What is a course introduction?
A course introduction is the short clip a student sees when they open your course for the first time, right above the lesson list. It's their first real experience of you as a teacher — before they've pressed play on a single lesson.
This is different from a trailer. A trailer is what convinces someone to enroll in your course in the first place. A course introduction plays after they've already enrolled, welcoming them in and setting expectations for what's ahead. (If you'd like, you're welcome to use the same video for both.)
Why audio courses must have an intro video?
Right now, most course introductions are audio-only. We're changing that: going forward, both audio courses and video courses will have a video introduction.
Your course content itself isn't changing — if you teach an audio course, it stays an audio course. Only the introduction is moving from audio to video.
We're making this change because your introduction is often the first real impression someone has of you as a teacher. Video lets a prospective student see and connect with the person behind the voice — the warmth, the presence, the way you talk — before they've committed to listening. That familiarity builds trust, and trust is what turns a browse into a sign-up.
Requirements
Your video introduction needs to meet a few basic technical requirements:
- Portrait orientation. Film it upright, the way you'd film a video for your phone, not landscape.
- Length: 45 seconds to 4 minutes. Most great introductions land somewhere between 1 and 3 minutes — long enough to say something real, short enough that people watch the whole thing.
- Filmed on your phone is completely fine. It doesn't need to be polished or professionally produced.
- A quiet space with a little natural light. Nothing fancy — just somewhere you won't be interrupted, with light on your face rather than behind you.
Tips for a great introduction
Video introductions play as people scroll through the app, so the first few seconds matter. It is a good idea to open with a hook that gives someone a reason to keep watching, rather than starting with your name.
The first few seconds matter most — people are scrolling, and you have a couple of seconds to give them a reason to keep watching. Here's what tends to work:
- Open with a hook, not your name. Lead with something that draws someone in — a question, a promise, a feeling — rather than starting with "Hi, I'm…"
- Look at the camera. It's the closest thing to eye contact you can offer, and it's what makes the connection feel real.
- Put natural light in front of you, not behind you. A window you're facing works far better than one at your back.
- Say something about you. A little of your story, your experience, or what led you to teach this — enough for someone to feel like they know who they're learning from.
- Name the benefit. Be clear about what students will learn, practise, or experience, and how they might feel by the end.
- If you already have students, mention how many. Social proof is powerful — "9.4k students" or similar tells a new student they're in good company.
- Feel free to mention your rating, if it's one you're proud of.
- If your course is delivered in audio, say so clearly. Since the introduction is now video but many courses remain audio, make sure it's obvious what format the lessons themselves are in.
For example:
"In this 10-day audio course, I'll help you…"
"Across seven audio lessons, we'll explore…"
A simple structure to follow
If you're not sure where to start, your introduction could cover:
- A hook that gives someone a reason to keep watching
- A little about you and your experience
- Who you created the course for
- That it's an audio course, including the number of days or lessons (if applicable)
- What students will learn, practise, or experience
- What makes the course worth taking
- How many people have already joined, if you'd like to share it
You don't need all of these — just enough to feel like a genuine welcome from you to them.
Get support
If you have questions about recording or uploading your video introduction, reach out through the teacher chat on your dashboard or email us at publishers@insighttimer.com.