Top 29 Profitable Online Course Ideas to Create in 2024

It’s a fact, 2023 is just about over and 2024 looks bright for the e-learning industry! In the fast-paced world of online education, it’s essential to stay ahead of the curve and anticipate the needs of learners in the up coming year. As we look forward to 2024, here are 29 potential online course ideas that are not only relevant but potentially profitable and worth investigating. As always, you should thoroughly investigate your potential topic and validate your online course ideas.

Lets jump in!

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Fundamentals

2023 was the year of Artificial intelligence and machine learning and they are rapidly transforming various industries. By creating a course on the fundamentals of AI and ML, learners can gain a solid understanding of these technologies and how they can be applied in different contexts, preparing them for the future job market or even just to have tools in their current tool belt. There are lots of courses already on the market, but there are lots of gaps to fill and niche topics with in the general AI topic that have not yet been tapped. This is going to be huge for 2024.

2. Digital Marketing Strategies for E-Commerce Businesses

According to statistics, Shopify’s GMV (gross merchandise volume) was at 50B at the beginning of 2023, and thats just one platform. As e-commerce continues to flourish, business owners need to leverage digital marketing strategies to drive growth and success. Creating a course that teaches the latest tactics and techniques for promoting and scaling e-commerce businesses will be highly valuable in 2024. This is a tough market to get into, so you will need to establish some authority. Perhaps you have been super successful with your e-commerce websites and can teach others your methods for success.

3. Cybersecurity Essentials for Small Businesses

One of the most highly sought careers in 2023 was Cyber Security Analyst. This is why you see an increasing number of universities offering a Cyber Security bootcamps. Rather than paying between 12K and 20K for a bootcamp, perhaps you can offer a series of courses to help job seekers achieve some of the more highly desired cyber security certifications.

Also in an increasingly interconnected world, cybersecurity is of paramount importance especially for business owners. Small businesses often lack the resources to protect themselves effectively. A course that provides essential cybersecurity knowledge and best practices specifically for smaller businesses can help bridge the knowledge gap and safeguard against cyber threats.

4. Minimalism and Simplifying Life

Living a minimalist lifestyle is still attractive as people seek to simplify their lives. With practical tips and step-by-step guidance, you can teach how to declutter your home, simplify your schedule, and prioritize time and energy. Teaching techniques for creating a calm, organized, and intentional life that allows people to focus on the things that matter is a sure winner for a launching a New Years resolution type course.

5. UX Design for Mobile Applications

With almost 2 Million apps on Apple’s App store, an increase of around 80K apps for 2023, the need for exceptional user experience (UX) design for mobile applications is a must. Creating a course focused on designing intuitive and user-friendly mobile apps will be in high demand among aspiring UX designers and mobile app developers.

6. Remote Work Productivity and Collaboration

I have been working from home since 2014 before it was cool and long before the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote work. Working from home can be a challenge if you lack discipline, communication and organizational skills. Creating a course that teaches strategies for effective remote work productivity, collaboration tools, and communication skills will be invaluable for individuals and organizations navigating this new way of working. Not to mention there are likely tons of tools that you can promote as an affiliate!

7. Health and Wellness for Busy Professionals

The health and wellness industry has exploded in the last 5 years and does not appear to be slowing down. In the fast-paced world we live in, maintaining good health and wellness is crucial especially for those who are now working remotely and are becoming less active. A course that provides practical tips, strategies, and actionable advice for busy professionals to prioritize self-care, manage stress, and maintain a healthy work-life balance will be of great value in 2024. This is definitely a tough market to break into, however it is totally possible. Again you have to look for creative ways to target a subset of people. For example Steve Kamb from Nerd Fitness has successfully achieved reaching a niche market segment within the heath and wellness market.

8. Data Visualization and Interpretation

I’ve recently scoured the job market in order to help a friend with a job search and I can’t tell you how many companies are hiring for some sort of data analytics position. As data becomes increasingly valuable across industries, the ability to data mine, analyze data, visualize and interpret data is a highly sought-after skill. A course that covers the principles and best practices of data analysis, visualization and interpretation will equip learners with the tools they need to make informed decisions and derive insights from data.

9. Personal Finance and Investing

According to a report, credit card debt is now north of 1 Trillion in the U.S. That’s insane! Financial literacy is an essential skill for success in personal and professional life. Creating a course that covers personal finance topics such as budgeting, investing, retirement planning, and debt management will empower learners to make sound financial decisions and achieve their financial goals for 2024. This is also a great one to launch at the start of the year when people are making their new year resolutions.

10. Time Management & Maximizing Productivity

We are all bombarded with entertainment, news, social media, and just about any kind of distraction you can think of and you can bet that this has an effect on people’s time management and productivity. With practical strategies and tools, you can teach how to manage time effectively, prioritize tasks, and increase productivity. An online course teaching the skills needed to achieve more in less time, reduce stress, build good habits and create a better work-life balance is sure to be a profitable course.

11. Content Creation and Influencer Marketing

Becoming an influencer on social media is no easy task, especially in the midst of all the noise on the interwebs. The rise of social media and digital marketing has opened up new opportunities for content creators and influencers. Creating a course on content creation, storytelling, and influencer marketing strategies will help aspiring influencers cut through the noise and build successful online brands and monetize their content.

12. Remote Team Management and Leadership

With remote and hybrid work environments becoming the new normal, managers and leaders need to adapt their management styles to effectively lead distributed teams. A course that covers remote team management strategies, communication techniques, team building tactics, and virtual leadership skills will be invaluable in 2024.

13. Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Development

Have you ever had a boss that had a personality of a bull dozer? Yep, I can relate. As workplaces evolve, the demand for leaders with strong emotional intelligence continues to rise. A course that focuses on developing emotional intelligence and leadership skills will be worth creating, as it prepares individuals to lead with empathy, self-awareness, and adaptability without compromising productivity.

14. Web Development with Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

App development has become very popular and continues to grow, however, Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) offer a seamless user experience across different devices and platforms which is beneficial because maintaining multiple codebases can become costly and time consuming. Creating a course that teaches web development using PWAs will be relevant as businesses increasingly adopt this technology to provide exceptional user experiences.

15. Virtual Reality (VR) Development and Design

Virtual Reality (VR) is not just for gaming anymore, in fact, the application of VR extends to various industries, including education, healthcare, and corporate training. A course that covers VR development and design will enable learners to create immersive virtual experiences in their respective fields.

16. Multilingual Communication and Translation Skills

In a globalized world, being proficient in multiple languages and possessing translation skills opens doors to diverse career opportunities. Creating a course that teaches multilingual communication and translation skills will be highly valuable to professionals in fields such as customer service, tourism, software and journalism.

This skillset extends into the WordPress community. In the last major revision of WP Courseware, we added a feature making it much easier to to translate WP Courseware. If you are interested in having WP Courseware in your language, please contact us.

17. Health and Nutrition Coaching for Optimal Well-being

Train the trainer training is such a great model because you are essentially teaching a skillset that can be utilized to build a business. As people prioritize their health and well-being, the demand for qualified health and nutrition coaches continues to grow. A course that provides comprehensive training on health coaching, nutrition planning, and behavior change techniques can equip individuals to support others on their wellness journeys. Part of this training can include teaching coaches how to run an effective coaching business.

18. Project Management for Agile Environments

Companies are always looking for opportunities to push productivity through tactics that are more efficient. Agile project management methodologies empower teams to adapt to change and deliver projects efficiently. In 2024, a course that focuses on project management in agile environments will be relevant for project managers and team members looking to enhance their skills and improve project outcomes.

19. Freelancing and Entrepreneurship for Creatives

This is a course I would love to have seen when I began my journey as an entrepreneur. Unfortunately I had to learn most of my business skills through the school of hard knocks. As more individuals embrace the freedom and flexibility of freelancing and entrepreneurship, a course that covers the fundamentals of starting and growing a creative business will be valuable. Topics can include product validation, branding, marketing, managing client relationships, pricing strategies and business management.

20. Video Editing and Production for YouTube and Social Media

The popularity of video content on platforms such as YouTube, TikToK and Instagram continues to grow. Short form video content is super popular right now and content creators are looking for ways to level up their skills. Creating a course that teaches video editing and production techniques specific to these channels will be worth creating in 2024, catering to aspiring content creators and social media influencers.

21. Renewable Energy Technologies and Sustainable Solutions

As the world moves towards renewable energy sources, knowledge of renewable energy technologies becomes increasingly important. A course that covers various renewable energy solutions and their applications will be relevant to future energy professionals and individuals interested in sustainable living. Or perhaps creating a course on how to become a Certified Green Professional could be helpful for those interested in residential construction or remodeling green homes.

22. Cross-cultural Communication and Global Business Etiquette

In a global marketplace, effective cross-cultural communication and understanding are crucial for success. Creating a course that helps learners navigate different cultural norms, etiquette, and communication styles will prepare them for working in diverse international settings.

23. E-Learning Design and Instructional Strategies

With the rise of online learning, understanding the principles of e-learning design and instructional strategies is essential for educators and course creators. A course that covers best practices in creating engaging and effective online learning experiences will be highly valuable in 2024. Don’t forget to use WP Courseware as your LMS when building your course! 😉

24. Resilience and Mental Health Strategies for Students

According to a recent study, 66% of college students experience stress, anxiety and worry. Student well-being and mental health are of increasing concern. Creating a course that provides strategies and resources for building resilience, managing stress, and promoting mental health among students will be worth creating to better support their overall well-being not to mention when they enter the workforce.

25. Social Media Management and Strategy

Social media has become an integral part of marketing and business communication, however, becoming a good social media strategist is not an easy task, at least not for me. Creating a course that covers social media management and strategy, including content creation, engagement tactics, and analytics, will be worth creating in 2024 to help businesses leverage the power of social media effectively.

26. AI-Powered Chatbot Development

Chatbots are becoming increasingly prevalent in customer service and support. I sometimes hate chatbots, but they are helpful when looking at it from a business stand point. Creating a course that teaches the development and implementation of AI-powered chatbots will equip learners to create intelligent virtual assistants that enhance customer experiences and can potentially save companies some money.

27. Video Game Development

The world of gaming is ever growing and becoming popular among all people of any age. Creating a course that covers video game development, including programming, design principles, and user interaction, will cater to aspiring game developers looking to create immersive gaming experiences.

28. Podcasting and Audio Production

There have been recent talk that podcasting is dead, but the truth is podcasting continues to grow as a popular medium for storytelling, education, and entertainment. I can say from experience that my podcast has grown significantly in the past 2 years. Creating a course that covers podcasting and audio production, including recording techniques, editing, promotion strategies, how to interview, and finding guests will empower aspiring podcasters to create high-quality audio content that people will listen to.

29. AI in Healthcare: Applications and Ethical Considerations

The integration of artificial intelligence in healthcare shows great promise but also raises ethical concerns. Creating a course that explores the applications of AI in healthcare, while addressing ethical considerations and potential challenges, will be worth creating to educate healthcare professionals and policymakers.

The year 2024 holds exciting opportunities for online course creators. By exploring these top 29 course topics, you can tap into emerging trends, address relevant challenges, and provide learners with valuable knowledge and skills. Whether it’s in technology, wellness, business, or personal development, there’s something for every learner in 2024. So, get ready to create impactful online courses and make a difference in the lives of your students. I wish you the best of luck for 2024!