You’ve likely heard of ghostwriting, where talented writers produce books for famous executives or aspiring gurus. But have you considered its educational counterpart?
Enter “Ghost Teaching” — an innovative approach that goes beyond flat fees to claim a substantial slice of the pie.
Imagine wanting to break into a lucrative field like health and wellness but lacking the credentials to establish authority and trustworthiness. How can you overcome this hurdle? The solution lies in forging strategic partnerships as a producer for an existing expert.
Ghost Teaching involves collaborating with established authority figures, leveraging their credentials, and tapping into their existing audience. Through joint ventures or licensing agreements, you take charge of developing content and building the infrastructure while they lend their name and reputation — often for minimal effort on their part.
This symbiotic relationship creates a win-win scenario. As we’ll explore in this article, Ghost Teaching can pave the way for a thriving, profitable enterprise. Let’s delve into how it works and why it’s a proven, lucrative model in the online education landscape.
A Healthy Ghost Teaching Example
In the last 22 years, if you’ve ever Googled a symptom, searched for a trendy diet, sought specific information for a chronic illness like diabetes, or looked up a favorite household-name fitness instructor, you’ve likely made contact with one of today’s largest and most successful examples of Ghost Teaching.
Back in 2002, Beliefnet colleagues Benjamin Wolin and Michael Keriakos realized there was a significant, unmet need online for expert health and wellness information. From Wolin’s kitchen, they formed a two-person company, Waterfront Media, and developed an idea to partner with leading lifestyle brands to launch comprehensive websites, including SouthBeachDiet.com and DeniseAustin.com.
By 2008, they were doing incredibly well financially, having added to their network household names like WhatToExpect.com, based on Heidi Murkoff’s best-selling pregnancy and parenting books, and projects from celebrities like Shaquille O’Neal (“Shaq’s Big Family Challenge”). In 2012, the company — renamed Everyday Health — went public, which is amazing since Wolin and Keriakos started their business before online education became legitimate.
Today, Everyday Health is valued at $300 million and is a global digital media company.
Don’t let that level of success intimidate you, though. The Ghost Teaching model scales beautifully — and you benefit today from the widespread acceptance of online education.
Deconstructing Everyday Health
Everyday Health’s approach can be broken down into several key components:
- Partner with experts: From individuals like Murkoff and Austin to renowned organizations (i.e., the Mayo Clinic), the company launched with built-in authority and credibility.
- Leverage existing content: Repurpose content from books, TV shows, and expert knowledge into digital formats.
- Create interactive experiences: Transform static content into engaging, interactive tools and communities.
- Use the Freemium model: Offer free content (i.e., diet profiles, family report cards) to capture email addresses and upsell to paid memberships.
- Capitalize on brand recognition: Partner with well-known names in health and wellness to attract users.
- Focus on niche markets: While Everyday Health specializes in health and wellness, this model can be applied to various niches, such as personal finance, marketing, or real estate.
- Value-for-value: From branded membership sites to subscription-based access, paying members get higher-level access to content from reputable sources.
Now that you’ve got a good idea of Ghost Teaching, let’s examine the steps you must take to make this model work for you.
Content Sources
Finding suitable content for the Ghost Teaching model is crucial, and the ideal sources will vary depending on your target audience and business partners. Here are some promising avenues to explore:
- Offline seminar and training materials: Many speakers and professionals conduct face-to-face seminars and workshops, often enduring grueling travel schedules. Show them the potential of virtual teaching by adapting their existing materials for an interactive online learning environment.
- Books: Collaborate with authors to transform their published works into engaging membership sites or online training programs. Alternatively, synthesize information from multiple sources to create a unique course, positioning your credentialed partner as the author.
- Popular blogs and email newsletters: Seek out long-time bloggers and newsletter publishers in high-demand niches and offer to convert their free content into a paid membership site. This approach allows you to tap into their existing audience while leveraging your joint-venture marketing expertise to expand their reach and generate additional revenue.
- Interviews: One of the quickest ways to build a multimedia membership site is through a mix of audio and video interviews with your expert partner. You can extract valuable information and create compelling content through simple conversation by asking the right questions.
By exploring these content sources, you can develop a rich and diverse library of material for your Ghost Teaching model, catering to various learning styles and preferences.
Exploring Additional Revenue Streams
The Ghost Teaching model’s core strength is its focus on partnerships for branding and authority building. This foundation opens up a world of possibilities for diversifying income sources, including:
- Online courses: Consider structuring your courses using the Long Life Customer model for a sense of urgency and exclusivity.
- Affiliate marketing: Introduce carefully selected affiliate offers to your members, ensuring they align with your brand and provide value.
- Lead generation: Your platform can serve dual purposes — generating direct revenue and acting as a lead magnet for your authority partner.
- Paid “real world” opportunities: Expand beyond digital and host in-person workshops, intensive boot camps, and industry conferences. (Bonus: These events not only diversify your income but also strengthen your authority and provide networking opportunities.)
Overcoming Challenges
The primary challenge in the Ghost Teaching model lies in deal-making and negotiation skills. To succeed, you must:
- Develop strong communication skills
- Learn the art of negotiation
- Build a network of potential partners
- Understand joint-venture dynamics
We’ll cover joint-venture skills in a future lesson. But in the meantime, if you feel ready to consider Ghost Teaching, be sure to consult with an attorney who’s experienced in business partnerships and intellectual property rights to help you navigate everything from partnership agreements and revenue-sharing contracts to IP protection and liability issues.
Remember, the key to the Ghost Teaching model is leveraging others’ expertise and reputation while you handle the business and technical aspects. This approach allows you to create valuable content and build a sustainable business, even if you’re not the expert yourself.