How To Name An Online Course
Learn how to create a compelling course name that targets specific needs, evokes emotion, and clarifies purpose.
You’ve done the research to define your “target” audience, and what their “specific” need is. We also looked at how to create learning objectives. So now let’s apply this thinking to giving your course a name.
We'll show you how to properly name an online course so that it is not only brandable, but also memorable.
After training thousands of people from all walks of life I have learnt how to simply create enjoyable experience to fill learning needs. Let's take the opportunity to create awesome online courses and make a positive impact on people's lives.
- Course names should address specific needs and target audience goals directly.
- Use emotionally persuasive words to evoke desired feelings about course outcomes.
- Keep course names concise (around three words), with an objective-focused subheading.
- Naming clarifies course purpose, guiding content development and learner expectations.
Now you want your course name to entice your audience to go from “i got a need” to “this course will fill my need”.
Let’s start with the overall course learning objective. Which is “At the end of this course you will be able to “do” something” So that might be “paint a portrait” or “compose a song”.
Now “paint a portrait” is not a very targeted or specific objective. Remember you have a “target” audience and they have a “specific” need.
I know my target audience want to paint portraits …but I also know they want to do this digitally on their iPads. So maybe something like “Create portrait paintings on your iPad” is a better objective.
You also want to trigger an emotional response… to give them a taste of what it will “feel” like to complete the course.
If you understand the emotional reasons your audience would want to do the course, then you can articulate what that journey would feel like.
It might be out of greed so use words like rich or value. If it’s out of curiosity use words like secret or unlock.
It could be to reduce their effort so you might use worlds like quick or blueprint. Maybe it’s just vanity so words like genius or success could suit.
If they want to feel trust words like authentic or genuine would be good. It may even be a negative emotion that they feel now but the course will remove, so you might use
words like broke or fear.
I find using a thesaurus helps me come up with the right words for an emotional response.
For the portrait painting course I want my potential students to know by the end of the course their portraits will be the most beautiful they have ever made. So I might include words of encouragement like stunning or incredible.
Perhaps a more emotive course learning objective would be “Create stunning portrait paintings on your iPad”.
Now a course learning objective is a bit long for a course name.
A name should be around 3 words but an objective will work well as a one liner sub heading to the name as it gives some details of the positive outcome and value.
For the name I can use a few of the same words…but I also want to indicate that it is a pretty comprehensive course that with take someone from beginner to expert.
So for a name, maybe I’d go with “iPad Portrait Painter Masterclass” with the sub heading as “Create stunning portrait paintings on your iPad”. I think that’d work.
Action For You
A good name and one liner combination will clearly state the gap your course is filling, sprinkled with a touch of emotional persuasion.
Naming your course now will force you to think through what your course is really about, and will serve as the destination that everything you create from here on in will lead to.
Give your course a name and one liner description
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