 equals $1000

 Self-hosted Solution Examples

  • Monthly subscription for (Most well-known plan) Cost is $33.
  • Earnings per sale: $100
  • If you're selling twenty courses per month, this formula can be employed $20 times $100 = $33 = $1,967

Comparison:

  1.       Teachable (Basic Plan):      
  • SaaS LMS Earnings: $1,861/month
  • Self-Hosted Earnings: $1,967/month
  • The difference is $106 more for self-hosted
  1.       Udemy (Organic selling):      
  • SaaS LMS Earnings: $1,000/month
  • Self-Hosted Earnings: $1,967/month
  • Additional $967 for self-hosted

In the course of a year, they can add up to a significant amount. This is about $11,604 saved for a year!

     Using self-hosted platforms for courses such as Courses could cut the cost of your courses by hundreds, or even thousands of dollars depending on selling volume.    

You now know the cost you will get and how much you can save by using an online course hosted by a self-hosted service, let's take a look at the benefits from switching to this option.

     The advantages of self-hosted course Platforms    

Self-hosted courses on self-hosted platforms are an alternative that is effective to SaaS LMS solutions by giving total control over your content and the operations you run.

Out of all these the options, this is an effective choice, particularly in the event of

Through the use using WordPress's strength WordPress, offers unparalleled possibilities for customization and flexibility, enabling you to design your perfect experience to educate that aligns with your brand and goals in business.

If you choose to host your own courses, like the ones provided by e-learning.com There are many advantages, including reduced costs as well as improved control and the capability to employ diverse strategies for monetization to improve your revenue.                Watch >>> Courses Overview of the Feature

Let's look over the benefits of these.

     Ownership and Control of Content    

Being in control is among the most powerful attributes of an artist and the key ingredient to success in marketing and branding.

With self-hosted platforms that host courses like the one that you're using, you're capable of customizing every aspect of your course to reflect your brand's distinct identity.

From design and layout and the addition of multimedia elements The complete control over the content you create allows you to build the same professional and consistent learning environment that is reflective of the values and style of your company.

Ownership of your content also lets you employ a range of marketing strategies without any limitations.

It is possible to create and distribute promo content, bundle courses offer discounts as well as make use of the various marketing tools and plug-ins on WordPress.

This allows you to get your message in front of the appropriate people efficiently and adapt your approach based on the real-time feedback from your customers and on analytics.

     Direct Customer Relationships    

One of the biggest benefits of self-hosted courses is the ability to build intimate, unmediated relationships with your students.

With no limitations of the intermediary service it is possible to communicate directly with students through sending them personalized messages or feedback as well as support.

As the administrator of this platform, you will gain access to an abundance of information about your students their behavior, along with their personal habits and performances.

It is essential to making the most effective decisions, and also what's not working within your classes.

By analyzing this data and analyzing it, you can adjust your content and teaching methods in order to meet the requirements for your learners. This could lead to a higher satisfaction from your customers as well as a higher retention rate.

The use of intermediaries can limit the ability of your company to provide prompt and reliable customer service.

Self-hosted solutions allow you are in a position to provide a full service with support available via forums, live chat as well as direct message.

Access to instant help and help can dramatically enhance the student's experience as well as address problems before they escalate.

     Monetization via Membership    

One of the most effective ways to earn money through your courses on a self-hosted site is to pack your courses into a membership program.

Membership encourages continuous participation and increase customer retention because students continue to find benefits from the subscriptions they have purchased.

In offering access to a huge catalogue of content at a monthly cost that you can provide significant benefit and encourage students to sign up.

Forums as well as live Q&A sessions build an identity between members, increasing their commitment to the platform.

     This strategy increases your value to your students and gives you the chance of a constant recurring income.    

Base Body Homepage
Base body girls

They also provide personal and online training sessions in their own fitness centre located in Sydney, Australia.

Through the use of Base Body Babes Base Body Babes manages their paid-for content as well as exclusive offers on their site. Members have access to the home and as well as workout classes to help with weight loss along with tutorials, as well as a recipe library.

They can earn steady income and provide significant benefits to their communities.

     Fixed costs and unlimited growth    

Here's a breakdown these costs:

  •       Web Hosting      
  •       Domain Registration      
  •       LMS Software/Plugins      
  • The pricing is available in four levels. :
  • Basic: $179.50/year, suitable for beginners.
  • Additional cost: $299.50/year Includes additional services and connections.
  • Pro: $399.50/year, ideal for businesses needing advanced features.
  • The premium is $499.50/year, great for companies and creators with ambition.
  • Additional charges:
  • SSL certificates to ensure the security of transactions ($0 to $100/year), usually included in hosting plans).
  • Fees for payment gateways (typically about 2.9 percentage plus $0.30 for each transaction).

What are the benefits of selecting Us ? Here is the cost we provide and the advantages you benefit from...

Pricing:

  • Basis Plan $179.50/year
  • Plus Plan: $299.50/year
  • Pro Plan: $399.50/year
  • Elite: $499.50/year

ROI (ROI):

To evaluate the ROI we'll assume that you sign up to the Plus plan for $299.50/year. If you can offer a bundle of courses or membership for $100 and sell only 3 memberships a month, the monthly income is $300.

For a full year, it's $3600. After subtracting the costs of ($299.50) and hosting ($240 at $20 per month) this is $3,061 in net year-end profit.

The calculation shows that even with minimal revenue, the return on investment is high, which makes it the most cost-effective option for you!

Analysis of potential for Scalability without any additional cost per user or Content

One of the major benefits of having your courses hosted by yourself that is the possibility of scaling.

Contrary with SaaS platforms, which charge per user, or cost some portion of the revenues generated, SaaS will allow you to increase your revenue without spending additional money.

Here's how:

  • unlimited users: When your web site is running, and you have it operating you can increase the number of users you would like to include without incurring additional charges. Costs will be affordable regardless of the amount the number of members you have.
  • Flexible Content: It is possible to create and create unlimited lessons, courses as well as membership levels. It allows you to broaden your choices and diversify your income streams without worrying about increased charges.

The fixed-cost design of self-hosted service like they are able to be studied and provides a lot of growth potential.

With scalable infrastructure and no charges per user, you are able to grow the number of customers you have and your contents you provide increasing your profits and ensuring long-term expansion.

There's more.

     Integration with various business Tools    

Self-hosted services like these also provide the option of integration various enterprise tools in order to enhance overall efficiency and insights into the behavior of the students as well as their class efficiency.

Here's how:

     2. CRM Systems:

     3. Analytics Tools

     4. Calendar/Scheduling Tools:

     5. Form/Survey Builders:

     6. Payment Gateways:

Here are more details regarding how you can connect your bank account with business tools.

Check out Supercharge your memberpess website with integrations and add-ons

     Moving to self-hosted hosting Switch to self-hosted    

After you've been convinced by the numerous benefits of switching from SaaS LMS Platforms and Self-hosted platforms, here's what you can do now:

Make it change!

Moving from an SaaS LMS system to self-hosted course such as these could be a challenge However, the process is manageable once you've got a plan.

It is a step-bystep instruction to help you understand the process

     The first step is to begin with a plan    

  • Review Your Current Platform Check out your current SaaS LMS platform's features, information and limitations.
  • Definition of the goals Determine what you hope to achieve through the change (e.g., lower costs and more control).
  • Create a plan for migration Set out your timelines assignments and duties. Make sure you keep an archive of all your information.

     2. Create Your Self-Hosted Platform

  • Install Install and purchase the plug-in on your WordPress website.
Check out the video below to learn how to Install the Plugin

     Step 3. Export Data from SaaS Platform

  • Backup information It is recommended that you have backup copies of the entirety of the course's contents along with user information and any other information which is pertinent.
  • Export Content Use the tools to export provided by your SaaS-based LMS to download the needed data, which includes details about the user along with media files.

     4. Import the Data to    

  • User Import Use software or manual ways to import data from users, ensuring an uninterrupted access for students already enrolled.

     Step 5 Step 5: Setup    

  • Membership Levels You can set up different levels of membership in line with the business model you have set.
  • Payment Gateways Set up payment gateways such as Stripe or PayPal to ensure safe transactions.
  • Customization You can alter the design and structure of your website to reflect the brand you want to promote.

     6. Check Everything

  • Functionality testing Verify that all functions, including accessibility to the courses, the types of memberships and payment processing are working correctly.
  • user experience: Test the user journey from signup until the time of course's completion to make sure you have a seamless user experience.

It's time!

     7th Step Start and advertise    

  • inform users let your existing users of the change with clear instructions and assistance in accessing the new system.

5 Tips to seamless transition

  • The plan is comprehensive, containing specific timelines and backups for data.
  • Make modifications clearly to users, and provide support.
  • Try all functionalities extensively so that disruptions are not caused.
  • Make use of the existing sources and migrate guides. Beginning by creating a brief portion of the information needed to address problems early.
  • Provide continuous support via Help desks and FAQs, as well as examine the efficiency of your system, and make adjustments according to feedback.

By following these steps you can easily move from a SaaS LMS into a self-hosted platform like , gaining full control over what you create and maximising your profitability.

     A Quick Overview    

We're amazed at how far we've come.

The initial issue we addressed was the drawbacks when you rely on third-party LMS platforms for managing your course's monetization.

In the next section we will discuss the key benefits that self-hosted courses platforms such as offers, including full ownership of content, lower costs, and greater control over branding and marketing actions.

We also carried out some comparisons and we were able to convince you that investing in self-hosted course platforms like Courses is a major game-changer for your creative venture you operate.

At the end of the day, it's important to remember that when you can eliminate the high fees for revenue sharing, and take advantage of tools such as Courses, you can to create a scalable and profitable online education company.

Take a look at the cost of your site in relation with the advantages. If you're currently using WordPress then you need to think about an effective solution that will maximize the profits you earn and boost the growth.

We'd love to know in the comments section if you're considering moving to self-hosted platforms for courses like Courses. We're happy to address any questions you may have.

Sarah O Sarah is adamant about making simpler the technical features of plugins, websites, as well as digital marketing. As a writer for content for Member Press, she has a keen eye for crafting informative and valuable content. Sarah is a major player in helping educate users and empower them to fully utilize the potential of Member Press plugins. By combining creativity with technical knowledge, her goal is to ensure that each article does more than educate, it is also stimulating. Although she's not writing her most popular content, she is interested in exploring the most recent technological advancements and trends in marketing. Always looking for creative ways to enhance the users' experience.

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