In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process to create and sell online courses on WordPress.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Why sell online courses on wordpress?
3. Getting Started with WordPress
4. Choosing the Right Theme
5. Selecting a Learning Management System (LMS) Plugin
6. Creating Your Course Content
7. Setting Up Your Course in WordPress
8. Integrating Payment Gateways
9. Marketing Your Course
10. Managing and Growing Your Online Course Business
11. Providing Excellent Student Support
12. Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Learning
13. Expanding Your Course Offerings
14. Analysing and Improving Performance
15. Ensuring Legal Compliance
16. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Online education is booming, and creating and selling online courses on wordpress has never been easier, thanks to platforms like WordPress. This guide will cover everything you need to know, from setting up your website to marketing your course effectively.

2. Why sell online courses on wordpress?

WordPress is a popular choice for creating online courses due to its flexibility, ease of use, and the vast array of plugins and themes available. Key advantages include:

• Customizability: You can tailor your site to match your brand and the specific needs of your course.
• Scalability: Start small and expand as your business grows.
• Cost-Effectiveness: Many high-quality themes and plugins are available for free or at a low cost.
• Community Support: A large community of developers and users can provide help and resources.

3. Getting Started with WordPress

Choosing a Hosting Provider

The first step in creating your online course website is choosing a reliable hosting provider. Some popular options include:

• Bluehost: Known for its excellent customer service and easy WordPress integration.
• SiteGround: Offers high performance and robust security features.
• WP Engine: A premium option that provides managed WordPress hosting for faster load times and better support.

Installing WordPress

Once you’ve chosen your hosting provider, you’ll need to install WordPress. Most hosting providers offer one-click installations, making the process straightforward:

1. Log into your hosting account.
2. Find the WordPress installation option (usually under the website or scripts section).
3. Follow the prompts to install WordPress on your domain.

4. Choosing the Right Theme

Education Themes

Selecting the right theme is crucial for the look and functionality of your online course site. Some recommended themes for education websites include:

• Astra: A lightweight and customizable theme that works well with most LMS plugins.
• Eduma: Specifically designed for educational purposes, offering features like course structures, events, and more.
• Academy: A learning management theme with built-in course and user management features.

Customization Tips

Customize your theme to ensure it aligns with your branding and provides a user-friendly experience:

• Logo and Color Scheme: Incorporate your logo and choose a color scheme that reflects your brand.
• Navigation: Ensure easy navigation with clear menus and links to important sections.
• Responsive Design: Choose a theme that looks great on both desktop and mobile devices.

5. Selecting a Learning Management System (LMS) Plugin

Popular LMS Plugins

An LMS plugin transforms your WordPress site into a fully functional e-learning platform. To create and manage your online courses, you’ll need an WordPress LMS plugin. Some of the most popular options include:

• LearnDash: Known for its robust features and ease of use, suitable for a variety of course types.
• LifterLMS: Offers a range of features including multimedia lessons, quizzes, and drip content.
• Sensei by WooCommerce: Integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce for selling courses.
• Tutor LMS: User-friendly and includes many essential features.

Features to Look For

When choosing an LMS plugin, consider the following features:

• Course Creation Tools: Easy-to-use tools for building courses, modules, and lessons.
• Multimedia Support: Ability to include videos, audio, and other multimedia content.
• Quizzes and Assignments: Features for assessing students’ progress.
• Student Management: Tools for tracking student enrollment and performance.
• Payment Integration: Options for selling courses and handling payments.

6. Creating Your Course Content

Structuring Your Course

A well-structured course helps students learn effectively and keeps them engaged. Consider the following structure:

• Introduction: An overview of the course objectives and what students will learn.
• Modules: Break down your course into manageable sections or modules.
• Lessons: Each module should contain several lessons focused on specific topics.
• Quizzes and Assignments: Include assessments to test students’ knowledge.

Creating Videos and Multimedia

Engaging multimedia content is key to an effective online course. Here are some tips:

• Videos: Use high-quality video recordings to explain concepts. Tools like Camtasia or ScreenFlow can help with editing.
• Audio: Ensure clear and crisp audio. Consider using a good microphone and sound editing software.
• Slides and Documents: Supplement videos with slides, PDFs, and other downloadable materials.

Writing Course Materials

In addition to multimedia content, well-written course materials are essential:

• Clear and Concise: Write in a clear, concise manner that’s easy for students to understand.
• Engaging: Use a conversational tone to keep students engaged.
• Organized: Structure your materials logically, with headings and subheadings for easy navigation.

7. Setting Up Your Course in WordPress

Installing and Configuring Your LMS Plugin

Once you’ve created your content, it’s time to set up your course on WordPress:

1. Install your chosen LMS plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.
2. Configure the plugin settings to match your course requirements.
3. Create your course structure by adding modules and lessons.

Creating Course Modules and Lessons

With your LMS plugin installed, follow these steps to create your course:

1. Add New Course: Navigate to the LMS section in your WordPress dashboard and select “Add New Course.”
2. Create Modules: Divide your course into modules. Each module should cover a specific topic.
3. Add Lessons: Within each module, create individual lessons. Include videos, text, and other materials.
4. Set Up Quizzes: Add quizzes and assignments to test students’ knowledge and provide feedback.

8. Integrating Payment Gateways

Popular Payment Gateways

To sell online courses on wordpress, you need a payment gateway. Ensure your LMS plugin supports the payment gateway you choose.

Some popular options include:

• PayPal: Widely used and easy to set up.
• Stripe: Offers seamless integration and supports a variety of payment methods.
• WooCommerce: A powerful e-commerce plugin that can handle course sales and payments.

Setting Up WooCommerce for Course Sales

WooCommerce is a great option to sell online courses on wordpress. Here’s how to set it up:

1. Install WooCommerce: From the WordPress plugin repository, install and activate WooCommerce.
2. Configure Settings: Set up your store by following the WooCommerce setup wizard.
3. Create Product: Add your course as a product. Include details like the course description, price, and images.
4. Set Up Payments: Configure payment gateways in the WooCommerce settings to accept payments.

9. Marketing Your Course

Create a Sales Page

Design a compelling sales page for your course. Include information about the course content, benefits, testimonials, and pricing. Use a call-to-action button to encourage visitors to enroll.

Building an Email List

An email list is a powerful marketing tool for promoting your online course:

• Lead Magnets: Offer free resources (e.g., eBooks, webinars) to attract subscribers.
• Email Campaigns: Send regular newsletters with valuable content and course updates.
• Automated Sequences: Use email marketing tools like Mailchimp or ConvertKit to automate your campaigns.

Social Media Marketing

Leverage social media to reach a broader audience:

• Platforms: Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to promote your course.
• Content: Share valuable content related to your course topic to attract followers.
• Engagement: Engage with your audience through comments, messages, and live sessions.

Content Marketing Strategies

Content marketing can drive traffic to your site and build your authority:

• Blog Posts: Write informative blog posts related to your course topic.
• Guest Blogging: Contribute articles to popular blogs in your niche.
• SEO: Optimize your content for search engines to attract organic traffic.

 Offer Discounts and Promotions

Attract more students by offering limited-time discounts, bundles, or referral incentives. Most LMS plugins allow you to create coupon codes and promotional offers.

10. Managing and Growing Your Online Course Business

Engaging with Students

Student engagement is crucial for retention and success:

• Community: Create a community space (e.g., a forum or Facebook group) for students to interact.
• Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from students and make improvements based on their suggestions.
• Support: Provide prompt and helpful support to address any issues or questions.

Track Student Progress

Use the reporting features of your LMS plugin to track student progress and engagement. This data helps you understand which parts of your course are most effective and where students might be struggling.

Gathering Feedback and Making Improvements

Continuous improvement is key to maintaining a high-quality course:

• Surveys: Use surveys to gather detailed feedback from students.
• Analytics: Track course performance using analytics tools.
• Updates: Regularly update your course content to keep it relevant and valuable.

Scaling Your Business

Once your course is successful, consider scaling your business:

• Additional Courses: Create new courses to expand your offerings.
• Membership Sites: Offer a membership site with exclusive content and benefits.
• Partnerships: Partner with other educators or influencers to reach a wider audience.

11. Providing Excellent Student Support

Create a Support System

Establish a system to provide support to your students. This can include a dedicated email address, a support forum, or a ticketing system. Make sure students know how to reach you if they have questions or encounter issues.

Develop a FAQ Section

A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section can help address common concerns and reduce the volume of support requests. Include answers to questions about course access, payment issues, and course content.

Engage with Students

Create a sense of community by engaging with your students regularly. Use forums, discussion boards, or live Q&A sessions to interact with them. This can improve their learning experience and satisfaction.

12. Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Learning

Use Multimedia Content

Enhance your courses with multimedia content such as videos, audio recordings, and interactive elements. This can help cater to different learning styles and make the content more engaging.

Incorporate Gamification

Gamification elements like badges, certificates, and leaderboards can motivate students and make learning more enjoyable. Many LMS plugins support gamification features.

Mobile Optimization

Ensure your courses are mobile-friendly. Many students prefer to access content on their smartphones or tablets, so make sure your website and course materials are optimized for mobile devices.

13. Expanding Your Course Offerings

Develop Additional Courses

Once your first course is successful, consider developing additional courses. This can help you attract a broader audience and increase your revenue. Think about complementary topics or advanced versions of your existing courses.

Bundle Courses

Offer course bundles at a discounted rate to encourage students to enroll in multiple courses. This can increase the perceived value and boost sales.

Partner with Other Experts

Collaborate with other experts in your field to create joint courses. This can expand your reach and bring new perspectives to your course offerings.

14. Analyzing and Improving Performance

Analyze Course Data

Regularly analyze the data from your LMS to understand student engagement, completion rates, and feedback. Use this data to make informed decisions about course improvements.

A/B Testing

Experiment with different elements of your course and marketing strategies through A/B testing. This can help you determine what works best for your audience and optimize your approach.

Continuously Improve

Always look for ways to improve your courses and website. Stay updated with the latest trends in e-learning and incorporate new techniques and technologies as needed.

15. Ensuring Legal Compliance

Protect Your Content

Ensure your courses are protected against unauthorised distribution. Use DRM (Digital Rights Management) tools and watermarking to safeguard your content.

Compliance with Laws

Ensure your website and courses comply with relevant laws and regulations, such as GDPR for data protection in the European Union. This includes having a clear privacy policy and terms of service.

Conclusion

Creating and selling online courses on WordPress is a powerful way to monetize your expertise while helping others achieve their learning goals. By following the steps outlined in this guide to sell online courses on wordpress, you can build a professional and engaging e-learning platform that attracts and retains students. Remember to stay flexible and continuously seek feedback to improve your courses and overall strategy. With dedication and the right tools, you can create a successful online course business that grows over time.

Subodh

Product Marketing Specialist, VdoCipher.

www.vdocipher.com

The post How to Create and Sell Online Courses on WordPress appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

What is LMS (learning management system) platform

An LMS (Learning Management System) is a web-based or software application specially designed to facilitate the creation, management, delivery, and monitoring of e-learning, educational content, development programs and learning activities. LMS acts as a central platform to manage courses, evaluate performance, and track learning progress at various stages. Since it is a cloud-based service, it can be accessed from anywhere using an active internet connection.

Some key features of an LMS platform are course creation and management, curriculum and learning paths management, reporting and analytics, collaboration tools, and other integrations with business intelligent tools like Tableau or its alternatives.

Popular LMS platforms include Moodle, TalentLMS, Blackboard, and Canvas. These platforms cater to different industries and use cases such as K-12, higher education, professional development, and corporate training.

For example, a course creator can create courses on ‘Digital Marketing’ and upload videos and other resources on an LMS platform. They can later create assignments and quizzes. Many companies use LMS platforms to onboard new joiners and provide training material based on their job profile. An organization may integrate an LMS platform with their HR system to automatically enrol newly hired employees and track their completion status.

Types of LMS platforms or LMS website

Cloud-Based LMS

These LMS are hosted on the service provider’s servers and accessible anytime from any place. It’s a good choice for organizations, remote teams, and learners across different locations. Example – LearnUpon and TalentLMS

Self-Hosted LMS

This type of LMS is hosted within an organization’s servers. Installation and setup require technical expertise but there are many customization options. Examples – Moodle and iSpring Learn.

Open Source LMS

As the name suggests, open-source LMS are free to use, modify, and distribute. These LMS usually have a strong community where people contribute updates and various improvements. They require technical expertise to set up and manage but can be easily customized as per business needs. Examples – Open edX and Sakai.

Commercial LMS

These are typically sold by a vendor as a locally hosted enterprise product, hosted on an organization’s servers, or as a SAAS offering, hosted on the vendor’s servers with online accessibility.

Benefits and Importance of an online LMS platform

Centralized learning repository – LMS platforms provide a central platform to store, organize and manage learning content. It makes the content easily accessible to admins and learners. It also reduces the risk of losing learning resources.

Time and cost efficiency – LMS platforms have a lot of automated administrative processes such as registration, enrollment, and tracking. This reduces a lot of time and cost. It also reduces the workload on educators and admins, giving them more time to focus on the learning process aspects.

Personalized learning experience – Educators can create curriculum and learning materials on LMS platforms as per the learner’s unique preferences and needs. A personalized learning experience ensures learning engagement and higher retention rates.

Flexibility and accessibility – LMS platforms support various content types such as images, videos, and text, and cater to different learning styles. Learners also get to access the content anytime and anywhere on any supported device.

Scalability – Most LMS platforms are easily scalable to accommodate the growing count of learners or users and educational content, making it cost-effective for organizations where the learning and training needs are expandable.

Data security and privacy – Popular LMS platforms have robust security measures in place to protect their confidential data such as user information and video content. This includes measures such as secure authentication protocols, encryption, and access control to ensure secure access and sharing.

 Some of the basic features of LMS Tools

Role of LMS Platforms in Education

In an LMS setting, teachers are facilitators, providing a learning environment where students can conduct research and engage with technological resources to professionals.

• • Role of Teachers – In an LMS, teachers act more as facilitators than traditional instructors. They set up an environment where students can independently explore and learn using various technological tools. This helps students become adept in handling information, which is crucial in today’s information-heavy world.
  • Adapting to Student Needs – Different students have different learning paces and capabilities. Some may struggle with deadlines, while others may need more challenges. The LMS helps instructors to tailor their teaching strategies to meet these diverse needs.
  • Continuous Learning and Assessment – The LMS enables continuous monitoring of students’ learning progress and provides ongoing feedback. Teachers can set clear expectations, and students can regularly assess their progress and achievements.
  • Accessibility and Flexibility – Students can access educational materials, participate in discussions, and complete assessments all within the LMS. This system supports various learning activities like group chats and online discussions, making education more interactive and accessible.
  • Constructivist Learning – The LMS allows for constructivist learning, where students build their knowledge through experiences and interactions within the platform. This method focuses on students’ active participation and encourages them to construct their own understanding of the material.

Must have capabilities in an LMS System

Centralize and Automate Administration – An LMS should bring all administrative tasks related to education and training into one central system. This includes automating processes like enrolling students, tracking their progress, and managing resources, which saves time and reduces errors.

• Use Self-Service and Self-Guided Services – It should allow learners to manage their own learning experiences. This includes enrolling in courses, accessing learning materials, and tracking their own progress without needing to rely on others.
• Assemble and Deliver Learning Content Rapidly – An LMS should be able to quickly put together educational content from various sources and deliver it efficiently to learners. This helps in keeping the learning content up-to-date and readily accessible.
• Consolidate Training Initiatives on a Scalable Web-Based Platform – The system should be able to support different training programs or initiatives within a single platform that can scale as the number of users grows. This is essential for organizations that want to expand their training programs without switching systems.
• Support Portability and Standards – An LMS should adhere to industry standards for e-learning, which ensures that the content and data can be easily transferred or used across different systems and platforms. This compatibility is crucial for maintaining flexibility and extending the reach of educational programs.
• Personalize Content and Enable Knowledge Reuse – The system should offer options to tailor the learning experience to individual needs, preferences, and learning styles. It should also facilitate the reuse of existing content in new educational contexts, which can enhance learning efficiency and resource utilization.

How to choose the best LMS platforms for your business

• Define clear objectives – It’s important to have a clear understanding of your organization’s learning and training requirements and objectives.
• Evaluate the ease of use – A user-friendly interface ensures administrators and learners navigate and use the LMS more effectively. This includes an intuitive user interface, customizations, mobile accessibility, and an efficient platform learning curve.
• Access scalability – As your organization’s requirements grow, the demand to accommodate more users, content courses, and learning requirements increases. An LMS platform must be capable of handling such evolving needs without compromising performance and resources.
• Integrations – An LMS needs to have seamless integrations with 3rd party systems to improve efficiency. Integrations with content libraries enrich course offerings and communication tools to improve collaborations.
• Mobile and responsive support – Most LMS platforms support mobile learning and responsive web design to encourage learners to access course content and other activities on a range of devices, such as smartphones, tablets, desktops, and more.
• Data privacy and security – Modern LMS platforms have robust security measures in place to secure sensitive data and content from piracy and unauthorized access. It includes encryption (platforms like VdoCipher offer DRM encryption), password protection, secure authentication protocols, and access controls.
• Budget and pricing – Before making a final decision, compare the pricing model and features of different LMS platforms. Your own budget is also a crucial factor in making a choice. Apart from one-time or subscription fees, consider other factors such as set-up costs and other additional costs.

LCMS vs LMS: Similarities and Comparison

The Learning Content Management System (LCMS) is a newer term and is primarily concerned with the creation, management, and distribution of learning content. It allows for the handling of digital learning objects in a multi-user environment. Users can create, store, reuse, manage, and deliver these learning objects, which may include media files, assessment items, simulations, and other content types. The LCMS also enables content editing and storing. The LCMS provides tools that support the repurposing and efficient assembly of learning content. This avoids redundancy in content creation and enables quick customization of content for different training needs.

Similarities and Comparison

• Similar Tools – Both systems may share tools for delivering and managing online training, including synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous (on-demand) methods.
• Content Development – LCMSs are specifically equipped for authoring and reusing content, which includes the ability to modify and republish learning materials for various audiences while maintaining version control and history.
• Integration – Despite distinct roles, the term LMS is often colloquially used to refer to both systems. However, the LCMS is a more specialized development that focuses on content management, which is not a capability of a traditional LMS.

In summary, while both LMS and LCMS are crucial for educational organizations, they serve different but complementary roles. The LMS administers and delivers learning processes, whereas the LCMS focuses on the content itself, providing robust tools for creating, managing, and optimizing digital learning materials.

Best LMS platforms and learning management solutions

TalentLMS

TalentLMS is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) designed to deliver online training courses and educational programs. Catering businesses of any size, it offers a streamlined approach to e-learning. It provides an intuitive interface that makes the creation and management of online courses a seamless process.

Features

• Course Management – Build courses from scratch, a variety of assessments, latest eLearning content standards, like SCORM, xAPI, and cmi5.
• Blended learning, Certifications, and gamification include badges, points, levels, rewards, and leaderboards.
• VideoConferencing support
• Ecommerce to sell individual courses or via the subscription model.
• API and integrations with Salesforce, GoToMeeting, Shopify, and more.
• GDPR compliant
• Easy customizations and themes

Pros – Course creation tools, ease of use, mobile learning, reporting & analytics
Cons – Limited customization. Some users find the platform’s design somewhat plain.

User Reviews – “One of the advantages is to train multiple people at once with sometimes different training modules. With the fast turnaround of employees, it is difficult to think of other ways to keep up. Also, recruitment of employees is made easy and fair.” – capterra.com

Canvas LMS

Canvas LMS is a cloud-based educational platform designed to facilitate online teaching and learning. Developed by Instructure Inc., it’s used by educational institutions of all levels, from K-12 to higher education, as well as by businesses for employee training. Canvas LMS provides an open, customizable, and scalable solution to engage and educate learners.

Features

• Course Creation and Management
• Rubrics, Modules, Calendars, Schedules, Quizzes, Syllabi, Analytics
• Canvas API to integrate with tools and apps such as Adobe, Microsoft Teams, and G Suite.
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android
• SpeedGrader feature allows teachers to view and provide feedback on student assignments.
• Integrated tools for real-time communication, including announcements, discussions, chat, and video conferencing

Pros – Integration capabilities, strong user community, and scalability
Cons – Pricing seems somewhat expensive compared to other LMS platforms. Limited customizations.

User Reviews – “I loved that Canvas was easy to use. Even though I had never used Canvas before, I jumped in and was able to do everything I needed pretty quickly. I had all of the features I needed but it wasn’t difficult to use.” – elearningindustry.com

Moodle LMS

Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is an open-source LMS designed to provide a secure, robust, and integrated system to create a personalized learning system. As it is open-source, it is customizable by educators, administrators, and learners to offer flexibility and numerous alterations.

Features

• Complete control as an open-source platform
• Easy add-ons with more than 200 open-source plugins
• Moodle versions 3.10 and 3.11 are WCAG 2.1 AA compliant
• Content access and manage activities and assignments with the Moodle app
• Collaborative learning with Forums, Web Conferencing, and more.

Pros – Highly customizable, open-source, extensive features, and community support. Adding and embedding videos in Moodle is also very straightforward and easy.
Cons – Some users find Moodle’s interface less intuitive. Although free, it requires additional costs for hosting, maintenance, and other services.

User Reviews – “Moodle’s high adaptability enables us to create lessons and learning activities that precisely suit their requirements and preferences. It is simple to design exciting and interactive classes thanks to this flexibility.” – g2.com

iSpring Learn

Cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS), iSpring Learn facilitates online training for businesses of all sizes. It offers a set of features to create, deliver, track, onboard, train, and develop corporate training activities. The various training programs include new hire onboarding, compliance, product, and sales training.

Features

• Easy content creation – interactive courses, role-plays, assessments, and video lessons.
• Data and analytics tracking to give insights into training effectiveness
• Automated progress reporting, deadlines, notifications, and smart user groups.
• Multiple admin roles on iSpring Learn’s supervisor dashboards
• Social learning along with newsfeed with reactions.

Pros – iSpring Suite, a complete toolkit for creating eLearning content. Structured learning paths
Cons – Reports lack flexibility. iSpring Suite comes with additional pricing

User Reviews – “We are using iSpring Learn as a tool to deliver training materials to our staff team across multiple departments, eradicating the need to complete multiple face-to-face sessions. Whilst primarily focused on our technical support team, we are also using the platform for bulk training needs, such as health and safety and fire safety.” – trustradius.com

360learning

360learning is a collaborative LMS focusing on learning creation and training delivery within an organization. Organizations can create and share learning modules, connect all of their business systems, and optimize workflow integrations. The platform reduces your administrative burdens and maximizes fill rates.

Features

• Host and review the existing eLearning catalog of SCORM courses without content migration
• Create company-specific trainings, automated enrollments
• Data-driven insights and dashboard
• Audit proof e-signature
• Customizable validity period for a certificate
• Real-time one-click feedback

Pros – Collaborate learning, easy content creation along with fast customer support
Cons – Not enough gamification. Complex workflow to create trainings reported by some users

User Reviews – “I like that 360Learning makes it easy for anyone to create learning content that is actionable and measurable. I like that the interface of the tool is intuitive, making it easy to navigate through the various courses and modules.” – gartner.com

Thinkific Plus

Thinkific Plus is a premium learning management system from Thinkific, designed to create, market, and sell eLearning products. With no coding required, you and your teams can create amazing learning experiences. It comes with high customizations, controls, and support for enterprise-level services.

Features

• Advanced security features and Single Sign-On OpenID (SSO)
• Enterprise API access. Advanced CSS customization. Custom migration planning
• Multiple seats and tiered pricing checkout options
• White-labeled mobile app. Dedicated customer success manager
• Unlimited administrators and B2B group management

Pros – Automated reminder based on progress, dedicated support team, easy customizations
Cons – Reporting could be better with complex analysis. Need more integrations.

User Reviews – “We can upload our contacts from the previous database within just a few minutes. Also, there are additional groups of learners, which is easier for us to take care of various learning cohorts.”- g2.com

LearnDash

Specially designed for WordPress users, LearnDash is a flexible LMS plugin to create and sell online courses. It is used mainly by universities, startups, and mid-size companies. With LearnDash, you can create free and paid courses.

Features

• Drag and drop course builder, No coding required.
• Easy course cloning to head start on a new course.
• Learning Paths to with challenge exams
• Onboarding wizard, assignment management, and focus mode
• Built-in payment system with subscriptions
• For WordPress

Pros – Integration with 3rd party extensions. Good documentation, support, and webinar guides. Easy-to-use built-in tools.
Cons – Compatible with only WordPress. Limited default payment options. No free trial.

User Reviews – “LearnDash is a power-packed LMS plugin that caters to all types of LMS requirements. It is a very user-friendly, lightweight, and robust system that provides a seamless end-user experience in online learning.” – g2.com

Adobe Learning Manager (formerly Adobe Captivate Prime)

Previously known as Adobe Captivate Prime, Adobe Learning Manager is a cloud-based LMS to set up, deliver, and track enjoyable learning experiences. On a single platform, engage customers, drive sales, and develop staff skills. With Adobe Learning Manager, you can deliver personalized learning across multiple devices with ease.

Features

• A suite of API integrations and custom connectors
• AI-based recommendations, social learning, and gamifications
• Headless LMS with personalized dashboard
• Extended enterprise learning
• Hybrid learning support with flexible learning options

Pros – Various modes to track learner engagement. Badging and gamification. Easy content creation.
Cons – Mobile experience is a little clunky. Pricing is a bit higher.

User Reviews – “It has helped our Learning & development division very effectively. It helped us get huge amounts of people trained and certified, and it’s a great LMS. Its powerful ability to create different types of e-learning content easily.” – trustradius.com

Teachable

Teachable is a cloud-based learning management system to create personalized online courses and coaching products like videos, quizzes, and lectures. Creators engage with online audiences and collect payments on their own terms with coaching, courses, and downloaded content.

Features

• Advanced editing tools. Less to no coding skills to create, manage, and sell courses.
• Variety of templates to create landing pages for marketing and sales campaigns
• Majority control over your payment solutions
• Drag and drop builder with multiple file format support across devices
• Built-in authoring tools and automated enrollment based on user data

Pros – Free trial. Support for offline access. Built-in shopping cart.
Cons – Payout options seem a problem for subscribers outside the USA. The basic paid version has a limitation of only 5 courses at a time.

User Reviews – “My overall experience with Teachable has been very positive.Improved features, and excellent onboarding training. My only frustration is the inability to auto-schedule blog posts.” – capterra.com

Blackboard Learn

Features

• Automated assessment grading
• Built-in software with accessibility and anti-plagiarism tools
• Easy-to-use tools and workflows
• Personalized support for students from their own institutional resources
• Real-time improvement insights

Pros – Customizations as per educational institutions. Built-in web tools
Cons – Some find it expensive. Integrations are a little tedious.

User Reviews – “Blackboard has been very user-friendly and easy to navigate. After years of using it, it is not hard” – g2.com

Vdocipher Secure Plugin for seamless integration with popular LMS platforms

The VdoCipher plugin works smoothly with most LMS platforms like LifterLMS, WpCourseLMS, LearnPress, Teachable TutorLMS, and LearnDash. Hosting your videos on the LMS may result in a website slowdown. This can hamper the user experience when someone with low internet connectivity comes to access your content and ultimately drops out.

The best case scenario is to host your videos on a video hosting service like VdoCipher which offers numerous features along with Hollywood Grade DRM Encryption at affordable pricing. To do so, simply upload the video on the VdoCipher dashboard and embed it on the page you want. Learn more about embedding on 3rd party LMS websites or platforms like Teachable.

How VdoCipher Plugin is the best choice to stream videos on your LMS platform

Multi-DRM Protection using Google Widevine and Apple FairPlay DRM for the highest level of protection against piracy and unauthorized access.

Dynamic Watermarking to deter screen capture and establish branding. Customizable for color, size, and transparency.

Custom HTML5 Video Player with closed captioning, adaptive bitrate streaming, picture-in-picture, offline download, subtitle support, chapters, and video analytics.

Domain/IP Restrictions to whitelist/blacklist specific countries and regions. Block a range of IPs and set time-based restrictions and expiry of URLs.

Easy Embed Options to generate embed code using one line code in simple steps.

Video Analytics gives video parameters to monitor your content. It includes the number of visitors, bounce rate, average view time, and other engagement metrics.

Video APIs to automate and ease the integrations and other functionalities. Server and Player APIs automate video upload, inject custom HTML in the video player for Android or customize player design.

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR) automatically adjusts the video quality as per the viewer’s internet connectivity. To do so, the player must be capable to offers multiple video quality options.

We’ve written several other blogs on LMS, feel free to check them out if it piques your interest

• Video LMS
• Enterprise LMS
• Corporate LMS
• Top LMS Platform
• LMS Systems
• Learning Management Systems

FAQs

What is LMS software?

Often used interchangeably, the LMS platform and LMS software have slight differences in their meaning as per the context. LMS software refers to a standalone application or some module within a larger system, designed for learning purposes. LMS software often has fewer features and functionalities in comparison to LMS platforms.

How does an LMS work?

An LMS platform allows content creation, enrolling learners, and tracking and accessing their performance. An LMS automates the workflow of administration, managing, and reporting events.

Are LMS platforms available on mobile devices?

Most modern LMS platforms have a mobile app or a responsive web design. There is also the option of offline access, making it a hybrid learning experience.

How much does an LMS solution cost?

Based on the number of users and features, the pricing model of an LMS platform varies. While some have free plans and others have subscription pricing models or one-time fees.

Can I integrate LMS with other systems?

Each LMS has specific integrations with 3rd party systems. For example, most LMS integrate well with Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS) or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.

Jyoti

Jyoti began her career as a software engineer in HCL with UNHCR as a client. She started evolving her technical and documentation writing skills to become a full-time Content Marketer at VdoCipher.

The post Best LMS (Learning Management System) Platforms & LMS Tools appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

“A content creator is an individual who uses their influence, skills, and creativity to amass and monetize an audience online.”

What is Content Creator Economy?

The creator economy is a term to describe the growing trend of content creators, curators and community builders making a living off of their online creations. It can include everything from YouTube videos and podcasts, creating and selling online courses, social media influencer marketing, and blogging. It also includes other businesses supporting the creators, such as analytic platforms, video hosting services, and advertising firms. There has been a big rise in the number of tools to create, share, monetize and gain an audience. Creators are rising, and anyone can now create and contribute to the creator economy.

The major components of a creator economy are

• Creators
• Consumers or Target Audience
• Platforms (to create, distribute, consume and monetize content)
• Prospective Businesses and Brands
• Tools & Services to assist in content creation

According to the payment company Stripe, “the number of creators went up by 48% in 2021, compared to 2020 on its 50 most popular creator platforms. If this exponential growth continues, these 50 platforms in themselves will contribute to 15.5 million creators in five years”.

Who is a content creator?

A content creator produces and shares written, visual and entertaining content, usually digital. Content creators is a broad term covering different works and mediums to disperse the work. In this blog, the term “content creator” refers to someone focused on creating content to target an interested specific audience and connect with them.

The content produced is mostly original and commonly includes YouTube videos, blogs, social media posts, and much more. The content distribution is via social channels like Instagram, YouTube, personal websites, and more.

Content is the soul of creators, and the focus is on creating fresh content or adding value that interests, informs, and educates their audience. Each content field requires creators to have the proficiency to thrive and earn, including good communication, proper knowledge, and engaging content delivery.

Historical Evolution of the Creator Economy

Early 2000s – Birth of Blogging

• People began sharing content online.
• Platforms like Blogger provided tools.
• Monetization mainly through ads and sponsors.

Mid-2000s – Rise of YouTube

• YouTube launched in 2005.
• Video creators could monetize through AdSense.
• The partnership program helped creators earn.

Late 2000s – Social Media Growth

• Platforms like Facebook, Twitter expanded.
• Influencers began to emerge.
• Brand partnerships and sponsored content became popular.

Early 2010s – Emergence of New Platforms

• Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok launched.

Diverse content formats evolved.

• Influencer marketing industry grew significantly.

Mid-2010s – Subscription Models

• Patreon allowed subscriptions.
• Creators earned directly from fans.
• A new, more sustainable revenue stream developed.

Late 2010s – Expansion of Tools & Platforms

• More platforms provided monetization tools.
• Live streaming, eCommerce integration flourished.
• Creator-focused startups emerged.

2020s – Mainstreaming and Growth:

• Pandemic increased online content consumption.
• New platforms and features continued to launch.
• Creator economy valued at approximately $104 billion by 2021.

Factors contributing to the rise of the creator economy

There are several factors that contribute to the rapid growth in creator space and boost the creator economy. Some of these common factors include

The rise in internet usage and the globalization of content consumption

According to datareportal insights, by the start of April 2021, over 300 million people worldwide started using the internet in the past 12 months. The annual change in the number of global internet users is more than 7.6%. The demand for creative content will likely grow with the world becoming more digitized.

With wider internet access, the market gap between the supply and demand side of the creator economy narrows. Wireless infrastructure and last mile internet reach are surely giving an economic boost to localized content to reach a global audience. In the next few years, we will likely see high volume growth in the creator economy.

“Number of creators on the 50 most popular creator platforms stands at 668,000.”

Disruption in formal employment opportunities

Ever since the pandemic outbreak, there have been massive job losses and an increase in countless job-seekers. Fresh graduates had to sit idle at home. Some of them jobless and creative artists became overnight sensations. In 2021 itself, the 50 million creator economy escalated to $14 billion. Creators now look for additional revenue sources and flexible job culture empowered by remote work technologies.

Many small businesses collaborate with influencers and online creators to boost brand visibility and attention. By leveraging these influencers’ voices and reach, many could ensure business continuity and increase their sales. In fact, boosting the creator economy is the dire need to compensate for the lack of formal job opportunities.

• YouTube is considered the birthplace of the creator economy, and a report outlined its contribution to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
• Oxford Research found that YouTube’s creative ecosystem supported 394K equivalent jobs in the United States in 2020, paying over $30 billion to creators, artists, and media companies.

The popularity of short-form video content

Video is now the most popular form of content on the internet, and people are continuously looking for new and interesting videos to watch. People love short-form video content as it is easy to consume and can be watched on any device. People watch short-form videos while on the go and are also more likely to share them with their friends. You can learn or get a good laugh within minutes by watching reels or short videos.

“53% of content creators’ fans say that their ideal length for a video is under 5 minutes.”

• According to a HubSpot report, 85% of marketers consider short videos as the most effective video format on social media.  In 2022, brands will focus more on short-form educational videos focused on how-to’s, DIYs, and explainer videos.
• People are increasingly turning to short online videos for entertainment, news, and even education. More and more students and teachers are using short-form educational videos to supplement traditional classroom instruction.

An increasing number of creator economy platforms and tools

A lot of content creators look for different ways to monetize their work. Now there are many monetization platforms helping creators earn a decent income from their work.

• One of the most popular monetization platforms is YouTube. You can create videos and then monetize them through ads. You can even join the YouTube Partner Program, which gives you a share of the revenue from the ads shown on your videos.
• Educators now possess multiple no-code and easy solutions like LMS to create, integrate and monetize their educational content.
• Video security mechanisms like DRM, which used to be available only for Google and Apple, are now available to everyone through Authorized license partners like VdoCipher. Earlier the creators had no option to tackle their video piracy problem and eventually had to face revenue loss.
• Another popular monetization platform is Patreon. With Patreon, you can create content and ask your fans to support you by becoming patrons. It may be a good earning source if you have a large audience base.
• Several platforms also specialize in selling digital products, such as ebooks, courses, and other types of content. These platforms can be a great way to monetize your work if you have something of value to sell. Find the right platform for your content, experiment with free templates, and see what works best for your specific situation.

“Nearly 41% of creators make a liveable wage from their content at $50k in annual income or higher.”

Many creators are moving beyond popular earning models like sponsorships and Patreon towards new and innovative monetization methods. Be it NFTs or workshops or developing own brand into a full-scale business. Not all models seem to prove successful, but some certainly will.

Bond of trust between Creators and Audience

Creators have become the key players for brands to reach targeted audiences. Many creators build their audience on social media by promoting their knowledge and talents. Their admiration or reputation roots in their creativity and unique individuality. Multinational companies engage with the mass audience with unique campaigns involving famous creators instead of big celebrities. Creators now have the power to connect with unrepresented groups and nations, which is a big opportunity for creators and companies.

Communicating with creators can take many forms, including leaving comments, sending messages, or following their social media handles. When fans take the time to communicate with creators, it shows that they are invested in what they are doing and that they are willing to support them. This can go a long way in building trust between fans and creators.

In some cases, the close relationship and bond of trust between fans and creators allow for the wrong transmission of inaccurate and misleading information. Some creators even take undue advantage of the trust fans put in their favourite creators. There have been plenty of examples of content creators propagating wrong and conspiracy theories. 

“44% of fans feel they know their favourite creators, as well as they know their real-world friends.”

Investment in creative content

Investing in high-quality creative content is wise for businesses of all sizes regardless of whether your business is about SEO link building software or eCommerce. After all, compelling content is one of the most effective ways to reach and engage your target audience. It helps build trust and credibility, drive your website or business traffic, and generate leads and sales. Creators and businesses (especially after announcing ChatGPT), sometimes rely on AI content tools. Our advice will be to use also AI Detector tools to ensure that your content looks human-like and will be perceived positively by your audience. It’s also possible to create captivating AI art effortlessly with the use of AI art generator tools, but you may still need a graphic artist to develop brand-ready images. Since 2020, venture capital has invested $850 million into the creator economy.

The growing number of unicorns in the creator economy shows the huge potential for venture capital investors, startup founders, and creators. This type of investment into the creator space sends a strong message that the creator economy is a big force to be reckoned with. According to Crunchbase data, funding for startups focused on creative content in 2021 was $939 million.

“The actual rate an advertiser pays per view on YouTube is between $0.003 to $0.005, which means a YouTuber receives nearly $3 to $5 per 1000 views”

Creators are doing what they like to do and are best at what they do while delegating out the things they are not good at. There is a need for other tools to help creators run their work, such as hosting videos, managing revenue, contacting brands and businesses, hiring resources and more.

• LinkedIn announced a $25 million fund via its Creator Accelerator program
• Pinterest built monetization tools and launched a $500,000 creator fund
• YouTube added a $100 million fund just for Shorts, its TikTok-like feature
• In 2020, TikTok, after a $200 million fund, launched new monetization features     

                                             Creator Economy Ecosystem

The Benefits of working with Creators

Enhanced Return on Investment

Among marketers who implement influencer marketing strategies, approximately 25% report it as having the second-highest return on investment (ROI) compared to other marketing approaches. In the B2B sector, influencer marketing is particularly potent, yielding an ROI that is eleven times greater than that of traditional advertising methods. This strategy is especially effective in influencing Generation Z consumers, with one-third reporting purchases based on influencer endorsements within a recent three-month period.

Expanded Reach and Brand Awareness

As organic reach diminishes on social media platforms—which promote a pay-to-play model—the importance of influencer collaborations becomes increasingly crucial. For example, by July 2022, the average organic reach for Instagram posts by brands had fallen to 13.51%, a decrease of 29% from the previous year. Similarly, Facebook’s post reach reduced from 10.43% to 8.6%. Influencers can significantly extend a brand’s reach by tapping into their established communities.

Innovations in Search and Discovery

Modern consumers frequently prefer social media platforms over traditional search engines for finding information. Surveys by Google indicate that 40% of younger users favor platforms like TikTok and Instagram for searches, attributable to the personalized and relevant content these platforms offer through sophisticated algorithms. Thus, collaborating with content creators is becoming essential for enhancing a brand’s search engine optimization (SEO) and visibility.

Authenticity and Trust

Utilizing user-generated content (UGC) from creators helps B2B companies enhance their brand’s authenticity and foster trust among potential clients. Moreover, UGC allows brands to diversify their content sources, which is particularly beneficial for organizations with limited marketing and creative resources.

Strategic Data Capture

Engaging with new communities via influencers enables brands to access a rich source of audience data. As regulations make acquiring third-party data increasingly challenging, the information gathered directly from interactions on creators’ platforms—such as post feedback, comment tags, and user engagement metrics—becomes invaluable. This data can inform future marketing strategies and help refine target audience profiles.

eLearning Creator economy

In the last two years after the pandemic, there’s been a growing trend of people making a living off by creating and selling eLearning courses. This is often referred to as the “elearning creator economy.” There has been a growing demand for online learning platforms, which makes it easy for educational creators to sell and monetize their content. More people now look for affordable and non-traditional ways to learn new skills online. They can study at their own pace and in their own time. They can also access learning materials from anywhere in the world. Year over year, creators are succeeding in generating revenue through online education.

Top creators are broadening their revenue streams, moving from online courses to selling other products and services. Around 83% of the top educational creators already offer multiple services and products. Instead of a single course, creators provide a complete learning package for students, including memberships, interactive sessions, ebooks, physical products, and other complimentary services. Creators use live and scheduled lessons to build a sense of community among students. These small interactions, in turn, build engagement with each other. The end purpose is to create a learning environment to achieve success.

OTT Creator Economy

Most YouTube creators look for different ways to monetize their content. Even when their channel has built a fan following, there is a constant fight to retain the audience. To achieve a sustainable income, creators must navigate their followers from the platform their audience is built on to a place with diversified monetization options. Many creators have perfected the transition to subtly divert a loyal audience towards more financially supported content creation platforms. An OTT platform matches the portfolio of these creators and offers a valuable extension to their earning mediums. 

“By 2026, media OTT revenue is expected to surpass $200 billion”

OTT platforms have proven to be a boon for content creators. The OTT space is where talent is respected and rewarded, irrespective of who you are or where you come from. OTT platforms offer a more direct path to audiences than traditional television or movie platforms. This means that creators can build a more direct relationship with their fans and can more easily connect with viewers who are interested in their work.  OTT gives content creators a more stable revenue source and chances to reach a larger audience.

Creator Economy Market Size & Statistics

• By 2022, the global digital video content market is expected to reach $204 billion USD
• The total investments in creator economy startups was $1.7 billion in Q2, 2021
• 12% of full-time creators earn more than $50K 
• 9% niche creators earn more than $100K in a year
• 68% creators consider themselves part-time creators
• Short-form video is the most engaging content on Instagram
• Online learning market expected to surpass $305 billion by 2025
• 17% of consumers subscribe to a creator’s membership website
• 67% consumers learned about a new product through creator videos
• YouTube paid creators more than $15 billion throughout 2021
• During the pandemic, ad-revenue for creators declined by 31%
• Over 21K YouTube creators have more than 1 million subscribers
• 425% increase in enrollments to online learning courses 
• Twitch has over 300K professional streamers

Why do Creators need secure video hosting and video protection?

Video hosting platforms allow users to upload, share, or view videos. Popular video hosting platforms include YouTube and Dailymotion. There are several reasons why video content creators need secure video hosting. One reason is that secure video hosting helps ensure the confidentiality of sensitive information from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. Additionally, secure videos protect learners’ privacy by protecting their personal information from sharing with third-party organizations.

“As per Digital TV Research, by 2022, the total loss from stream piracy will reach $52 billion”

To discourage video piracy and protect your videos from unauthorized access and usage, creators need a secure video hosting platform with additional security and features. The moment someone has access to their premium content, the very next minutes, the content is freely available on the web. Everyone must keep their videos secure, whether they’re vloggers, gamers, individual creators, Ed-tech or media enterprises.

VdoCipher’s Hollywood Grade Video DRM encryption allows you to protect a wide range of video file formats. The videos streamed via VdoCipher cannot be downloaded by any internet plugin or software. DRM technology uses encryption to protect content from unauthorized copying and playback. The user needs a valid DRM license to play the video content with access on only authorized devices. Only people with the appropriate key can decrypt and access the video.

DRM Encrypted Streaming

DRM encrypted streaming uses digital rights management technology to prevent unauthorized copying and playback of digital video content. DRM-protected content is typically streamed over the internet from a content provider to a user’s computer or other devices. The user’s device decrypted the video using a DRM key that the content provider provides. The user’s device then plays the content using a DRM-compliant media player. We offer the highest security from video piracy using Google Widevine and Apple FairPlay DRM.

Dynamic watermarking

Watermarking your videos is yet another great way to protect your videos from being duplicated and let others know who the original owner or creator is. Content creators can add watermarks to their videos to give the branding and restrict others from claiming it as their own. Our dynamic watermark features let you add User name, User IP, and User email to the video. The watermark can be easily customized for movement, colour, size, and transparency.

Smart HTML5 Video Player

Our smart HTML5 video player comes with dynamic controls, Multi-Language Subtitles support, adaptive bitrate streaming, and more.  In the Adaptive Multi-bitrate Playback, the media player automatically adjusts the quality of the video stream according to the bandwidth availability. It ensures smooth video playback without any buffering or interruptions. You can easily embed using iFrame, plugins and API.

Easy to integrate Plugins For WordPress/LMS and other CMS

VdoCipher provides easy integration support for many platforms like WordPress, Moodle, Joomla and many others. These plugin let you easy embed your videos and even place customization as per your requirements. For more advanced usage APIs and SDKs are also available.

Content Creators and Social Media Platforms

The relationship between creators and social platforms is simple. The platforms offer the creators a space to reach a broader audience, and in turn, creators supply almost free content for users to engage. This engagement drives the monetization options (advertising) on the platform. Creators use the platform to build fandoms and monetize on the platform. Content creators get a share of the ad revenue, which is nearly 5% of the overall generated revenue on the platform.

In short, social media provides creators with both top-of-funnel and middle-of-the-funnel marketing reach. Creators can choose to publish general content creating awareness about a broad topic. Also, they can target a niche audience by creating content only for that niche. In general, what we see is a combination of both generic and niche content combined with the final product knowledge using the text description in captions, bio, etc.

Tagging a product, retargeting, and other such platform-dependent features have now evolved into social media. Creators and companies that used to publish on social media to create awareness are now directly targeting it for sales. Also, these features are expected to become ubiquitous and enhanced, leading to more sales and commissions.

Types of content produced by creators

Popular Content Produced by Creators
Writing	Video & Audio	Social Media
Blogs	Vlogs	Testimonials
White Papers	User-Generated Content	Infographics
eBooks & Guides	Live Streams	Contests
Email Newsletter	Reels	Announcements
Product Content	Tutorials & courses	Social Posts
Case Studies	Interviews	Reviews

Common Revenue Models for Content Creators

Membership

In the membership program, the creators offer exclusive perks and benefits upon joining. The common benefits members receive include

• Exclusive Content (member-only articles, podcast episodes, newsletters, etc.)
• Member-Only Events (in-person or online events, meetups, both online and offline)
• Contents and Challenges
• Coupons and discounts

Subscriptions

A subscription is a recurring payment customers pay to access a service, content or product. The subscription pricing model can be either Flat-rate, Tiered or usage-based.

• Flat-Rate Subscription – A fixed subscription fee billed weekly, monthly or annually
• Tiered Subscription – Subscribers choose a subscription pricing model based on features and additional benefits they wish to avail of. There are usually basic and premium subscriptions.

Earlier this year, Instagram introduced “Subscriptions” with a handful of creators to set a monthly subscription price and give benefits to their subscribers. The features include Subscriber Lives, Badges, Stories and more.

Selling Merchandise

Creators and businesses may choose to sell their products and exclusive merchandise to their fans and followers through social media, websites or other mediums. About 43% of consumers are likely to make a purchase after knowing about it on social media. With these kinds of stats, creators cannot miss-selling their merchandise then and there. Many social sites even include product search features, wishlists and make a purchase.

Brand Sponsorship

In a brand sponsorship campaign, businesses and brands partner with creators to promote their products, services or content. The creators distribute and promote the sponsored content on various social platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and more. Even micro (<25K followers) and nano influencers (<10K followers) contribute a large part of brand sponsorships.

Donations

Nowadays, several creators earn money through donations from fans and supporters. It is usually done through websites like Patreon, where fans sign up and donate a specific amount to their favourite creators each month. Many social media platforms and websites have donation buttons. Moreover, different organisations can also get nonprofit donations thanks to technology and online platforms available.Sometimes creators hold crowdfunding campaigns to raise money for their work or project.

Google Adsense and other ad networks

Ad revenue sharing is the most common way creators earn. Ad revenue sharing is when a creator agrees to allow an ad network to place ads on their content in exchange for a share of the revenue generated from those ads.

Google AdSense is the most popular way creators earn money from their online content. AdSense works by displaying relevant ads on your site based on your content and visitors. To promote products and services, advertisers create and pay for ads. These advertisers pay different prices for different ads. Based on ad clicks and impressions, Google pays a share of revenue with the publishers.

“For displaying ads with AdSense for content, publishers earn 68% of the ad revenue while for AdSense for search, the revenue share is 51%”

The other ad monetization methods are cost-per-click (CPC) and cost-per-impression (CPM) advertising. In CPC advertising, the creators are paid based on the number of times users click on their content and the amount earned depends on the ad network. On the other hand, in CPM advertisements, creators earn based on the number of times their content is viewed. 

Endorse or sell NFTs

NFTs are non-fungible tokens. They are unique digital assets that cannot be interchanged with other assets of the same type. NFTs are bought and sold online, commonly with cryptocurrency, and are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos. NFTs can be anything, from video clips, GIFs, and digital paintings to music like some paintings sold in auctions in previous decades.

Some NFT marketplaces pay creators a percentage every time their NFT is sold. By buying NFTs, supporters and fans can financially support their favourite creators. Earlier this year, Jack Dorsey sold his first tweet for $2.9 Million.

Selling digital products

Creators can sell digital products like courses, webinars, video games, and digital downloads. They can sell these through online marketplaces like Etsy, Podia, their own website, or social media platforms.

Challenges and Criticisms of the Creator Economy

Market Saturation and Competitiveness

As the creator economy continues to grow, it faces challenges related to market saturation and increased competitiveness. With millions of creators producing content across various platforms, standing out and gaining traction becomes more difficult. This heightened competition can lead to oversaturation in certain niches and make it harder for new creators to establish themselves. While this challenge reflects the vibrant and dynamic nature of the creator economy, it also raises questions about sustainability and the need for differentiation.

Criticisms Regarding Inclusivity and Accessibility

The creator economy has also faced criticisms concerning inclusivity and accessibility. While the internet has democratized content creation to some extent, disparities still exist. Not all creators have equal access to tools, resources, and opportunities. Barriers related to technology, education, and capital can hinder participation for some individuals. Moreover, algorithms and platform policies may inadvertently favor certain types of content or creators. Addressing these issues is crucial for ensuring that the creator economy remains an inclusive and equitable space for all.

Future of the Creator Economy

The creator economy seems to only grow in the future. With increasing monetization platforms and access to tools, creators can make a living off of their content. And as more people become creators, the economy will only grow.

In the future, we may see new monetization mediums and even creators with their own platforms. This will lead to more and more brands and companies partnering with creators to promote their products and services. The future of the creator economy looks promising and full of opportunity.

Creators who can adapt and evolve will be able to thrive in this ever-changing landscape. In the coming times, creators must come up with fresh, engaging and interesting ideas.

• Community-based platforms will grow
• Influencer marketing will become more important
• Demand for content creation tools will increase
• Creator-led brands will gain popularity
• NFTs are likely to play a key role in the creator economy
• Web3 technologies will open new avenues for content creation

Latest in the Content Creator Economy

The Creator Economy, once enveloped in widespread enthusiasm, is now facing the harsh realities of an economic downturn. This sector, defined by its digital content creators ranging from bloggers and YouTubers to podcasters and social media influencers, is reportedly struggling as investments wane and economic conditions worsen.
Investor interest is declining, with the valuation of new startups falling significantly from previous highs. For instance, the era of startups achieving $1.3 billion valuations merely for their potential seems to be over. Additionally, the infrastructure supporting these creators, heavily reliant on venture capital, is also at risk as funding dries up.

Challenges Faced by the Creator Economy

• Economic downturns and reduced investment levels are pressuring all sectors, but the Creator Economy feels it acutely due to its reliance on discretionary spending. As consumers tighten their belts, spending on subscriptions and sponsored content can decline, which directly affects creator revenues.
• Market saturation is another significant challenge. With low barriers to entry, new creators are constantly emerging, making it increasingly difficult to capture and retain audience attention.
• The reliance on algorithmic platforms means that changes in platform algorithms can dramatically alter a creator’s visibility and revenue overnight, which adds an element of unpredictability to their earnings.

The Myth of a Non-existent Middle Class

A critical issue highlighted is the absence of a well-defined middle class within the creator community. The viability of content creation remains feasible primarily for the top-tier creators, leaving those in the middle struggling to find their footing. This disparity is emphasized by the example of the “37th best finance creator,” who, despite being highly ranked, faces significant challenges in standing out and securing a sustainable income.

• The notion that only the top creators make a viable living overlooks the experiences of thousands of mid-tier creators who carve out comfortable niches. These creators often benefit from highly engaged, though smaller, audience bases that can offer more sustainable and predictable income streams through direct support mechanisms like Patreon and memberships.
• Diversification strategies are critical here; successful mid-tier creators often spread their presence across multiple platforms and revenue streams, reducing their vulnerability to changes in any single channel.
• Community building is also a vital strategy for these creators. By fostering a strong sense of community, mid-tier creators can enhance audience loyalty and increase the willingness of followers to support them financially.

Challenging the Negative Outlook

Critics of the creator economy, like Kantrowitz, cite shrinking advertising markets and a faltering middle class as signs of decline. However, this narrative is challenged by data indicating that the advertising sector, while slowing, is still growing. Moreover, platforms like YouTube continue to see robust payouts, with significant sums being paid to creators annually.

• While some focus on the contraction of advertising budgets, they fail to account for the rise of alternative monetization strategies that creators are increasingly tapping into. These include direct sales, e-learning courses, and premium content models, which can be more resilient to economic downturns.
• It is also essential to recognize the resilience of niche markets within the Creator Economy. Certain niches continue to experience growth despite broader economic challenges, driven by specific audience needs and evolving content trends.
• The expansion of global internet access is continually opening new markets where creators can find fresh audiences and untapped opportunities for monetization.

Analyzing the Investment Trends

• While the overall venture funding landscape has seen a retreat, this needs to be viewed in context. Not all sectors are experiencing this equally, and within the Creator Economy, areas like educational technology and digital marketplaces are still attracting significant interest.
  The decline in some high-profile investments should not overshadow the continued investment in foundational technologies such as streaming infrastructure, content management systems, and creator-focused fintech solutions.
• Historical cycles suggest that investment in innovation does not cease but rather shifts towards supporting sustainable growth and profitability in response to economic pressures.

Sustainability of the Creator Economy Infrastructure

• The robustness of the Creator Economy’s infrastructure is often underappreciated. Platforms like Stripe and WordPress not only continue to operate but actively expand their services to better meet creator needs, such as integrating more advanced payment and monetization options.
• New developments in content delivery technology, including augmented reality and virtual reality, promise to open up novel content interaction modes that could rejuvenate interest and engagement among audiences.
• Furthermore, the success of platforms such as Patreon and Twitch showcases the viability of models centered around direct audience support, which lessens reliance on traditional advertising and enhances sustainability.

FAQs

Name of some of the famous creator economy startups.

Beacons, Buy me a Coffee, and Patreon are some of the creator economy startup examples.

What are some of the editing creator tools for YouTubers?

The most common tools used for editing are iMovie, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Rush.

Why do creator videos require DRM encryption?

Video creators need DRM encryption to protect their content from online video piracy. DRM encryption ensures that only authorized users access and view the content and that unauthorized users cannot copy or distribute the content. It secures the video against unauthorized access and copyright infringement. When the video is properly secured from hackers, there is boost in generated revenue.

What are the challenges of the creator economy?

The creator economy challenges include the need for creators to constantly create unique content to hold the audience and more platforms to support a wide range of content types with monetization methods that work for both creators and platforms. To have uniformity across the sector, there needs to be standard and well-established practices.

Which is the biggest platform for creators?

According to Statista, Instagram has the most creators ( more than 30 million), followed by YouTube with over 12 million creators.

How many creators earn more than $1 million?

Roughly 0.5% of creators make over  $1 million annually, while those earning between $500K-1M are nearly 1.7% of the creator economy.

References:

• https://influencermarketinghub.com/state-of-the-creator-economy/
• https://linktr.ee/creator-report/
• https://www.springboard.com/blog/business-and-marketing/creator-economy/
• https://stripe.com/blog/creator-economy
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2021/08/30/the-continuous-growth-and-future-of-the-creator-economy/
• https://www.thinkific.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/online-learning-trends.pdf

Jyoti

Jyoti began her career as a software engineer in HCL with UNHCR as a client. She started evolving her technical and documentation writing skills to become a full-time Content Marketer at VdoCipher.

The post Content Creator Economy Growth & Growth Creator Statistics Report appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

Online Trading Courses and Benefits

Online trading courses are educational programs designed to teach individuals the skills and knowledge necessary to trade various financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, forex, commodities, and derivatives. They range from beginner to advanced levels and can be found through various platforms, both free and paid.

Accessibility – These courses are available to anyone with an internet connection, making it easier for people from all walks of life to learn trading.

Affordability – Often more affordable than traditional classroom settings, they provide various price points ranging from free tutorials to premium subscriptions. For example, websites like Coursera and Udemy offer courses that range from $20 to $200.

Flexibility – As they’re online, learners can study at their own pace and convenience. Whether it’s late at night or during a lunch break, the course material is always accessible.

Range of Topics – From fundamental analysis to complex strategies like algorithmic trading, online courses cover a wide array of topics, suitable for different skill levels.

Real-time Practice – Many courses offer demo accounts and simulated environments where students can practice trading with virtual money, helping to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application.

Community Interaction – Some platforms include community forums and networking opportunities, enhancing the learning experience through peer interaction and expert guidance.

Certification – Reputed institutions often provide certification upon completion, which may enhance credibility and career opportunities within the financial sector.

Overview of Online Trading Course

There are specialized trading courses that cater to different aspects of the financial market. These courses expand on the specialized areas of trading and investing and offer tailored education for those looking to dive deeper into particular aspects of the financial markets.

Here are a few examples:

Stock Trading Courses

These courses teach you how to buy and sell shares of companies. They cover topics like analyzing company health, reading charts, and making trading decisions.

Options Trading Courses

This teaches you how to trade options, which are contracts that give the right to buy or sell an asset. You’ll learn strategies, pricing models, and risk management.

Day Trading Courses

Day trading courses are designed to learn how to buy and sell securities within a single day. Speed, pattern recognition, and quick decision-making are the main focus points.

Forex Trading Course

Forex courses focus on trading currencies. They teach how to analyze currency pairs, understand market trends, and techniques to make profits from changing currency values.

Crypto Trading Course

This learning involves how to trade cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It covers buying, selling, and investing in digital currencies, along with understanding of blockchain technology.

Algorithmic Trading Course

How to use computer algorithms to automatically make trades are covered under Algorithmic trading courses. It covers coding, testing strategies, and using historical data to predict future price movements.

Swing Trading Course

Swing trading involves buying and selling over several days or weeks. These courses teach you to recognize “swings” within market prices and profit from those short-term trends.

Commodity Trading Course

Commodity trading courses focus on buying and selling physical goods like oil, gold, or agricultural products. They teach about supply, demand, and strategies specific to these markets.

Futures Trading Course

Futures are contracts to buy or sell something at a future date. These courses teach how to trade these contracts, understanding market trends, and managing the risks involved.

Each of these courses helps investors understand different aspects of the trading world and build skills specific to those areas.

Compliance and Regulatory Course

These courses are designed for professionals to understand the legal and regulatory framework within which trading operates. Essential for those looking to ensure that their practices are within legal boundaries.

Dividend Investing Course

This teaches how to invest in dividend-paying stocks and understand the importance of dividends in a portfolio. It’s about finding companies that regularly reward shareholders with dividend payments.

Online Vs Offline Trading Courses

Online and offline trading courses provide a medium for individuals to learn about trading, but they differ in several key aspects. Online trading courses offer global accessibility and are generally more flexible and cost-effective. They allow learners to study at their own pace and provide interactive tools such as virtual forums and simulations. Quick updates to content and inclusion of current market trends are often easier in the online format. However, this approach is dependent on stable internet access and the right devices.

On the other hand, offline trading courses are location-specific and require physical attendance. They usually follow a fixed schedule and might be more expensive due to the costs associated with maintaining physical facilities. While they might not be as agile in updating content, offline courses offer the advantage of face-to-face interaction and networking opportunities, creating deeper relationships with instructors and fellow students.

The choice between these two formats will depend on individual preferences, learning styles, budget considerations, and accessibility, with each having unique benefits suited to different learners.

Must have features while creating a online trading website

Creating a website to sell online trading courses requires careful planning and design to provide an engaging and user-friendly experience. Here are some must-have features for such a website:

User-Friendly Interface

• Intuitive Navigation – Clear menus and well-organized categories to help users find the courses they need.
• Responsive Design – A design that adapts to various screen sizes, ensuring accessibility across devices like smartphones, tablets, and desktops.

Comprehensive Course Catalog

• Detailed Descriptions – Each course should have a detailed description outlining the syllabus, learning outcomes, duration, and instructor qualifications.
• Skill Level Categorization – Dividing courses into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels allows users to find courses matching their skill level.
• Preview Content – Providing free previews or sample lessons to give potential customers a taste of the course content and teaching style.

Secure Payment System

• Multiple Payment Options – Including various payment methods like credit/debit cards, PayPal, etc.
• Security Protocols – Implementing SSL certificates and other security measures to ensure that transaction details remain confidential.

Interactive Learning Platform

• Video Integration – High-quality video content that is easily accessible and streamable.
• Quizzes and Assessments – Regular quizzes and assessments to track learning progress.
• Interactive Tools – Simulators, calculators, or charts for hands-on practice.

Customer Support

• Live Chat/Helpdesk – Providing immediate assistance through live chat or a helpdesk.
• FAQ Section – A well-structured FAQ section to address common queries and concerns.

Community Engagement

• Forums and Discussion Boards – Encouraging community interaction and peer learning.
• Reviews and Testimonials – Showcasing customer feedback to build credibility.

Analytics and Tracking

• User Progress Tracking – Allowing students to see their progress throughout the course.
• Admin Analytics – Tools for administrators to monitor site traffic, user engagement, and sales performance.

Marketing and SEO

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Implementing SEO best practices to increase visibility on search engines.
• Newsletter Subscription – An opt-in feature for newsletters to keep potential customers informed about new courses, offers, or updates.

Accessibility Compliance

• Compliance with ADA – Ensuring the website is accessible to individuals with disabilities, adhering to standards such as WCAG.

Affiliate and Referral Programs

• Incentives for Referrals – Offering discounts or other incentives for customers who refer others.
  To streamline and optimize your referral program, consider implementing a referral tracking tool for seamless management and insights

A website selling online trading courses must be robust, secure, and designed with the learner’s experience in mind. By incorporating these features, the site can offer an engaging, comprehensive, and safe platform that encourages not only initial purchase but also ongoing engagement with the community and content, promoting a thriving learning environment. Always consider the target audience’s unique needs and preferences, and be prepared to make continuous updates and improvements based on user feedback and evolving technological trends.

Secure video hosting to sell trading courses online

Secure video hosting is essential for selling trading courses online, as it provides a multitude of benefits that safeguard both creators and customers. By protecting the creator’s intellectual property, it ensures that only those who have paid for the courses can access them, thus maintaining revenue and preventing unauthorized sharing or piracy. This builds trust with customers, who can feel confident that their information is safe and that they are receiving an optimal viewing experience.

The controlled access also allows creators to comply with various legal regulations related to digital content, minimizing any potential legal risks. Many secure hosting platforms like VdoCipher offer Multi-DRM along with custom video player, analytics and insights, helping creators to understand viewer engagement and continually improve their courses.

Additionally, these platforms usually come with customer support and scalability, ensuring a smooth experience even as the user base grows. By handling these technical aspects, secure video hosting allows creators to focus on what they do best – creating quality content, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the trading courses.

Need for VdoCipher Multi-DRM Encryption to secure your trading videos/courses

Secure video hosting and streaming platform, VdoCipher, offers Hollywood-Grade Multi-DRM video encryption to secretly deliver video content. Multi-DRM (Digital Rights Management) technologies like Widevine and FairPlay play a critical role in the context of secure video hosting, particularly for selling trading courses online. VdoCipher provides both these popular video encryption technologies and is a direct partner with Google for Widevine DRM.

These technologies work by encrypting the content, ensuring that only authorized users can access and view the videos. Widevine, developed by Google, and FairPlay, created by Apple, are two prominent DRM systems recognized by various devices and browsers. This makes them highly relevant in a multi-platform world, where users may access content via different devices and operating systems.

The integration of these DRM systems adds an extra layer of security to the video hosting. By protecting the content against unauthorized copying and distribution, they safeguard the creator’s intellectual property and revenue stream. They help in maintaining the exclusive nature of the content, ensuring that only paying customers can access the trading courses.

Additionally, these technologies can support quality control, as they allow for streaming at different quality levels based on the user’s device and connection speed. This ensures an optimal viewing experience without compromising the security of the content.

The utilization of multi-DRM technologies like Widevine and FairPlay is highly relevant for securing online videos, especially for paid content such as trading courses. They not only protect against unauthorized access and piracy but also contribute to maintaining content quality and a trustworthy relationship between the service provider and the customer.

Best trading courses online for beginners

Udemy – “Complete Stock Market Trading and Forecasting Course”

Pros:

• Comprehensive course for all levels.
• Lifetime access.
• Regularly updated content.

Cons:

• Quality may vary by instructor.
• No accredited certification.

Features:

• Over 150 lessons.
• Includes video tutorials, quizzes, and assignments.

User Reviews:

• Mostly positive feedback.
• Some users report inconsistency in content quality.

Coursera – “Financial Markets” by Yale University

Pros:

• Taught by renowned Yale professor Robert Shiller.
• Opportunity to earn a shareable certificate.
• Free to audit.

Cons:

• Some content may be challenging for beginners.
• Paid certification.

Features:

• Seven-week course.
• Includes video lectures, readings, and quizzes.

User Reviews:

• Highly appreciated by users for in-depth knowledge.
• Some found the course to be a bit academic.

Warrior Trading – “Warrior Pro Trading Course”

Pros:

• Focused on day trading strategies.
• Live trading sessions.
• Comprehensive support.

Cons:

• Expensive
• More suitable for intermediate to advanced traders.

Features:

• Includes one-on-one mentoring.
• Access to trading chat rooms and simulator.

User Reviews:

• Generally positive for hands-on learning experience.
• Some users report high costs.

Investopedia Academy – “Become a Day Trader”

Pros:

• Great for beginners.
• Taught by industry experts.
• Self-paced learning.

Cons:

• Expensive compared to other beginner courses.
• Limited advanced content.

Features:

• Five hours of on-demand video.
• Includes practice trading with real market data.

User Reviews:

• Positive feedback on easy-to-understand content.
• Some desire more advanced material.

LinkedIn Learning – “Algorithmic Trading and Stocks Essential Training”

Pros:

• Offers various modules for different investment types.
• Free one-month trial.
• Regularly updated.

Cons:

• Some courses may lack depth.
• Requires a subscription after the trial.

Features:

• Covers stocks, bonds, forex, and more.
• Suitable for beginners to intermediate traders.

User Reviews:

• Users appreciate the variety of topics.
• Some report a need for more detailed content.

Conclusion

Online trading courses offer a flexible, affordable, and comprehensive approach to learning trading skills and strategies. The availability of various levels of content, interactive tools, and community support contributes to an enhanced learning experience. Whether an individual seeks to trade as a hobby or pursue it as a profession, online trading courses provide valuable resources to meet these goals.

FAQs

What kind of topics will be covered in an online finance course?

Topics may include investment strategies, financial planning, corporate finance, risk management, financial markets, accounting, and more.

How long does it take to complete an online finance course?

The duration of an online finance course can vary from a few weeks to several months, depending on the course content and the learner’s pace.

How much do online finance courses cost?

Costs can range widely depending on the institution, the complexity of the course, and whether it is part of a degree program. Some courses may be available for free.

Who offers online finance courses?

Various institutions such as universities, colleges, professional organizations, and private educational platforms offer online finance courses.

Jyoti

Jyoti began her career as a software engineer in HCL with UNHCR as a client. She started evolving her technical and documentation writing skills to become a full-time Content Marketer at VdoCipher.

The post How to create & sell best online trading courses for beginners appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

In this digital era, mobile applications have emerged as a powerful tool, redefining the conventional methods of exam preparation. When it comes to NEET, these apps play a significant role in helping students prepare more effectively and efficiently. They offer a plethora of features, including comprehensive study materials, interactive video lectures, practice tests, and much more. The accessibility, adaptability, and the variety of resources these apps provide, cater to the diverse needs of students, making them an indispensable part of NEET preparation.

These apps also allow aspirants to study at their own pace, irrespective of their geographical location. Moreover, many of these apps use advanced technologies to create personalized learning paths for students, thus ensuring an improved and targeted learning experience. In the upcoming sections, we will delve deeper into the structure of the NEET exam, various strategies for preparation, and how mobile apps are shaping the future of NEET preparation.

The Breakdown of NEET Exam Structure

The NEET exam is divided into three main sections – Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, with the latter being further divided into Botany and Zoology. The paper comprises a total of 180 questions, each carrying four marks. Physics and Chemistry sections include 45 questions each, while the Biology section comprises 90 questions. Thus, the maximum possible score in the exam is 720 points.

For each correct answer, the candidate is awarded four points, while one point is deducted for every wrong answer. As the exam has a negative marking scheme, it’s vital for students to answer cautiously. Understanding the structure of the exam is the first step towards crafting an effective study plan.

Essential Elements for Effective NEET Preparation

Preparation for NEET should ideally start at least a year before the exam. An effective study plan for NEET should consider the following elements:

Understanding the syllabus: A comprehensive understanding of the NEET syllabus is crucial. The syllabus is extensive, covering class 11 and 12 Physics, Chemistry, and Biology curricula.

Time Management: With a vast syllabus to cover, managing time effectively becomes essential. Creating a balanced timetable, dividing time equally among all the subjects, and including regular intervals for revision can enhance productivity.

Practice and Revision: Regular practice of questions and timely revision of topics is crucial for retaining information. Solving previous years’ question papers and taking mock tests can help understand the exam pattern and improve speed and accuracy.

Healthy Lifestyle: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep, can contribute significantly to a student’s overall performance.

Importance of Mobile Apps in NEET Preparation

Personalized Learning: Apps can adapt to individual learning styles and pace, providing personalized study plans for effective learning.

Interactive Study Material: Apps often feature multimedia content like video lectures, interactive quizzes, flashcards etc. to make studying more engaging and effective.

Instant Feedback & Progress Tracking: These apps provide immediate feedback on practice tests and quizzes, helping students identify their weak areas. Progress can be tracked over time to see improvements.

24/7 Accessibility: Learning is not confined to a particular time or place. Users can study anytime, anywhere as per their convenience.

Cost-Effective: Compared to traditional coaching classes, these apps are often more affordable and offer a good return on investment.

Large Question Banks: Apps provide vast question banks and previous years’ papers which help in better preparation for the exam.

Regular Updates & Notifications: Important notifications like exam dates, syllabus changes, etc. are regularly updated on these apps.

Peer Interaction & Community Support: Many apps have built-in community forums for students to interact, discuss and solve doubts together.

Time Management Practice: Mock tests on apps help in practicing time management skills, crucial for competitive exams.

Integrated Doubt Solving: Some apps come with doubt solving features where students can get their queries answered by experts quickly.

Up-to-date Content: Content on apps is regularly updated to keep pace with changes in exam patterns, syllabi, etc.

Learning Tools & Techniques: Features like mind maps, summary notes, formula flashcards etc. aid in better retention of information.

Preparation Analysis: Apps provide detailed analysis of preparation levels using AI-driven insights, helping students focus on weaker sections more effectively.

Motivational Tools: Many apps include motivational tools such as achievement badges, daily goals, streaks, etc. to keep students motivated throughout their preparation journey.

How to choose the right app for NEET preparation

Choosing the right app for NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) success requires careful consideration of a few key factors. Firstly, ensure the app has a comprehensive curriculum that aligns with the NEET syllabus, covering all relevant subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. It should also offer in-depth concept explanations and plenty of practice questions for thorough understanding and revision. Secondly, the app should have a robust evaluation system to track your progress and identify areas of improvement.

Look for features like mock tests, performance analytics, and personalized feedback. User-friendliness is another crucial aspect; the app should be easy to navigate and have a clean, intuitive interface for a smooth learning experience. Lastly, check out user reviews and ratings to gain insight into the app’s effectiveness and reliability.

Some popular apps for NEET preparation include BYJU’S, Unacademy, and Vedantu, but remember to find the one that best suits your individual learning style and needs.

Best Apps for NEET Preparation available on Google Play Store

BYJU’S Aakash App for JEE & NEET

BYJU’S acquired Aakash offers a comprehensive learning solution with a large repository of educational content tailored for NEET. The app’s personalized learning paths make it easier for students to focus on their weak areas. However, some content is behind a paywall, making it less accessible for students on a tight budget.

The app’s personalized learning paths make it easier for students to focus on their weak areas. However, some content is behind a paywall, making it less accessible for students on a tight budget.

• Comprehensive NEET study material including videos, practice tests, and quizzes.
• Adaptive learning and personalized recommendations.
• Access to detailed solutions and explanations.
• Interactive live classes.
• 1-on-1 guidance from a counsellor

Rating – 4.1
Reviews – 30.2K
Downloads – 10M+

User Reviews – ‘This app is very helpful to us.I am preparing for Jee 2025 with the help of Aakash app, as I am from a very poor family so that I can’t afford the tuition fees so I decided to learn from Aakash app. The quality is also good . Please give me the Hindi language of lectures not English if you can please help me..This app is really helping me a lot.’

Doubtnut

Doubtnut is a versatile education app that is popular for its comprehensive, yet straightforward approach to learning. It is widely used by students preparing for various competitive exams, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in India.

Doubtnut’s unique selling point is its doubt-solving feature, which provides step-by-step video solutions. However, the quality of explanations may vary, and there may be limitations to the types of questions that can be solved through the app.

• Extensive Study Material
• Mock Tests and Practice Questions
• Performance Tracking
• Interactive Learning
• 50 lakh free instant Conceptual Video Solutions

Rating – 4
Reviews – 807K
Downloads – 50M+

User Reviews – ‘Very good app for learning. But sometimes, it takes too much time to play a video that is irritating. Otherwise, it’s so helpful. You can solve math, physics, chemistry problems at home yourself with the help of this app’

PrepLadder – Medical Exam Prep

PrepLadder is an online platform providing comprehensive preparation materials and resources for various medical examinations, including NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Post Graduation). It’s available both as a web platform and a mobile app, offering flexibility to learners.

• Conceptual Video Lectures
• Study Notes and Question Bank
• Full length mock tests
• Pre-recorded video lectures
• Queries resolved by the Best Faculty

Rating – 4.4
Reviews – 12k
Downloads – 1M+

User Reviews – ‘It is good. The interface, teachers and content is pretty great. The notes are also nice. Prepladder has one of the best rapid revision videos.’

PW – JEE/NEET, UPSC, GATE, Bank

Physics Wallah is an online education platform in India, started by Alakh Pandey. It initially began as a YouTube channel providing free educational content primarily focusing on Physics, but gradually expanded to cover more subjects, including Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. It offers preparation app for various competitive exams, including NEET and JEE.

Physics Wallah, while not exclusively for NEET, offers excellent resources for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, which form the core of the NEET exam. However, some users have reported issues with content downloading.

• Comprehensive coverage of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology topics
• Live classes, recorded lectures, and doubt clearing sessions.
• Personalized exam strategies and time management tips.
• Previous years’ question papers and mock tests.
• PW SAARTHI, a personal Coach for every subject

Rating – 4.6
Reviews – 809k
Downloads – 10M+

User Reviews – ‘Very good experience. If you are in search of the best course for JEE , NEET, NDA, UPSC, SSC etc at the cheapest price, then you should go with PW rather than any other platform!! Be confident, if you are choosing PW. Moreover you can also get free batches too with best teachers’

Unacademy Learner App

Unacademy is a renowned learning platform that caters to the educational needs of students preparing for various competitive exams, including NEET. The platform offers a mobile application known as the Unacademy Learning App, which is designed with a plethora of features to facilitate smooth and efficient preparation for NEET.

Unacademy stands out for its interactive live classes and active learning community. Its doubt-clearing sessions are a significant asset. However, the app can be overwhelming due to the high volume of content, and important features may require a subscription.

• Interactive live classes
• Double solving by top educators
• Weekly competition between group members
• Performance statistics
• Offline lecture notes

Rating – 4.3
Reviews – 1.08M
Downloads – 50M+

User Reviews – ‘I have used many learning apps. And this is one of the best. Features are great. The live classes are very beneficial. We can ask doubts in the middle of the class, as well as later. “ask a doubt” feature is awesome as they give you a complete video related to the particular question.’

EduRev Exam Preparation App

EduRev is a widely recognized educational platform known for its Exam Preparation App, which provides a dynamic learning environment for students appearing for various competitive exams, including NEET.

EduRev provides a variety of learning resources and a user-friendly interface. Its community-driven doubt resolution can be a great way to learn from peers. However, like other apps, some premium features require a subscription.

• Highly Focused Learning
• Discussions within community of teachers and students
• Mock Tests & Practice Questions
• 500+ Tests, Notes, Video Lectures for Biology, Physics, Chemistry
• Performance Analysis and Tracking

Rating – 4.6
Reviews – 60k
Downloads – 1M+

User Reviews – ‘Been using this app since like, 11th standard days. Benifited me during my coaching days and now during college days. User friendly interface and wide variety of subjects and topics are available and that too at affordable pricing.’

NEETprep: NCERT Based NEET Pre

NEETprep is a specialized app dedicated to helping students prepare for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in India. The app is designed with a host of features to create a comprehensive and effective study platform for NEET aspirants.

NEETprep App is a specialized app for NEET preparation. It offers an extensive library of video lectures covering all subjects of NEET. The downside is that some users have reported issues with the app’s interface and functionality, and access to some resources is limited to premium subscribers.

• Comprehensive coverage of NEET syllabus with chapter-wise videos
• Thousands of NEET questions for practice
• Regular live classes and doubt clearing sessions
• Mind Maps for Selected chapters in physics & chemistry by leading faculty
• Performance tracking

Rating – 4.6
Reviews – 28.6K
Downloads – 1M+

User Reviews – ‘Really a very useful app for all the NEET aspirants. The DPP generator feature is the star, it has helped me a lot to practice questions regularly after completing the chapter and also if I find a topic difficult I can just choose the topic and start practicing. Definitely one of the best apps to prepare for the exam.’

Toppr – Learning App for Class

Toppr is a popular online education platform that provides a holistic learning environment for students. With its application, Toppr – Learning App, it serves students preparing for various competitive exams, including NEET.

Toppr offers a vast repository of study resources with a 24/7 doubt-clearing facility which is extremely beneficial for NEET aspirants. But, the app’s interface may seem complex for first-time users, and like other apps, some advanced features are locked behind a subscription

Rating – 4.3
Reviews – 190K
Downloads – 10M+

User Reviews – ‘The concepts are understanding very well.Also easy to remember. But the only disappointment for me is that the video concepts in every lesson are not arranged in order. Please arrange each and every topics of the lessons continuously’

Vedantu | JEE-NEET, Class 1-12

Vedantu is a live interactive teaching platform designed to help students with their preparations for various competitive examinations, including NEET. Its unique approach to learning involves real-time instruction and interactive engagement, which makes it stand out in the e-learning industry.

Vedantu is a comprehensive platform that enables personalized learning paths and interactive sessions, which can be beneficial for NEET aspirants. However, it’s worth mentioning that users have reported occasional technical glitches with the live classes. Moreover, while the app does offer some free content, many of its resources require a subscription, which could be a limiting factor for some students. Despite these limitations, many students find the platform helpful due to its blend of live interaction, quality study materials, and personalized learning.

• Comprehensive and Interactive live classes
• Unlimited In-Class Doubt Solving
• LIVE Interactive VQuiz
• Crash course along with long term courses

Rating – 4.2
Reviews – 380K
Downloads – 10M+

User Reviews – ‘This app gives all the study material that a student needs. The free classes are very useful for everybody and the doubt solving is amazing. The teachers are awesome and I love the way they teach. The quizzes help the students to understand the topic clearly and it helps the students to know that where are they getting stuck’

Successful Strategies for NEET Preparation

In this section, we will share an inspiring story of a NEET topper from a previous year, focusing on their preparation strategy. We will discuss the student’s study schedule, the resources they used, and the techniques they followed to tackle the pressure of the exam. The aim is to provide aspirants with practical insights and helpful tips to implement in their own preparation journey.

Remember, the journey of NEET preparation is challenging but with the right strategy and resources, achieving success becomes significantly easier. In the following sections, we will explore the role of technology in NEET preparation, particularly focusing on mobile apps and how they are transforming the way students prepare for this competitive exam.

FAQs

Are NEET preparation apps free or paid?

Most apps for NEET preparation are free to use and have trial periods or introductory courses. Some have subscriptions or paid features to access restricted content.

Are apps for NEET preparation comparable to traditional learning style?

This depends largely on an individual learner’s style. For some, interactive, self-paced style of app learning works more effectively, while others prefer a classroom setting. The best apps for NEET preparation include video lectures, practice questions, and mock tests, providing a comprehensive study tool.

How to track progress in NEET preparation apps?

Most NEET preparation apps have progress tracking features. They provide analytics and progress reports about your strengths and weaknesses, which can help you focus on areas that need more attention.

Jyoti

Jyoti began her career as a software engineer in HCL with UNHCR as a client. She started evolving her technical and documentation writing skills to become a full-time Content Marketer at VdoCipher.

The post Best Apps for NEET Preparation to Ace NEET PG 2024 Exam appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

With increasing internet bandwidth, and improved hardware and software, delivering video content to viewers has drastically improved. Educational streaming materials like lectures, assignments, tutorials, how-to-dos and visual graphics are now readily available over the internet.

Video streaming in education is the technological approach to deliver educational content, such as live and pre-recorded lectures, interactive classes, webinars, and multimedia sessions over the internet. Learners on the other hand access video content anytime and anywhere on their connected devices including smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Video files when downloaded take up a considerable amount of storage space. A streaming media file is played as it is received and does not remain on the viewer’s device storage.

Importance and Benefits of Videos in Education

In the last few years, videos have increasingly become a replacement for traditional classroom learning. Videos have proven to be a strong medium to deliver lectures and education of all forms to students learning remotely.

One of the main reasons why video education is benefitting both educators and students is the power of demonstrating complex concepts in an easy-to-learn environment of video learning. Video content is interactive and the most engaging mode of conveying information. It helps increase the retention and engagement rate.

• Highly engaging and interactive – The use of images, audio, and animations gives an auditory and visual viewing experience which helps to capture the attention of students. Often educational videos have polls, quizzes, and interactive elements which keep the students engaged and motivated.
• Video content is personalizable – Videos can be easily personalized based on the specific needs of a student and learning styles. For example, some educational videos have animations while some include narrations.
• Great assistant in learning – Especially for students, video adds a diversity of learning experiences such as virtual tours, lab simulations, real-world problem solving, and more.

Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

Humans have a deeper understanding of pictures and words compared to words alone. We ourselves choose books and study materials that are filled with charts, graphs, diagrams, and maps. In educational lectures and work organizations, we rely on PowerPoint presentations and videos to efficiently learn and grasp concepts.

According to Mayer’s cognitive theory of multimedia learning, “humans learn more from pictures and words than from words alone. Moreover, just adding words to pictures is not an effective way to achieve multimedia learning.”

Types of Video for E-learning

Interactive videos

Interactive videos allow the viewer to perform some actions such as clicking on the image, and taking quizzes or polls between the videos. The participatory actions may include hovering, dragging, gesturing, and scrolling.

360-degree and Virtual Reality (VR) videos

360 videos are like personal field trips. Learners can have an immersive, concrete learning experience that is otherwise not possible in a classroom. VR video simulations take learners to a whole new level of experience. From exploring a planet to walking alongside an animal, VR simplifies understanding and provides a more active learning environment.

Micro-learning videos

Microlearning is a way of delivering video content in which the information is broken down into short videos, with each tackling a single learning objective. The videos are short, usually 2-4 minutes, and require little understanding effort from the learner. Examples include employee training videos.

Webinar videos

Web seminars or webinars are online-hosted video presentations, lectures, or workshops. Usually, an expert takes a webinar and participants can interact in real-time discussion and ask questions. Webinars don’t require a big venue and virtually you can meet and learn from people across the globe.

Animated explainer videos

Animated explainer videos open fun and exciting ways to learn. They create a sense of visual learning and are most beneficial to achieve great outcomes for slow learners. Animated explainer videos combine eye-catching graphics and simple voiceovers and music.

Screencast videos

It’s a digital technique where everything that happens on a computer screen is recorded as well as the narration. Basically, it’s a screen capture and covers images, text, images, and mouse movements. Screencast videos are usually instructional videos where the instructor performs some action on the computer screen to educate learners.

Real-life teaching videos

Real-life teaching videos are similar to actual classroom teaching scenarios. There is a typical educational setup and teaching is completely virtual.

Best Practices for Creating Engaging Video Content in Education

• Create videos that last less than 6-7 minutes – Short videos have proven to be beneficial in conveying information compared to long-duration videos. Videos limited to 10 minutes have high retention rates and often educators chunk down a long concept into shorter videos.
• Add quizzes and polls to make videos more interactive – Interactive activities like polls and quizzes increase viewers’ engagement and test their grasping capabilities. Quizzes and polls are displayed alongside the video in real-time at designated points.
• Provide captions or text scripts – Captions are the written- form of the audio content and help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Text scripts include written dialogues and narration helps non-native speakers and those having difficulty understanding the audio. Both captions and text scripts open accessibility to a wider range of audiences.
• Set up a proper environment – The key considerations include proper lighting, camera quality, audio clarity, uncluttered background, high-speed internet connection, and preparation for technical glitches in advance.
• Choose a hosting platform for your videos – A video hosting platform is where teachers and educators upload their videos and the service provider manages all the aspects related to your videos such as seamless delivery, CDN-based serving, encryption, and more. Secure video hosting services like VdoCipher offer Hollywood Grade DRM encryption to fight piracy and unauthorized access.
• Understanding the latest streaming stats can also help enhance the effectiveness of video streaming in education, ensuring that educators and institutions are leveraging the most current data to engage learners.

Features of an Online Video Streaming Platform for Education

Security & privacy

The hosting platform must have robust security measures in place. It ensures the videos hosted on the platform are protected from unauthorized access and downloads. Also, various information like personal data and confidential data must be kept secure.

Video analytics

Video analytics allows for collecting and analyzing the video parameters like view count, traffic source, and watch time. It helps in understanding the viewer’s behaviors, preferences, and overall performance of your videos. Some platforms even provide heatmaps to determine which part of the video was skipped or played for a long.

Scalability

A video hosting platform must be scalable enough to handle growing users and videos without any interruptions or performance issues. The platform must be able to accommodate the increased bandwidth and storage demand in able to serve the video content efficiently. Even when a large number of simultaneous users access the platform, there should not be minimum delays or downtime.

Accessibility

The platform must be accessible by low-spec devices as well as by those having limited internet access. Features such as multilingual subtitle support, adaptive streaming, and closed captions make the platform much more accessible. Overall, more accessibility makes the hosting platform reach a wider audience and boosts engagement and revenue.

Integrations

While hosting videos on a platform, you require integrations with third-party tools and platforms. The integrations include anything from embedding videos, social sharing, integrating video editing tools, or collaborating with other services. The hosting platform must be capable of offering easy integrations with other platforms.

Pricing

The pricing of every video hosting platform varies with the features and services they offer. Some are pay-per-use, subscription-based, or free with limitations. The choice completely depends on your business requirements and budget. Some platforms even offer discounted pricing on long-term commitments.

Customer support

While using any platform, there arise technical issues or queries that need to be addressed on priority. Good customer support is available through support channels like email, phone, chat, and nowadays, WhatsApp too.

Online Video Education is the Future

The way people now access and learn new skills has evolved. With the flexibility of growing learning options and accessibility, online video education is definitely the future of learning. Its major importance stems from the major advantages of accessibility, affordability, convenience, and retention rates.

This new form of learning is more interactive, engaging, and most importantly, accessible to those with tight schedules or remote learners. Today, a student sitting in one corner of the world can gain knowledge of any topic of interest from anywhere and anytime. It’s true that there are still regions where people don’t have access to smartphones or the internet, but things are slowly digitizing.

Irrespective of age and location, online streaming in education videos are accessible to everyone as long as they have internet access. During the pandemic, we have seen how quickly things moved toward digital learning. It saved time and effort and students could study at their own pace and at ease.

Compared to traditional class setups, online videos are always affordable. From trainers to offline training institutes, nearly everyone has moved towards online classes. To learn a new skill, you don’t have to go to a physical setup and rather opt for online classes from a reputed educator. Those who cannot afford classroom studies, maybe due to financial issues or time dependency, can easily study at the home, workplace, or even while commuting.

As discussed in the above sections, streaming in education videos give learners a better understanding of the subject better than text. The whole online learning experience is more personalized and customizable as per the learner’s preference. Slow learners often face difficulties in classroom learning and while through online video learning, they can study at their own pace, pause, rewind, and again play content in a loop.

VdoCipher – Best online video streaming platform

When uploading videos on a hosting platform especially paid one, the security of the videos is a necessary requirement. At no cost, you can afford to have your videos illegally downloaded or shared. There is also the risk of unauthorized access and compromise to premium and sensitive media files. The extent of piracy can be easily analyzed by the fact that up to 24% of the global bandwidth is taken by illegal downloads of copyright content.

‘In 2022, online movie and TV piracy accounted for nearly $52 billion economic losses.’

To fight video piracy and secure your premium videos, VdoCipher, a secure video hosting platform with a complete infrastructure setup is helping elearning and media platforms. VdoCipher offers Hollywood Grade DRM Encryption using Google Widevine and Apple FairPlay DRM which protects videos from illegal downloads and unauthorized access.

How DRM protects video content?

Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology controls the access and usage of video content by restricting unauthorized copying, distribution, and access. DRM is implemented at the hardware and software level and it is by far the highest available level of video security. The chunks of video are converted into an encrypted format and decrypted at the player’s end with a private decryption key. The raw video file is not available to the viewer for downloading or pirating.

Common encryption technologies like AES128 and RTMPe have a partial key exchange mechanism that exposes the key for hacking and unauthorized video downloads using plugins. So, in order to have complete video security with the latest technological advancement, DRM is the only choice as provided by VdoCipher at an affordable price.

‘Covering more than 120 countries, over 3000 customers trust VdoCipher to secure their premium videos.’

Why choose VdoCipher to host videos?

Video security with DRM encryption – Highest video security using Google Widevine and AppleFairPlay DRM

Secure offline downloads in apps- iOS native SDK to enable secure video download on device. Restrict offline download availability and apply time validity for downloaded videos.

Dynamic watermarking – a customizable watermark that is dynamically placed over the video. Customizable for transparency, color, and size.

Screen capture block in Android and iOS native apps – VdoCipher native SDK integration restricts screen capture at the hardware level and discourages screen capture.

Geo-restrictions – Restricting users based on their IP group helps control access in a particular geographic location.

WordPress plugin – VdoCipher WordPress video player plugin works with popular WP membership plugins such as MemberPress, Restrict Content Pro, and WP eMember. The plugin also supports LMSs like LearnDash, Sensei, and WP CourseWare.

HTML5 video player – VdoCipher HTML5 video player comes with dynamic controls and supports multilingual subtitles and adaptive bitrate streaming. Script code easily enables CTAs like forms and buttons

Adaptive video streaming – Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR) allows automatic adjustment of the video quality as per the viewer’s internet connection speed. This is very beneficial for students having poor internet connectivity or those living in remote locations.

FAQs

What are the benefits of video applications in education?

Video applications in education make the learning process more engaging, personalized, accessible, and cost-effective.

What equipment and tools are required for online elearning video streaming?

For recording video lectures, you require a camera, an editing tool, and a stable internet connection. For live streaming to your students, you need a good quality webcam, microphone, and a device like a smartphone connected to the internet.

Name some of the free video platforms for education.

YouTube, TED-Ed, and Khan Academy are some platforms that offer free video lessons.

What is the biggest challenge while streaming elearning videos?

The major challenge is video security. Anyone can easily access and download your video content if there is no robust security in place like DRM encryption. Platforms like VdoCipher not only secure your videos with DRM encryption but also prevent illegal downloads and piracy with features like dynamic watermarking, screen capture prevention, secure offline downloads, and more.

Jyoti

Jyoti began her career as a software engineer in HCL with UNHCR as a client. She started evolving her technical and documentation writing skills to become a full-time Content Marketer at VdoCipher.

The post Online Video Streaming in Education appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.

For most of us, gaining knowledge is about collecting little chunks, snippets in day-to-day life. This knowledge is in the form of watching videos, accessing YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Everything comes to our mind quickly and in small chunks. People now learn in a way that is most natural and comfortable to them. For many people, learning from texts can be pretty challenging. Video and audio dimensions to eLearning content development make the learning more easy and engaging. This is the demand now, so let’s start with different terminologies & checklists to help you set up your own platform.

1. Choosing your Backend, Frontend & other Server-side setups

Even as a beginner you would have known that Web Development is a combination of two dependencies namely, Frontend Development and Backend Development. Both facets have their respective set of mechanisms, tools and technologies.

1.1- No Code or Little Code Methods

Also, there is not a necessity that you need to go through the coding part. You can even do all the course and website creation by choosing a content management system. Different CMS or content management systems are available, having a different set of approaches and scopes.

For example, you can use an application-based LMS like Moodle or CMS like WordPress and Joomla where you require little to no coding. We can also achieve customizations via themes and available plugins. You can even use ready-to-launch teaching sites like Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi which we have also discussed here.

On the contrary, if you are looking for specific customizations you can develop your own backend and frontend with a language of your choice. Frameworks like Django gives you access to unlimited customization and even the scope of integrating technologies like machine learning.

Note: As per data of the top 10,000 websites, nearly 10% are built using WordPress CMS and 75% of websites use their custom CMS.

1.2- Backend Development of your eLearning video platform

Backend is your website’s server-side and is the portion that users don’t see. It stores and organizes data and ensures everything on the client-side or front end works fine. The backend connects with the front end and sends/receives information for displaying on the web page. Users access the back-end indirectly through a front end application. The backend includes writing APIs, scientific programming, creating libraries and much more. The prevalent languages which we can use to build backend are PHP, Python, Ruby, Golang (Go), Java, C++, Node.js and Javascript. The common backend frameworks are Django, Spring, Laravel and more. There are a lot of JavaScript development companies, the most popular ones you can find here.

1.3- eLearning video platform Front End Development

The front end or Client-side is the section of your website for eLearning where the user directly interacts with the browser. It includes everything users experience directly such as images, tables, graphs, buttons, navigation menu to text colours. All these features about Frontend Development of a website for eLearning come mainly through 3 key components – HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

In today’s world, the main objectives of front end development are responsiveness and performance. The website for eLearning should appear correctly on all screen sizes and resolutions. Also, it must use all performance improving compatibilities like lazy loading and page speed.

Some popular frameworks and libraries like bootstrap, AngularJS, React JS, jQuery, Flutter, SASS, Semantic-UI support front end development.

1.4- Other Server-side setup while building an eLearning video platform

To manage the users and other course or content information, a website for eLearning needs a database. The database stores the content of a website in a structured format to retrieve, organize, edit and save data. This setup runs on a remote computer known as Server. The most widely used databases are MySQL and PostgreSQL. Other databases like Oracle and Sybase are not preferred unless you have a very big infrastructure and also they are costly.

Other server-side setup includes setting up a server software like Apache or Nginx (preferred). Setting up CDN distribution and even a continuous deployment pipeline.

1.5- Important points to consider when setting up your own eLearning website

• LMS or CMS like Moodle, WordPress and Joomla are built as an application and are not object-oriented.
• Absolute beginners can start with options like Teachable, Thinkific and Kajabi.
• LMS and CMS mostly provide you with a level of customization using basic HTML, CSS and Javascript.

2. Video Hosting & Security

eLearning videos require a considerable investment of time, effort and money. You cannot just limit it to the creation of videos. One must store videos online on a video hosting server that has very high uptime, is secure, encrypted and budget-friendly. It must also enable adaptive bitrate streaming and even stores your content in various locations. This is helpful when trying to reduce time to first byte and latency.

The biggest problem with putting your original or premium eLearning content on the web comes with potential video piracy. Also, we know that websites like YouTube and Torrent have an abundance of pirated videos from premium resources. There are video downloader tools that can easily download videos from a video hosting platform. In general, video content is pirated in multiple ways like password theft, password sharing, unauthorized download, copyright violation, screen recording, and much more.

2.1- Video Protection Methods

The best ways to secure your eLearning video content is through secure login, membership, protecting videos from plugins and downloaders, Domain (URL) whitelisting, Real-Time Messaging Protocol Encrypted (RTMPE), HLS Encryption, IP/GEO Restriction, Video DRM, Dynamic watermarking and Screen capture block.

We can easily address all of these security concerns by choosing secure video hosting providers like Vdocipher. Such providers not only address your security and piracy concerns but also provide you with flawless uptime, adaptive bitrate streaming and even distribute your encrypted content globally via CDN.

3. eLearning Content Development & choosing type of platform

Though we discuss creating your own eLearning video platform, we hope you are also informed about the MOOCs. After the analysis of your target customers, one needs to focus on choosing the type of eLearning video platform, be it LMS/CMS or MOOC.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are open to all which means people from across the globe can access or create courses on your eLearning video platform, making it an eLearning marketplace. In the majority of the cases, these courses are free and available all over the internet. Udemy is one such example. They even provide you with free branding and paid marketing opportunities.

Learning Management System or LMS comes with restricted access, meaning it is available only within an organization. LMS is designed for a specific customer and does not necessarily have a robust architecture like a MOOC eLearning video platform. The basic LMS architecture enables admins to upload learning content, assist and deliver lessons, enable notifications and share content with authorized users. LMS can be free, commercial, cloud-based, pre-written CMS, individual or enterprise.

3.1- Content Development for eLearning Website

Once done with choosing the right type, we should move forward with eLearning content development. For an eLearning video platform content development is crafting relevant course content based on your niche, audience knowledge, business goals, idea and mode of content delivery. Each video content and its accompanying text comes with its own piece of knowledge and information. These contents cumulatively form a course. A course may have video, audio, PDF and more.

The learning path is another term that is gaining popularity. It comprises of digital content formats or virtual classrooms aimed at delivering flexible structured learning. One example is self-paced digital content comprising documents, videos, webinars, and online assessments. This help users meet their learning goals and master the subject. Slide-based courses, training videos, quizzes, webinars, embedded or standalone videos, study material, ebooks, blogs, augmented reality (AR), case studies, interviews are some of the content development formats eLearning video platforms use.

4. eLearning Website or App or Both

Often learning apps provide a better user experience compared to a mobile website. Presentations, courses, videos become more responsive, menus and filters are smooth enough, better UI, there are other customizable options and more. But this does not mean all eLearning video platforms are doing that great with a mobile app. Apps are platform-dependent and nowadays, we need to access our data from any device and any browser, which is not the case with most mobile apps.

Most online learning platforms are designed for the web as it is platform-agnostic, open and ubiquitous. With the website for eLearning, you don’t have to install anything. Visitors will appreciate your app if nothing stands in their way to get the knowledge. The user flow must be smooth and attractive. Also, with every update to the chosen CMS and generic backend/frontend technology, web applications are getting more and more like apps.

Even platforms like Twitter are using PWA or progressive web apps and are experiencing more user influx and engagement. Thus, the choice of study apps or website or both depends on your expectations, requirements and developmental needs. A self-starter, after learning about the video market through YouTube, Moocs and similar giants might want to progress with the website first approach. Make the website responsive, implement basic SEO and video SEO, move forward with application development for enhanced experience to existing users and compliment the high influx with PWA.

5. Search Logic, Categorization & Filters

The easier users find video content and courses on the portal, the faster their user journey will be. This is where search, categorization and filtering can provide a huge boost to an online eLearning video platform.

5.1- Categorization

Start with categorization as it will tell you what might be searched and filtered. Also, categorization requires you to make required headers like ‘tags’ in your database, which will require a migration. Planning for it and implementing it in the initial model setup stage will even help in data collection as well as better filter and search setup.

Website categorization defines the type of content on a specific web page. The use cases of website categorization are content filtering, brand safety, network security and firewall, ad-tech, parental control and more. The SEO of your pages becomes imbalanced without categories and pages start competing for the same search keywords. Category pages are an important area of opportunity for boosting organic traffic.

5.2- Filters

After categorization logic, start with product filtering, use category-specific filters as users prefer them over generic parameters. With respect to a particular course, the placement of an array of tags in your database helps filter more dynamically. Such filter mechanism placement in the initial stage also helps you implement deep learning and machine learning opportunities as more data comes in. Using multiple filters allows users to shortlist down to the smallest details. For the smooth experience of a mobile website, the developer needs to customize the CSS code to fit standard desktop filter displays into mobile-ready formats. Filter placement requires A/B testing to find the perfect spot on the web page.

5.3- Search Logic

Now when you have captured most user-specific choices by categorization and filters, there comes search. Search can be of many types like single word search, linear search, and full-text search, accompanied by different search logic based on various search algorithms with variable output. Different math equations used to calculate the closest and best match for a search term are the main reason for having variable output

If you are using a pre-created platform-specific service or an app-based CMS like WordPress, you will most likely stick with the inbuilt search logic. If you are planning to go with frameworks like Django, you have plenty of options available as python libraries to enhance your search and their respective logic. For advanced usage, do maintain a database of your search terms as they will help you enhance your search in future.

6. Complementary and Supplementary Recommendations

With numerous resources on a portal, users need to decide which courses or content to opt for. Hence, the recommendation system applies in the eLearning video platform to help learners get personalized services by identifying their complementary and supplementary preferences. Basically, there are three recommendation techniques, content-based, collaborative filtering (CF)-based and knowledge-based.

Content-based recommendation profiles users with their past behaviour and recommends content similar to their profile. The CF-based recommendation assumes similar users preferring similar content and generates recommendations with users collaboration.

We can apply the knowledge-based recommendation scenarios where the content is not frequently visited and that is why it relies mostly on the pre-defined knowledge structures like ontology. Ontology is a systematic knowledge representation that contains entities, and their relationships in a particular domain. It is also encoded by language such as web ontology language (OWL). Also, user queries can be further modelled and trained as new concepts if previously unavailable in the pre-defined ontology through enrichment.

7. Integrating Payment Gateway

If a platform’s eLearning model is a subscription or paid courses, there should be a convenient method for students to pay and tutors to collect their earnings. And when dealing with money, the payment gateway transaction must be secure and give users a seamless checkout experience. The most popular payment mediums are Debit/credit cards, PayPal Master/Visa/Maestro/Amex, and UPI. Most payment gateways like Razorpay and Paytm allows all of these mediums after complete verification and even allows you to accept international payments. An LMS will usually have it integrated and we can do the custom integration easily using the payment gateway’s API.

8. Support & Live Chat Features

Online customer support helps in better communication, solving user problems, collecting customer feedback and suggestions to fine-tune the system and solve unexpected issues. Online customer service answers customer questions by digital tools like email, messaging apps, live chat and social media.

Live chat support is now the most dynamic and popular way of communicating with customers. It’s the best way to go beyond customer’s expectations and satisfaction to gain higher traffic and conversions. In an eLearning video platform, text chat helps in maintaining smooth communication between attendants and lecturers. For a platform based on pre-recorded videos, implementing a Q&A section is better.

9. Social Sharing

Social sharing has enormous potential for social media marketing to boost sales and increase the visibility of a business. It is a cost-effective tool for increased brand recognition and promotion and can be used to convert customers. From the perspective of content marketing, social media helps in building links organically. Google uses ranking signals for search results linking by determining how much time the content is shared, liked, tweets or posted to social media. The ideal placement of social media icons is on the top half of the webpage or ‘above the fold’.

10. Business Model

Before starting the development process of your eLearning video platform, you should take into consideration the different ways of monetizing your content. One of the popular monetization methods is that of Udemy which charges as per the specific course. Some courses on such platforms are free, while others are in paid form.

The subscription-based model is one more commonly used monetization way. It is based on monthly payments or a one-year subscription with lower monthly rates. Many eLearning providers even implement a Paid certification model wherein, courses are free but students need to pay to earn certification of the course. Some eLearning business models run on sponsorships and advertising.

11. Login/signup

The login page is the first place to deliver the best user experience to a visitor with a website. For the same, it requires authenticating the user before giving access to a platform’s secured pages. Designing a website login page requires working on tiny details. Be it making the page responsive and not a pain to use, else lose users. Developers need to work on the bounce rate of their login page and make the transition smooth, easy, and error-free.

The login form should be simple, short with a clean design. There should be a clear distinction between login and registration forms and have options of logging through external accounts. There should be clear ‘Forgot password’ and ‘Remember me’ options.

Note: Do include ‘Sign In with Google’ & ‘Sign In with Facebook’ as a medium in sign up and sign in as data shows that they are the most used modes. Also, if making your own CMS then do check for logic on merging mail ids signed up using ‘Register’ input forms and using ‘Google’ or ‘Facebook’.

How VdoCipher Helps In Building Your Own Elearning Video Platform

A major part of setting up your own video platform for education includes the video infrastructure. This includes video storage, encoding for different formats and video quality, embedding, encryption, and more. VdoCipher takes care of all this and more. All you have to do is upload your video to our platform, once the video has been transcoded, you can just copy the embed code and paste it on your website.

On top of the video hosting, you get access to DRM-based security, which ensures that your videos are not downloadable by anyone. This puts a stop to piracy online, ultimately giving you a substantial boost in revenue. As new users would have to sign up and pay for your premium courses in order to access them. Other security features which further safeguard your premium content are Dynamic watermarking to deter screen capture, Screen recoding protection on iOS and Android. You can even block geolocation, IP address and put time restrictions as well.

FAQs:

What are the benefits of using LMS?

Centralized content, up-to-date courses, easy tracking & reporting, cost-saving and more. Other benefits include employee satisfaction, retention, better ROI on training, economical remote learning.

How VdoCipher offers video protection and piracy control?

VdoCipher offers Hollywood grade DRM encryption which prevents illegal downloads using any hacks or plugins. The other video piracy features offered are dynamic watermarking, server to player package, screen capture restriction in mobile apps and customizable online video player.

How does a Progressive Web App (PWA) work?

A PWA is a web application installed on your system. It works offline in times of no internet connection. On Chrome, when you visit a website having PWA, you will be prompted to install the app. The advantages of PWA are mobile-like experience, offline availability, reduce loading time and give a better user experience.

Vishal Sharma

My expertise focuses on DRM encryption, CDN technologies, and streamlining marketing campaigns to drive engagement and growth. At VdoCipher, I’ve significantly enhanced digital experiences and contributed to in-depth technical discussions in the eLearning, Media, and Security sectors, showcasing a commitment to innovation and excellence in the digital landscape.

The post Guide To Building Your Own eLearning Video Platform with Content Development appeared first on VdoCipher Blog.