What is Skillshare and How Do You Make a Living on It?
- Skillshare is an online learning platform for creators and educators.
- Earn through royalties based on watch time for your courses.
- Use affiliate marketing to promote Skillshare memberships.
- Sell ebooks, templates, and coaching services alongside courses.
- Engage with students to build a loyal following and increase income.
What is Skillshare?
Skillshare is an online learning platform that enables educators, artists, and professionals to create and sell courses on various topics, including art, design, technology, business, and personal development.
Unlike traditional educational platforms, Skillshare operates on a subscription-based model. Students pay a monthly fee to access all available courses. The platform provides a great opportunity for creators to monetize their expertise, build an audience, and develop a sustainable teaching business.
Key Features of Skillshare:
- Royalties Based on Watch Time – Earn money based on the number of minutes students watch your courses.
- Affiliate Marketing Opportunities – Earn commissions by promoting other Skillshare courses and memberships.
- Student Community Engagement – Interact with students, provide feedback, and build a loyal audience.
- Multiple Course Categories – Teach anything from graphic design to coding, writing, and entrepreneurship.
- Course Creation Tools – Skillshare provides an easy-to-use interface for uploading videos, assignments, and downloadable resources.
- Networking & Growth – Expand your influence as an educator and leverage Skillshare to build credibility.
- Cross-Promotion with Other Educators – Collaborate with fellow instructors to expand reach and increase enrollments.
- Regular Payouts – Monthly royalty distributions based on total watch time and student engagement.
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How to Make a Living on Skillshare
Skillshare provides multiple revenue opportunities for educators looking to monetize their knowledge and skills.
Here are the most effective ways to earn money on the platform:
1. Earning Royalties Based on Watch Time
Skillshare compensates instructors based on the total minutes premium members watch their content. This means engaging, high-quality courses can generate steady passive income over time.
Best Practices for Maximizing Royalties:
- Create high-quality, engaging video courses with structured lessons and clear objectives.
- Offer practical projects, exercises, and assignments to increase student retention and engagement.
- Encourage students to watch full lessons and complete projects to maximize earnings.
- Optimize video titles, descriptions, and thumbnails for better discoverability and search ranking.
- Consistently release new courses and update existing content to maintain and grow watch time.
- Leverage course trailers and previews to attract more enrollments.
Example: A graphic designer publishes a Logo Design Masterclass, earning monthly royalties as students complete lessons and engage with assignments.
2. Earning Through Skillshare’s Affiliate Program
Skillshare offers an affiliate program, allowing educators, influencers, and content creators to promote Skillshare memberships and earn commissions.
How to Succeed with Skillshare’s Affiliate Program:
- Share referral links on social media, YouTube, personal websites, and blogs.
- Create content that showcases Skillshare’s value to new users, such as comparison articles, tutorials, and case studies.
- Offer exclusive insights or discount codes to encourage sign-ups through your referral links.
- Track performance using Skillshare’s affiliate analytics tools to optimize strategy.
- Pair affiliate promotions with free trial offers to attract new students.
- Include Skillshare course recommendations in relevant blog posts, YouTube videos, and email newsletters.
Example: A YouTuber reviewing online learning platforms shares a Skillshare referral link and earns commissions for every new sign-up.
3. Selling Additional Educational Resources
Skillshare allows instructors to promote their external courses, books, templates, coaching services, and consulting within their classes.
Best Ways to Sell Additional Resources:
- Mention eBooks, templates, or premium resources in course descriptions and lectures.
- Offer students discounted access to personalized coaching or consulting services.
- Cross-promote courses on Skillshare, Udemy, Teachable, and personal websites.
- Use lead magnets (free downloadable guides) to collect student emails for future sales.
- Promote one-on-one mentoring sessions or group workshops for personalized training.
Example: A business coach offers exclusive workbooks and one-on-one mentorship outside Skillshare, generating extra income from existing students.
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4. Growing an Audience & Expanding Reach
Skillshare enables instructors to build a following, increasing their earning potential and credibility.
How to Build an Engaged Audience:
- Engage with students through class discussions, personalized feedback, and Q&A sessions.
- Promote courses on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for additional exposure.
- Encourage students to leave reviews, ratings, and testimonials to attract more sign-ups.
- Participate in Skillshare’s educator events and discussion forums to build your network.
- Offer behind-the-scenes insights on course creation to spark interest and curiosity.
- Utilize email marketing campaigns to stay in touch with students and offer exclusive deals.
Example: A photographer teaches editing techniques on Skillshare and then expands their audience by promoting courses on Instagram and YouTube.
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5. Repurposing Content for Additional Revenue Streams
Instructors can repurpose Skillshare courses into different formats for extra income and broader audience reach.
How to Repurpose Course Content:
- Upload select lessons to YouTube with affiliate links to drive traffic to Skillshare.
- Convert lessons into eBooks or PDFs and sell them on Amazon Kindle or Gumroad.
- Offer live coaching sessions to Skillshare students for personalized guidance.
- Use excerpts for blog posts, LinkedIn articles, or social media marketing.
- Sell full-length courses on Udemy, Teachable, or other e-learning platforms.
Example: A marketing expert repackages Skillshare content into an eBook and sells it on Amazon Kindle.
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6. Collaborating with Other Educators & Brands
Building connections with other educators and partnering with brands can open doors to sponsorships, guest lecturing, and co-teaching opportunities.
How to Collaborate Effectively:
- Guest teaches in other instructors’ courses to gain exposure.
- Co-create specialized courses for niche audiences with other educators.
- Partner with brands for sponsored lessons, product placements, or software showcases.
- Leverage existing audiences to cross-promote courses and increase reach.
- Offer discounted bundle deals that combine multiple instructors’ courses.
Example: A digital artist partners with a tablet company, featuring their product in a Skillshare course while earning from sponsorship.
Final Thoughts
Skillshare offers educators, artists, and professionals a unique opportunity to monetize their expertise through royalties, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, and external sales. With a built-in student base, accessible course creation tools, and multiple revenue streams, Skillshare is a powerful platform for building an online education business.
Key Takeaways:
✅ Skillshare pays instructors based on watch time, rewarding engaging content.
✅ Affiliate marketing, sponsorships, and course promotions add extra revenue streams.
✅ Building an engaged student base leads to higher earnings over time.
✅ Repurposing content on other platforms increases monetization potential.
✅ Consistent course creation, collaboration, and student engagement help maximize success.
By applying these strategies, anyone can turn Skillshare into a profitable platform while educating and inspiring students worldwide.
FAQs
What is Skillshare, and how does it work?
Skillshare is an online learning platform where instructors create and sell courses while students access unlimited content through a subscription model.
How do instructors make money on Skillshare?
Instructors earn royalties based on the total watch time of premium members who take their courses.
Do I need to pay to publish courses on Skillshare?
No, publishing courses is free. Skillshare earns from student subscriptions and pays instructors based on watch time.
What types of courses perform best on Skillshare?
Topics like design, business, productivity, technology, and creative arts tend to attract more students and engagement.
How can I increase my Skillshare course earnings?
Create high-quality courses, optimize titles and descriptions for search, promote courses on social media, and encourage student interaction.
Can I repurpose Skillshare content on other platforms?
Yes, but Skillshare requires video lessons to be exclusive. You can modify content for YouTube, blogs, and personal websites.
What is the Skillshare affiliate program?
The affiliate program allows educators to earn commissions by referring new students to Skillshare using unique tracking links.
How do I attract more students to my courses?
To attract interest, promote on social media, run ads, engage in online communities, and offer free lessons.
How long does it take to make money on Skillshare?
Earnings depend on course popularity, promotion, and student engagement. Some instructors see results in weeks, while others take months.
Can I sell additional resources through Skillshare?
Instructors can link to external resources, premium content, or consulting services to generate additional income.
What are Skillshare’s payout methods?
Payments are made monthly through PayPal based on the instructor’s total watch time earnings.
Does Skillshare allow live teaching or coaching?
Skillshare focuses on pre-recorded lessons, but instructors can engage with students through discussions and feedback.
Are there any restrictions on the type of content I can teach?
Courses must follow Skillshare’s community guidelines, which prohibit the discussion of adult, illegal, or unethical topics.
How do I track my course performance on Skillshare?
Skillshare provides analytics on watch time, student engagement, reviews, and earnings through the instructor dashboard.
Is Skillshare a reliable long-term income source?
Yes, if you consistently publish high-quality courses, engage with students, and expand your content over time.
