Creating Online Courses with WordPress LMS Plugins

Introduction

Online courses represent a massive opportunity—the e-learning market exceeds $300 billion. WordPress LMS (Learning Management System) plugins let you create, sell, and deliver courses directly from your website, keeping full control and avoiding platform fees.

LMS Plugin Options

LearnDash ($199/year)

Best for: Professional course businesses

• Drag-drop course builder
• Drip content
• Quizzes and certificates
• Focus mode
• Payment integrations

LifterLMS (Free/Premium)

Best for: Budget-conscious creators

• Free core features
• Courses and memberships
• Engagement tools
• Add-on system

Tutor LMS (Free/Premium)

Best for: Feature-rich free option

• Course builder
• Quiz builder
• Monetization
• Frontend dashboard

LearnPress (Free/Premium)

Best for: Simple courses

• Lightweight
• Basic features
• Add-ons available

Setting Up LearnDash

Installation

1. Purchase from learndash.com
2. Download and upload plugin
3. Activate
4. Enter license key

Creating Your First Course

Course Structure:

• Course > Sections > Lessons > Topics

Steps:

1. LearnDash > Courses > Add New
2. Enter course title and description
3. Add course materials
4. Configure settings

Adding Sections:

1. Go to Builder tab
2. Add section
3. Name section
4. Drag to arrange

Adding Lessons:

1. Click "New Lesson" in section
2. Add title and content
3. Configure settings
4. Add video/materials

Quiz Setup

1. LearnDash > Quizzes > Add New
2. Add questions
3. Configure settings:
   • Passing percentage
   • Time limits
   • Retakes allowed
4. Assign to lesson/course

Drip Content

Release content over time:

1. Edit lesson/topic
2. Access Settings
3. Set availability:
   • Days after enrollment
   • Specific date
   • After completing prerequisite

Course Content Best Practices

Course Structure

• Clear learning objectives
• Logical progression
• Manageable lesson length
• Mix of content types
• Regular assessments

Video Content

• Professional quality
• Good audio (critical)
• 5-15 minute lessons
• Self-hosted or third-party (Vimeo)

Engagement Elements

• Quizzes after sections
• Downloadable resources
• Discussion forums
• Progress tracking
• Certificates

Selling Courses

Payment Integration

LearnDash + WooCommerce:

1. Install WooCommerce
2. Install LearnDash WooCommerce addon
3. Create WooCommerce product
4. Link to LearnDash course

Direct Payment (Stripe):

1. Install LearnDash Stripe addon
2. Configure Stripe
3. Set price in course settings

Pricing Strategies

One-Time Purchase:

• Simple transaction
• No recurring revenue
• Works for defined courses

Subscription:

• Monthly/annual access
• Recurring revenue
• Requires ongoing content

Bundles:

• Multiple courses together
• Discounted price
• Increases average order

Pricing Considerations

• Research competitor pricing
• Consider perceived value
• Test different price points
• Offer payment plans

Marketing Your Course

Pre-Launch

• Build email list
• Create anticipation
• Early bird pricing
• Beta testers

Launch

• Email sequences
• Social promotion
• Affiliate partners
• Limited-time offers

Ongoing

• Content marketing
• SEO for course topics
• Testimonials and case studies
• Webinars and free training

Student Experience

Enrollment Flow

1. View course page
2. Purchase/enroll
3. Access course
4. Track progress
5. Complete and certificate

Dashboard

• Enrolled courses
• Progress tracking
• Achievements
• Profile management

Communication

• Welcome emails
• Progress reminders
• Completion celebration
• Support access

Frequently Asked Questions

Which LMS plugin is best?

LearnDash for serious businesses. LifterLMS for budget-conscious. Tutor LMS for free features.

Do I need good hosting?

Yes. Video streaming and multiple users require quality hosting. Consider Cloudways.

Should I host videos on my server?

No. Use Vimeo, Wistia, or YouTube (unlisted). Saves bandwidth and improves delivery.

How do I protect course content?

LMS plugins restrict access. Additional protection via watermarking, download prevention.

What's a good course completion rate?

5-15% is common. Higher engagement = better completion. Design for completion.

Key Takeaways

• WordPress LMS plugins enable course businesses
• LearnDash is the professional standard
• Course structure affects completion rates
• Video quality matters (especially audio)
• Multiple payment options increase sales
• Marketing is crucial for success
• Student experience drives referrals

Next Steps

Choose your LMS plugin. Plan your course structure. Create initial content. Set up payment processing. Launch with beta students and iterate.

Meta Description: Create and sell online courses with WordPress LMS plugins. Covers LearnDash setup, course creation, payments, and marketing strategies.

Keywords: wordpress lms, online courses, learndash, course creation, elearning wordpress