This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
So many people are doing online learning of all kinds these days. There's so much you can learn at the click of a button, click of your phone, through basically any kind of device you have that connects to the internet. There's so many different ways you can learn about so many different things. But of course, it can also be overwhelming. A fact that presents opportunity, or at least it creates a problem, which then there might be a solution for it.
So today's listener, listener slash caller, wants to create a review platform to help users compare options. Is this a good idea? How should she proceed? Also, how can she avoid doing everything herself? Or at least that's the broad question she's looking at, but you'll hear more from her.
So welcome to Side Hustle School. My name is Chris Guillebeau. I have the privilege of facilitating these questions and answers and bringing you different stories, case studies, news from the trenches, people out there who are all finding ways to adapt to this new economy, and hopefully do so in a way that creates more security for themselves so that they can do more of what's important to them. That is the Side Hustle School way. All right, I got a shout out to our sponsor, and then we're gonna jump into this question.
What kind of review platform would be best for online learning, both in terms of technology and overall structure? [Music]
Hi, Chris. This is Lisa from Merriam, Kansas, and I really like the show. Lately, I've even been listening while watching my two little boys. Can only help, right?
Anyway, my side hustle idea is a review website for online art and design courses. In my research, I found some generic reviews of the online learning platforms, but no website's focused on my niche. With all the people stuck at home and doing online training, I think this idea could be very successful. I also think I'm the right person to build it because I have a background in graphic and web design, along with some freelance writing experience. My question is, what kind of review website would be best?
I could easily create a review blog in WordPress, but I don't want to be the sole reviewer forever. Maybe a year at most. I envision it having an aggregate review system 'cause that seems more practical, but it's also more daunting for me to create than a blog review site. How would I find people and convince them to leave reviews on my nothing site? Or is it possible to do a hybrid of the two, or am I overthinking it?
Thanks, and I look forward to your answer. [Music]
Lisa, thank you so much for listening from Kansas. Hello to you, two little boys as well. And let's talk about your side hustle idea. Okay, I think this is an idea with some promise, and I do have some feedback here, which of course you should take or leave as you see fit.
This is ultimately about you. But when I think about online learning platforms, I think you're absolutely right. There are so many of these days. And since you of course have specialized knowledge and expertise in the topic that you mentioned, your niche, then it only makes sense that you are the one qualified to provide that review website. Now I do think a couple of things though.
So technically speaking, yes, I think it could work on WordPress. The aggregate review system that could also work on WordPress. I think the bigger questions are, first of all, is it just you? Are you opening it up to other people's reviews as well? And then also what's the revenue model?
Now for the revenue model, there are probably affiliate programs for some of these platforms. You may have looked into that already. I just wouldn't put that off. I would make that a key component of designing this project so that I'm pretty clear like, what if it's really successful? If I am sending a lot of people to these platforms, how am I going to get paid?
How am I incentivized, et cetera? And then in terms of whether it's you or other people, I mean, this might seem a little bit counterintuitive, but I think it's important for it to just be you, at least for a while. And I think that's because voice is so important. Voice is in your written voice, your tone, or if you're doing video, of course, whatever comes through in that medium. But I think it's important for there to be a consistent voice.
That's what I mean in some of these reviews because one person's experience with one platform could be totally different from somebody else's, of course. And yes, maybe in the long-term, it's valuable to have lots of different views and such. But as Lisa mentioned, it's gonna be hard to build that momentum at first. So I guess when I thought about, okay, am I gonna tell her to do all the work herself? The first thought I had was, well, how many training programs are we talking about?
Like, are we talking about like a dozen? Are we talking about like hundreds? You know, if it's an infinite number, then maybe that's a different answer. But I would imagine that there are some key leading platforms. It's a relatively small number.
And so I think it's important for her to take that on herself. And I think she mentioned as well that she's willing to do that for a year. Well, a year is a long time. A year is a really long time for something like this. You're gonna have a lot of information within a year.
If it really does take off, then yes, that might be the time to introduce more of an aggregate system alongside the editorial that's written by her. So those are the thoughts I had about that. Just don't forget to think about the revenue model. And of course, let us know what happens. Fun project, it definitely sounds like it has merit.
Okay, listeners, if you have a question of your own, just come to sidehustleschool.com/questions. We are featuring them throughout the year along with updates from other listeners as they launch their projects. Hey, wherever you are in the world today, I hope you are doing something for yourself. Do something that gets closer to a goal that you believe in. Maybe check on somebody else as well.
Not trying to give you too many assignments, but just ask yourself throughout the day, am I doing what matters to me? And if the answer is yes, then that's a great life. And if it's not, the next question is, what can I do to make a little bit of a change? Even a small change. If you make small changes over time, it's gonna add up.
All right, that's my little pep talk. I'm gonna sign off for now, but do come back tomorrow. My name is Chris Guillebeau. This is Side Hustle School. [Music]
From the Onward Project.
