The Art of Online Course Creation | Helping Experts Build Impactful Courses That Get Real Results

Shannon Boyer | Online Course Strategist
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

The Art of Online Course Creation is the podcast for experts, coaches, and entrepreneurs who are ready to build a high-quality online course: not just a course that exists, but one that actually gets results. If you have real expertise that you want to turn into an online course your students will finish, rave about, and get real results from, you're in the right place.If you want to create an online course that does more of the heavy lifting for you in your coaching business so that you can spend more of your 1:1 time with clients actually coaching, personalizing, and troubleshooting, you're in the right place. Your host, Shannon Boyer, brings a master's degree in education and 25+ years of experience as an award-winning curriculum and course designer. She takes the guesswork out of online course creation by breaking down the strategies, frameworks, and design decisions that separate courses people complete and implement from courses people abandon. Each episode covers the real work of building a course that delivers: validating your idea, designing for transformation, choosing the right platform, building your audience, and creating an offer that sells because it actually works. Subscribe to The Art of Online Course Creation and start building the course your expertise deserves.

  1. 1d ago

    #67 How to Get Course Sales From LinkedIn (Even With a Tiny Following) with Sam Rathling

    Think LinkedIn is just for job hunters and corporate types? Think again. In this episode, I sit down with Sam Rathling, the queen of LinkedIn, to break down exactly how course creators can use the platform to build visibility, establish authority, and sell more courses without ever feeling salesy. Sam joined LinkedIn in 2005 and used it to land clients like Amazon before becoming a full-time LinkedIn expert. Today she helps businesses of all sizes turn the platform into a client-generating machine, and in this conversation, she makes the case for why course creators can't afford to ignore it. In this episode, you'll learn: Who LinkedIn is really for (hint: with 1.3 billion users, your audience is probably there)Why your profile (not your content) is the first thing to fix, and how to make it convert like a mini landing pageConnections vs. followers explained, and why second-degree connections are where your next client is hidingWhat social selling actually means, and why pitching in the DMs is the fastest way to failHow LinkedIn's new AI algorithm (360 Brew) changed the game, and why smaller accounts are now getting more reach than big onesWhat to post: carousels, video, storytelling, polls, and why your comments might get more impressions than your postsThe one metric to track (your SSI score), what it measures, and how to raise it in 90 daysSam's exact 20-minutes-a-day LinkedIn routine for busy course creatorsMemorable moments: Sam's VA had just 20 connections when a single post reached 250,000 impressions - proof you don't need a big following to make an impactOnly about 5% of LinkedIn's 1.3 billion users post consistently, which means the field is wide open for course creators"You're not going to go from being connected to someone today to selling them a course tomorrow." The nurture-first approach that actually worksResources mentioned: Sam's free community (100+ videos, weekly masterclasses, her best-selling book)LinkedIn SSI score checkerSam's LinkedIn tracking sheet (available in her free community)Sam on LinkedInGet started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

  2. Jun 23

    #66 How Course Creators Can Use Summits to Build an Audience with Katya McEwan

    Online summits can do far more than grow your email list. Done well, they can help you build authority, create meaningful collaborations, and give potential clients a firsthand experience of your expertise. In this episode, Shannon speaks with intuitive business coach and experienced summit host Katya McEwen about what makes a summit valuable for the host, the speakers, and the audience. Katya shares what she has learned from organizing large online events, how speakers can stand out without over promoting themselves, and why the strongest summits focus on connection rather than information overload. They also discuss how to find speaking opportunities, what hosts are really looking for, and the planning decisions that can make or break the experience. Listen to learn how online summits can become a powerful part of your audience-building strategy, even if you are not ready to host one yourself. Katya's Skool Community - click here YouTube Instagram  Facebook    Freebie: $8K experiment: How I Generated $8580 on Skool in six weeks  Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

  3. Jun 9

    # 65 The Hidden Reason Teachers Join My Course Creation Program

    Why do so many teachers, former teachers, and education specialists still seek support when creating an online course? At first, it might seem surprising. After all, if anyone knows how to teach, it should be a teacher. But in this episode, Shannon explores why people with teaching backgrounds often understand something the online course world tends to overlook: good teaching, strong curriculum, and effective online course design are not the same thing. A course is not just a collection of lessons. It is not simply your expertise divided into modules. And it is definitely not just content placed on a platform. In this episode, Shannon unpacks the difference between sharing information and designing a learning experience someone can actually move through. She also shares why thoughtful course creators often feel stuck, not because they lack expertise, but because they can sense their course needs a clearer path, stronger structure, and more intentional decisions behind it. If course creation has felt harder than expected, this episode will help you see that the issue may not be overthinking. It may be that you care about creating something that works. Before you outline, record, or sell your course, download Shannon’s free Course Clarity Blueprint. This resource walks you through the three decisions every course creator needs to make before designing their course, so you can stop building from the middle and start with the clarity your course actually needs. Download the Course Clarity Blueprint HERE. Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

  4. May 26

    #64 Podcast Guesting to Promote Your Online Course with Alex SanFilippo of PodMatch

    Podcast guesting can be one of the most strategic ways for online course creators to grow their visibility, build authority, and get in front of the right people without relying only on social media or paid ads. In this episode of The ART of Online Course Creation, I’m joined by Alex Sanfilippo, founder of PodMatch and a leading voice in the independent podcasting space, to talk about how course creators can use podcast guesting as a relationship-driven marketing strategy. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not famous enough to be a guest on someone’s podcast,” this conversation will shift how you think about it. Alex breaks down why podcast guesting is not reserved for celebrities, authors, or people with massive audiences. Instead, it can be one of the most accessible ways to borrow someone else’s audience, build trust faster, and share your expertise in a setting where listeners are already paying attention. We talk about what makes podcasting different from other visibility strategies, why the right podcast appearance can create a powerful sense of borrowed credibility, and how to choose shows that actually align with your course, your audience, and your business goals. Alex also shares practical advice on how to pitch yourself in a way that feels human, respectful, and relevant, without sounding like every other generic pitch sitting in a podcast host’s inbox. He gives a clear framework for reaching out to hosts, preparing for an interview, showing up as a strong guest, and creating a call to action that feels like a natural next step rather than a forced sales pitch. This episode is especially valuable if you want to grow your authority, reach new potential students, and market your online course in a way that feels generous, relational, and grounded in real value. Alex Sanfilippo is a podcaster and the founder of PodMatch.com, a platform that automatically matches podcast hosts and guests for interviews. Through PodMatch and his podcast titled Podcasting Made Simple, Alex helps independent podcasters grow their influence and revenue so they can better serve their listeners! Freebie: www.podmatch.com/free Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

  5. May 12

    #63 Beyond Tutorials: How Strategic Customer Education Builds Brand Loyalty

    Your customers are already learning about your product, service, method, or brand — the question is whether you are intentionally shaping that learning experience or leaving it to chance. In this episode of The ART of Online Course Creation, Shannon Boyer expands on a presentation she recently gave at H&H Americas and explores why customer education is much more than support content, tutorials, or social media marketing. When designed strategically, education can become a powerful part of the customer experience, helping businesses build authority, improve retention, deepen loyalty, and create more meaningful connections with the people they serve. Shannon shares why tutorials may solve immediate problems, but learning pathways build long-term confidence, capability, and trust. Whether you sell a physical product, digital product, service, membership, software, creative tool, or body of expertise, this episode will help you think differently about how education supports your customers after the sale — and why that matters for the growth of your business. Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

  6. Apr 28

    #62 Why Your Online Course Feels Confusing, Even When the Content Is Valuable

    What makes an online course feel clear, easy to follow, and worth completing? It is not just the amount of information inside it. In this episode of The ART of Online Course Creation, Shannon explores why many well-intentioned course creators accidentally make their courses harder to learn from by adding too much content, too many options, and too much explanation without enough structure. You will hear why cognitive load matters in online course design, how confusion quietly leads students to disengage, and why strong teaching often looks deceptively simple from the outside. This episode is for course creators who want their students to move through their course with more clarity, confidence, and momentum, without dumbing down the material or stripping away its value. Inside this episode, you will hear about:  Why “more content” does not always create a better course  How cognitive load affects student learning and follow-through  The difference between deep learning and unnecessary mental strain  Why students need a clear learning path, not just access to your expertise  The invisible structure that makes good teaching feel simple If you want to create an online course that does more than deliver information, this episode will help you think more carefully about the clarity, structure, and learner experience behind your content. Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

  7. Apr 14

    #61 Beyond Badges and Leaderboards: Better Gamification for Online Courses with Mary Nunaley

    What if gamification in online courses is about far more than points, badges, and leaderboards? In this episode, Shannon sits down with learning engineer and Lavender Dragon co-founder Mary Nunley for a thoughtful conversation about what gamification really means in online course creation and community engagement. Together, they unpack why some popular engagement tactics work, why others fall flat, and how course creators can think more strategically about motivating learners in ways that actually support transformation.  You will hear a nuanced discussion about the difference between keeping people entertained and keeping them meaningfully engaged, why dopamine-driven design has limits, and how seemingly small choices inside a course can shape persistence, motivation, and connection. The conversation also explores Easter eggs, urgency, rewards, learner psychology, and the role of thoughtful course design in creating an experience people want to continue.  Whether you are building your first online course or looking for ways to make an existing program more engaging, this episode will give you a fresh lens on gamification and help you think more carefully about what actually keeps learners coming back. Mary Nunaley is a learning engineer and co-founder of The Lavender Dragon Team. She turns complex ideas into human-centered learning experiences using storytelling, game-based design, and thoughtful applications of AI. With a background in online education and years of experience designing asynchronous courses, simulations, and microlearning, Mary focuses on building learning that actually changes behavior not just checks a completion box. Her work sits at the intersection of learning science, creativity, and practical AI integration for modern educators and creators You can find Mary: The Lavender Dragon Team LinkedIn Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

  8. Mar 31

    #60 Online Course Design: Why a Good Course Feels Different From a Bad One

    A polished course is not always a good course. In this episode, Shannon Boyer explores why some online courses feel clear, supportive, and energizing, while others leave students confused, discouraged, and blaming themselves. This conversation goes beyond content, bonuses, and branding to uncover what really shapes the student experience inside an online course. If you are serious about creating a high-quality online course that actually helps people learn and get results, this episode will give you a deeper lens on what great course design really means. To book a no-pressure 20-minute coffee chat in order to discuss how I might help you with your online course creation process, please book here. Get started on your own course creation journey or learn how to make your existing course even better at The "Your Best Course" Build Lab, my interactive and supportive online community. To get started creating your own online course, check out my new freebie that will take you through the steps of choosing a topic that will be profitable for YOU. To book a call to discuss your options and see if working together makes sense.  Click here. 😊

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About

The Art of Online Course Creation is the podcast for experts, coaches, and entrepreneurs who are ready to build a high-quality online course: not just a course that exists, but one that actually gets results. If you have real expertise that you want to turn into an online course your students will finish, rave about, and get real results from, you're in the right place.If you want to create an online course that does more of the heavy lifting for you in your coaching business so that you can spend more of your 1:1 time with clients actually coaching, personalizing, and troubleshooting, you're in the right place. Your host, Shannon Boyer, brings a master's degree in education and 25+ years of experience as an award-winning curriculum and course designer. She takes the guesswork out of online course creation by breaking down the strategies, frameworks, and design decisions that separate courses people complete and implement from courses people abandon. Each episode covers the real work of building a course that delivers: validating your idea, designing for transformation, choosing the right platform, building your audience, and creating an offer that sells because it actually works. Subscribe to The Art of Online Course Creation and start building the course your expertise deserves.

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