7 Steps to Creating a Successful Business by Teaching Languages Online

A freelancer’s lifestyle isn’t for everyone. However, those who find themselves halfway across the world with a laptop in their hands know what brought them there. More often than not, nomads love to think like entrepreneurs. A business idea can light up seemingly out of nowhere and just won’t go away.

One of the most popular and successful online business niches is language teaching. Online tutors, graduated professors and knowledgeable freelancers teach English, Spanish, German and a dozen other languages to willing students. However, developing a shiny new business in the niche is another matter entirely. Let’s take a look at some simple rules and guidelines which are tailor-made for nomads with language teaching business aspirations.

1. Search for popular niches

It is a very broad term to say that you are interested in “teaching languages”. For starters, there are dozens upon dozens of languages on a global level. How knowledgeable are you with certain languages and what type of a business would you like to run? There are several important questions which you should answer before proceeding with your initial idea:

  • Do you plan on running a business as a manager or as an active tutor?
  • How many languages do you plan to offer and to what degree of depth?
  • Do you plan to specialize in any language niches such as medical, technical or engineering?
  • Do you plan to hire more teachers apart from you or is it going to be a one-man operation?
  • Can your current budget withstand a hit when it comes to initial costs of starting a business?

The worst thing you can do is jump head-first into something you are unfamiliar with. Digital nomads are known for making ends meet on a daily level. However, a legitimate teaching business is an ongoing operation that requires some thought before proceeding.

2. Develop a business model

Many business managers go with the flow and improvise as things happen around them. This is a wrong approach to building a successful business and should be avoided at all costs. Once you are clear on what kind of a business you want to start, it’s time to think about the business model itself. It’s often a good idea to tier your teaching into three or more classes.

For example, some people might want basic Greek writing skills while others might want to learn advanced Greek speaking skills. Tier your teaching into subsequently more advanced categories. This will allow you to raise prices of individual programs, offer discounts and special sales of certain courses and adapt the model as you go along.

Your business model will speak volumes about how far have you thought your business idea through. Many business managers go with the flow and improvise as things happen around them. This is a wrong approach to building a successful business and should be avoided at all costs.

3. Brand your business

Digital nomads possess skills and networking abilities most people lack. Your business needs an effective brand in order to stand out from the growing competition of your teaching niche. To that end, you should create a brand identity that goes hand in hand with your ideology, languages, niches and teaching methodology in general.

It’s a good idea to ask your colleagues and nomad friends to help out with the design and copywriting of your new business. Even the top translation companies often look for outsourcing help which can increase their client base and overall revenue. While you may know how to develop a business brand alone, it’s a good idea to have at least another pair of eyes to assist you.

Develop a brief about who you are and what your business is aiming to accomplish. Simple “revenue” isn’t good enough for your students or any potential teachers who might join afterwards. Offer a visionary take on an existing industry and don’t be afraid to dream big. Chances are that this is exactly what people have been craving to see in the online teaching market for a while.

4. Create a website

It’s not a smart move to go public with your business until you have something tangible to offer. Potential students don’t want to see “coming soon” signs plastered across important links in your website.

Make sure that you have an adequate web design solution ready for whenever you go live with your business. Again, digital nomads have access to networking platforms and social groups which everyday freelancers don’t. Use your friends list to hire a professional web designer and make your new business shine.

Online businesses with poor visual identities rarely instill confidence in their visitors – let alone future language students. Ensure that you are perceived as a trusted online business and a provider of knowledge – not as just another online business.

5. Content and SEO

One of the best ways to ensure that your business remains relevant is to create content for it. Language teaching websites have the perfect opportunity to create as much content as they need. The reason for this is simple – blogging and SEO optimization come naturally to them.

Create blog posts about studying new languages, traveling the world, teaching tips or just about anything related to your niche. You can easily interlink your courses and relevant learning resources throughout your blog posts without anyone batting an eye.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of your content can ensure high ranking with Google, Bing, Yahoo and other popular search engines. Combining these two powerful tools in your newly-created website will increase your online exposure and help you jump-start your business by attracting eager new students under your wing.

6. Teach on your own terms

Just because you are moving into entrepreneurial waters doesn’t mean that you stop being a digital nomad. Online businesses can be managed very easily through a computer and a stable online connection.

To that end, it’s important to set the terms, schedules and course content of your teaching on your end. Don’t let potential students dictate what will be done and at what time. While there is always a need for a common compromise, you should also be aware that you will be teaching multiple students at any given moment.

Don’t fall into the trap of having to reschedule or rethink your business idea altogether. Schedule your teaching correctly so that you can manage adequate hours for each student and attend to any other work you might have as a nomad.

7. Hire additional staff

Digital nomads are next-level freelancers by definition. Your ambition is only bound to rise given the positive reception of what you have built. You might want to add new features, languages or courses to your site but have no way of doing so as a standalone business owner. You are not able to fill every role needed in your online business, especially as new students continue to pour in.

Decide on what type of expansion you are ready to go through with. Do you want to hire more teachers or delegate bookkeeping to someone and focus on teaching yourself? These small decisions will shape your business’ future going forward. It is imperative that you ask others for help in some capacity as you continue to grow.

Once you are satisfied with the colleagues you have recently discovered, you can take your business to the next level and turn it into a team venture (if you are inclined to do so). Why turn down profit and exposure if your staff members can offer valuable insight in exchange for partnership credit.

Don’t rest on your laurels (Conclusion)

Successfully launching an online business is not an everyday occurrence. Celebrate your success but don’t rest on the goals you have achieved. Maintain your status as a digital nomad but don’t turn away from any business opportunities that might come your way in light of your success. After all, there are always opportunities for further growth and stabilization of your teaching venture.

Kristin Savage has graduated from Columbia University where she was majoring in Germanic Languages. Besides English as her mother tongue she also speaks German and Dutch fluently. She has been a writer at Pick Writers for a few years and is known for her thorough approach to all the tasks and aspiration to fulfill assignments with flying colors.