Quick Answer
Yes, you can create your own LinkedIn Learning course if you meet certain requirements set by LinkedIn. As an individual content creator, you need to submit an application and have it approved by LinkedIn before you can publish a course on their platform. The main requirements are having expertise in the course topic, high-quality video and audio production capabilities, and strong presentation/teaching skills.
What is LinkedIn Learning?
LinkedIn Learning (previously known as Lynda.com) is an e-learning platform that offers a vast library of video courses taught by industry experts on a wide variety of professional topics. It covers areas like business, technology, creative skills, and more. LinkedIn Learning is focused on helping professionals develop job-related skills and advance their careers. It has a subscription-based model where users pay a monthly fee to access the full course library.
LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com in 2015 and re-branded it as LinkedIn Learning in 2019. It has integrated the platform into the LinkedIn website and profile to provide users with personalized course recommendations based on their professional profile and goals. LinkedIn members can watch courses for free as part of their membership.
Some key facts about LinkedIn Learning:
- Over 16,000 courses in 7 languages across business, technology, and creative skills
- Courses taught by industry experts
- New courses added weekly
- Subscription options for individuals or organizations
- Mobile app available
- Integrated with LinkedIn platform and profile
With a strong brand name recognition and integration with LinkedIn’s large user base, LinkedIn Learning has become one of the most popular e-learning platforms with over 15 million users worldwide.
Requirements to Create a LinkedIn Learning Course
LinkedIn Learning has a formal process that individual instructors need to go through to create and publish a course on their platform. Here are the key requirements:
Expertise
You must have deep knowledge and experience in the subject you want to teach. LinkedIn Learning vets instructor credentials and looks for proof of industry expertise. You’ll need to demonstrate mastery through credentials like work experience, certifications, education, publications, speaking engagements, etc.
Presentation Skills
Since courses involve video, you’ll need strong presentation and communication skills to explain complex topics in a simple way. You must be articulate, engaging, and comfortable teaching on camera. LinkedIn may ask you for an audition video to assess your on-camera presence and quality.
Production Quality
Your course videos need high production quality in terms of audio, video, and editing. You should have access to a professional studio setup for recording videos with proper lighting, microphones, and HD video camera equipment. Most instructors work with a production team.
Teaching Method
LinkedIn Learning prefers a conversational teaching style that connects with adult learners. Your teaching approach should focus on real-world examples and practical application of concepts. You must also be able to organize your course content in a structured way with clear learning objectives.
Course Outline
You need to put together a comprehensive course outline that provides an overview of all the modules/lessons, learning objectives, target audience level, etc. This helps demonstrate how your course will deliver value to LinkedIn Learning members.
How to Submit a Course Proposal
If you meet the baseline requirements, here are the steps to submit a course proposal to LinkedIn Learning:
Create a LinkedIn Profile
Have an updated LinkedIn profile that highlights your credentials, publications, and industry experience in the topic you want to teach. This gives LinkedIn the background information they need on your expertise.
Fill Course Proposal Form
Go to the LinkedIn Learning instructor page and fill out the course proposal form. You’ll need to provide details like course title, description, target audience, outline, your credentials, production capability, and links to any sample videos you already have.
Send Any Additional Material
Along with the proposal form, you can choose to send supplementary materials like an expanded course outline, sample videos, presentations, publications etc. However, the course proposal form is the core part of the application process.
Wait for Review
Once you submit your proposal, LinkedIn will review it along with your LinkedIn profile and any other material you provided. This review can take 4-6 weeks. If they need any clarification or have questions, they may reach out via email.
Create Audition Video
If your proposal seems strong, LinkedIn may ask you to create an audition video where you teach a short lesson (10-15 mins) from the course. This video helps them further evaluate your on-camera presence and teaching ability.
Get Final Decision
After the full review and any audition video, LinkedIn will make a final decision on whether to approve your course for production and publication. If approved, you’ll coordinate with them on next steps like production schedules, branding guidelines, and marketing support.
Produce and Launch Your Course
Once approved, you can move into the full course production phase. LinkedIn will provide guidelines and assets like intros/outros to brand your videos. Most instructors hire a professional production team to handle filming and editing. LinkedIn will work with you to determine the launch date and profile your course to their members.
Tips for Creating Great Courses
Here are some top tips to create high-quality LinkedIn Learning courses that deliver value:
- Clearly define the learning objectives and target student level in your proposal.
- Break course into small, focused lessons typically 5-10 minutes long.
- Use a conversational teaching style – avoid sounding too scripted.
- Include real-world examples and case studies.
- Provide downloadable resources like cheat sheets and lesson summaries.
- Insert review questions and knowledge checks throughout the course.
- Close each lesson with a clear summary of key takeaways.
- Keep videos tightly edited – avoid rambling or unnecessary content.
- Ensure good lighting, audio, and HD video quality.
- Work with a professional editor to add b-roll and clean graphics.
- Build practice activities like projects or quizzes into your course.
Following LinkedIn best practices will give you the greatest chance of getting your course approved and delivering maximum impact for students.
Benefits of Teaching a LinkedIn Learning Course
Here are some of the major benefits instructors can gain from publishing a course on LinkedIn Learning:
Establish Expert Authority
Having a course on LinkedIn Learning significantly boosts your visibility and authority as an industry expert. It showcases your knowledge to millions of professionals.
Reach a Massive Audience
You can leverage LinkedIn Learning’s huge member base as a platform to share your knowledge. Courses can scale your audience well beyond in-person teaching.
Build Your Personal Brand
Quality courses strengthen your reputation and personal brand within your field. LinkedIn’s strong branding also rubs off.
Generate Passive Income
LinkedIn Learning pays instructors an royalty based on number of students who watch your course. Popular courses can generate ongoing passive income.
Impact Career Opportunities
Teaching for a respected platform like LinkedIn Learning can open doors to more speaking engagements, consultancy projects, or new job offers.
Give Back to Your Field
For many instructors, teaching allows them to give back by sharing their hard-won experience and empowering others through education.
Conclusion
In summary, LinkedIn Learning provides a major opportunity for industry experts to share their knowledge at scale while boosting their brand and earning income. But getting approved requires deep expertise, strong presentation skills, and high production quality. With thorough preparation and strategic topic selection, individual instructors can successfully navigate the proposal process and reap significant benefits from publishing courses on the LinkedIn Learning platform. The ability to impact thousands of professionals and establish authority makes it well worth the effort.
