Set up a WordPress Online Course Website with Elementor and WooCommerce in 2023

A WordPress Online course is a perfect way of sharing your knowledge and skills. With the right tools, you can create your own online course platform. This tutorial by Web Squadron will show you how to set up an online course website using Elementor and WooCommerce.

Setting up the WordPress Online Course Pages

1. Start by creating individual pages for each course. Each page should represent a separate course.
2. Use Elementor to design these pages. Elementor is a WordPress page builder that allows you to create stunning pages without any coding knowledge.
3. Make sure each course page is engaging and visually appealing. This will help attract and retain students.

Creating the Products in WooCommerce

1. Navigate to your WordPress dashboard and click on WooCommerce.
2. Click on ‘Products’ and then ‘Add New’.
3. Create a new product for each course. Fill in the necessary details such as the product name, price, and description.
4. Add images that represent each course. This will make your courses more appealing to potential students.

Building the WordPress Online Course Selling Page

1. Create a separate page that will serve as your course-selling page.
2. Use Elementor to design this page. Include clear call-to-action buttons and links to each course page.
3. Make sure the course selling page is easy to navigate and visually appealing.

Restricting Access to Course Content

1. Install the ‘Page Restrict for WooCommerce‘ plugin. This plugin allows you to restrict access to certain pages until a product is purchased.
2. Set up the plugin to restrict access to each course page until the corresponding product is purchased.

Automating Order Completion

To allow students to access their courses immediately after purchase, you need to automate order completion in WooCommerce.

1. Install the ‘Code Snippets‘ plugin. Easily add the required code with this tool.
2. This can be done by adding the code snippet below. This code snippet will automatically mark orders as completed as soon as they are placed.

   function auto_complete_virtual_orders( $payment_complete_status, $order_id, $order ) {
   $current_status = $order->get_status();
   // We only want to update the status to 'completed' if it's coming from one of the following statuses:
   $allowed_current_statuses = array( 'on-hold', 'pending', 'failed' );
   
   if ( 'processing' === $payment_complete_status && in_array( $current_status, $allowed_current_statuses ) ) {
   
   $order_items = $order->get_items();
   
   // Create an array of products in the order
   $order_products = array_filter( array_map( function( $item ) {
   // Get associated product for each line item
   return $item->get_product();
   }, $order_items ), function( $product ) {
   // Remove non-products
   return !! $product;
   } );
   
   if ( count( $order_products > 0 ) ) {
   // Check if each product is 'virtual'
   $is_virtual_order = array_reduce( $order_products, function( $virtual_order_so_far, $product ) {
   return $virtual_order_so_far && $product->is_virtual();
   }, true );
   
   if ( $is_virtual_order ) {
   $payment_complete_status = 'completed';
   }
   }
   }
   return $payment_complete_status;
   }

   Source: Code Snippets

Tips for Success

While the technical setup of your online course website is crucial, there are other factors that can contribute to the success of your online courses. Here are a few tips:

1. Quality Content
   Ensure your courses offer valuable, up-to-date information. High-quality content is key to attracting and retaining students.
2. User Experience
   Make sure your website is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and responsive. A good user experience can significantly impact student satisfaction and retention.
3. Marketing
   Utilize various marketing strategies to promote your courses. This could include SEO, social media marketing, email marketing, and more.
4. Customer Support
   Provide excellent customer support. Be responsive to queries and provide clear, helpful answers. This can enhance your reputation and encourage positive word-of-mouth.
5. Feedback and Improvement
   Regularly seek feedback from your students and use it to improve your courses and website. Continuous improvement is key to staying relevant and competitive.

Online Courses WordPress Conclusion

Setting up an online course website might seem like a daunting task, but with the right tools and guidance, it’s entirely achievable. By leveraging the power of Elementor and WooCommerce, you can create a robust, user-friendly platform that not only delivers valuable content but also provides an excellent user experience. Remember, the key to a successful online course website lies in the quality of the courses you offer and the ease with which users can access and navigate through them. Happy course creating!