The Art of Online Course Creation

Shannon Boyer
  • 5.0 (9)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to The Art of Online Course Creation, the go-to podcast for entrepreneurs who are looking to transfer their expertise into a high-quality online course.  If you're passionate about helping others achieve their goals and committed to creating a digital course that delivers real results, you're in the right place.Your host, Shannon Boyer, combines her Masters Degree in Education with her 20+ years of experience as an award-winning curriculum and course designer to break down high-level pedagogy into clear and actionable methods and strategies. In each episode, Shannon cuts through the online marketing noise to give you the proven frameworks behind creating a digital course that transforms lives and highlights your authority. Whether you already have an online course or are planning to create one, this podcast is tailored for you.Subscribe now to The Art of Online Course Creation and start your journey to building a successful, sustainable, and scalable online course.

  1. 11H AGO

    #57 Podcasting for Online Course Creators: What Actually Leads to Course Sales (with Adam Schaeuble)

    If you have ever wondered whether a podcast can actually lead to online course sales, this episode gives you a clearer, more strategic way to think about it. In this conversation, I’m joined by Adam Schaeuble, the host of Podcasting Business School, who has been podcasting since 2015 and has recorded well over 1,000 episodes across his shows. Adam shares what changed everything for him when his first attempts at podcast monetization did not work, plus the specific shifts that helped him move from “posting and hoping” to building a podcast that supports real revenue through programs, coaching, and courses. We dig into what makes podcasting uniquely effective for course creators who want to grow trust, build authority, and create a steady path from free content to paid transformation, without feeling like they need to become a full-time content machine or add YouTube before they are ready. In this episode, you’ll hear about Why a podcast can function as both a discovery channel and a relationship-building channel at the same timeThe “ideal listener journey” concept and why it changes how you decide what to create and what to sellThe most common naming mistake course creators make when launching a podcast, and what to do insteadHow to position yourself as the expert on your own show, even if you love interviewsA practical approach to consistency that reduces burnout, including why “breaks” are often a planning problem, not a publishing problemThe audio-only strategy, when it makes sense, and how to stop letting extra platforms delay your momentumThe fear every course creator has about “giving away too much,” and the real reason people still buyWhat “good” download numbers actually look like early on, plus the benchmarks that help set realistic expectationsThis is an especially useful listen if you are a course creator who is podcast-curious, if your show has stalled out, or if you have been creating content but still feel unsure how it connects to course sales. Mentioned in this episode Podcasting Business School episode 545: “Podcast Monetization Difficulty vs. Access”Podcasting Business School episode 560: SEO and organic podcast discoveryConnect with Adam at: Website Threads Newsletter 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    54 min

  2. FEB 3

    #56 Online Course vs. Membership: How to Choose the Right Model for Your Business

    If you’re trying to decide between launching an online course or starting a membership, this episode will save you a lot of time and potentially a lot of frustration because this isn’t really a formatting decision. It’s a promise decision. In this episode of The ART of Online Course Creation, Shannon Boyer breaks down the real difference between a course and a membership in a way most creators never consider.  You’ll learn a practical framework to choose the right model based on three essential factors.  Along the way, Shannon shares a revealing client story that highlights the hidden workload behind “predictable” revenue, and why the best business model is the one that fits your real life, not your aspirational one. You’ll also get a simple, powerful decision test you can complete in ten minutes. It cuts through trends and helps you build the right offer with confidence. If you want to create an offer that delivers real results, attracts the right buyers, and supports your long-term capacity as a creator, press play. At the end, Shannon also shares details about her membership, the Build Lab, which is designed for course creators who don’t just need information, but ongoing implementation support to keep moving all the way to the finish line. 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    15 min

  3. JAN 20

    #55 Pinterest for Online Course Creators: How to Use Pinterest as a Visual Search Engine for Long-Term Course Traffic (with Tim Adam)

    If you’ve ever thought, “I should probably be on Pinterest,” and then immediately felt overwhelmed by the visuals, the time commitment, or the sheer number of pins already out there, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I’m joined by Tim Adam, founder of Pinterest Skool, who has built a business around helping creators use Pinterest strategically, without treating it like another full-time social channel. Together, we unpack what makes Pinterest different (and why that difference matters for course creators), how to think about pins when you don’t have an “obviously visual” business, and what it actually takes to build consistent traffic that doesn’t disappear 24 hours later. This isn’t a “post more” pep talk. It’s a practical look at how Pinterest works as a search engine, and how online educators can use it to funnel the right people into their ecosystem. In This Episode, You’ll Hear About Why Pinterest behaves more like a search engine than a traditional social media platform—and how that changes your strategyThe real role of keywords on Pinterest (and why it’s the piece most people skip)Whether you “missed the boat” if you weren’t an early adopter, and what the data suggests nowWhat course creators can pin when their business doesn’t feel visualThe difference between creating fresh pins vs. constantly needing fresh linksHow Pinterest boards support discoverability and help Pinterest understand what your content is aboutWhat a realistic timeline can look like for traffic, and what to watch for so you know you’re on the right trackHow to think about using Pinterest within a larger funnel (especially when your paid offer is higher-ticket)A quick but important note on affiliate links and disclosures on PinterestAbout Tim Adam Tim Adam is the founder of Pinterest Skool and has been using Pinterest since its earliest days. He began as a full-time Etsy seller, then started teaching other creators how to grow visibility and traffic through Pinterest. He’s known for practical, clear teaching and for helping people build momentum without relying on followers or daily content performance. Connect with Tim Tim’s best starting point is his free community, Pinterest Skool.  Loved This Episode? Subscribe to The ART of Online Course Creation and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Reviews help more purpose-driven entrepreneurs find the show and build courses they’re proud to deliver. 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    57 min

  4. JAN 6

    #54 Stop Using Free Facebook Groups: Skool’s Better Lead Magnet for Course Creators

    If your current audience-building plan still starts with “I’ll just open a free Facebook group,” this episode offers a thoughtful pause and a practical alternative. Shannon Boyer breaks down why the free Facebook group model has lost much of its effectiveness, what’s shifted in the online landscape, and why more course creators are moving toward an ecosystem-based approach that reduces friction for both you and your students. You’ll also hear why Shannon—who resisted Skool for a long time—changed her mind after experiencing it from the student side, and how that experience reshaped how she thinks about lead magnets, community, and course delivery. Rather than treating “community” as a separate add-on you have to constantly coax people into, this conversation explores a model where the community is the front door—and the course content lives right beside it. In this conversation, you’ll hear Shannon unpack: What changed with Facebook groups, and why “dead group” fatigue is becoming the normThe hidden cost of building on rented land, especially when your business relies on consistent visibility and engagementWhy the biggest issue is not reach, but friction (and how friction quietly kills follow-through)How Skool flips the traditional course platform model by making community the main dashboard and coursework the adjacent layerThe freemium concept as a cleaner “front door” into paid programs, without pulling people across multiple platformsThe specific features that make Skool feel more like a business hub than a content warehouse (including events, reminders, native video, and member-to-member interaction)The tradeoffs worth knowing before you switch platforms, including the limitations that may matter depending on how you sellThe Build Lab (Skool community) Shannon’s community for course creators who want to build high-quality, high-impact courses that deliver real results. You can start for $12/year, which includes: Access to the Validate Your Best Course mini-courseA full year inside the Build Lab communityThe option to upgrade later if you want deeper supportSkool free trial + affiliate link If you want to explore Skool for your own offers,  you can access a 14-day free trial here. If you’ve been questioning where to host your course, how to build community without burning yourself out, or how to replace the old free Facebook group strategy with something more sustainable, this episode will give you a clearer framework for what to do next. 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    34 min

  5. 12/23/2025

    #53 From One-on-One Services to Online Courses (Coaching Session with Kathy Kwon)

    You can feel it when someone’s ready for their next chapter. In this coaching-style episode, I’m joined by Kathy Kwon, a brand + website designer who helps creativity-driven entrepreneurs stand out authentically through strategic branding and website design. Kathy’s work is rooted in visual storytelling, and after years of delivering high-touch, one-on-one services, she’s ready to explore what it could look like to bring her expertise into the world of online courses. But she’s at a crossroads that will feel very familiar if you’ve ever thought, “I want to create a course… I just don’t know which direction to commit to.” Kathy is weighing two strong ideas: a practical, foundation-building course that would give website designers stronger visual branding skillsa more unconventional, expressive course that helps creative entrepreneurs use design to get seen and noticedAnd underneath both ideas is the real question most course creators don’t ask clearly enough: Which one solves a problem people will actually pay to solve—and how do you find that out without building the whole course first? In this conversation, we talk about what to do when you’re caught between “what would sell” and “what would be fun to teach,” why you shouldn’t build in isolation, and how to start gathering real feedback without needing your course to be “perfect” yet. In this episode, you’ll hear: The hidden difference between a course idea that’s interesting vs. one that’s painful enough to create demandWhy identifying a “gap” in someone’s skill set isn’t the same as confirming they’ll invest time and money to close itHow to approach student conversations so you get honest insight (without pitching your idea)Why building your audience and building your course need to happen at the same timeA smart progression for new course creators: validate → create something small → build proof → expandMentioned in the episode Build Lab — my community for course creators who want to actually get their course finished and done right. Inside, you’ll get support, feedback, accountability, live calls, monthly challenges, and exclusive tools (including custom GPTs), plus access to the first module of my signature course. Connect with Kathy Kathy’s free resource: “5 Essential Pages a Course Creator Needs on Their Website” (checklist) Website: Bright Matters Studio Instagram: @brightmattersstudio Want coaching on the podcast? If you want to be featured on a future coaching episode, fill out the form here: www.shannonlboyer.com/podcast 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    29 min

  6. 12/09/2025

    #52 Someone Else Has Already Created “Your” Course. Now What?

    If you’ve ever tried to validate a course idea and ended up feeling less confident than when you started—because you found someone already teaching something similar—this episode will feel like a deep exhale. In this solo episode of The Art of Online Course Creation, Shannon Boyer breaks down what’s actually happening when you see competitors in your space… and why “it already exists” is often one of the clearest signs your course idea is worth pursuing. You’ll learn how to do market analysis without spiraling, how to interpret “competition” as proof of concept (not a stop sign), and how to differentiate your course in a way that’s authentic, strategic, and built around the value you uniquely deliver. In this episode, you’ll hear about: What it really means when you discover someone else already teaching your topicWhy audiences don’t choose courses based on topics alone (and what they do choose based on)The mindset shift that turns “I’m too late” into a clearer positioning strategyA behind-the-scenes look at how Shannon differentiated herself from a major course-creation name with massive visibilityThe validation mistake that leads many creators to abandon great ideas too earlyWhy quizzes that “confirm” your idea is profitable should raise immediate red flagsThe two big reasons outsourcing market research to AI can backfire—and how to use AI in a supportive role insteadReady to validate your course idea the right way? If you want step-by-step guidance to validate your course topic without guesswork, Shannon invites you to check out her mini-course: Validate Your Best Course Idea — a $12 mini-course that includes a full year of access to her Skool community. Inside, you’ll walk through a complete market analysis process (what to look for, where to look, how to interpret what you find) and learn how to use tools like ChatGPT to support your research—without replacing your expertise. 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    19 min

  7. 11/25/2025

    #51 Why Your Students Actually Don't Want a "Quick and Dirty" Online Course

    A lot of online business advice says the same thing: keep your course short, give people the steps, cut everything else. But what happens when “quick and dirty” stops your students from actually using what they paid for? In this episode of The ART of Online Course Creation, Shannon pulls apart the myth that faster automatically means better. Drawing on her experience inside a Facebook Ads course that delivered tidy, step-by-step instructions—but left her too uncertain to hit publish—she explores the trust gap that appears when courses skip the “why” and only teach the “how.” Shannon makes a clear distinction between offers that promise a small, focused win and those that are meant to be truly transformational. One can be short and contained; the other needs depth, structure, and support. Cutting fluff is one thing. Cutting foundations is something else entirely. Inside the episode, she shares: How “do this, do that” teaching creates students who can follow scripts, but can’t make confident decisionsWhy examples, explanation, and transferable skills are non-negotiable if you want your course to stand on its ownThe key difference between a resource vault and a designed learning experience that changes how someone thinks and actsShannon also walks you through a set of reflection questions to help you see whether your own course is delivering a true transformation—or just a neatly organized to-do list. (You can grab a copy of those questions as a checklist in the show notes.) If you’ve ever worried that adding depth will overwhelm your students, or you’ve tried to turn a signature promise into a “quick and dirty” offer, this episode will give you a more honest way to decide what actually belongs in your course. Download the self-assessment checklist 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    17 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    #50 How Melissa Kara Chose Her Course Platform and What She Did To Elevate Her Results

    Stuck on “Which platform should I use?” Melissa Kara shares a practical, values-aligned way to choose, ship, and iterate without getting lost in tech or design. You’ll learn: A simple order of operations so platform choice doesn’t delay your launchHow to keep momentum when you don’t have an audience (yet)What makes a sales page convert (templates, flow, and micro-decisions)Safe ways to customize without breaking your pageAbout our guest: Melissa Kara is the founder of The Kara Collections, a studio creating plug-and-play templates with built-in copy prompts for course creators.  The Kara Collections supplies plug-and-play templates with copy prompts and beautiful, high-converting designs — all at affordable prices and easy enough for anyone to use. Our mission is to make it simple for every business owner to choose the right platform and create stunning pages that convert, without the stress or tech overwhelm. Links & resources: The Kara Collections (templates)Work with Melissa If tech is stalling your launch, pick a usable platform, apply a proven template, publish your first lesson, then iterate. Please Note that Shannon Boyer no longer uses this platform and now hosts everything on Skool. 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 be in the know about new offerings and opportunities, make sure you sign up for my newsletter.

    56 min
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5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Art of Online Course Creation, the go-to podcast for entrepreneurs who are looking to transfer their expertise into a high-quality online course.  If you're passionate about helping others achieve their goals and committed to creating a digital course that delivers real results, you're in the right place.Your host, Shannon Boyer, combines her Masters Degree in Education with her 20+ years of experience as an award-winning curriculum and course designer to break down high-level pedagogy into clear and actionable methods and strategies. In each episode, Shannon cuts through the online marketing noise to give you the proven frameworks behind creating a digital course that transforms lives and highlights your authority. Whether you already have an online course or are planning to create one, this podcast is tailored for you.Subscribe now to The Art of Online Course Creation and start your journey to building a successful, sustainable, and scalable online course.

Information

  • Creator
    Shannon Boyer
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Art of Online Course Creation with Shannon Boyer
  • Show Website
    The Art of Online Course Creation