Teachable setup checklist: mistakes new users should avoid

By FastBuySale Newsroom · 9 Nov 2026 · 5m ago

How Teachable works

Teachable gives creators a branded online school where they can host courses, coaching programmes and digital downloads. Creators upload videos, text, quizzes and files, organise them into sections and lessons, set prices and build sales pages. Students buy access and learn at their own pace. Teachable handles hosting, checkout and student logins. Unlike some marketplaces, it does not bring in buyers automatically, so creators drive their own traffic through email, social media, search and partnerships.

Checklist item 1: validate your idea

Before recording anything, confirm people want your course. Ask your audience what they struggle with, run a short survey, offer a free workshop on the topic or presell the course at a discount. Mistake to avoid: spending months building a course nobody buys.

Checklist item 2: choose the right plan

Compare plans on transaction fees, number of products, features such as coaching, certificates and integrations and payment options. A cheaper plan with higher transaction fees may cost more once sales grow. Mistake to avoid: ignoring fees when estimating profit.

Checklist item 3: set up branding

Choose a clear school name, upload a logo, pick brand colours and fonts and add a favicon. Consider connecting a custom domain for a professional look. Keep branding simple and consistent with your other channels.

Checklist item 4: outline your course

Define the outcome students will achieve, then break the path into modules and short lessons. Each lesson should teach one idea or task. Include exercises, worksheets or quizzes to help students apply what they learn. Mistake to avoid: long, unstructured videos that cover many topics at once.

Checklist item 5: record clear video and audio

Students forgive simple visuals but not poor sound. Use a decent microphone, record in a quiet room and use good lighting. Keep videos concise, often five to fifteen minutes. Add captions for accessibility.

Checklist item 6: write an honest sales page

Explain who the course is for, the problem it solves, what students will learn, what is included, your background, pricing and refund policy. Use real testimonials if you have them. Avoid exaggerated income or results claims; the FTC offers guidance on truthful advertising for small businesses.

Checklist item 7: set pricing options

Teachable supports one-time payments, payment plans, subscriptions and bundles. Choose options that suit your audience.

Worked example: pricing and fees

Nora sells a course at 149 dollars. With a 5 percent transaction fee, she pays 7.45 dollars per sale, plus card processing of about 2.9 percent plus 0.30 dollars, which is about 4.62 dollars. Her net per sale is about 136.93 dollars. Selling 40 courses in a launch brings about 5,477 dollars before taxes and plan costs. The percentage calculator on this site helps compare scenarios.

Checklist item 8: configure payments and taxes

Set up payment details, check how and when payouts arrive and review tax settings for sales in different regions. Some platforms handle sales tax or value added tax collection in certain plans or regions, while others leave it to creators. Understand your responsibilities, keep records and seek professional advice if needed. Mistake to avoid: launching before payouts and tax settings are confirmed.

Checklist item 9: test the student experience

Buy your own course using a test or discount code, log in as a student and go through every lesson on a computer and a phone. Check that videos play, downloads open, quizzes work and emails arrive. Fix confusing navigation or broken links before launch. Mistake to avoid: discovering problems only when paying students complain.

Checklist item 10: prepare launch emails

Write a short email sequence announcing the course, explaining benefits, sharing testimonials, answering common questions and reminding readers before any launch discount ends. Email remains one of the most effective ways to sell courses.

Checklist item 11: plan student support

Decide how students can ask questions, such as comments, email or a community space, and how quickly you will respond. Clear support builds satisfaction, reduces refunds and leads to better testimonials.

Checklist item 12: protect your content and respect others

Use only content you created or have permission to use, including music, images and templates. The US Copyright Office explains basic copyright principles. Add terms of use explaining that students may not share course materials.

Choosing a course topic

The best topics combine your expertise, clear demand and a specific outcome. Examples include learning a software tool, starting a small business task, mastering a hobby skill or preparing for a certification. Narrow topics, such as bookkeeping basics for freelance designers, often sell better than broad topics, because the audience immediately sees the course is for them.

Creating lesson materials

Support videos with worksheets, checklists, templates and summaries. These materials help students apply lessons and add perceived value. Keep file names clear and organise downloads by module.

Using quizzes and certificates

Quizzes help students check understanding, and completion certificates can motivate learners to finish. Check whether your plan includes these features.

Collecting feedback and testimonials

Ask early students for feedback after key modules and at completion. Use suggestions to improve lessons, and request permission to share positive testimonials on your sales page.

Common mistakes summary

The main mistakes to avoid are skipping validation, choosing a plan without considering fees, unstructured lessons, poor audio, vague or exaggerated sales pages, untested checkout, no launch plan and no student support.

Growing after launch

After launch, keep promoting the course through regular content, such as articles, videos, podcasts or social media posts on your topic. Build an email list with a free resource related to the course and send helpful emails regularly. Consider affiliate partnerships, webinars and bundles with other courses. Update lessons when tools or methods change, and announce improvements to existing students. Courses rarely sell themselves, so consistent marketing over months usually matters more than the first launch.

Tracking results

Monitor sales, refund rates, completion rates and student feedback. High refund or low completion rates may signal content problems or mismatched expectations. The salary calculator on this site helps compare course income with other work.

Writing a strong course title

Your course title should state the outcome and audience clearly, such as bookkeeping basics for new freelancers in six short weeks. Avoid clever but vague titles that do not explain what students will learn. Test a few title options with your audience or in social media posts to see which attracts the most interest before finalising the sales page.

Setting a refund policy

A clear refund policy builds trust and reduces purchase anxiety. Many creators offer a limited refund window, such as 14 or 30 days, sometimes with conditions such as completing part of the course. Explain the policy plainly on the sales page and in checkout, and handle refund requests politely and promptly.

Pricing tiers and bundles

Offering more than one tier can increase revenue. A basic tier might include the video course, a standard tier might add templates and community access and a premium tier might add live group calls or one-to-one coaching. Bundles that combine related courses or downloads at a discount can raise average order value.

Building trust before you have testimonials

New creators can build trust by sharing free lessons, behind-the-scenes content, their credentials and real examples of their work. Running a small beta launch at a reduced price in exchange for honest feedback helps gather first testimonials quickly.

Planning your recording workflow

Write a short outline or script for each lesson, record in batches, edit out long pauses and mistakes and upload with clear titles. A consistent workflow keeps quality steady and helps you finish the whole course rather than stalling after a few lessons.

Accessibility basics

Make lessons easier for every student by adding captions, providing transcripts or written summaries, using readable fonts and good colour contrast in slides and describing important visuals aloud. Accessible courses reach more people, reduce support questions and are often easier for everyone to follow, including students watching on phones in noisy places.

Keeping momentum after setup

Set a launch date, share it with your audience and work backwards with weekly tasks so setup does not drag on.

Reader questions

Questions about online courses or side income? Send them through the Ask page on this site.

Disclaimer

This article is for general information only. Platform plans, fees and terms change; check official sources. No income is guaranteed.

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