Online Courses are Dead (try this instead!)

Online Course Industry Shifts & The Rise of Implementation Support

Key Concepts:

• Cohort-Based Courses: Interactive, live programs with a group of students learning together, emphasizing community and accountability.
• Evergreen Courses: Self-paced, pre-recorded courses available continuously.
• Profit & Loss (P&L) Statement: A financial statement summarizing revenues, costs, and expenses over a period of time.
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): A metric measuring customer loyalty and willingness to recommend a product or service.
• Trust Gap: A growing consumer skepticism towards online businesses and influencers, demanding authenticity and transparency.
• Comfort Creators: Content creators who prioritize relatable, casual, and authentic content.

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Amy Porterfield’s Pivot & Industry Discussion

The episode centers around Amy Porterfield’s recent announcement regarding her shift away from online courses, as discussed in her latest podcast episode. Porterfield, a highly successful online course creator (having generated over $54 million in course revenue), is reportedly moving towards more implementation-focused support. This announcement sparked debate, with some questioning if the online course industry is “dead.” The speaker acknowledges Porterfield’s influence, citing her as inspiration for starting a podcast and creating her first course, but emphasizes the importance of individual business context.

The Importance of Individual Business Analysis

A core argument presented is that business decisions made by multi-million dollar enterprises (like Porterfield’s or Jenna Kutcher’s) should not be blindly copied by smaller businesses (under $500,000, and even up to $2 million in annual revenue). The speaker stresses the need for entrepreneurs to understand their own unique numbers and financial situation.

Specifically, she advocates for analyzing a Profit & Loss (P&L) statement to determine revenue streams, including course sales, brand sponsorships, and service offerings. This data allows for informed decisions based on individual performance, rather than external trends. She references her own recent episode detailing her P&L breakdown for illustrative purposes. The speaker notes she recently crossed the $1 million threshold on her course platform.

Shifting Demand & The Decline of Evergreen Courses

The speaker acknowledges a shift in the online course landscape, noting fluctuations in her own course sales. While online courses remain a significant income source, she observes a decline in the performance of evergreen courses (self-paced, pre-recorded content). She contrasts this with the continued success of some peers who still thrive with evergreen content, attributing this to audience demographics – newer audiences are more receptive to foundational, self-paced learning. Her own audience, comprised of longer-term followers, has evolved and now seeks more advanced, interactive learning experiences.

The Rise of Cohort-Based Courses & Live Implementation

The speaker champions cohort-based courses as a viable alternative. These courses are interactive, live programs where students learn and grow together, guided by an instructor. Key benefits highlighted include:

• Community & Support: Students benefit from diverse perspectives and peer support.
• Accountability: Live instruction and assignments encourage completion and application of learning.
• Access to Instructor: Direct interaction with the instructor fosters trust and provides personalized guidance.
• Actionable Results: Emphasis on practical application and portfolio building.

She shares her experience with the Social Media Management Accelerator (SMMA), her first cohort-based course, which achieved a 96% Net Promoter Score (NPS), indicating high customer satisfaction and willingness to recommend the program. The SMMA was designed to model a traditional college class, incorporating weekly lectures, assignments, masterminds, and instructor office hours, culminating in a portfolio project.

The "Trust Gap" & Authenticity in Content Creation

The speaker discusses a growing trust gap between consumers and online businesses, fueled by instances of over-promising and under-delivering. This has led to a demand for greater authenticity and transparency. She references the rise of “comfort creators” – content creators who prioritize relatable, casual, and authentic content – as a response to this shift.

She contrasts this with potentially more scripted or polished content from established figures like Porterfield and Kutcher, suggesting a disconnect with current audience preferences. A quote emphasizes this point: “Today, consumers have grown savvier. They don't just want to know what influencers recommend, they want to know why they should believe them.” She notes her own preference for vlogging as a way to authentically connect with her audience, a practice she’s engaged in for 12 years.

Brand Watch Implications for Businesses

The speaker references a list from Brand Watch outlining six implications of this trust gap for brands:

1. Prioritize transparent business practices (especially pricing and product capabilities).
2. Focus on creating stress-free customer experiences.
3. Respect consumers’ digital boundaries and support well-being.
4. Create advertising that offers value rather than interruption.
5. Cultivate authentic influencer partnerships.
6. Position AI as an enhancement to human experiences, not a replacement.

Personal Investment & Passion Projects

The speaker shares a personal example of opening a physical podcast studio, emphasizing that it was a passion project funded by personal savings, not necessarily a financially sound business decision. This illustrates the importance of aligning business decisions with personal needs and values, and cautions against blindly copying others. She highlights that Amy Porterfield’s decision to move away from courses was driven by a similar lack of passion.

Conclusion & Actionable Takeaways

The episode concludes with a call to action for entrepreneurs to analyze their own business data, understand their audience, and prioritize authenticity. While acknowledging the changing landscape of the online course industry, the speaker emphasizes that cohort-based courses and live implementation support offer a promising path forward, particularly for those seeking deeper engagement and more impactful results. The key takeaway is to focus on what works for your business, rather than chasing trends set by larger, fundamentally different enterprises.