What Comes First: Build Your Audience or Build Your Course?

Are you waiting to launch your YouTube channel until your course is ready? Or holding off on creating your course until your channel reaches a certain subscriber count? I have great news – you can stop stressing over which comes first!

In this post, I’ll explain why either path can lead to a thriving online business with consistent course sales. The key is understanding the three critical components that MUST be in place, whether you focus on audience-building or course creation first. Let’s dive in!

It’s Not About Doing It “Right” – It’s About Moving Forward

Here’s the truth: There isn’t one “right” way. Building your audience first and creating your course first are both paths headed toward the same destination – a successful business with steady revenue.

Even if you take some wrong turns or hit roadblocks, as long as you’re taking action and learning along the way, you’re on the right track. What matters is having these three elements in place:

Offering a solution people already want
Getting your offer in front of enough people
Building your email list

Discover What Your Audience is Already Searching For

Whether you’re creating free content to grow your audience or paid content for your course, it needs to provide a solution to a problem your ideal customers already know they have.

Instead of trying to convince people they need what you’re offering, do your research to uncover what they’re actively searching for. Build your content and course around that, and you’ll be giving them exactly what they want!

Use Your Numbers to Tell the Full Story

It’s easy to fixate on metrics like subscriber count or course sales and think “this isn’t working” if they’re not as high as you’d like. But those results don’t show the full picture!

To really understand what’s working (and what’s not), you need to look at the complete set of numbers. If you made one course sale but only five people saw your sales page, that’s actually a great conversion rate! Your job is to get more eyeballs on that page.

Even if math isn’t your thing, embracing a few key metrics will help you make smart decisions to grow your business. The numbers are telling a story – make sure you’re following along!

Your Email List is Your Long-Term Success Strategy

Whether you’re team “audience-first” or “course-first,” building your email list should be a top priority. It allows you to stay connected with your audience and promote your offerings to warm leads.

In fact, 92% of the sales from my YouTube funnel come from my email follow-up sequence! And with YouTube, you can optimize your channel and videos to build your list while you sleep. It’s a win-win!

Build a YouTube Funnel That Sells Your Course on Autopilot

Are you ready to say goodbye to exhausting live launches and instead generate consistent revenue from YouTube 24/7? My YouTube Funnel System shows you exactly how to create an evergreen funnel that sells your course on autopilot.

To learn more, check out Episode 1 of The Video Brand Infusion Podcast, where I break it all down. And don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube for more tips to help you thrive as a content and course creator!

If you have an online business with a course, program, or any other kind of offer, and you’re not currently generating consistent sales on autopilot, I’d like to introduce you to the hands off youtube funnel that has made me over $20k on a $147 course! That way, you too can make consistent sales of your offer, with the beauty and simplicity of organic, evergreen traffic from YouTube! Start here with my free “AIT Method” training.