How to Find Your Niche as a Course Creator
So, you’ve decided to create an online course, but now you’re stuck on a seemingly impossible question: What’s my niche? It’s like choosing a flavor of ice cream at a shop with 200 options—overwhelming, right? One minute, you’re convinced you’ll teach watercolor painting, and the next, you think, Maybe cryptocurrency trading is where it’s at? (Pro tip: Probably not both.)
Finding the right niche isn’t just about what’s trendy—it’s about aligning your skills, interests, and audience needs. If you’ve been going in circles trying to figure out what makes the most sense for you, don’t worry. I’ve got a few practical tips to help you narrow things down, plus a bit of humor to keep you sane along the way.
Step 1: Start with what you Know (or love)
You’ve probably heard the advice, “Teach what you know,” but I’d also argue: “Teach what you love.” Sure, you could create a course about supply chain logistics if you know it well, but if the thought of recording lessons on it makes you want to crawl under your desk, it’s probably not the right niche for you.
Here’s the trick: Write down a list of topics you know and enjoy. These don’t have to be things you’d typically think of as “educational.” Love gardening? That’s a niche. Good at writing business emails? That’s another. Once you have your list, look for overlap between what you’re good at and what you enjoy teaching.
Pro Tip: Your passion will shine through in your course. Students can tell when someone’s just going through the motions, and nothing kills engagement faster than a bored instructor
Step 2: Check Demand before Diving in
It’s great to be passionate about a topic, but your niche also needs to attract paying students. (Unless, of course, you’re planning to launch a passion project for free—no judgment.) The key is to find a balance between what you want to teach and what people are actively searching for.
How to Check Demand:
Search for similar courses on platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, or Teachable. Are they popular?
Use tools like Google Trends or AnswerThePublic to see what questions people are asking in your niche.
Browse Facebook groups or Reddit communities to see if people are discussing the topic.
Quick Story:
One of my clients once built an entire course on the art of… folding laundry. Yeah, turns out, not many people wanted to pay for that knowledge (though I personally found it fascinating). We tweaked the idea to focus on home organization strategies, and suddenly, people were signing up like crazy.
Pro Tip: You don’t need to be the only person teaching your topic—competition is a good sign! Just find a way to offer a unique spin on what’s already out there.
Step 3: Identify Your Ideal Student
Even the best course idea will struggle if it’s aimed at the wrong audience. Knowing who you want to teach is just as important as knowing what you want to teach. If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll likely appeal to no one.
How to Narrow It Down:
Ask yourself: Who will benefit most from my course?
Define your students' pain points. What problem are they trying to solve?
Think about your students’ skill level—are they total beginners, or do they have some prior knowledge?
Quick Thought Experiment:
Imagine you’re creating a course about cooking. Are you teaching college students how to make affordable meals with five ingredients, or are you aiming for food enthusiasts who want to learn molecular gastronomy? Both are great niches—but they’re very different audiences.
Pro Tip: Once you identify your ideal student, speak directly to them in your course description. When students feel like a course was made just for them, they’re more likely to enroll.
The bottom line
Finding your niche as a course creator doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with what you know and love, make sure there’s demand, and focus on a specific group of students who will benefit the most from your course. Your niche doesn’t need to be wildly unique—it just needs to be something you’re excited to teach and that resonates with your target audience.
Still struggling to find your perfect niche? Let’s chat! Book a free consultation with me, and I’ll help you brainstorm, organize, and narrow down your ideas so you can confidently get started on your course journey.
