Have you always wondered what makes a class on Skillshare so successful? Look no further, we’ve got the answers for you! We dug into the highest earning Skillshare classes over the last six months to uncover what exactly made them hits with our student community.
Find the sweet spot for class length.
Among our highest earning classes, the average length was 35 minutes. In general, we recommend a class that is between 20-60 minutes in total length. Keep in mind, the best Skillshare channels include classes of various length to provide a more diverse and engaging learning experience for your students, but feel free to use this length as a healthy baseline.
Hook students right away.
Keep your intro video short and sweet (2 minutes or under performs best) to give students just enough information about the class to pique their curiosity. Include photos or a short video clip of what they will create to build excitement for the class project.
Put a face to the name.
Our highest earning teachers include a “talking-head” video in their class, even if the class is mostly filmed as a screencast. Don’t be camera shy! Even if you just share a few minutes of face-time, you’ll increase student engagement overall.
Offer your personalized approach.
No matter the skill level of your students, they are curious to learn your unique style and process. Let your expertise shine through by asking yourself “What about my process makes me stand out?” and narrate your thoughts along the way.
Consider varied learning styles.
All students learn in different ways, so it’s helpful to vary the way you share information. Offer on-screen text, images, physical demonstrations of materials, and supplemental resources in the “Class Project” section. Mariya Popandopulo shares her tips for iPhone photography in a PDF, making it easy for students to reference.
Establish credibility.
The highest earning teachers share examples of their past work or stories of their experience in the field. Giving students a taste of your style and a look at the work you do is a great way to establish credibility and showcase your experience.
Imagine your student is in the room with you.
Students prefer teachers who appear natural and conversational. Practice key talking points, but don’t narrate a script. Students want to feel like they’re having a one-on-one conversation. Smiling, looking directly into the camera, and including personal stories also go a long way in building connections with students, and earning more minutes watched.
Think about accessibility.
While you may use an expensive or unique material, consider that students may be on a limited budget, so recommend a range of materials that are high-quality and low-cost.
Get started today by implementing one or all of these tips into your next Skillshare class to be well on your way towards building an engaged student following, leading you to more minutes watched every month!
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