Skip to content
Blurbay

Earn Money from Udemy for Social Media Creators

A practical, scannable playbook for creators and side hustlers who want to make real money on Udemy. You’ll learn how Udemy pays, which topics tend to do well, a simple course build-and-launch plan, promotion tactics that actually move the needle, quick success stories, and FAQs. We’ll also compare Udemy to selling on BlurBay so you can pick the right model for your business.

Can you actually make money on Udemy?

Short answer: yes, but results are uneven and depend on your topic, quality, and promotion. Independent breakdowns show:

These numbers are meant to calibrate your expectations—not to discourage you. Treat Udemy as a marketplace channel with strong built‑in demand and price-sensitive buyers. It can be a solid side hustle and, with the right catalog and promotion, a meaningful revenue stream.

Udemy course promotion and marketplace sale graphic showing online learning promotion

How Udemy payments and revenue splits work

Udemy is clear about who gets paid, when, and how the revenue is split. Always check their official terms before you publish.

  • Revenue share (Marketplace)

    • Organic Udemy sales and paid advertising by Udemy: instructors typically receive 37% of the sale price (net of taxes and certain fees).
    • Instructor coupon/referral: when a student buys using your coupon or referral link, you receive 97% (net) of the sale price.
    • Mobile app stores: if the sale occurs via a mobile app, store fees may apply before revenue share.
    • Source: see Udemy’s official page on Instructor Revenue Share.

  • Udemy Business (subscription pool)

  • Payment methods and timing

    • Common methods include PayPal, Payoneer, and direct deposit (availability varies by country).
    • Payouts usually occur monthly after a 30‑day refund window closes.
    • Source: see Instructor Payment Methods and Timing.

Tip: Optimize for the 97% referral share on your social channels and email list. Think of Udemy’s 37% organic share as the “marketplace tax” for discovery.

What course topics make the most money on Udemy?

There is no official “top earners list” per category that guarantees results. However, patterns across the marketplace show high demand in:

  • Tech and programming (Python, JavaScript, web dev)
  • IT certifications (AWS, Azure, CompTIA, Cisco)
  • Data and AI (SQL, data analysis, machine learning)
  • Business skills (project management, Scrum, Excel)
  • Design and marketing (Figma, Adobe, SEO, ads)
  • Personal development (communication, productivity, public speaking)

Validate your niche with Udemy’s built‑in research tool:

  • Use Marketplace Insights to check demand, competition, and price expectations before you invest time.

Evergreen lesson: Don’t chase “hot” keywords without proof. Look for the overlap between what you can teach credibly, what the market wants, and where you can be demonstrably better or faster to value than existing courses.

Step-by-step: create and launch your first Udemy course

Goal: ship a credible MVP course in 21–30 days, then iterate based on student feedback.

  1. Pick your course angle (2–3 days)
  • Use Marketplace Insights to find demand and gaps.
  • Position your course with a specific outcome (e.g., “Build your first React app in 7 days” vs “React for Beginners”).
  • Write a 1‑paragraph promise and 3–5 measurable outcomes.
  1. Outline and sample lessons (2–3 days)
  • Draft 8–12 modules; each module 3–7 short lessons (5–10 minutes).
  • Script only your intro, complex lessons, and conclusion; bullet the rest to stay fast.
  1. Record lean but clear (5–7 days)
  • Gear: a decent USB mic, screen recorder, and quiet room are enough to start.
  • Record lesson batches; aim for clear audio and clean screens.
  • Add one or two practical projects and downloadable files.

Content creator video setup at home with camera, ring light and laptop for recording Udemy course lessons

  1. Edit and package (3–4 days)
  • Trim silence, add simple lower-thirds, and insert chapter markers.
  • Create a strong course thumbnail and a compelling preview video (2–3 minutes of your best lessons).
  1. Publish with SEO basics (1 day)
  • Title: outcome + keyword (e.g., “Python for Data Jobs: Build 5 Real Projects”).
  • Subtitle: clarify the audience and tools.
  • Description: scannable bullets, outcomes, who it’s for, and what’s included.
  1. Seed social proof (first 7–14 days)
  • Offer 5–20 free or discounted seats to peers who will actually take the course and leave honest reviews.
  • Add two quick wins early in the course so students feel value and rate you higher.
  1. Iterate fast (ongoing)
  • Answer Q&A within 24–48 hours.
  • Update FAQs inside the course.
  • Add one new lesson each month to keep the course “alive.”

Optional time/cost ranges to ship a scrappy but credible first course:

  • Time: 25–50 hours total.
  • Cost: $0–$300 (mic + simple design assets). Many creators start near-zero using free tools.

Promotion tactics that reliably work

Prioritize what compounds over time and increases your 97% share.

  • Own your traffic

    • Build a simple landing page and collect emails. Announce launches and updates.
    • Create a lead magnet aligned to the course (e.g., checklist, starter template).

  • Social media system

    • Post short, “aha” clips from your lessons 3–5 times/week.
    • Pin your course link with a limited-time coupon to drive the 97% revenue share.
    • Collaborate with peers to co‑teach mini-lessons or swap shoutouts.

  • First 100 students plan

    • Offer a launch coupon to your audience for 72 hours.
    • Give out a handful of free seats to newsletter subscribers who promise feedback.
    • Ask for honest reviews after students complete 30–50% of the course.

  • Content around your course

    • Write 2–3 blog posts that rank for adjacent search terms.
    • Answer 5–10 questions on forums and communities weekly with value-first replies (link your coupon only when relevant).

  • Retention and cross‑sell

    • Add a “Next Steps” lecture to promote your next course or a bundle.
    • Run occasional update announcements to re‑engage students.

  • Uplevel with credibility

    • Add case studies and student wins in the description.
    • Include a certificate of completion (Udemy provides) and portfolio-ready projects.

Remember: Your long-term upside grows when you combine Udemy discovery (37% share) with owned channels pushing referral coupons (97% share).

Quick success stories and real examples

Independent roundups highlight both upside and concentration at the top:

Evergreen lesson: Treat Udemy as a distribution channel. Build a system that turns students into email subscribers and converts them into long-term customers for your broader product ladder.

FAQs

Udemy vs selling on BlurBay (fast comparison)

Udemy

  • Pros: built‑in marketplace demand, reviews/social proof, SEO reach, trust.
  • Cons: marketplace pricing pressure, revenue share on organic sales, limited ownership of the customer relationship.

BlurBay

  • Pros: keep control of pricing and packaging, sell in multiple formats (courses, subscriptions, pay‑per‑view videos, e‑books, live events), build a paid community, and own the direct relationship.
  • Ideal when: you already have—or plan to build—an audience and want direct sales, bundles, and recurring revenue via subscriptions.

What you can do on BlurBay today:

  • Sell online courses and drip lessons to increase completion and LTV.
  • Offer subscriptions to a premium content feed or community.
  • Run pay‑per‑view for workshops or replays; see our guide on how to sell pay per view videos online.
  • Sell files and e‑books alongside your videos and courses.
  • Host live events and group sessions with paid access.

Evergreen strategy: Start on Udemy for discovery and proof, then add BlurBay for direct, higher‑margin monetization across subscriptions, PPV, and bundles. This blends marketplace reach with business ownership.

Extra: country‑specific earning guides and niche plays

A simple, repeatable system

  • Ship quickly: Launch a “good enough” first course in 3–4 weeks.
  • Own your audience: Collect emails; promote using 97% referral coupons.
  • Multiply assets: Turn lessons into short social clips, blog posts, and lead magnets.
  • Stack offers: Add advanced courses, bundles, and on BlurBay—subscriptions, PPV, and live sessions.
  • Keep improving: Update monthly, answer Q&A, and capture student wins as proof.

Content is a product. Treat Udemy as distribution and BlurBay as your storefront. Combine both to grow revenue, control, and long‑term brand equity.