How to Create an Online Course in 2026 (Step-By-Step Guide)
Sep 23, 2025
The Future of Online Courses in 2026
We live in an AI era where anyone can type a few prompts into ChatGPT and get instant answers. Free knowledge is everywhere: YouTube, blogs, podcasts, even TikTok.
So here’s the big question for educators and coaches:
"If knowledge is free, how do you create an online course people will actually pay for in 2026 and beyond?"
My name is Demi Bernice. Since 2019, I’ve launched 9 online courses with over 7,000+ students worldwide. I’ve tested nearly every online course creation strategy out there, and here’s what I would do if I had to start completely from scratch today.
1. Focus on Transformation, Not Information
Most online courses fail because they overload students with lectures, theory, and generic slides. But in 2026, people don’t pay for information, they pay for transformation.
Pro-tip: Structure every lesson like a playbook:
- Objective: Why this lesson matters.
- Outcome: What result they’ll achieve.
- Process: The exact step-by-step actions.
Transformation doesn’t need to happen at the end. If your student gets a breakthrough in Module 1, they’ll still rave about your program.
2. Add Access to You—at the Right Price
People don’t just want content. They want access to the expert behind it. Adding access to you (at the right price) creates massive perceived value.
Ways to structure this:
- Group coaching calls
- Voice note exchanges (Telegram, Voxer, WhatsApp)
- Email or chat support
- Premium 1:1 calls
But beware: this only works if you charge a premium. Otherwise, you’ll resent the time commitment.
3. Build Community That Actually Engages
Keyword injection: online course communities 2026, course accountability systems
The old model was a passive Facebook group. That doesn’t cut it anymore. In 2026, community is about active, real-time engagement.
Options that work today:
- Group chats (Telegram, WhatsApp, Slack)
- Platforms like Skool for structured interaction
- Student accountability pods
Community = connection, accountability, and belonging. That’s why some of my courses scaled so well, students weren’t just learning, they were part of a movement.
4. Give Students Shortcuts (Templates, Scripts & Systems)
Students don’t want more lessons. They want shortcuts to get results faster.
Examples:
- Ask Campaign Swipe File
- Pre-Sell Email Sequence
- Sales Page Template
- Course Outline Blueprint
- Pricing Cheat Sheet
Yes, AI can generate templates, but they’re generic. What people want are your battle-tested frameworks. That’s what makes your course valuable.
5. Pre-Sell Your Course Before You Build It
This is where most creators go wrong. They spend months (or years) creating a course without knowing if anyone wants it.
The smarter path: pre-sell first.
How to do it:
- Run a validation campaign
- Offer the course live first, record it
- Take deposits or presale sign-ups
- Use early feedback to tweak the curriculum
This saves time, ensures demand, and brings in upfront cash to fund software and production.
6. Focus on One Signature Course at a Time
Don’t try to build 10+ courses at once. Curriculum is easy; marketing is hard. One strong signature course can carry your business farther than a dozen half-baked ones.
The formula:
- Build → Market → Scale → Then expand.
7. If Your Course Isn’t Selling, Don’t Create a New One
The instinct to abandon a course when it doesn’t sell is common, but wrong.
If your course isn’t selling, it’s not because you need a new course. It’s because you need better marketing.
I know this because I didn’t stop at Course #1. Over the years, I created 9, but the difference wasn’t “new knowledge.” It was marketing experiments: webinars, mini-courses, funnels, challenges.
The truth: any good course can sell if marketed properly.
Final Thoughts: The Future of Online Course Creation in 2026
If I had to start from zero, my strategy to create an online course in 2026 would look like this:
- Focus on transformation, not information.
- Add access to you at the right price.
- Build an engaging, active community.
- Provide shortcuts (templates, systems, scripts).
- Pre-sell before building.
- Focus on one signature course at a time.
- Fix marketing before creating new offers.
AI will keep making knowledge accessible. But transformation, shortcuts, access, and community? Those will never go out of style.
Your course deserves more than collecting dust.
If you’ve ever felt stuck wondering why your course isn’t selling, or overwhelmed by the endless list of funnels, ads, and marketing tactics, you’re not alone. Most educators create amazing content, but the truth is: content alone doesn’t sell.
That’s where Maia Strategy Studio comes in.
We partner with online course creators and coaches who are ready to:
-
Validate their offers with real demand before spending months creating.
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Launch with a strategy designed to bring in actual sales, not just vanity metrics.
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Scale with proven marketing systems that take the guesswork out of growth.
Instead of wasting time piecing together free advice, you’ll have a dedicated strategy built around your business, your audience, and your goals.
Because your course isn’t just another digital product. It’s the transformation your students are waiting for. Let’s make sure the right people find it, buy it, and succeed with it. 💜
