How I Earn Up to $130/hr Teaching Music on Outschool

Creating Your First Outschool Class

The first type of class teachers usually begin with creating is a one-time class since it is generally the simplest one.

💡 Before deciding what class to create, I recommend doing some research to see what types of classes within your teaching niche are doing well. Make sure that you’re bringing something unique to the platform.

As you’re creating your class listing, the main items you have to provide are the Class Title, the Parent/Family Summary, the Class Subject, the Course Type, the number of learners, the course description, the pricing, the first message to learners, and the refund policy.

Class Title

Some tips for creating a great class title are:

• Use SEO keywords – One of the most important things to consider when creating your class titles is SEO or search engine optimization. This means that you need to use words or a combination of words that families actually type in the search bar when looking for classes. This increases the chances of your classes showing up in search results.

👉 For example, I might use “Beginner Ukulele”, “Beginning Ukulele”, or “Ukulele for Beginners” for my class titles because those are the actual words that families use in search.

• Make It Catchy – Showing up in search results is great, but you need more than that to stand out. Besides the SEO keywords in the class title, you might want to use catchy phrases and words that could get families to click on your class listings.

👉 For example, one of my class titles is “1:1 Lessons in GarageBand” or “Logic Pro with a Music Production Pro!”

Parent/Family Summary

This is something families will see about your class when scrolling through the search results on the platform. SEO also counts here, so make sure to add some keywords here to help yourself show up in searches.

I usually write what the students will learn in the course and/or the methods and materials that I will use to teach them. I do this using very clear and descriptive words with a definite call to action that they cannot miss. This is less than 240 characters, so make sure to squeeze in all those important bits.

Class Subject

There are over 140,000 classes and hundreds of subjects on the platform. These subjects usually fall into these major categories that you can choose from: 

• Arts,
• World Languages,
• Coding & Tech,
• Music,
• English,
• Science & Nature,
• Health & Wellness,
• Social Studies,
• Life Skills,
• Math.

Number of Learners

You can have between 1 and 18 students in a class on the platform, but one great way to stand out is to have a lower class size to show you offer a more intimate class experience.

Course Description

In this part of your class listing, you’ll add information about your class, such as the topics you’ll cover, the schedule, the teaching method, etc. Descriptions are really important to convert families and get them to sign up, so here are some of my best tips…

• Keep it Readable + Digestible – Make sure to make it easy for readers to understand what you’re saying. Keep it short, and to the point, and use simple words to convey your message.
• Use Bullet Points or Emojis – People’s attention spans these days are so short that they’ll often just skip paragraphs. Use bullet points or emojis to organize your points and make it easy for families to understand the important things in your class description quickly.
• Organize the Text Into Sections + Add Headings – Make it even easier to read by organizing your descriptions into different sections, and adding headings in capital letters for each section.

Pricing

Figuring out what to charge can be difficult for a lot of teachers.

My general rule for 1:1 classes is to charge around $1/minute, but for group classes, Outschool recommended charging around $10-12 per learner per hour-long class (prorated based on how long your class is).

A few months back, they changed their recommendation to a new range of $18-20 per hour instead, but honestly, I don’t think teachers are following that advice.

☝️ There is no one right answer, but one tip is to be sure not to underprice yourself because families may undervalue your class when they see it’s the cheapest one on the platform.

First Message to Learners

This is usually the first interaction of families with you, so this is your chance to impress them with your message.

These families don’t really know anything about you, and how you talk to them will determine whether or not they will feel happy and satisfied with their purchase.

💡 Some ideas for what to include are a warm welcome and a checklist of things that they need to prepare or anything they need to do before class.

Refund Policy

The refund policies on the platform depend on different circumstances. You can read more about them here.

It’s up to you what you choose for your classes. I always follow the strictest policy, but it’s up to each teacher and what they’re open to.

Class Video

Video is the best way to connect with families quickly and gain enrollments.

You don’t need any fancy equipment for this. You can simply shoot it on your iPhone and edit it on iMovie or have someone edit it for you.

💡 Some tips for making a great class video are to use natural lighting, to look professional, to keep it under 60 seconds and have a hook in the beginning, to smile and show off your fun and engaging personality, and to write your script and practice out loud before your record.