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With more and more people going online to learn new skills, it’s a great time to share knowledge with others and earn money. On Skillshare, you can monetize any number of skills. But what is Skillshare and how do you leverage it? Here’s all you need to know to get started as a Skillshare teacher.
What is Skillshare and how does it work?
Founded in 2010, Skillshare is an online community for learners and teachers. It offers classes for various topics, including design, video, photography, illustration, or starting a handmade business, and more.
For the students, there are two options available – free and paid. But many classes can be accessed at no cost, making it a popular e-learning site.
8 Reasons Crafting Entrepreneurs Should Teach on Skillshare
1. Reach a Large Potential Audience
Finding an audience interested in their skills is often a challenge for trainers. You may have truly valuable knowledge to share, but marketing it can be difficult. That’s where Skillshare makes the work easier.
With millions of users all over the world, it provides an opportunity to reach a large group of people.
2. Build a Business Teaching your Passion
Over the years, Skillshare has built a strong community of teachers who are passionate about sharing their knowledge.
By teaching on Skillshare, you can raise your profile as an expert and build your brand. You may also find it refreshing to potentially connect with millions of students worldwide. Teaching can also help you avoid handmade business burnout and regain some of the passion you have for the craft.
3. Discover Resources for Creating Content and Teaching Classes
To help get started, Skillshare offers a host of resources. It also has a very straightforward process designed to keep your classes engaging.
To begin with, there’s the Teacher Handbook, a comprehensive guide to help create impactful classes. There’s also a Teach Challenge module that provides useful tips on how to boost earnings on the platform.
4. Develop the Skills to Create Online Courses for Crafting Students
Creating a class that students find useful is often tricky – especially when it’s online. With Skillshare, the process of creating online courses is relatively simpler.
Your class needs to be video-based and it has to be at least 10 minutes long. On an average, classes run for 30-40 minutes. The class guidelines page provide all the details you need to design courses. These include tips on how to create engaging content and topics that you must avoid.
5. Test Course Ideas with your Target Audience
Skillshare is a thriving community of learners who are constantly looking out for relevant courses. To be able to catch their attention and entice them to sign up, it’s good to test your class ideas first. Here’s how you can do it.
Practice and publish a short version or teaser, promote it to potential members and check whether or not they find the topic interesting. Once validated, you can create a longer class that covers the topic in further detail.
6. Connect with Other Skillshare Teachers
Another advantage of teaching on Skillshare is you can grow your network. You will find other instructors on this platform sharing interests that may be similar to yours. This way, you can get ideas for your classes and stay updated on topics on trend.
You can find helpful tips and resources at the Skillshare Teacher Center. Here top teachers share their experiences and provide advice to make the navigation on the platform easier for you.
7. Get Yourself Out There
Since it’s a community-based ecosystem, Skillshare is useful for you to gain exposure for your work and business. Many instructors have connected through it and formed partnerships and collaborations. In other words, it can help raise your profile and create opportunities beyond teaching.
8. Earn A Passive Income as a Skillshare Teacher
Part of Skillshare’s popularity is the potential for teachers to earn money. According to the site, an instructor can make around $200 in the first month with one class. By building your profile and becoming a top teacher, you can make approximately $3,000 a month. This is good money for a side hustle.
How do You Become a Teacher on Skillshare?
Skillshare doesn’t require you to submit an application and wait until you’re approved to start teaching. Anyone with a passion to teach, share knowledge and improve income can become a teacher here in just a couple of steps.
- Create a Skillshare account for free
- Create a class draft
- Work at your own speed to publish your class whenever you are ready
How to Make a Skillshare Class
To make the most out of your class on Skillshare, you need to keep a few things in mind. Here are the steps to create your class.
- Choose a topic you want to share
- Validate your idea to ensure your class is popular with members
- Create an outline for your project
- Produce and publish your class using resources on the platform
- Promote it via email, social media to get the word out
How do I Make Money Teaching on Skillshare?
Skillshare has a transparent payment structure with teachers getting paid for every minute watched by Premium students in the classes – and for every student they bring through referral.
Here’s how it works:
- Teachers get $10 for every student they get to Skillshare and that signs up for Premium Membership
- Royalties are based on the number of minutes watched in your classes each month
How much does it cost to teach on Skillshare?
One thing that makes this site attractive to thousands of teachers is that costs nothing to start using it. As an instructor, you don’t have to pay anything to start teaching and making money.
Do I have access to classes if I cancel my Premium Membership?
The Premium Membership model is just for the students – not trainers.
How much do teachers make on Skillshare?
On average, an instructor can make approximately $200 in the first month with the first lesson. Top instructors make around $3,000 a month.
Is Skillshare good for instructors?
It’s a good e-learning website where you will find a highly engaged community of both instructors and students. You will also have access to resources and guidance to make your class engaging. And you can boost your income through it. The challenge, though, is to stand out and find a way to make classes more popular. It’s also available mainly in English that may pose a challenge if you’re interested in creating courses in other languages.
What could I teach on Skillshare?
You can choose from a wide variety of interesting topics where you are more skilled. Here are some ideas to explore:
- Best practices to host your webinar
- Influencer marketing: Mistakes to avoid
- How to grow your website with chatbots
- Unique opportunities to earn money in 2021
- Building a solid video marketing strategy for your restaurant business
- What’s next in email marketing
Image: Depositphotos
This article, “Crafters: Become a Skillshare Teacher to Earn Extra Cash” was first published on Small Business Trends