Struggling to find the ideal duration for your online course?
Do shorter courses lead to more engaged learners?
Or is it the longer courses that hold the key to success?
We’re here to guide you with data.
Grab your compass and buckle up.
We’re about to embark on a data-backed adventure!
How long should a course be?: It depends
Based on the course type
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of what the ideal length of an online course is.
It depends on the type of course.
Roughly speaking, there are three types of courses, as outlined below:
- Skill-based courses: These are typically more in-depth and require a longer duration to ensure a deep understanding of the subject. For instance, a programming course (in Udemy) would fall under this category and might need extended hours of training to cover all necessary aspects thoroughly.
- Transformation-based courses: These courses are focused on achieving a specific transformation or goal in a student’s life. The length of these courses is often tied to the time required for this transformation. This can be structured as a 30-day challenge or similar formats, depending on the desired outcome.
- Reference courses: These are typically longer and not intended to be completed in one sitting. They are often used as ongoing resources that students refer back to as needed. The structure should be organized to allow students to easily navigate and use the course material as a reference tool.
Based on the audience
If you’re creating an online course without any idea of your audience in mind, including their psychographic behaviors and preferences, then achieving the optimal length for your online course may be challenging.
You need to understand their psyche, attention spans, and the format of content that they are willing to consume.
Without that, it will be like beating around the bush, and you will deter the fate of how well your course engagement goes.
The ideal course length largely depends on your audience’s needs and expectations. Here are a few considerations:
- Audience availability: If your audience consists of busy professionals, shorter, more digestible modules might be more appealing. They can fit learning into their schedule without feeling overwhelmed. For instance, you can create a 10-module course, where each module is 20 minutes long, covering different aspects of quick and healthy meal prep.
- Prior knowledge: For beginners, you may need a longer course to cover basics before delving into advanced topics. For an audience with some background knowledge, a shorter, more focused course might be sufficient.
- Learning objectives: If the goal is to provide a quick overview or introduction to a topic, a short course can suffice. However, if the objective is to develop mastery over a subject, a longer, more detailed course would be necessary.
- Subject complexity: For complex subjects that require deep understanding, longer courses might be more appropriate. This allows ample time for exploration and comprehension of the material.
Remember, the key is to balance depth and breadth of content with the learner’s ability to absorb and retain information.
Still struggling?
Consider browsing course marketplaces to see reviews on similar courses. This provides real-world data without extensive surveys or user feedback.
For example, in the above course, the most appreciated aspect, as commented by people, is the bite-sized segments. However, some found the depth of information to be insufficient.
What course lengths are more profitable?
It’s important to consider the balance between course length and profitability.
According to Thinkific, the most profitable online courses are usually between 10-25 hours in length.
However, this doesn’t mean longer or shorter courses can’t be successful. It’s crucial to align the course length with the subject matter and audience needs.
Courses that are unnecessarily long can reduce student engagement, while those that are too short might not adequately cover the subject. Perhaps that’s why the online course completion rate is about 12.6%.
Do competitor analysis
Step #1: Identify competitors
Use Google search modifiers like "keyword" + "course review" or "keyword" + "course" to find your relevant competitors and their offerings.
Start by listing both direct and indirect competitors.
Direct competitors offer the same solutions, whereas indirect competitors might solve the same problem differently or target similar customers.
Utilize Google and social media for comprehensive competitor identification.
For instance, search for keywords related to your course topic and see what other courses come up.
Step #2: Analyze competitor’s business model and strategies
Look into their product offerings, pricing, promotion strategies, and how they position their courses in the market.
This includes examining their course structure, syllabus, and the unique selling points they highlight.
Analyze their marketing strategies, the models or funnels they’re using, and their target audience. Understand what promises they’re making, the transformations they’re effecting, and how they’ve uniquely positioned their course for maximum profits.
By mapping their entire business structure, you’ll gain the conviction you need to determine the exact length of your training course.
Step #3: Ask yourself exploratory questions
Ask yourself specific questions to understand your competitors’ appeal and areas for improvement.
Examples include:
- “What unique solutions do my competitors offer that I don’t?”
- “How do they structure their course content for maximum engagement?”
- “What are the common complaints or gaps in their offerings that I can address in my course?”
Step #4: Leverage opportunities and differentiate
Based on your findings, identify opportunities you can capitalize on.
Perhaps a competitor’s course is too lengthy or not detailed enough – these insights can guide how you structure your course.
Think about how you can stand out by offering something unique or improving upon what exists in the market.
You can analyze the common problems/complaints with pre-existing online courses and capitalize on those to differentiate your course. Ensure that the course you create is highly empathetic and user-centric.
Increasing student retention rate
Understanding course engagement metrics
It’s crucial to start with a deep understanding of what keeps students engaged.
Research shows that shorter videos, typically under 15 minutes or 3 minutes (in the case of micro-videos), maintain student engagement more effectively.
In another study on MOOC videos conducted by researchers at MIT, the most effective videos were those that were shorter than 6 minutes.
This insight can be pivotal in designing your course content.
As a rule of thumb, aim to keep your lesson video length under 5 minutes. This approach helps to break down complex ideas into manageable parts. Use modules or even sub-modules on your course creation platform for effective structuring.
A well-structured course not only facilitates easier updates in the future but also ensures that your course structure is highly scalable.
Strategic lesson content
Focus on scripting lessons that are concise yet impactful. The goal is to deliver high-value content without unnecessary fillers. This respects the learner’s time and attention, enhancing their engagement and retention.
Consider implementing a strategic lesson design, breaking down complex topics into manageable chunks or modules, especially for courses intended for daily practice like language learning or skill development.
Personalization
Personalizing content can significantly enhance the learning experience of online courses.
This can be achieved by gathering information through an onboarding survey, which allows instructors to understand the unique needs and learning styles of each learner.
Course creators can customize learning paths based on student’s prior knowledge and progress. By offering adaptive learning experiences, learners can focus on areas where they need improvement, accelerating their learning journey.
Implementing adaptive learning is a key personalization technique, but there are other strategies for course content.
Like:
- Use interactive elements such as quizzes and assignments that are personalized based on the student’s performance in previous lessons.
- Incorporate AI and machine learning tools to analyze a student’s learning patterns and customize content accordingly.
- Use data from pre-course surveys to understand the unique learning styles of each student and tailor the course content to suit these styles.
Drip content and reminders
For courses that require practice over time, such as accent neutralization, consider a drip content strategy.
This involves releasing content progressively, perhaps on a daily or weekly basis, to ensure consistent engagement.
Incorporating daily learning reminders, similar to apps like Duolingo or Headspace, can also encourage regular participation and progress tracking.
Mix of lesson formats
Utilizing various lesson formats caters to different learning styles and preferences.
This can include a mix of video lectures, interactive quizzes, reading materials, and practical assignments. The variety can keep the course dynamic and engaging for a broader audience.
By including quizzes and assessments at the end of each lesson and making them prerequisites for course progress, you can ensure that learners are absorbing the material. This approach eliminates the need to repeatedly revisit points from earlier modules (just to be sure), thereby reducing the length of your videos and the entire training course.
Key takeaway
The ideal length of an online course is contingent upon several factors, primarily the nature of the course and the needs of the audience.
Data suggests that the most profitable courses typically run for 10-25 hours.
However, it’s crucial that the course length matches the subject matter and caters to the audience’s needs.
Conducting a competitor analysis can yield valuable insights for designing the course structure and differentiating your offer. To maximize student retention, course length should be thoughtfully tailored.
Implementing strategic lesson content, personalizing the learning experience, delivering content progressively (drip content), and using a mix of formats can all contribute to creating a valuable and engaging course.
