Developing and selling courses for online learning can be a great way to earn a full-time income, supplement your current earnings, or simply help you share your knowledge and passion for a subject with the world. The online course market is growing rapidly, especially in recent years, so now is a great time to get started.
What type of online courses are in demand in 2022? You may be surprised at the variety of topics that are popular for online learning beyond formal education topics. From fitness courses to pet training, there are course ideas out there for just about everything. We'll share a few online course niches and course topics that are popular right now.
How to Choose Niches for Your Online Courses
What are niche courses? Niche courses focus on a specific topic or area of study. These courses can be extremely valuable to those who want to learn more about a specific subject or those who want to pursue a career in a particular field. Finding profitable niches that you are also passionate about is a great way to build your online business.
An online training platform such as Udemy, Skillshare, and Teachable can make online course creation easy and convenient. You can also use these platforms for selling online courses. With advancements in technology, it's easier than ever to make money online and create a high-quality and successful course using an online learning platform.
The topic of your online course should be something you are passionate about, something you are an expert in, a skill or idea you are passionate about, or a problem you've solved that you can help other people solve.
Once you've decided on a niche, it's important to do some research to make sure there are online courses that are in demand. You don't want to invest all of your time and effort into creating a course that no one wants to buy.
Top 13 Most Profitable Online Course Niches
Let's look at some of the most in-demand and successful niches for online learning. These markets all currently have a high demand for online courses and continue to show consistent growth. Choose one of these that you're passionate about, and you'll be on your way to making money online!
1. Computers and Technology
This niche covers a wide range of topics, including web development, specific software systems, how to code, online security, and more. It's a broad niche with many sub-topics that continue to grow in popularity. This is great for your online course business because it's continuously evolving, and there is always something new to learn.
Some of the most popular online courses in computers and technology are:
- Web Development and Design
- Computer Programming
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
- Coding
2. Business and Entrepreneurship
This is a great niche for online courses because it's always relevant, which means you can start selling online courses now, and they'll still be popular in several years. No matter what the state of the economy is, there will always be people looking to start or grow their businesses. You can cover topics like online marketing, using social media platforms to make money, starting a business, time management, and more.
Business and entrepreneurship courses that are the most popular include:
- Freelancing
- Financial Analysis
- Investing and Crypto Currencies
- Business Planning and Budgeting
- SQL
- PMP
3. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is arguably the most profitable online course niche in recent years. It's a broad field that covers everything from social media marketing to email marketing to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). And with the rise of online businesses and the need for more digital marketing experts, this trend is likely to continue, so you have plenty of course topics to choose from.
Hot topics for online courses in digital marketing include:
- SEO and SEM
- Social Media Marketing
- Google AdWords
- Copywriting
4. IT and Software
This is another broad subject with many smaller niches for online courses. IT and software courses can cover topics like using specific software programs, network and systems administration, programming languages, and more. If you want to create a series of courses, you can create online courses for individual software platforms and bundle them into a package.
Popular online course topics in this niche include:
- Software Engineering
- Linux
- Python
- AWS Certification
- Ethical Hacking
- Cyber Security
5. Design
This is a profitable niche for online courses because it's creative, ever-changing, and can be used in a variety of ways. It covers topics like types of design, software programs, applications, and more. As technology advances, there are always new trends in design, making this a great field to get into if you're looking for long-term success.
The most successful online courses in design include:
- Photoshop
- Graphic Design
- User Experience and Interface Design (UX/UI)
- Game Development
- App Development
- Animation and Motion Graphics
- 3D Modeling and Animation
6. Health and Wellness
This is a huge niche that covers everything from fitness to nutrition to mental health. It's a popular online course topic because it's something that everyone can benefit from. And with the rise in popularity of health and wellness, this trend is likely to continue.
Hot topics for online courses in health and wellness include:
- Fitness
- Nutrition
- Weight Loss
- Meditation
- Aromatherapy
- Yoga
- Gut Health
- Stress Management
7. Personal Development
Personal Development courses are all about helping people improve and become the best version of themselves. Personal Development is especially helpful for those who want to make a change in their personal life or career, achieve their aspirations and goals, and live a better life overall. With the rise in life coaching and personal development apps, more and more people are looking for online classes for self-improvement.
Online courses that are in demand in the world of personal development today are:
- Goal Setting
- Public Speaking
- Time Management
- Happiness and Wellbeing
- Leadership
- Relationships
8. Arts and Crafts
Did you know that you can sell online courses on pretty much any hobby topic? This is a great online course niche for those who are creative and enjoy working with their hands and physical materials. Many people are interested in this niche because it can be used as stress-relief, therapy, a hobby, or a career. Whether you create a paid course or a free course as a lead generation offer, there are plenty of options to choose from.
Topics for creating online courses within the arts and crafts niche include:
- Painting
- Drawing
- Sculpture
- DIY Projects
- Jewelry Making
- Pottery
- Knitting and Crocheting
9. Digital Arts
This online course niche is perfect for those who are creative and have an interest in design and technology and can be especially interesting to young adults. You can make money teaching people to create digital artworks, animations, videos, games, and more. As technology advances, there will always be new trends in digital arts, making this a great field to get into if you're looking for long-term success.
Some of the most lucrative courses in digital arts include:
- Animation
- Photography
- Video Editing
- Graphic Design
- Digital Illustration
- Web Development
- 3D Modeling and Animation
10. Music
Music is another great online course niche that is broad enough to cover various topics and reach many different people. It's perfect for those who are creative and have an interest in music, whether it be professionally or for personal use. Music has a way of speaking to many people, even if it's just for listening or curiosity about how someone writes a song.
Online courses that are in demand in music include:
- Music Theory
- Guitar
- Piano
- Voice
- Drums
- Songwriting
- Music Production
- Copywriting
- Ways to Use Music
11. Lifestyle
The broad lifestyle niche is the best option for those who want to learn more about how to improve aspects of their lifestyle. It covers a wide variety of topics and is a great niche for online courses because it's something that everyone can benefit from.
The most popular online instructional courses in lifestyle include:
- Health and Wellness
- Skin Care and Makeup
- Food and Beverage
- Fitness and Workouts
- Journaling
- Travel
- Defensive Driving
- Gaming
- Home Decor
- Productivity
- Organization
- Pets
12. Languages
This niche is useful for anyone who wants to learn a new language. It's one of the most popular online course niches because there are so many languages to choose from, and it's a great way to connect with people from all over the world. Learning a new language can be helpful if someone is looking to get a job as a bilingual, wants to travel to another county, or is just interested in other cultures.
Most successful online courses in language learning include:
- Spanish
- French
- Korean
- German
- Japanese
- Sign Language
- English Language
- English Grammar
- English Conversation
13. Academics
There are endless options for topics in academics, and in higher education, online courses are quickly becoming just as popular as traditional in-school education. According to a recent ThinkImpact article, 98% of universities have moved courses online since 2020.
E-learning is perfect for online students who want to improve their skills, prepare for a test, continue their education, or start a new field. There are online courses for almost every academic topic imaginable, and each course offers a new way for someone to learn, whether by visual, application, or theory.
The most in-demand online courses in academics include:
- Math
- Science
- History
- English
- Engineering
- ACT/SAT Prep
- AP Courses
- GED Preparation
Choosing a Niche for Successful Online Courses
There are so many online course niches to choose from it can be hard to decide which one is right for you. Be thoughtful about your interests and expertise when choosing a niche, and remember that you can always narrow down your focus as you create your course and see what course ideas your ideal students are interested in.
How do you pick a niche? The most important thing to remember is to choose a topic that you're passionate about and that you know you can teach well.
Whether you are an expert in graphic design or just love taking photos for social media, there's a niche that will be perfect for you. With a bit of research and creativity, you can create a product your students will love and be passionate about!
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