Opportunities and challenges of scaling an online education business

Online education and e-learning are taking center stage, with projections showing the global e-learning market to reach $66.7 billion by 2026, according to Markets and Markets.

 As the demand for remote learning options soars, many businesses in this sector constantly face the two-sided coin of growth – challenges, and opportunities. As they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and the same holds when expanding an online education business. 

Raby Bah, the founder of Owl Learning, delves into the trials and the prospects of scaling in the digital education landscape.

Opportunities that come with scaling an online education business

The possibilities that come with expanding your online education business are endless. Scaling up can open up exciting opportunities you never thought possible. Here are a few:

1. Diversification

Growth often provides the chance to branch out. Online education businesses can seize the opportunity to offer a wider range of courses, expand into new markets, and cater to diverse learner demographics. One effective method for achieving diversification involves conducting thorough market research to pinpoint gaps in the market and then introducing tailored solutions to address those gaps. 

2. Enhanced learning experience

Scaling up can offer the opportunity to invest in advanced technologies like AI, VR, and gamification, bringing learning to life and making it more interactive and engaging. Businesses can partner with tech companies to incorporate advanced technologies into their platform. For example, partnering with a company like Google could allow their VR technology to create immersive learning experiences.

3. Increased revenue

Bigger can indeed be better when it comes to revenue. At the end of the day, scaling an online education business can significantly boost revenue. With increased reach and diversified offerings, you can tap into new income streams and bolster your bottom line. 

A good way to boost revenue is to explore monetization methods such as subscription models, corporate partnerships, or one-on-one tutoring options. 

4. Partnership and collaboration

As a business grows, it becomes easier to attract partners and collaborators. This can lead to many exciting opportunities, like combining resources, working together on marketing campaigns, and even co-creating courses. Partnering with other educators can be incredibly valuable. 

5. Make a global impact

Scaling an online education business is not just about increased profits – it's also an opportunity to make a global impact. With the ability to provide quality education to individuals regardless of their location, businesses have the power to transform lives. A global impact can be made by offering scholarships to students in developing regions or partnering with non-profits to provide free educational resources.

Challenges of scaling an online education business

Scaling an online education business comes with challenges. After all, every problem is a disguised opportunity, waiting for the right solution. Let’s get into some of these challenges and how to overcome them.

1. Quality assurance

As online education businesses expand, maintaining the quality of content across the board is a Herculean task. Ensuring consistency across various courses, instructors, and platforms becomes increasingly complicated as the business grows. 

Online education businesses can establish a thorough quality control process to maintain the quality of their content. This process can include receiving input from students and peers and consistently updating course materials. One example of executing this process is consulting with educators with extensive experience to review new courses before making them available to the public.

2. Technology infrastructure

The more, the merrier when managing an influx of users isn't always the case. To expand an online education business, it's important to enhance the technological infrastructure to accommodate higher traffic and ensure a smooth user experience. 

Consider investing in technology that can accommodate growth. Opt for cloud-based solutions that can effectively handle increased traffic and platform load. And also, ensure that your chosen cloud services are secure and scalable to support your long-term expansion plans.

3. Regulatory compliance

As an educator growing your online business, knowing the regulations and standards for online education in different regions is important. Whether your client base is local or international, each region has laws guiding online education. Staying compliant across different territories is a tightrope walk, but it's necessary. 

Ensuring you comply with all applicable regulations could entail seeking legal guidance from experts specializing in education laws in your target regions. For example, if you plan on expanding to Europe, following GDPR related to data privacy is important. To ensure that you're taking the necessary steps, working with a consultant with extensive knowledge of European data privacy laws is wise.

4. Customer support

As the saying goes, you can only make an omelet with breaking eggs. And in this case, rapid expansion often leads to increased customer inquiries and issues. Providing timely and effective support becomes a challenge as the customer base grows. 

To meet the growing demand of customer needs, you can leverage AI-based solutions like chatbots for handling common queries like FAQs. Also, work on equipping your customer support team and provide the necessary training.

5. Market saturation

Standing out from the competition in a crowded e-learning field can be challenging. One way to differentiate your brand and offerings is by highlighting your unique selling propositions (USPs). This could be a specific teaching method or complete courses, among other things. 

What advice would you give to educators looking to start their online business?

To educators looking to start their own online business, I have some valuable advice to share with you. First and foremost, take the time to define your target audience. Understand the specific group of learners you want to serve and tailor your courses to meet their unique needs. This personalized approach will allow you to create meaningful and impactful learning experiences. Next, focus on building a strong foundation for your online business. Invest in a user-friendly website or learning platform that provides a seamless experience for your learners. Ensure your technology infrastructure is reliable and prioritize data security to establish trust. Moving on to content, remember that quality is paramount in the online education industry. Dedicate your energy to creating high-quality courses that deliver real value. Conduct thorough research, design courses thoughtfully, and develop engaging content. You will stand out and attract learners to your platform by offering unique content.

Thank you, Raby, for sharing your insights and supporting Workee!

You can connect with Raby and learn more about her on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram.