Video Course Guide

Part 1: Finding and Shaping Your Idea

Part 2: Gearing Up to Create

Part 3: Creating and Editing Your Course

Part 4: Selling and Scaling

Create your first video course

Build an Audience for Your Course

A great course needs an audience. Even the most polished, high-quality course will struggle to gain traction if no one knows about it. But here's what most course creators get wrong: they try to build an audience and sell a course at the same time, spreading their efforts thin and disappointing both goals.

Successful course creators build their audience first, then create courses their audience is already excited to buy. This approach feels less salesy, creates genuine demand, and builds a sustainable business around people who genuinely want to learn from you.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll break down how to build an engaged audience for your course that converts browsers into buyers, covering everything from audience psychology to platform-specific growth strategies.

The Psychology of Audience Building

The Know, Like, Trust Framework

People buy from people they know, like, and trust. This isn't just marketing advice — it's human psychology. Before someone invests in your course, they need to:

Know you exist and what you stand for
Like your personality and teaching style
Trust your expertise and ability to help them

Traditional advertising focuses on "know" — but course creators must master all three levels.

The Authority-Authenticity Balance

Authority without authenticity feels cold and unapproachable. People want to learn from experts, but they also want to connect with real humans who understand their struggles.

Authenticity without authority feels friendly but unqualified. Sharing your journey is important, but you must also demonstrate competence and results.

The sweet spot: Share your expertise confidently while being transparent about your own learning journey and mistakes.

The Value-First Mindset

Give away your best content for free. This counterintuitive approach works because:

It demonstrates your expertise before people pay
It builds trust and goodwill with your audience
It positions you as generous, not greedy
It creates reciprocity — people want to support you back

You're not giving away your course for free — you're giving away content that makes people excited to go deeper with your paid course.

Start with Your Niche and Audience Deep Dive

Before you start promoting, take a moment to define your audience with precision. Vague targeting leads to vague messaging, which attracts no one strongly.

Creating Your Ideal Student Avatar

Go beyond demographics to understand psychographics:

Demographics (Basic Info):

Age range, location, income level
Job title, industry, education level
Family situation, lifestyle factors

Psychographics (The Real Stuff):

Current struggles: What keeps them up at night?
Aspirations: What do they want their life to look like?
Learning style: Do they prefer step-by-step or big picture?
Technology comfort: Are they tech-savvy or need simple solutions?
Time constraints: When and how do they consume content?
Spending patterns: What do they invest in? What do they avoid?

Pain Points and Desires:

Surface-level problem: "I want to learn photography"
Deeper emotional need: "I want to capture my kids' childhood beautifully"
Ultimate transformation: "I want to feel confident and creative"

The Problem-Solution-Outcome Framework

Define your course positioning clearly:

Problem: What specific challenge does your ideal student face?
Solution: How does your course address this challenge uniquely?
Outcome: What will their life look like after taking your course?

Example for a productivity course:

Problem: Overwhelmed entrepreneurs struggling to manage multiple projects
Solution: A simple system for prioritizing tasks and tracking progress
Outcome: Confident, organized business owners who finish projects on time

This clarity will shape your messaging, help you choose the right platforms, and attract the people most likely to become loyal students.

Grow Your Email List (Your Most Valuable Asset)

An email list is one of the most effective ways to build an audience. It gives you direct access to people interested in your course, without relying on social media algorithms or platform changes.

The Lead Magnet Strategy Framework

Types of High-Converting Lead Magnets:

Quick-Win Resources (High perceived value, easy to deliver):

Checklists: "10-Point Website Audit Checklist"
Templates: "Email Scripts That Get Responses"
Cheat Sheets: "Keyboard Shortcuts That Save 2 Hours Daily"

Educational Content (Demonstrates your teaching ability):

Mini-courses: 5-day email series with daily lessons
Workbooks: PDF guides with exercises and frameworks
Video trainings: 20-30 minute focused lessons

Exclusive Access (Creates community feeling):

Private Facebook groups: Behind-the-scenes community
Resource libraries: Collection of tools and templates
Weekly newsletters: Insider tips and insights

Lead Magnet Creation Checklist:

Solves a specific problem your ideal student faces
Delivers quick results they can implement immediately
Showcases your teaching style and expertise
Creates desire for more in-depth learning
Is easy to consume in 15-30 minutes

Email Marketing That Builds Relationships

Your email list is not a sales list — it's a relationship-building tool.

The 80/20 Email Rule:

80% value: Tips, insights, stories, free resources
20% promotion: Course launches, special offers, announcements

Email Content Types That Work:

Weekly newsletters:

One main teaching point or insight
Personal story or behind-the-scenes moment
Resource recommendation or tool tip
Gentle reminder about your course (if relevant)

Educational sequences:

Welcome series introducing your methodology
Case study breakdowns showing your approach
Common mistake series (what not to do)
"Day in the life" content showing your expertise in action

Community building emails:

Ask questions and encourage replies
Share subscriber success stories
Behind-the-scenes course creation process
Personal challenges and lessons learned

Email List Growth Strategies

Content Upgrades:

Create specific lead magnets for your best-performing content:

Blog post about productivity → Productivity template download
YouTube video about marketing → Marketing checklist
Social media tips → Complete strategy guide

Webinar Funnels:

Host free training sessions on topics related to your course
Provide massive value during the session
Soft-pitch your course as the next step
Follow up with email sequence for non-attendees

Social Media Integration:

Add lead magnet links to all social media bios
Create Instagram Stories highlighting your free resources
Pin tweets about your lead magnets
Share lead magnets in relevant Facebook groups (where allowed)

Leverage Social Media Strategically

You don't need to be everywhere, but you do need to show up consistently where your audience hangs out. Each platform has its own culture and content style.

Platform-Specific Strategies

Instagram (Visual storytelling and community):

Best for: Creative courses, lifestyle topics, visual skills

Content strategy:

Posts: Before/after transformations, quote graphics, carousel tutorials
Stories: Behind-the-scenes content, polls, Q&A sessions
Reels: Quick tips, trending audio with your expertise, mini-tutorials
IGTV: Longer-form educational content, case studies

Growth tactics:

Use relevant hashtags strategically (mix of popular and niche)
Engage with comments within the first hour of posting
Collaborate with other creators in your niche
Host live sessions for direct audience interaction

LinkedIn (Professional development and B2B):

Best for: Business courses, career development, professional skills

Content strategy:

Articles: In-depth thought leadership pieces
Posts: Industry insights, career tips, professional stories
Videos: Professional advice, industry trends, case studies
Comments: Thoughtful engagement on others' content

Growth tactics:

Comment meaningfully on posts from industry leaders
Share contrarian viewpoints (politely) to spark discussion
Use LinkedIn newsletters for consistent visibility
Connect with people you engage with regularly

TikTok (Entertainment-first education):

Best for: Quick skills, entertainment-focused learning, younger audiences

Content strategy:

Educational hooks: "3 things I wish I knew before..."
Trend hijacking: Use popular sounds with your expertise
Behind-the-scenes: Course creation process, daily routine
Quick tips: 15-second actionable advice

Growth tactics:

Post consistently (1-3 times per day)
Jump on trends quickly with your own spin
Use trending hashtags and sounds
Engage with comments immediately

YouTube (Long-form education and authority building):

Best for: Complex skills, visual learning, searchable content

Content strategy:

Tutorials: Step-by-step how-to videos
Case studies: Real examples and breakdowns
Q&A sessions: Answer audience questions
Course previews: Free lessons that tease your paid content

Growth tactics:

Optimize for search with keyword-rich titles and descriptions
Create compelling thumbnails that stand out
Encourage comments and respond to all of them
Create playlists to keep viewers watching longer

Content Planning and Consistency

The Content Pillar Strategy:

Organize your content around 3-5 main themes:

For a marketing course creator:

Strategy: High-level marketing concepts and frameworks
Tactics: Specific tools and techniques
Case Studies: Real examples and results
Mindset: Overcoming fears and limiting beliefs
Behind-the-Scenes: Personal journey and course creation

Content Batching for Efficiency:

Plan: Map out a month of content at once
Create: Film/write multiple pieces in one session
Schedule: Use tools like Buffer, Later, or Creator Studio
Repurpose: Turn one piece of content into multiple formats

Engagement Strategies That Build Community

The 5-Minute Rule:

Spend 5 minutes on each platform daily engaging with:

Comments on your own content
Posts from people in your niche
Content from your ideal audience members
Relevant hashtags and communities

Community Building Tactics:

Ask questions in your posts to encourage responses
Share user-generated content from your audience
Create content series that people look forward to
Host live sessions for real-time interaction
Respond personally to direct messages and comments

Remember, social media is about connection, not constant promotion. Aim to build relationships and trust first.

Create Free, Valuable Content

Content marketing can attract and nurture your audience over time. The key is providing so much value that people actively seek out your content and share it with others.

Content Strategy Framework

The HELPS Method:

Create content that:

Helps solve immediate problems
Educates on important topics
Leads by example with case studies
Personalizes with stories and experiences
Simplifies complex concepts

Content Types That Build Authority:

Blog posts:

How-to guides: Step-by-step tutorials
List posts: "10 Tools Every [Your Audience] Needs"
Case studies: Detailed breakdowns of successes and failures
Opinion pieces: Your take on industry trends and news
Beginner guides: "Complete Guide to [Your Topic]"

YouTube videos:

Tutorials: Screen recordings showing your process
Talking head videos: Direct teaching and advice
Vlogs: Behind-the-scenes of your work
Interviews: Conversations with other experts
Course previews: Free lessons from your paid content

Podcasts or guest appearances:

Solo episodes: Share your expertise and insights
Interview shows: Bring on other experts
Guesting: Appear on other people's podcasts
Panel discussions: Join industry conversations

Content Planning for Course Creators

The Course Creator's Content Calendar:

Educational Content (40%):

Tips and tutorials related to your course topic
How-to guides and step-by-step processes
Tool reviews and recommendations
Industry news and trend analysis

Personal Content (30%):

Your learning journey and experiences
Behind-the-scenes of course creation
Failures and lessons learned
Daily routines and productivity tips

Social Proof Content (20%):

Student success stories and testimonials
Case studies from your own experience
Before-and-after transformations
Community highlights and features

Promotional Content (10%):

Course launches and announcements
Limited-time offers and bonuses
Free resource promotions
Event and webinar invitations

SEO and Discoverability

Keyword Strategy for Course Creators:

Primary keywords: What your ideal students search for

"How to start freelance writing"
"Photography tips for beginners"
"Small business marketing strategies"

Long-tail keywords: More specific, less competitive

"How to write a freelance proposal that gets hired"
"Portrait photography lighting setup for home studio"
"Social media marketing for local restaurants"

Content Distribution Strategy:

Create one piece of cornerstone content (blog post or video)
Break it down into social media posts and snippets
Repurpose for different platforms and formats
Update and refresh high-performing content regularly

Consistency is key. Choose one or two content formats and commit to a schedule you can maintain.

Collaborate with Others

Don't go it alone! Partnering with others in your niche can exponentially expand your reach and credibility.

Strategic Partnership Types

Complementary Creators (Non-competing overlap):

Example: Photography course creator + Photo editing course creator

Cross-promote each other's courses
Create joint free resources
Appear on each other's content
Bundle courses together for special promotions

Same-Level Peers (Similar audience size):

Benefits: Mutual audience growth, shared workload, relationship building Collaboration ideas:

Joint webinars or live sessions
Podcast interview exchanges
Social media takeovers
Collaborative free challenges

Authority Figures (Larger audiences):

Goal: Borrow credibility and reach new audiences Approach strategies:

Offer unique value in exchange for exposure
Start with smaller asks (social media share, brief mention)
Build relationship before pitching collaboration
Provide excellent content that reflects well on them

Collaboration Tactics That Work

Guest Content Creation:

Guest posts: Write valuable content for other blogs or newsletters
Podcast appearances: Share your expertise on relevant shows
Video collaborations: Appear on YouTube channels or online summits
Social media takeovers: Take over someone's Instagram Stories

Joint Value Creation:

Co-created lead magnets: Combine expertise for comprehensive resources
Joint webinars: Co-host educational sessions
Bundle collaborations: Include courses in each other's special offers
Cross-promotion agreements: Systematic audience sharing

Community Building:

Joint challenges: 30-day challenges combining both expertises
Collaborative courses: Create courses together for broader appeal
Shared events: Co-host workshops or online conferences
Resource sharing: Exchange templates, tools, and expertise

Finding and Approaching Collaborators

Where to Find Potential Partners:

Social media: Engage with creators who share your audience
Industry events: Network at conferences and online summits
Online communities: Join Facebook groups and Slack communities
Content platforms: Connect with people whose content you admire

How to Approach Collaborations:

Build relationship first: Engage with their content and add value
Start small: Propose low-risk, high-value initial collaborations
Be specific: Offer clear, mutual benefits in your outreach
Follow up professionally: Respect their time and decision process

Measure and Optimize Your Audience Building

Key Metrics to Track

Awareness Metrics:

Website traffic from different sources
Social media reach and impressions
Content engagement rates across platforms
Brand mention tracking and social listening

Engagement Metrics:

Email open rates and click-through rates
Social media comments and shares
Time spent on your content
Return visitor rates to your website

Conversion Metrics:

Email signup conversion rates from different sources
Course page visits from audience building efforts
Course enrollment rates from email subscribers
Student lifetime value and course completion rates

Optimization Strategies

A/B Testing for Audience Building:

Lead magnet titles and descriptions
Social media post timing and formats
Email subject lines and content types
Course page headlines and descriptions

Content Performance Analysis:

Identify top-performing content types and topics
Repurpose successful content across multiple platforms
Double down on formats that drive course enrollments
Eliminate or improve low-performing content

Audience Feedback Integration:

Survey email subscribers about their biggest challenges
Ask social media followers what content they want to see
Interview course students about their pre-purchase journey
Use feedback to refine messaging and content strategy

Real-Life Audience Building Success Stories

Case Study 1: The Content Consistency Champion

Maria's Photography Course Journey:

Starting Point: 200 Instagram followers, no email list Strategy: Posted one photography tip daily on Instagram for 6 months Content Mix:

Behind-the-scenes: 40% (her photo shoots and editing process)
Quick tips: 30% (lighting, composition, editing tricks)
Student features: 20% (showcasing beginner improvements)
Personal stories: 10% (her photography journey and lessons)

Lead Magnet: "10 Photography Poses That Work Every Time" PDF guide Email Strategy: Weekly newsletter with extended photography tutorials

Results After 6 Months:

Instagram: Grew to 15,000 engaged followers
Email List: 2,500 subscribers
Course Launch: 150 students at $297 each ($44,550 revenue)
Key Insight: Consistency beat perfection — daily posts built trust

Case Study 2: The Collaboration Master

David's Business Course Success:

Starting Point: Strong LinkedIn presence (5,000 connections) but no course audience Strategy: Built relationships with complementary business coaches Collaboration Tactics:

Guest posts: Wrote 20 guest articles for business blogs
Podcast tour: Appeared on 30 business and entrepreneurship podcasts
Joint webinars: Co-hosted 5 webinars with other business experts
Bundle partnerships: Included course in 3 different business bundles

Lead Magnet: "90-Day Business Launch Checklist" that showcased his course methodology Email Strategy: Case study series showing real business launches

Results After 8 Months:

Email List: 8,000 subscribers from partnerships
Course Presales: $50,000 before course was complete
Network Growth: 25 ongoing collaboration relationships
Key Insight: Other people's audiences accelerated growth faster than solo efforts

Case Study 3: The Teeeach Advantage Story

Sarah's Design Course Evolution:

Previous Platform Experience:

Teachable course priced at $197
Competing with hundreds of design courses
$39/month platform fee ate into early profits
Students complained about platform distractions

Teeeach Strategy:

Repositioned course at $497 with premium positioning
Focused messaging on professional results, not beginner basics
Reinvested platform fee savings into Facebook ads
Leveraged clean platform for student testimonials

Audience Building Results:

Course price increase attracted more serious students
Better student results led to stronger testimonials
Professional platform improved conversion rates
Daily payouts enabled faster ad campaign optimization

Business Impact:

Revenue per student: Increased 150%
Student satisfaction: 95% completion rate vs. 60% on previous platform
Marketing ROI: 3x improvement with reinvested platform fees
Referral rate: 40% of new students came from word-of-mouth

Nina, a health coach, started by offering a free 5-day challenge through her email list. She shared daily tips on Instagram, linked to her lead magnet in her bio, and hosted a free webinar to preview her course. By the time she launched, she had a warm audience of engaged potential students — and she filled her first cohort with ease.

Your 90-Day Audience Building Action Plan

Month 1: Foundation Building

Week 1: Define your ideal student avatar and course positioning Week 2: Create your lead magnet and set up email marketing Week 3: Choose 2-3 social media platforms and optimize profiles Week 4: Plan your content calendar and publish first week of content

Month 2: Content and Consistency

Week 5-6: Publish content consistently across chosen platforms Week 7: Launch lead magnet promotion across all channels Week 8: Analyze performance and double down on what's working

Month 3: Growth and Optimization

Week 9-10: Reach out for collaboration opportunities Week 11: Create your course landing page on Teeeach Week 12: Soft launch to your audience and gather feedback

Daily Habits for Audience Building:

15 minutes: Engage with your audience on social media
30 minutes: Create or curate valuable content
10 minutes: Email list management and newsletter planning
5 minutes: Network building and relationship maintenance

Common Audience Building Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Trying to Be Everywhere

Problem: Spreading efforts across too many platforms Solution: Master 2-3 platforms before expanding Focus: Depth over breadth builds stronger relationships

Mistake 2: Selling Too Soon

Problem: Promoting course before building trust Solution: Follow the 80/20 rule (80% value, 20% promotion) Timeline: Build for 3-6 months before major course launch

Mistake 3: Inconsistent Messaging

Problem: Different personality or expertise claims across platforms Solution: Develop clear brand voice and expertise positioning Consistency: Same message, adapted for different platform cultures

Mistake 4: Ignoring Community Building

Problem: Broadcasting without engaging with audience Solution: Spend equal time creating and engaging Relationship: Respond to every comment and message personally

Mistake 5: Underestimating Time Investment

Problem: Expecting overnight results from audience building Solution: Commit to 12-month minimum timeline Reality: Sustainable audience growth takes 6-18 months

Key Takeaways

Building an audience for your course takes time and consistency, but it's the foundation of a sustainable course business. The most successful course creators start building their audience 6-12 months before launching their first course.

Your audience building strategy should:

Focus on serving your ideal students with valuable free content
Build genuine relationships rather than just collecting followers
Demonstrate your expertise through consistent, helpful content
Create multiple touchpoints across different platforms and formats
Leverage partnerships to accelerate growth beyond solo efforts

Remember: You're not just building an audience — you're building a community of people who trust you to help them achieve their goals. When you serve them well through free content, they'll be excited to invest in your paid courses.

With Teeeach's clean, professional platform and aligned revenue model, you have the tools to convert your engaged audience into satisfied students. Focus on building relationships first, and the sales will naturally follow.

Start today: Choose one audience building strategy from this guide and commit to it for the next 30 days. Consistency beats perfection every time.

What's Next?

Next up: Use YouTube to Drive Traffic to Your Course

This article is part of the Ultimate Guide to Creating and Selling Online Video Courses. Explore other parts of the guide: