Thinkific Releases First-of-its-kind Online Learning Trends Report Revealing Key Trends in the Knowledge Economy from Top Creators

• Closing the Gap analyzes 50,000+ data points, reveals survey data polling 2,000+ US adults, and shares insights from 7-figure-earning course creators.

• Online content creation is the most popular type of business entrepreneurs aspire to launch, beating out brick and mortars, eCommerce and selling services.

• Top course creators are 400% more likely to bring in their students from other platforms or databases (e.g. Instagram, podcasts, TikTok, email lists, etc.), and 200% more likely to study how their students engage with their content.

Thinkific Labs Inc.,  the platform shaking up the knowledge economy by empowering creators to create, market and sell their online learning products, today released Closing the Gap, an online learning trends report offering a unique look at the state of the knowledge economy, its industry leaders, and what’s next.

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Closing the Gap, an online learning trends report (CNW Group/Thinkific Labs Inc.)

The report analyzes 50,000+ data points, unveils survey data polling 2,000+ US adults, and shares insights from 7-figure-earning course creators. It reveals the top tricks and trends that separate the top 20% of most successful course creators from the rest, and outlines how online content creation has quickly become the most sought after business strategy by emerging entrepreneurs.

“Course creators who are building hyper-successful online businesses aren’t doing it by accident,” said Henk Campher, Chief Marketing Officer at Thinkific. “They’re taking ownership of their audiences, creating vibrant communities, bundling complementary products and monetizing their content with innovative payment models and selling tools. With the appetite for online learning continuing to grow and more entrepreneurs than ever choosing to create online content, this report gives creators the expert insights they need to build bigger and stronger businesses that have a life-changing impact on their students,” said Campher.

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Key report findings include:

• Content is the dream – Online content creation takes top spot as the most popular business model entrepreneurs aspire to (51%), beating out selling products online (49%), providing services online (49%) or in-person (46%), or opening a brick and mortar store (39%).
• Creators want control – The most successful creators don’t limit themselves only to social media, instead they are 400% more likely to guide their audiences from such platforms into their courses. They’re also 200% more likely to study their students’ engagement. More audience control means fans become paying customers.
• Communal learning = earning – Top creators were found to be 200% more likely to create communities, lively “town squares” where students can engage with one another and their creators.
• Bundle up – Online learning has gone beyond offering one-off learning products. A whopping 85% of top creators sell multiple products or services, bundling packages to include memberships, private communities, ebooks, one-on-one coaching, physical products, and more.
• Tech is the hot ticket – The software & technology field saw the highest student demand for online learning since the start of 2020, followed by health & fitness, then arts & entertainment.

Expert insight was provided by many trailblazing course creators, each of whom has experienced standout success using the techniques highlighted in the report to engage, convert and retain students. For example:

Nina Zadeh – Co-Founder, Sidewalker Daily

Latasha James – Founder, Online Business Launch Lab

Kat Norton – Founder, Miss Excel

Chef Amanda Schonberg – Founder, Baking for Business

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