So you are planning to take up an online marketing course to further your prospects of earning money online, right? Right place, right time. But it’s confusing to choose one over the other…
There are many online marketing courses on offer and most are being marketed so well that you really don’t know how to evaluate and what to look for. That is the problem. This article will give you five silver bullets to shoot at every online marketing course you come across. Using the information you gather you can take a proper decision about which one to go with.
So here goes…
First, if you find a course that does not allow you to talk with the instructors or the creators of the course content, give it a ‘minus one’ point. After all, systems and methods are proven and they get you results… but unless they are driven by a human interface you will not extract their true value as a learner. Is it good to be spending your money without getting full value for it?
Next, check for the method of delivery of the online marketing course. Broadly there will be two options. One, the course will be spread over 8 or 12 weeks and you will have a mix of interactive and self-study sessions during which you practice and get results. The other option will give you access to a lot of intellectual property which you study at your own pace and ask questions as and when they arise. Now if you have a lot of self-discipline, go for option two. Else, option one is for you… and it will still take discipline to be on the calls every week and finish your homework!
Third, be sure to ask for course content in advance. Once the topics and their progression is known to you, you also know two other things. One, that the course is well structured and will not evolve with you as a guinea pig. Second that everything you need to know on the subject is covered… and all that remains is taking action along with your coach. Of course one serious issue with pre-developed course content is that it could be packaged since long and therefore not up-to-date with the changing practices online. But you must ask about their updation processes… because the fundamentals of an online marketing course don’t change… only the tips, tricks and techniques do!
Fourth, look up the course topics online and list out reference resources. Frame questions based on the information you find. Ask if the gaps in that information will be filled by the course. Don’t expect to learn everything from freely shared resources. That will not make you money. Those resources are only to start molding your mind.
And finally, check the cost. It is not that the most expensive online marketing course has the best content. It is not that the cheapest has the worst. What you are looking for is the depth of subject matter and any price you pay inside $100 per week is a good price. For subscription sites, $50 a month is the limit I’d recommend.
