Turn Any Topic Into a Sellable Course in 6 Steps

Full walkthrough: prompts, modules, scripts and quizzes to finally start filming your course.

Turning an idea into an online course can feel like climbing a mountain exciting at first, but overwhelming fast.

Many creators turn to AI tools to simplify the process, yet without the right techniques, AI can actually make things harder, leaving you stuck with generic content that doesn’t resonate.

The secret?
Treat AI as your co-pilot, not an autopilot.

With the right approach, you’ll smoothly transform your idea into a valuable, engaging course, personalised precisely to your audience’s needs.

Ready? Let’s dive in!

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Inspired by Ali Abdaal’s Course Creation Process
Ali Abdaal is a leading creator in productivity & practical teaching.
8M+ followers • $5M+ course sales
Proven frameworks that work.

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Getting Started

You’ll need:

• Access to any AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any other LLM).

• A general idea of your course area or topic.

• (Optional) Resources bookmarked, videos saved, articles for inspiration.

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▸ Step 1:

Choose & Refine Your Course Idea

A clear, niche idea attracts the exact audience you want and ensures your course meets genuine market demand.

Step 1 (Option A): If You Don’t Have a Clear Idea

Note : Always niche down. Don’t choose broad topics like “How to use AI.” Instead, go for focused, specific topics like “How to use AI for video editing,” or “How to write better blogs with AI.”

Detailed prompt:

You're an expert online course creator.

I want to build a course but don't have a clear idea yet.

Search the internet and suggest 5 niche, specific course topics
related to [Your General Interest Area].

For each topic:
• Clearly describe the exact audience who needs it
• Identify their primary pain points
• Briefly explain why this course would be valuable right now

→ Choose one of the suggested ideas, then proceed.

Step 1 (Option B): If You Already Have an Idea

Note : Refine your existing idea by narrowing it down to solve a very specific, clearly-defined audience problem. Specificity makes your course irresistible.

Prompt to refine your idea:

You’re an experienced market analyst and course creator.

Take my course idea: [Your Course Idea]

Refine it into a clearly-defined, niche topic.

Search the internet to verify real market demand.

Then, tell me:
• The exact audience
• Their main pain point
• Why they would eagerly pay for this course

This step ensures your course is focused, niche, and exactly what your audience needs.

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▸ Step 2:

Create a Captivating Course Title & Subtitle

Your course title is your hook.
It helps people:

• Instantly understand what they’ll learn

• Discover your course via search

• Know why it’s worth enrolling

A strong title also boosts your discoverability, making sure people find your course easily.

Prompt for generating an engaging title/subtitle:

You’re a creative marketing expert.

My course topic is: [Refined Course Idea from Step 1]

Suggest 5 captivating titles, each with a compelling subtitle.

Every title should:
• Instantly convey value
• Be clear, memorable, and SEO-friendly
• Make the benefit obvious to the learner

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▸ Step 3:

Generate a Detailed Course Module Outline

The course module outline is your entire course’s roadmap.

It gives you a clear structure of:

• Every topic you’ll cover

• How each module connects logically

• How many videos or lessons you’ll likely need

This outline keeps your course:

• Organized

• Easy to follow

• Smooth from start to finish both for you and your students

Detailed prompt for your course modules: