Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to monetize your knowledge without needing thousands of subscribers, followers, or hours of watch time? What if you could share your expertise, earn passive income, and even keep your face off-camera if you prefer? Good news — you can! By creating and selling online courses on platforms like Udemy, you can turn your skills into a steady income stream.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact process I’ve used to successfully earn money from Udemy for over three years. Spoiler alert: It’s easier than you think!
Step 1: Pick a Profitable Course Topic
Choosing the right course topic is crucial to your success. You want a topic that:
- Is in demand
- Isn’t oversaturated
- Matches your expertise
- Has good earning potential
To help with this, Udemy offers a built-in tool called Marketplace Insights. It provides data on popular topics, expected income ranges, and competitor analysis. Even if you’re not an expert, remember this: There’s a demand for knowledge at all levels. Whether you know the basics of Canva, Excel, or Adobe Premiere Pro, there are learners looking for beginner-friendly courses. Udemy’s multi-level categorization (beginner to expert) ensures your course reaches the right audience.
Step 2: Plan and Outline Your Course
Once you’ve picked your topic, it’s time to outline your course. Break it down into the following sections:
- Introduction Module: Share who you are, what the course is about, and the skills students will gain. Use a hook to grab their attention.
- Core Modules: Keep video lessons between 5–10 minutes for better engagement.
- Practical Applications: Include quizzes, worksheets, or projects to help students apply what they’ve learned.
- Wrap-Up: Summarize the course, highlight key takeaways, and suggest actionable next steps.
Step 3: Record and Produce Your Course
Recording your course can seem daunting, but with the right tools, it becomes much simpler. Udemy has specific requirements, including:
- At least 30 minutes of video content
- A minimum of five lectures
- HD video quality
For creating and editing your content, I highly recommend DemoCreator by Wondershare. This screen recording and editing software simplifies the production process with features like:

- Screen Recording + Voiceover: Record your screen and voice simultaneously.
- AI Beauty Filters: Boost your confidence on-camera with lighting and face enhancements.
- Drawing Tools: Highlight or annotate key points during lessons.
- Teleprompter: Maintain eye contact and stay on script seamlessly.
- Built-In Editor: Save time by editing your content directly in DemoCreator.
Step 4: Price Your Course
Udemy uses a flat-fee model, meaning students pay once for lifetime access to your course. Although you can set your course price, Udemy frequently offers significant discounts (e.g., $200 courses sold for $9.99). While this may sound discouraging, remember: Udemy provides access to a massive audience, making it an ideal starting point.
Earnings depend on the sales channel:
- Organic Sales: Students find your course on Udemy — 50% revenue share.
- Instructor Promotion: Students use your promo link — 97% revenue share.
- Affiliate Sales: Affiliates promote your course — 25% revenue share.
Step 5: Optimize for Udemy Search
Udemy is a massive search engine for courses. To ensure yours gets discovered:
- Use relevant keywords in your title and description.
- Follow SEO best practices.
- Include an eye-catching thumbnail and clear course objectives.
Step 6: Launch and Promote Your Course
After passing Udemy’s quality checks, your course will go live. To maximize sales:
- Promote it on your social media, email list, or YouTube channel.
- Encourage students to leave reviews to boost your credibility.
Bonus: Repurpose Your Course for More Income
Why stop at Udemy? You can upload your course to other platforms like Teachable or Skillshare to expand your reach and income. In fact, repurposing my Udemy courses tripled my earnings!
Conclusion
Creating and selling online courses on Udemy is an excellent way to earn passive income while sharing your knowledge. With tools like DemoCreator and a clear plan, even beginners can produce high-quality courses.
Ready to start? Check out DemoCreator here and let me know how your course creation journey goes. Don’t forget to subscribe for more tips on passive income, side hustles, and online opportunities.


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