How to write a Course Description that Sells (with examples) --

Oct 28, 2022

 Last updated: October 28, 2022

A course description is among the most crucial aspects you must be able to master in the beginning of your online course. This is what your learners will be looking at prior to taking a decision about whether or not to purchase the course online.

It's a first impression for you and your course online, which is why you need to make sure you present yourself in the best possible way. In this article we'll give you an overview of the importance of the course description and how you can write them effectively for your online course.

Here's a quick list of topics that we will be covering:

What Is A Course Description?

The course description provides an outline of your course's subject matter, information, and the learning objectives. Participants will be able to read the course description and then determine whether it is the best program for them. A course description should run less than one hundred words, and be written in clear, focused language.

Why Do You Need to Create a Great Course Description?

Think of a course description as an advertisement of your service. In simple terms, a properly written description of your course means more potential students will be attracted to the course. But what does a "good" course description really mean?

An excellent course description can be engaging.

Just like an effective ad or commercial, an effective explanation of the course will catch the attention of your reader. Do not use boring or repetitive words. If a potential learner is disinterested while reading your descriptions of the course, they may believe that the content of your course will appear boring.

A well-written course description is accurate.

Your outline should give prospective students a realistic understanding of the expectations during their time in your class. You will need to balance the interesting/inspiring aspects of your course description with a realistic communication of what the learning objectives are.

A great course outline uses correct spelling and grammar.

This one is critical. If there's mistakes in the spelling or grammar of your course description, potential pupils aren't likely to believe in your knowledge. Have someone else read your descriptions of your course to look for mistakes, or run it through an online edit review.

A good course description uses the present tense and active voice

This is an easy method to keep the reader engaged by eliminating unnecessary words and information. (If you find this tip difficult, do not worry as the illustrations below will clarify.)

Four Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Writing a Course Description

Before writing your course description You should spend some time to organize and gather your thoughts on your curriculum's content. It is intended to draw potential students into purchasing your course. Here are some questions that you might ask yourself prior to you sit down to write your description of the course (jot notes of your answers in point form):

What is it that draws me to this particular topic?

Maybe gaining this expertise has helped you in a practical way to you in the day-to-day routine. Perhaps it's been a calming pastime that's good for your mental health. Try to remember why you got involved in this topic to begin with and that can help you understand how to sell the idea.

What makes other people attracted to this subject?

Imagine you are talking to a friend about this topic and telling them why you found it useful/interesting/healthy/helpful. What do you tell them? What would you say to them that could inspire people to be interested? If you were to argue with them a little to convince them that the topic is worth the time of their attention?

What do you wish your students to know/understand/have before the end of your class?

How will you impart your knowledge to them?

This is specific. What methods of teaching will you be using? Will your content primarily be taught in a lecture format? Will your assignments be practical and practical? Are there any final projects?

After you've had a few minutes considering these topics, you're ready to go on with the step-by step guide.

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How to Write a Course Description (Step-by-Step instructions)

1. Choose a course's title

The course's title is essential. It should be clear and also entice your reader to click onto the course description content. Be specific. Consider the tone you want to convey. Does your class seem academic and focussed on research? Does it appeal to students who are looking for an interest? (If you're running a course series you should include a code for the class when appropriate.)

Here are a few examples:

  • The Essentials of bookkeeping
  • Crafting the Quilt The Basics of Quiltmaking
  • The Writing of Essays up to The Next Level
  • Ultimate Graphic Design Design Training from Beginner to Pro

You'll notice that the courses' titles provide clues to a particular skill as well as the prospective student's level of skill.

2. Present the reasons whystudents should take your course

Your goal is to start your paragraph with one or two phrases that are appealing to your readers' needs, passions or curiosities. What is the number one motive for someone to seek out the course you offer? What problems are you looking to address in their lives? What kinds of desired transformations will they be able achieve after taking your course? After you've figured it out, you'll have the opportunity to communicate to them at that point.

It is sometimes helpful to start with a question. In the case of, say, if you're teaching a class about framing photographs, you could begin by asking "What makes a photograph interesting?" or "Why does the frame of a photo impact our emotional response?"

Other times, it might be more appropriate to begin by introducing a topic that will pique the reader's interest. Perhaps there's a historical point to be made regarding your subject, or a general consensus of interest to think about. As an example, if you're teaching a class entitled LOOK UP and BIRDWATCHING FOR BEGINNERS you might begin by saying, "Whether it's their colorful hue, distinct voice, or curious behavior bird watching has always been intriguing to human beings."

It's also an opportunity to get in touch with your reader to find out what inspired them to research an educational course about your subject.

3. Inform the class of the things you will teach and what you will teach it

After that, you write two or three sentences on how you intend to conduct the class, which methods are used and what learners should come away with. Will you primarily teach through lecture? Will there be articles and research study? Do you have hands-on, real-world parts? This is when you want to write in present tense with an active voice. This can be tricky if you're used to writing in a non-verbal voice. Below are a few poor examples of corrections

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A POSITIVE EXAMPLE"Well-known photographs will be examined and discussed so that we can discover more about composition."

Correction: "Lectures examine and analyze the compositions of the most well-known photographs."

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A POOR EXAMPLE: "In this course basic birdwatching concepts will be learned through classes, discussions with other students, and homework assignments."

Correction:Students study the fundamentals of bird watching via lectures and discussions with a group of students. Birdwatching assignments that are online encourages the students to experience real-world situations.

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Tip: provides multiple lesson styles, such as videos, text-based lessons, quizzes, surveys assignment, embeds and more. It allows you to design an interactive educational experience that will appeal to a variety of learners.

4. Fine-tune with specifics

  • Avoid using cliches like "In this class we'll ..."
  • Don't say "Students will learn," as you don't know that they'll master everything you intend to teach. Instead, use words like examine, investigate, discuss, interrogate.
  • Consider carefully naming particular texts, media, or even software since this element of your course might change as time passes.
  • Do not use jargon or terms that your student could not be familiar with, particularly if it's a course for beginners. Unless your course is for advanced students (and the prerequisites are clearly stated) You want your descriptor of the course to appear friendly to any level and experience.
  • Be aware of your target audience. A class description should focus on the student's perspective.
  • Use gender-neutral language. If you are addressing potential customers, you want to be able to use common terms to ensure that nobody feels excluded simply due to the language you select. Consider the following options: students, participants or group members..

Example Course Descriptions

The life of the short THE STORY

Why is the short story appealing? What is it that makes short stories uniquely poised to explore the human state of affairs? The lectures explore both classic and modern stories written in short form and examine the key elements of craft that relate to voice, plot and character growth. Students write their own writing assignments for critique and feedback, to create an outline for their story complete with a well-written the first sentence.

Inclusive Leadership: Beyond the BUZZWORDS

Does inclusion just a checkbox that needs to be checked off? Could inclusive leadership make a difference? With the help of statistical analysis and case analysis, students examine the impact of inclusive leadership on company culture, morale, as well as productivity. Participants investigate best practices and problem solving through role-playing practical examples from the real world. Special emphasis given to the building of confidence and the resolution of conflicts.

COURTING THE PAST: GENEALOGY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS

Knowing who we are means understanding where we're from. How do we begin? A thriving genealogy industry means that there are more resources that we can use. Lectures explore research strategies and the benefit of different online genealogy archives. Students choose their own personalised learning and research objective to be the focus of their final assignment. Individual coaching sessions are available.

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There are a couple of choices for how you can format your description of course. It's really about personal preference. Prior to beginning editing, your course's page will appear as follows:

We recommend you use the space below "Course Title," as your opening paragraph; it is the one that will attract your reader's interest as well as curiosity. In the section under "Example Text," can be used for the remainder of your content. Try different combinations until you find the one that looks good. Here's an example on how you can structure the description of your course : (And obviously, you'll need to select an image that is appropriate for the content.)

Again, there's no one method to structure your description for your course page. You can play around with it until it appears to you.

Advantages to marketing your course

  • Free Forever Pricing. There is no cost until you've started selling your course. After that, you pay a 5% transaction fee. As your business grows, you can upgrade to a zero-transaction fee program.
  • Diverse lessons: The platform integrates the video and text lesson with homework, quizzes, embedded videos and surveys. It creates a engaging learning experience.
  • Drip Content This allows you to opt to publish specific course materials in the future.
  • Sell Your Courses With Other Product Types Customers can offer coaching subscriptions, coaching and physical products (among other things) this allows for more streamlined learning experience and greater revenue possibilities!
  • Fully Customizable Sales or Landing PageSellers are able to customize their landing webpage using the store builders. In this way, the appearance and feel of your page is more a reflection of your brand and your product. Additionally, you can implement certain areas on your website that boost conversions from site customers to paying customers.
  • Different pricing options The HTML0 platform allows you to provide multiple course pricing including one-time payments, subscriptions, or payment plans.

Final Reflections

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