Making Money Teaching Online - Is it for you?

What would you do if hundreds of new students came to your door? Could you handle it? Would you need a new location? Maybe hire staff? 

If you’re not sure how you would handle it or are thinking “that could never happen but I would love to reach more students,” online teaching just might be right for you.

There are many things to consider when teaching online, so let's dive into them to see if your skills are teachable online and if you are ready to start now.

Location, Location, Location?

Can you provide your service online or do you need a physical location? 

Many of us need daily human interaction, and our jobs require hands on work. Massage therapists, nail technicians and hair stylists simply can't provide their service online, but they can certainly have a web presence that showcases all of their services and offers appointment booking, directions and hours of operation.

If you are a wellness coach, yoga teacher or personal trainer, offering your services online might be more for you. You can set up your own website with a membership structure and then automate classes or host live classes on pre-designed platforms that do all of the work for you, such as OfferingTree or Teachable. 

Who’s the Boss? 

Just like running a physical location, an online business needs to be managed and operated professionally. Will you be the boss of it all, or will you hire a team to take care of marketing emails, programming, advertising, social media platforms and payment processing? Try not to get overwhelmed here, because there are some great pre-designed platforms that help you start your online journey quickly and with ease. For now though, simply get clear about your role and what you want to take on. 

Time Management

Though your classes can run 24/7 online, your customer service usually can't. Sometimes when you have an online business it can feel like you’re handling clients 24/7. Similar to a physical location, it’s important for online teachers have specific and clearly posted business hours. During business hours you can work on administrative activities and handle customer service inquiries or hire staff to do so. The customer service hours can be different than the hours you are hosting classes, too. You don't always have to be online for customer service even if you're teaching a class after hours.

Balancing Boundaries 

Something that is usually not talked about much with teaching online is setting boundaries. Often, online teachers work from out of their home, creating a much different atmosphere compared to heading off and working at a studio.

Balancing the boundaries of your life online and off affects everything and everyone around you. Make sure you check in and make sure your boundaries are being kept while keeping communication open with those around you about when you’re working and when you're not. 

There are many things to consider when teaching online, but it certainly can be rewarding!