The Smart Passive Income Online Business and Blogging Podcast SPI 879: Are Online Courses Dead? with Matt Gartland
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Jul 16, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, guest Matt Gartland—Pat Flynn’s friend and partner with extensive online course experience—examines the changing landscape of online education. He reveals that traditional courses are struggling as learners seek actionable guidance instead of passive information. Matt and his partner suggest giving courses away for free to build communities and superfan bases. They also predict the rise of membership models and strategic partnerships as the future of sustainable online business, emphasizing engagement over mere sales.
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Courses as Credibility, Not Revenue
- Online courses are now considered table stakes for credibility rather than major business drivers.
- Creators need to build additional engagement and community to truly succeed beyond just selling courses.
Mini-Courses for Lead Gen
- Use small, specific, result-oriented mini-courses or challenges as lead generation tools.
- These provide early small wins that nurture trust and lead people deeper into your ecosystem.
Free Course Success Example
- During the pandemic, the flagship course "Smart From Scratch" was made free, leading to 30-40,000 new learners.
- This strategy built trust and funneled people into community and other paid offerings.
