Learn what’s working & what’s not right now in the digital product industry & where we’re headed in 2025.
A digital course or membership is probably on your vision board if you haven’t made one already, but in the back of your mind, you’ve probably got lingering doubt…
“Isn’t this a worn out idea? Are online courses oversaturated?”
Fortunately for all of us, it’s not. We’re literally at just the beginning of the digital offers boom.
The digital product industry has seen explosive growth in recent years, but trends are changing and more importantly, consumer behaviors are changing. What worked in 2022 is not what’s going to work for you in 2025.
But digital offers are here to stay according to some impressive statistics (and I do love good data).
2 billion people purchased a digital product in 2020.
Digital product purchases have increased by 70% since 2022.
The digital education industry will be worth $66.7 billion by 2028
Yes, billion with a B.
So you’re over here thinking, “If I made a course, would there be too much competition for anyone to buy?” while others in your same niche are retiring early from selling digital courses.
By 2028, you’re going to look back at this moment and realize that prioritizing the right strategies in 2024 was the best decision you could have made. So let’s dive into some trends…
2025 Trends in the Digital Course Industry
Here are some of the biggest trends for digital courses and memberships in 2025.
1. Micro-Learning
Gone are the days of lengthy, overwhelming courses.
Information has to be quick and digestible. Your course students aren’t sitting down for a time-blocked hour to complete your course. Your students are spending 5-10 minutes learning from you in the school pickup line, in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, or on their lunch break at work.
Micro-learning involves breaking down content into smaller, bite-sized lessons that are easy to consume and retain. This format appeals to today’s average attention span of 47 seconds, allowing learners to make progress in short bursts rather than committing to long sessions.
2. Mobile-Friendly Learning
Most people are consuming your course or membership content from their phone, not their computer. Digital courses that aren’t optimized for mobile are missing out.
The expectation now is for content to be accessible on any device. This is why I recommend course platforms like Stan.Store or Skool which are specifically designed for mobile use.
3. Gamification
Gamification—adding elements of game design like challenges, rewards, and progress tracking—has proven to be a powerful motivator in digital learning.
Anyone learning a language is probably familiar with DuoLingo’s “Continue Your streak!” notifications, which prompt you to log in and practice language learning every day. Or, if you’re part of the Peloton bike craze, you’re always checking the leaderboards to compare your progress to other people.
Use this trend strategically to make your offer interactive and fun and you can increase retention rates and the likelihood of course completion. Expect gamification to be an even bigger part of successful courses as we move into 2025 and beyond.
That being said, I don’t think gamification is appropriate for every offer or every topic (it might not make sense for a trauma-informed weight loss course for example), but there are times when this strategy should be your go to.
4. More Personalized Experiences
The generic copy-and-paste $600 course approach is becoming obsolete.
Today’s consumer wants a more personalized experience that aligns with their specific goals and learning style. Forbes suggests that as many as 81% of consumers want personalized experiences when they buy.
Personalization can take many forms, such as custom learning paths inside the course (ex. Beginner vs intermediate levels of art tutorial videos) or custom timelines (60 day vs 120 day timelines).
5. Done-For-You Offers
Many learners now prefer courses that don’t just teach a skill but also provide them with ready-to-use tools and templates.
I truly believe we are in a tools, templates, and done-for-you era!!
Done-for-you (DFY) services simplify implementation, giving users a head start on achieving their goals. This can look like giving someone a pre-planned workout schedule, a conversion rate calculator, scripts of what to say, supply lists for hobbies, or templates for emails and social media, just to name a few.
Whether it’s providing plug-and-play templates, scripts, or marketing funnels, DFY offers save time and deliver results faster, a trend we can expect to see growing in 2025.
Anti-Trends of Online Courses in 2025
As these trends continue to rise, we’re also seeing a clear movement away from certain outdated practices in the digital course industry. In 2024, course creators should be moving away from:
- 12-Week (or Longer) Programs: People do not want to commit to long timelines! The trend is shifting toward shorter, more focused learning experiences that deliver immediate value.
- Long Courses & Videos: Let’s be honest – no one wants to watch a 42 minute tutorial. Lengthy video modules are losing appeal. People want concise, actionable content that gets straight to the point, allowing them to make progress without unnecessary fluff.
- Expensive Courses with No Support: High-priced courses that offer little in terms of ongoing support or interaction are seeing a decline. Consumers now expect not only quality content but also access to support networks, feedback, and mentorship throughout their learning journey.
Why This Matters Now
If you’re a course creator, now is the perfect time to lean into these shifts and future-proof your offers, and avoid a whole lot of “why isn’t my course selling?!?!” frustration.
If you already have an established course or membership, it’s probably time to update your content and apply some of these trends. If you haven’t built an offer, you’re in a great place to create something that feels fresh and aligned with what your potential clients want.
Ready to create the kind of offer that aligns with what your audience truly wants and needs?
Download my full list of 2025 Trending Digital Course & Membership Ideas! I’ve put together a strategic list of exactly the kinds of offers that are converting across any niche and they’re anything but basic.
Not sure if you should have a course or membership? These questions will help you decide.
