Creating and launching an online course is a milestone. But true success lies in what happens after the launch: the results. Whether your course was a hit or didn’t meet expectations, analyzing its performance is essential for growth—especially when it’s a co-produced course project involving two or more creators.
In co-productions, results matter not just for business performance, but also for maintaining trust, clarifying responsibilities, and planning future collaborations. You and your partner need to understand what worked, what didn’t, and what needs to be done differently next time.
In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore:
- Why performance analysis is critical for co-produced courses
- Key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure
- Tools for gathering and visualizing data
- How to run an effective post-launch review
- What to do with qualitative feedback
- Turning results into actionable improvements
- Navigating results when things go wrong
- How to document and share results fairly in partnerships
Why Analyze a Co-Produced Course After Launch?
Many creators focus heavily on building and launching a course, only to move on without fully reviewing what happened. This is a missed opportunity—especially in co-productions, where shared learning and accountability are key.
Analyzing your course results helps you:
- Understand student behavior and engagement
- Identify what marketing strategies worked best
- Evaluate the effectiveness of your collaboration
- Spot technical or content issues
- Justify reinvestment, changes, or expansion
- Plan your next course with data-backed confidence
Most importantly, it strengthens the business relationship between co-producers by grounding decisions in facts rather than opinions.
Set the Right Mindset: Objectivity + Collaboration
Post-launch analysis is not about assigning blame or proving who was right—it’s about learning together. Set the tone early with these principles:
- Be objective: Trust the data, not assumptions.
- Be transparent: Share all relevant information.
- Be respectful: Value each other’s contributions.
- Be solution-focused: Turn findings into improvements.
Key Metrics to Analyze in a Co-Produced Course
Here are the most important quantitative KPIs to track and discuss in your analysis meeting.
1. Sales Metrics
- Total Revenue: Gross and net (after affiliate and platform fees)
- Units Sold: Number of course enrollments
- Refund Rate: Indicator of buyer satisfaction
- Average Order Value (AOV): Helps understand pricing strategy
2. Traffic & Conversion
- Landing Page Visitors
- Conversion Rate: % of visitors who purchased
- Top Traffic Sources: Email, social, affiliate, ads, etc.
- Cart Abandonment Rate (if applicable)
3. Engagement Metrics
- Completion Rate: % of students finishing the course
- Module Drop-off: Where students stopped watching
- Quiz or Assignment Scores
- Time on Page or Video
4. Support and Satisfaction
- Number of Support Tickets
- Common Technical Issues
- Student Ratings/Reviews
- Survey Responses
You may want to create a shared Google Sheet or Notion dashboard to collect and analyze this data together.
Tools to Gather and Visualize Data
Here are some platforms and tools that help you gather and visualize your course performance data effectively:
- Google Analytics: Track website traffic and referral sources
- Teachable/Kajabi/Thinkific Dashboards: Built-in analytics for sales, engagement, and student activity
- Google Sheets: For collaborative data analysis and summaries
- Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity: Visual session replays and heatmaps
- Typeform/Google Forms: Collect post-course feedback
- Zapier + Slack: Automate alerts for sales and reviews
- Email Platforms (ConvertKit, MailerLite, ActiveCampaign): Track email open and click-through rates
Make sure both partners have access to all tools or data exports for full transparency.
Conducting a Post-Launch Review as Co-Producers
Plan a structured meeting to analyze the course’s performance. Here’s a suggested agenda for a results review session:
1. Recap Goals and Expectations
- What were the launch goals (sales, signups, completion)?
- What KPIs were agreed upon?
2. Review Quantitative Data
- Walk through the numbers together.
- Use visuals (charts, graphs) to make it digestible.
3. Review Qualitative Feedback
- Share comments from students, testimonials, emails.
- Discuss common praise or complaints.
4. Evaluate Marketing Channels
- Which channels performed best?
- Were some efforts wasted or underutilized?
5. Review Collaboration Process
- Did the workload feel balanced?
- Were communication and roles clear?
- Any blockers or misunderstandings?
6. Define Action Items
- What will you keep doing?
- What needs to be improved or changed?
- Who is responsible for each next step?
Keep meeting minutes or a shared summary document so both partners are aligned.
Understanding and Using Qualitative Feedback
Student feedback is often the most valuable insight—beyond numbers. Look for:
- Common themes in praise (e.g., clear explanations, great visuals)
- Repeated criticisms (e.g., too fast-paced, confusing module titles)
- Unspoken messages (e.g., low engagement despite high sales)
Use surveys and testimonials to identify areas for improvement or modules that need to be revised.
If you received negative reviews, handle them constructively:
- Don’t take it personally.
- Look for patterns—one negative review isn’t a trend.
- Reach out to dissatisfied students to better understand their experience.
How to Turn Analysis Into Action
Once you’ve analyzed the results, decide what to do next. Here are some common next steps based on course performance:
If Results Were Strong:
- Add new bonuses or modules
- Increase price for future enrollments
- Launch an advanced or complementary course
- Retarget successful marketing channels
- Invite top students for testimonials or case studies
If Results Were Mixed:
- Rework your sales page or email sequence
- Improve onboarding or course navigation
- Add student support features
- Improve content pacing or delivery style
If Results Were Poor:
- Consider relaunching with a beta group
- Interview early buyers to identify issues
- Partner with an external advisor or marketer
- Offer personalized coaching as an upsell
The key is to use the data—not just guess.
When Results Create Tension Between Co-Producers
Sometimes, the data reveals imbalances—maybe one partner did more work, drove more sales, or handled more support. It’s important to address this diplomatically.
Suggested approach:
- Acknowledge the results without blame
- Recognize contributions from both sides
- Focus on solutions for the next phase (e.g., adjusting revenue split, updating roles)
- Consider creating a performance-based bonus system
Most important: Keep the partnership healthy by maintaining open, respectful communication.
Documenting and Sharing Results
Create a shared post-launch report with:
- Sales overview
- Engagement summary
- Student feedback highlights
- Lessons learned
- Action steps
- Updated roles or terms (if needed)
This becomes a reference point for future projects, tax filing, affiliate reporting, or investor presentations.
Final Thoughts: Results Are a Roadmap, Not a Verdict
The first version of your course is rarely the final one. Analyzing results—together—lets you improve, expand, and evolve. A strong co-producer team doesn’t hide from data; they use it as a compass for better decisions.
By taking time to measure what matters, you turn your course from a project into a repeatable business asset.
So after your next course launch, don’t just celebrate or move on. Open the data, talk honestly with your partner, and ask the most important question:
“What can we do better—together?”