Hey everyone,
In July 2023, I launched my first Udemy course, aiming to generate some passive income. With over 6 years in SEO, my course delves into search engine optimization, covering topics like how Google operates and essential elements for website promotion. The 90-minute video content is designed to be straight to the point. Having focused solely on fieldwork without building a personal brand, I initially lacked an audience to promote the course.
This was an entirely new activity for me, created on an iPhone 13, with my first-time involvement in recording, editing, creating subtitles, and more, all done independently.
I initially expected Udemy to gradually share some organic traffic, but in reality, this resulted in about 5-7 total sales from them—roughly 1 per month through Udemy promotions.
I discovered Udemy's algorithm is straightforward; gathering numerous course reviews is key to surpassing competitors. To obtain reviews, I offered free access, mainly here on Reddit, in exchange for feedback. The challenge was that many users didn't even open the course after applying the free code, and some never responded. It seems some users collect free access to multiple courses, later re-uploading them on their sites for profit.
Nevertheless, I received some valuable feedback from honest people who genuinely watched the course, and almost everyone was satisfied with the content and information. The major negative points were related to sound quality and missing visuals in some videos.
My Udemy experience is mixed. Udemy independently sets the price, even if you initially set it at $50; it could drop to $13 for weeks. Additionally, Udemy takes 37% of the sale, leaving as little as $5 when the course is sold for $13. Unfortunately, you have little control over these aspects.
In conclusion, my feedback on this passive income venture is somewhat negative. Success on Udemy seems to require a personal brand with a significant following. Even with one, Udemy might not be ideal due to the substantial profit share. For those without a personal brand, starting on Udemy might yield minimal returns.
I plan to continue working on the course until the end of the year, offering free access for feedback and making some sales myself. Currently, I've reached 200 students (over 190 from my efforts) and around 20 sales (around 15 from my efforts).
Here is my personal experience, and I would like to hear your thoughts or hints if any :)