Course Idea Validator

The strongest signal is unprompted demand — people asking you for help with this specific topic. Beyond that, validate by talking to 5-10 potential students: ask what they're struggling with, what they've tried, and whether they'd invest in a course that solved their problem. If 3 or more describe what they'd want in a course, you have a validated idea. Desk research (checking Google Trends, browsing Udemy) is useful context but not a substitute for real conversations.

Three tests, in order of effort: (1) The Conversation Test — talk to 5-10 potential students and ask what they need. (2) The Pre-Sell Test — create a simple registration page and see if people sign up. You can do this free on Ruzuku. (3) The Pilot Test — run a small version with 5-10 people. Teaching live lets you validate the content and collect testimonials before building a polished course.

Competition is a good sign — it means there's proven demand. The key is differentiation: what's your unique angle, methodology, or audience? A course on 'photography' faces massive competition; a course on 'food photography for restaurant owners' is specific enough to stand out. Look for gaps in existing courses: what do their reviews complain about? What audience are they ignoring?

Yes, especially for your first course. Pre-selling validates demand with the strongest possible signal: someone paying real money. Offer a discounted 'founding member' price, be transparent that the course is being built, and deliver the first module within a week of enrollment. If you can get 5-10 pre-sales, you have a validated course. If you can't, you've saved yourself weeks of building something nobody wants.

For conversations: 5-10 potential students is enough to identify patterns. For pre-sales: 5-10 paying students validates demand. For a pilot course: 5-10 participants gives you enough feedback to refine the content. You don't need hundreds of data points — you need a handful of real, engaged people who represent your target audience.