Udemy: Four Things That Make It Compelling
Udemy is Valuated at $2 Billion with 35 Million users as of early 2020. It is an online education site that creates a platform for the instructors to teach and students to learn. Let’s discuss the four major things that make it compelling.
1. An ample number of sample videos
You might have come across the shady pitches that sell a digital product. When they do not have a quality product, it is hard to provide samples but just promises. Udemy allows the instructors to put up sample videos that work well convincing the users.
How habit-forming is this? After all, a pitch needs to introduce the technology or the skill as quickly as possible. And when Udemy has more options for the same technology/skill, the users will start choosing between them. People can effortlessly spend an infinite amount of time (figurative speech) choosing between options before buying.
2. Facilitates Detailed Pitches
Then comes the promises. Udemy facilitates the instructors to enter details (that sell the course) in a very structured way.
If it were just a WYSIWYG editor, the instructor may not fill in as detailed as to how the above menu in the instructor’s page asks.
3. Make Instructors into brands.
Most of us like to look at ourselves in a well-presented way. This encourages us to upload more of what we see.
On the course listing page, it is not uncommon to see the instructor’s face in the thumbnail.
On the product page, instructors are given even more space to describe themselves.
They get their own page too. Designed well promoting their other products along with their social media links. Notice the bold 40px font size used for the instructor's name. It makes them feel respected.
Imagine Udemy is a physical training center. If Udemy treats its trainers really well by providing them good rooms to stay, amazing food, and an overall amazing environment, Lots of trainers would want to come work in Udemy.
But physical facilities cost money. Here Udemy by spending a good amount of virtual real estate, it almost achieves the same well-treated satisfaction from the instructors.
Also notice the numbers ‘Total students’, ‘Reviews’ and ‘My courses’. These numbers work like Likes in social media. The uncertainty of the numbers let the authors keep coming back. What sold well? — What sucked? — What will bring more numbers? As the questions are productive in nature, the instructor won’t feel guilty to keep thinking about it.
4. Testimonies (aka the part that almost closes the deal)
Featured Review
Before coming to the testimonial part, the user went through,
- Ample sample of the product. That ensures transparency of the quality. (Transparency)
- Detailed Pitch for the product. (Promises)
- Well presented Tutor information. (Legibility)
Now comes the part that has worked like charm for centuries. When we like the product already, we get confirmation biased and believe the positive review instantly. In Udemy, that is well placed with some emphasis on the background color. That sticks out well when we scroll.
Who is Jobaer Chowdhury? Does not matter. Nobody reads the name. But the words will convince us well. It is ironic but works well.
Another good thing about the featured review is that the instructor can choose among the reviews he got based on what sells the product well.
All Ratings: Not just the good ones!
In the real estate business, the brokers do one thing really well. That is giving a bad review if they do not want you to buy from anyone else.
Broker: ‘That locality is pretty bad.’
Buyer: ‘Why?’
Broker: ‘Crimes! Boo!’
The bad review can be as vague and blunt as possible. But it works like charm to stop the potential buyer from buying that.
Udemy allows us to read the bad reviews. It is a bold move but let’s see the possible outcomes by having this feature.
- The user already likes the course very much and may consciously choose not to look at bad reviews. (SOLD!)
- The user reads the bad reviews but the complaints don’t feel problematic personally. (SOLD!)
- The user finds a valid problem in the bad reviews like the course being outdated and simply unfollowable. (NOT SOLD! But the user will thank Udemy for saving them from buying that.)
Conclusion
It does not have to be necessarily innovative. It does the basics really well. By being more transparent with samples, pitching well in a detailed way, treating the tutors well, and using the testimonies in a fair fashion.
Note:
It almost reads like an ad to Udemy. Udemy can be an evil company.
