The 3 Keys to Legally Protecting Your Online Course

If you are like most business owners, you don’t want to spend hours (and hours) creating an amazing online course only to have it stolen, the brand name taken, or end up in a payment dispute or even worse, a lawsuit.  

There are a couple of 🗝  ways to make sure your new online course empire is protected. 

➡️ Online Course Terms of Purchase - This is probably the most vital (and also the easiest key!)  These oh so important terms Include your:

✔️ course terms and payment policy (what happens if someone buys it and changes their mind?)

✔️ disclaimers to protect you and your business (see “getting sued” above, no thank you!)

✔️are legally binding and included at the checkout point on your website (either right next to the button or have a box where they have to check it)

➡️ Register a Trademark for Your Course Name -  There are lots of benefits to registering your course name trademark but the BIG one is ownership (it’s really the ONLY way to truly own your brand).  Having the registered trademark gives you the exclusive right to use (and to keep others in your industry from using it).  Plus this is when (AND ONLY WHEN) you can use the ®

➡️ Register the Copyright for your Course -  You may know that as soon as you hit PUBLISH on an online course it’s your copyright, you own it - it’s YOUR intellectual property.  But did you know that in order to really protect it from infringers there is ONE more step you can take?  Register it!  This is a protection provided by the U.S. government (and many other governments) for an ‘original’ tangible work.   

Registering your course content with the United States Copyright Office has several advantages.  It formally establishes a public record and it is required prior to bringing an action for infringement (meaning, you usually cannot sue for copyright infringement unless you have first registered your work with the Copyright Office). 

Without it, your only cause of action is sending a Cease & Desist or trying to get a webhost to remove the stolen content.  But with a claim of copyright infringement you automatically will get some $$. 

If you are looking for Online Course Legal Terms, head over HERE.

Sarah Kornblet Waldbuesser, Esq.
Attorney for Coaches & Online Business Owners

After several years at a law firm and a few career jumps, she ended up falling in love with online business and loves helping entrepreneurs achieve their dreams in a smart and protected way. She is also an adventurer, traveler, and food and wine lover. When not at her computer, she loves hanging with her family, having wine with friends, flying around the globe and connecting with other online business owners.