The Platform Ownership Question
Every online educator faces a choice: teach on someone else's platform or build your own.
Marketplace platforms like Udemy and Skillshare promise exposure. They deliver students. But at what cost?
The most successful online educators—those with sustainable six and seven-figure businesses—almost universally own their platform. Here's why you should too.
The True Cost of Marketplace Platforms
The Revenue Share Problem
On Udemy, if a student finds you through their marketing:
- Udemy takes up to 63% of the sale
- Your $100 course earns you $37
- Price caps limit what you can charge
Across 1,000 sales, that's $63,000 you didn't earn.
The Student Relationship Problem
When you teach on marketplaces:
- They own the student relationship
- You can't email students directly
- Students see competitor courses
- Building loyalty is nearly impossible
The Brand Building Problem
Every course on Udemy builds Udemy's brand, not yours.
- Students remember "I took a Udemy course"
- Your expertise gets commoditized
- You're competing on price, not value
- No differentiation from millions of other courses
The Algorithm Dependency Problem
Your visibility depends on their rules:
- Algorithm changes tank your revenue overnight
- Reviews matter more than quality
- Constant discounting is expected
- No control over your business
The Case for Your Own Teaching Platform
Keep What You Earn
On your own platform:
- Keep 90-100% of revenue (minus payment processing)
- No artificial price caps
- Price based on value, not marketplace norms
- Premium positioning possible
Own Your Student Relationships
Your platform means:
- Direct access to your students
- Email them anytime
- Build genuine relationships
- No competitor ads next to your content
Build Your Brand
Every course strengthens YOUR brand:
- Students remember you
- Your reputation compounds
- Premium pricing becomes possible
- Referrals come naturally
Control Your Destiny
Your rules, your business:
- No algorithm anxiety
- Experiment freely
- Pivot when needed
- Build real equity
"But What About Discovery?"
The biggest objection: "How will students find me without marketplace traffic?"
Here's the reality:
Marketplace Traffic Isn't Free
You pay for it with:
- Revenue share (up to 63%)
- Constant discounting
- No student ownership
- Brand dilution
Building Your Own Audience
Yes, it takes work. But the traffic you build is yours forever:
- Content marketing: Blog, YouTube, podcast
- Social media: Where your audience hangs out
- Email list: The asset that keeps giving
- Affiliates: Others promote for you
- Referrals: Happy students share
The Compound Effect
Marketplace traffic resets to zero if you leave. Your audience compounds forever.
After 2 years building your platform:
- Thousands of email subscribers
- Organic search traffic
- Social following
- Referral engine running
What "Your Own Platform" Actually Means
You don't need to hire developers or build from scratch.
White-Label Course Platforms
Modern platforms let you:
- Use your own domain: yourname.com, not platform.com/you
- Brand completely: Your logo, colors, design
- Own student data: Export anytime
- Accept payments directly: Money goes to you
- Control the experience: No competitor ads
What You Need
- A course hosting platform
- Your own domain
- Payment processing setup
- Basic branding (logo, colors)
That's it. You can be live in a day.
Making the Transition
If you're currently on marketplaces:
Phase 1: Parallel Presence
- Keep marketplace courses running
- Launch your platform with new/exclusive content
- Direct new students to your platform
- Build email list from both
Phase 2: Shift Focus
- Stop creating for marketplaces
- Focus all new content on your platform
- Migrate best-performing courses
- Offer marketplace students incentives to switch
Phase 3: Full Independence
- Phase out marketplace presence
- 100% focus on your platform
- Full revenue, full control
- Sustainable business
The Numbers That Matter
| Metric | Marketplace | Your Platform | |--------|-------------|---------------| | Revenue per $100 sale | $37 | $95+ | | Student email access | No | Yes | | Price control | Limited | Unlimited | | Brand building | Theirs | Yours | | Competitor exposure | High | Zero |
Over time, the gap compounds dramatically.
Success Stories
Pattern we see repeatedly:
- Educator starts on marketplace
- Earns modest income, hits ceiling
- Launches own platform
- Initial slower growth
- 18 months later: 3-5x revenue with same effort
- Sustainable, independent business
The early friction is worth the long-term freedom.
Getting Started Today
If You're Starting Fresh
Skip marketplaces entirely. Build your platform from day one.
If You're On Marketplaces
Start building your platform alongside. Don't quit cold turkey—transition strategically.
The Minimum Viable Platform
- Choose a white-label platform
- Connect your domain
- Upload your first course
- Set up payment processing
- Start directing traffic
You can be live this week.
The Bottom Line
Teaching on your own platform is about:
- Keeping your money (90%+ vs 37%)
- Owning your audience (direct relationships)
- Building your brand (compound reputation)
- Controlling your future (no algorithm anxiety)
Marketplace platforms are someone else's business. Your platform is your business.
The smartest educators figured this out early. Now you know too.
Start building your platform. Your future self will thank you.