Over the past few years, online courses have become popular with content creators and learners alike. So many people flock to online courses to learn a variety of topics, like how to make sourdough bread, how to balance a budget, or how to change grown daffodils. Online courses are all the rage, and it’s time for you to get in the game.

Depending on your areas of expertise, online course topics can vary widely. From arts and crafts to business and technology, there’s a niche for just about everything. Once you’ve decided an online course is right for you, do some research to explore who might want to take your course and whether or not there’s any demand for your course topic.

If you need inspiration for your next course, look at these 15 successful online course ideas.  

1. Coding 

One of the most sought-after skills in the job marketplace is coding. With an online coding course, you can help folks develop a skill set that improves their access to new opportunities.  

So many people make careers out of coding certain programming languages, so why not teach it? From Python to HTML/CSS, from Javascript to SQL, use your own know-how to make money and help others.

2. Cooking 

There’s a reason cooking shows are so popular – people love food! An online course about cooking could focus on a specific culture, a holiday feast, different techniques, or special occasions. 

You could also teach students how to cook with whole foods, or have them cook with different kinds of spices. From gluten-free to keto, the sky’s the limit on specialty diets, too. 

3. Marketing

Successful marketing doesn’t happen on its own – people need to learn how. There are many different channels to explore with marketing: digital, content, social media, email, and more. 

Students could be learning about SEO, analytics, display advertising, copywriting, or paid search. You can easily expand your own knowledge base, too, in order to deliver a full marketing course experience.

4. Software 

Software is another example of a niche that exists because trial and error does not work for this kind of learning. People need direction and guidance to learn to use popular software products, especially if there is a steep learning curve. An online course on software like Salesforce, Microsoft Excel, or Adobe Photoshop would work well as a micro-credential, too. 

5. Arts and crafts 

Not every online course has to be serious or career-oriented. Arts and crafts are fun and engaging, and people enjoy learning new ways to put their creativity to work. Course subtopics might include sewing, drawing, painting, knitting, calligraphy, fashion, 3-D printing, photography, and more.

6. Home Improvement

We all want the best for our homes, so courses about home improvement are popular. Many folks want to learn how to do things on their own, like interior design, staging, exterior decorating, lighting construction, painting, flooring, accent walls, and beyond. What skills do you have when it comes to home improvement? Pass those along to your students for profit!  

7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

AI is here to stay, and now there are many powerful AI tools for tasks like content creation, editing, image generation, and note-taking. 

With this online course idea, you can teach people how to write effective prompts, how to use AI tools for certain outcomes, or how to choose AI tools. This kind of course can also be combined with software courses or another topic to enrich students’ learning.

8. Health and wellness 

How to be your best self will always be a hot topic for online courses. This includes physical and mental health, wellness, and fitness. 

Instructors can offer courses about how to improve overall health or focus on strength or cardio. Courses could be focused on teaching students how to properly do activities like yoga, running, swimming, weightlifting, Pilates, and martial arts. Alternatively, the course could focus more on broader approaches to self-care and mental health routines.

9. Design

How are you at designing websites, apps, and web pages? If you have the skills, this is a great niche to explore for online courses. Subtopics could include designing logos, vector graphics, illustrations, print materials, and more.

This is another course that could be combined with other courses on specific software or programming languages to enhance students’ understanding and application.

10. Musical instruments 

This online course idea speaks for itself. If you each can play an instrument, consider showing others how to do the same. 

Think about the level of skill your students need to obtain before the course starts – is your course for beginners, or are you looking for experts? You can offer courses for specific instruments like piano, guitar, violin, drums, and more. You could also explore musical theory and the history of a specific genre.

11. Language 

Apps and programs that teach languages only go so far. An online course to teach certain languages like English, Spanish, French, Chinese, or Arabic offers students the chance to interact with an actual teacher. As an added bonus, teaching a language helps keep it fresh in your own mind if it’s a language you do not speak regularly. 

12. Writing 

Strong written communication is a desirable and valuable skill for professionals in many industries. An online course about writing can be broken down into different kinds of writing tasks like copywriting, academic writing, blogs, editing, and novels.

To take this course idea a step further, you can target a specific genre or audience. You can address tone, style, and voice or cover focus, meaning, purpose, and point. Build from your own store of knowledge and go from there!

13. Personal Finance  

Financial advising, personal budgeting, debt management, and more: There are plenty of subtopics to explore in an online course for personal finance. Helping people understand and handle their own money is powerful, and folks genuinely need this kind of information. 

Tailor your course to a specific audience, like young adults and college students or retirees, to avoid offering too broad a course.

14. Entrepreneurship 

If you’re considering running an online course, you already know a bit about being an entrepreneur. You could teach students how to generate new ideas for businesses or products, how to conduct market research, how to manage marketing and sales, and more. It takes a lot to be a successful entrepreneur, and folks want to know the ins and outs.

15. Business Growth 

Small business owners need to know about selling, marketing, networking, growing a team, accounting, and mastering more business needs. How can you guide and instruct others in these vital skills? Think through the best ways to help small business owners and pull together a course that addresses those needs.

Start an online business with LearnDash LMS 

Online learning is in demand, and it’s not going away any time soon. Remember to consider your own passions and skills when deciding on a topic for your online course, and stick with your strengths. 

Once you have your topic squared away, pick a platform for your online course. It’s easy with LearnDash. LearnDash LMS offers endless possibilities: Create a course for whatever topic you want using features like the drag and drop course builder, AI course outline builder, dynamic content delivery, and more. 

Explore the LearnDash demo to discover the features and capabilities of this powerful LMS!