Are you worried about your online course falling into the world of piracy?

How can you shield your hard work from pirates eager to distribute it freely?

Digital content theft is a serious concern in today’s vast online landscape.

The United States saw 5.6 billion visits to media piracy websites, with a 58.5% rise in piracy within the publishing sector compared to the previous year, according to MUSO’s Piracy by Industry report.

Furthermore, the film, TV, music, and software industries experienced 9.6% or more increases from 2021.

Protecting your course from piracy is not just possible; it’s essential.

But don’t worry!

You don’t have to be an easy target.

We’re here to help you through every step.

Make your course more than just pre-recorded videos

Creating a dynamic, engaging online course involves much more than just uploading videos.

Let’s explore how building a community, drip content, and hidden bonuses can enhance the learning experience and protect your course from piracy.

Community: building a valuable network

Course community
Course community

At the heart of every successful online course is a vibrant, engaged community.

This isn’t just about providing content; it’s about fostering a network where members find real value in the connections and interactions.

A loyal community serves as a deterrent against piracy.

Why?

Because when participants are part of a supportive environment with shared goals, the appeal of pirated content decreases.

They’re not just paying for videos—they’re investing in relationships and a shared learning journey.

Now, pirates can’t replicate this sense of community and support, making the pirated material significantly less appealing.

I strongly encourage you to start your own community using any of these community management platforms that I have recommended.

Drip content: a strategic release

Drip content is a highly effective strategy against piracy.

Content creators can control how and when students access the content by gradually releasing online course material. This not only enhances the learning process by ensuring thoughtful absorption of material but also directly combats piracy.

Pirates typically aim to acquire and distribute all content at once, so releasing content over time introduces significant obstacles.

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Drip scheduling feature in Kajabi

You can do this with the best online course platforms like Kajabi and Podia.

During the refund period, consider only dripping parts of your course.

You can also require users to complete certain tasks or reach milestones before unlocking additional content. This approach not only keeps students engaged but also complicates the process of illegal distribution and frustrates piracy attempts.

Hide bonus content

Consider making your official course offerings more appealing by hiding bonus content like advanced modules, supplementary materials, or exclusive sessions.

This additional material should only be accessible through secure links or behind login credentials.

Course unlock
Skool community gamification

Additionally, as demonstrated in the example above, you can provide access to bonus content upon reaching a specific level.

For example, in the Skool community platform, scores can only be unlocked if individuals reach level 5 by engaging in the community.

By restricting access to this bonus content, you’re not only incentivizing legitimate enrollment but also creating additional barriers for pirates.

Since this content remains hidden from unauthorized users, it retains its exclusivity and value, making the legal path much more attractive for learners seeking the full experience.

Implementing these strategies can transform your course into a comprehensive educational experience that values community interaction, paced learning, and exclusive content.

All of these contribute to protecting your intellectual property from piracy.

Coaching calls or cohorts

Coaching calls
Coaching calls

Transforming your course from a series of pre-recorded training videos to a cohort-driven program can drastically increase its value and security against piracy.

By incorporating live coaching sessions, you can make the course dynamic and interactive, which cannot be replicated through pirated means.

During these sessions, learners can ask questions, receive personalized feedback, and engage directly with you and other participants, creating a supportive and exclusive learning environment.

This shift towards a community and cohort-focused model means that the main value of your course lies in real-time interaction and participation, not just in static content.

Consequently, the demand for a pirated version decreases significantly as the core content is designed to be experienced live and with peer collaboration.

Update the course frequently

Updating course frequently
Updating course frequently

Ensuring your course remains current and evergreen is vital in combating piracy.

Regularly updating your course not only keeps the content relevant and engaging for returning students but also makes it more difficult for pirates to replicate.

By designing your course with scalability in mind, you can easily integrate new insights, tools, or methods, which keeps your official course ahead of any unauthorized versions.

Additionally, you can directly schedule updates at irregular intervals and new additions with paid subscribers to maintain the exclusivity of your online course content.

These strategies not only improve the learning experience but also add layers of security that protect your intellectual property.

Technical strategies to protect your online course

Protecting your online course content from piracy involves a mix of legal safeguards and technical measures.

Let’s consider some effective strategies to safeguard your content and uphold your rights as an online course creator.

Copyright and trademark protections
Copyright and trademark protection

When developing your course, applying for copyrights and trademarks is crucial.

Copyright your course name, unique frameworks, terminologies, or any mental models you introduce.

Additionally, trademarking your unique frameworks provides an extra layer of protection.

Highlight these trademarks in your course materials and on your landing pages to establish the legitimacy of your online content and discourage potential pirates from infringing on your rights.

You can also inform your course participants about the USPTO’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS), a free resource that allows them to search for existing trademarks in the USPTO database.

This helps them determine if their chosen course name, framework names, or terminologies are already trademarked by someone else to avoid potential conflicts and infringement issues down the road.

Using DRM protection

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is crucial for protecting your online course videos from unauthorized access and distribution.

DRM technologies can prevent users from downloading your videos, a common method of piracy.

Specifically, DRM software can work by encrypting your content or by fragmenting the video into parts that can only be assembled and viewed through a secure player.

Bunny Stream DRM solution
Bunny Stream DRM solution

Platforms like BunnyStream offer an advanced DRM solution called the “DRM Media Cage,” which provides robust protection for your content.

This technology fragments your video into multiple encrypted pieces.

So, when a user plays a video, these fragments are securely delivered and assembled by the authorized player in real time. This method not only prevents downloading but also stops hotlinking, where others might embed your content without permission.

Apart from BunnyStream, other platforms like Brightcove, JWPlayer, and Kaltura also provide advanced DRM solutions.

These platforms encrypt your video content, ensure secure delivery and playback, and prevent unauthorized downloading and embedding. This maintains exclusivity for paying subscribers and content integrity.

Implementing dynamic watermarks

Dynamic watermarks are another fantastic tool in your anti-piracy arsenal.

They involve embedding a unique identifier, like a user’s email address, into your video content.

Dynamic watermarks in VdoCipher
Dynamic watermarks in VdoCipher

Platforms such as VdoCipher integrate seamlessly with popular course platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, and Thinkific, allowing you to implement this feature effortlessly.

These digital watermarks track the viewing of your videos and deter pirates by making the source of any leaked content easily traceable.

Limiting concurrent sessions

You can improve the security of your content by setting restrictions on simultaneous logins from the same IP address within your learning management system.

This helps prevent multiple people from using the same credentials at the same time, reducing unauthorized access and sharing.

Limiting concurrent sessions
Limiting concurrent sessions

In the example above, the concurrent login limit is set for 2 devices.

It’s a simple yet effective way to ensure that only those who have legitimately enrolled can access your course.

Implementing email verifications and OTPs

Verification through OTP
Verification through OTP

To prevent unauthorized account sharing, implementing email verifications and One-Time Passwords (OTPs) is an effective strategy.

While these measures may not directly stop piracy, they do control access by ensuring that only the registered user can log in at any given time.

This form of verification reduces the chances of account credentials being shared among multiple users, indirectly protecting your sales from being undermined by what can essentially be considered a form of piracy.

Disabling screenshots or recording

Disabling screenshots or recording
Disable recordings

To further safeguard your content, you can disable screenshots or recordings while your course videos are playing.

Udemy safeguarding content
Udemy safeguarding content

Developers can implement solutions that detect the intention to capture a screen within browsers and subsequently make the video player blank.

As indicated in the screenshot above, taking screenshots or recording within the browser is prohibited by Udemy.

This prevents any visual capture of the content, maintaining its exclusivity.

Various services, such as Learnyst, integrate with popular course platforms to enable these protections, helping ensure that your videos remain secure.

Implementing DMCA protections

DMCA takedown form
Filing DMCA takedown notice

Despite all the best efforts, some piracy is unfortunately inevitable.

Regularly filing DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) takedown notices is a crucial step in fighting against this.

Creating a DMCA template for your content can make the process of requesting the removal of pirated versions from websites and search engines much more efficient.

Identifying pirated courses through Google
Identifying pirated courses through Google

To stay ahead, it’s recommended to regularly search for your course name in double quotes on Google. This will reveal all the websites where your course content is being shared illegally.

Additionally, you can create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in your organization to allow your team members to easily file DMCA complaints, ensuring a systematic response to piracy.

You can typically find user-friendly forms and procedures for submitting a DMCA complaint through search engines like Google, which will guide you in submitting your claims effectively and legally.

Collectively, these technical and legal strategies enhance the security of your online course, ensuring that your intellectual and creative investments are adequately protected.

Final thoughts

Despite implementing all the robust strategies we’ve discussed, it’s important to recognize that completely preventing digital piracy may not always be possible.

Piracy is a widespread issue in digital content creation, driven by numerous factors beyond our control.

However, this doesn’t mean all efforts are in vain.

The reality is that the world is vast, and there is a huge audience out there eager to invest in valuable, well-protected content.

Instead of fixating on a segment that would never pay for your offerings, we should focus our energy on those who see the true value of our educational resources.

And here’s the kicker:

Sometimes, those who pirate content inadvertently help by repelling out individuals who might not be the right fit for your community.

In conclusion, while you cannot eliminate piracy entirely, you can certainly diminish its impact by enhancing your course’s value, securing it with the right technical measures, and focusing on those who are here for the genuine experience you offer.

This approach not only protects your content to an extent but also aligns your efforts with attracting and retaining learners who truly appreciate and benefit from your hard work.