The Top 10 Most Popular Online Course Topics in 2023

10 minute read

This blog post was written in 2023. We recently wrote one for 2024, so if you are looking for relevant online course trends this year, check out this blog post: Top 10 Online Course Topic Ideas for 2024

Creating online courses can be an excellent opportunity to earn money and establish your own business online.

The online course creation business model offers several advantages, such as low start-up costs, high-profit margins, scalability, and the ability to build a business around a topic you are passionate about.

In today's article, we will discuss the best online course ideas in 2023 to inspire you for your next online course ideas.

(+ 1 Bonus New Hot Topic Idea at the End!)

Heights Platform is an online course platform, so every day, we witness thousands of creators build their online courses on the platform. This article lists the most popular online course business ideas we have seen so far, together with our projections for the future!

Looking for the right online course platform? Enjoy AI-powered features to kick-start your online course business with Heights Platform!

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So without further ado, let's see what the hottest online course topics to look out for this year are:

#1: Digital Marketing & Entrepreneurship Courses

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With the rise of online businesses and the increasing number of individuals who leave their jobs to start their own small businesses, there is a growing need for professionals with expertise in digital marketing and entrepreneurship.

Digital marketing encompasses a wide range of skills, including search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, lead generation, affiliate marketing and content creation.

Online marketing is an ever-changing field, with new tools and technologies emerging regularly. This is why online courses offer an excellent way for marketers to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices.

Online business courses about digital marketing courses allow entrepreneurs to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule, making it easier to balance work, family, and education.

Entrepreneurship is another big trend in online courses for the same reasons: more people are starting their own businesses and need guidance along the way.

We have seen a rise in online courses that teach others how to create an online course, how to start an online coaching business, an e-commerce business and so on...

If you want to see an example of an online course about entrepreneurship and course creation, we have created our own! In "T-30: Launch Your Course in 30 Days", we teach aspiring online course creators how they can build and launch a successful online course in less than a month:

#2: Meditation & Mindset Courses

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Meditation and mindset are two of the fastest-growing topics in online learning. These types of online courses offer individuals practical tools and techniques to manage stress and anxiety, cultivate a positive mindset, and improve their overall well-being.

One of the main reasons for the growth of meditation and mindset online courses is the increased focus on mental health. In recent years, we have seen a growing awareness of the importance of mental health, and people are seeking convenient ways to reduce stress and anxiety in their daily lives.

Online courses seem to be the perfect medium for these kinds of topics, as they offer individuals the convenience of learning from anywhere, making it easier for people to access the learning content regardless of their location.

Such courses can help individuals better understand themselves, their emotions, and their spirituality. By cultivating mindfulness and a positive mindset, individuals can develop greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and resilience, which can benefit them in all areas of their lives.

#3: Finance & Investing Courses

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In the third place in this list, we find online courses about finance and online investments.

The reasons for this trend include the increasing complexity of financial markets, the rise of online trading platforms, and the growing interest in personal finance and investing.

With the proliferation of new financial products and services, such as cryptocurrencies, and the increased accessibility to trading, it has become more challenging for individuals to understand and navigate the financial landscape.

Online finance courses allow students to learn about these markets and how to make informed decisions about their money.

In recent years, we have also witnessed an increase in the accessibility of online trading platforms. Now almost everyone can start investing in the stock market or trade cryptocurrencies from any part of the world, and with a relatively small investment compared to what was required in the past.

Last but not least, due to the current precarious global economic situation fueled by the last pandemic, many people now realize the importance of having strong financial knowledge and the need to take control of their money.

With this increased accessibility and awareness comes the need for education and training. An online personal finance course provides individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to invest wisely and manage their portfolios effectively.

Many of these courses also provide insights into the psychology of money, helping individuals develop a healthy and sustainable relationship with their finances.

#4: Creative Arts and Crafts Courses

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Arts and crafts have always been popular hobbies for people of all ages. In today's fast-paced world, many individuals are looking for ways to disconnect from technology and find a more hands-on way to relax.

We are seeing a renewed interest in traditional arts and crafts like knitting, crocheting, and embroidery, as well as a growing interest in more modern crafts like hand-lettering and calligraphy and the more classic drawing and painting courses.

Thanks to social media, online platforms and online courses, today, it has become extremely easy for anyone to take up a new hobby from the comfort of their home.

Many arts & crafts online courses today even offer kits and materials that can be delivered directly to the student's doorstep, making it easier for individuals to get started on a new arts and crafts project.

But arts & crafts courses are not only meant for people who want to take up a new hobby. They are also becoming a valuable resource for people who want to start a business selling their art.

With the rise of e-commerce platforms like Etsy, more and more people are turning their artistic passion into a viable business. Online courses in arts and crafts provide individuals with the knowledge and skills they need to create high-quality handmade products that can be sold online or simply made as a hobby.

#5: Fitness Courses

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Fitness courses are not a new trend, but they continue to be among the most popular online course topics out there.

With busy schedules and limited free time, many people find it difficult to attend traditional fitness classes or work with a personal trainer in person. The Covid-19 pandemic also kickstarted the online fitness trend.

Online fitness programs offer the flexibility of working out at any time and in any location, making it easier for individuals to fit physical exercise into their busy lives.

This category includes a variety of fitness topics, from Yoga, Pilates, weight-loss exercises, and kickboxing, to more traditional disciplines and so on...

A huge advantage of these courses is their accessibility and cost. Fitness online courses offer a more affordable alternative, with many courses available for a fraction of the cost of traditional in-person classes.

#6: Web Design & Web Development Courses

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The increasing importance of having a digital presence has made web development an essential skill for many individuals and businesses.

As a result, there is a growing demand for web developers and web designers who can create and maintain websites and web applications.

These kinds of online courses are a great way for people to learn more about web development, web design or data science, start their own businesses, or even advance their careers. In fact, this knowledge is becoming increasingly demanded in the job market.

The huge demand for web design or web development online courses makes it easy for an online course creators to charge a high price for their programs, as they could help students get a high-paying job or start a profitable business.

#7: Personal Development Courses

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Personal development online courses focus on helping individuals to improve their skills, knowledge, and behaviors to achieve their goals and reach their full potential in life or business.

With the rise of digital technologies, these online courses have become increasingly popular as they offer a convenient and accessible way for individuals to learn and improve themselves.

Online personal development courses cover a range of topics, such as time management, communication skills, leadership, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and self-care.

In today's fast-paced and competitive world, people need to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to changing circumstances, and personal development courses offer a way to do so.

#8: Content Creation Courses (Video Editing, Creative Writing, Etc...)

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The rise of social media platforms, long and short video content and blogs have created a huge demand for content creators who can produce high-quality and engaging content.

A content creation online course can cover a range of topics, such as video editing, video creation, creative writing, blogging, social media content creation, and graphic design.

One of the reasons why content creation is a growing online course topic is that businesses and individuals are recognizing the importance of creating high-quality content to attract and engage audiences. With so much competition in the digital space, creating compelling content is essential for building a loyal following and establishing a strong online presence.

Content creation courses are also so popular because these skills can be applied in a range of industries, from marketing and advertising to journalism and entertainment.

#9: Holistic Healing Courses

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One online course topic we keep seeing - at least among our customers - is healing, spirituality and holistic courses.

This trend comes from the need that many people have to improve their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

One of the main reasons for the growth of healing and spirituality online courses is the desire for personal growth and self-improvement.

There is also an increased interest in alternative and holistic healing methods. Many people are seeking natural and non-invasive approaches to healing and are turning to modalities such as meditation and yoga.

Healing, spirituality and wellness courses offer individuals practical tools and techniques to manage stress, practice meditation, cultivate a positive mindset, and improve their overall mental health.

#10: Lifestyle Courses

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This last category covers a wide range of topics, such as travel courses, beauty courses, home improvement courses, food and cooking courses, language courses, pet care courses and more.

These online courses provide individuals with the tools and techniques they need to improve their lifestyles and explore new interests.

One of the reasons why lifestyle courses are growing in popularity is that individuals are increasingly interested in self-improvement and discovering new experiences.

With the rise of social media, people are exposed to a wide range of lifestyles and experiences, which can inspire them to explore new interests and learn new skills.

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While we haven't seen a huge number of courses around this topic yet, we believe that it will be a predominant trend in the next years in online learning.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the process of creating machines that can mimic and perform tasks that usually require human intelligence, such as decision-making, speech recognition, and visual activities. While most people previously thought that AI wouldn't be able to assist humans with creative subjects and tasks, we're now finding out that it almost seems like the opposite is true and that AI excels at helping us write, brainstorm, design, and more.

The rise of AI tools is taking over the internet, and creators are finding ways to use these new technologies to improve their daily business tasks and save time.

The problem is while these tools are now widely available to the general public, not everyone knows the best way to use them.

A profitable online course idea could be to teach others how to use AI to best improve the efficiency and output of their daily tasks in life and business.

As there are not yet many AI courses like this out there, now could be a great time to create an online course about this!

P.S. Did you now that now you can use AI to create your online course?

Heights Platform has developed multiple AI tools to help online course creators build and launch a profitable business!

Here is what the Heights AI can do:

✍️ Create an entire online course for you: Easily generate an online course in minutes and receive feedback on your idea. The AI can craft a course title, lesson outline, course description, and even pick a cover image, all automatically built in your account.

💬 Chat & answer your questions: ask the AI anything about how to use Heights Platform and online course creation. The AI can help you with everything from coming up with a winning course idea, to promoting your business online and reach your ideal students!

📈 The AI is Your Business Coach (NEW): Get a personalized action plan made by an AI Coach to help you reach your business goals. Every week, this AI coach autonomously sends you new tasks to complete, according to your needs and goals.

🧠 The AI is Your Personal Assistant: Transform the Heights AI into your personal AI assistant by providing text commands for product edits. Whether you need to adjust the price of your online course, publish it, enable a landing page for your online challenge, or execute other commands, the AI swiftly carries out your instructions.

🔍 Analyze your web page SEO: The AI can help you refine your SEO and optimize your pages so they show up higher on Google searches! Try this our on the web page builder.

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Have you found your next profitable online course ideas?

There is no better time to start selling online courses!

You can create online courses using Heights Platform with our free trial (no credit card required!)

Post Topics: Build and Promote Your Course

The Top 10 Most Popular Online Course Topics in 2023

Top 10 Most Popular Online Course Topics in 2023

(+ 1 Bonus New Hot Topic Idea at the End!)