Step 1: Create your course content

In this article: Create your first course on Ruzuku, choose a format, build your modules and lessons, and add content. By the end, you'll have a course with real content that you can preview as a student.

All Plans

This is the foundation of everything. Before you set up payments or build a sales page, you need content for students to learn from.

You don't need a finished course to get started. Many creators launch with a few modules and build as they go. The goal here is to get your structure in place and add enough content for students to get value from Day 1.

Create a new course

1. Click Courses in the left sidebar.
2. Click Create a new course.
3. Choose your starting point:
   • Pick a template — Ruzuku offers pre-built course structures (coaching program, mini-course, 6-week flagship) with placeholder modules and lessons. You can customize everything.
   • Blank course — start with a clean slate and build your own structure.
4. Name your course and click Create course.

Don't spend too long on the name. You can rename it anytime under Manage Course → Rename Course.

Choose your access format

Right after creating your course, Ruzuku asks how students should access your content. This controls the pacing of your course.

Full Access — Students see all modules and lessons the moment they enroll. Best for self-paced courses where students work at their own speed.

Calendar-Based Release Dates — Modules unlock on specific calendar dates you set. Best for live cohorts where everyone starts together (for example, a 6-week program starting March 15 with a new module each Monday).

Individual Release Dates — Modules unlock based on when each student signs up. Best for evergreen courses where new students join anytime (for example, Module 2 opens 7 days after enrollment).

Build your modules and lessons

Courses in Ruzuku are organized into two levels:

• Modules — the big sections of your course (think chapters)
• Lessons — the individual pieces of content inside each module (think pages)

For example, a photography course might have:

• Module 1: Camera Basics → Lessons on aperture, shutter speed, ISO
• Module 2: Composition → Lessons on rule of thirds, leading lines, framing
• Module 3: Editing → Lessons on Lightroom workflow, color correction

Create a module

1. From your course, click Create a new Module.
2. Give it a name that tells students what they'll learn in this section.
3. Click Save.

Create a lesson

1. Inside your module, click Create a new Lesson.
2. Name the lesson.
3. Click Save to open the lesson editor.

You can drag and drop to rearrange modules and lessons at any time.

Add content to your lessons

The lesson editor is where you build out each piece of content. You can add multiple content blocks to a single lesson, mixing and matching these types:

Text

Add written content with formatting, links, and inline images. Text is the backbone of most lessons. Even if you include a video, a short summary or key takeaways in text form helps students review and lets search engines index your content.

Video

Upload video directly to Ruzuku (up to 2 GB per file on Core, 4 GB on Pro). Ruzuku handles hosting and playback. You can also embed video from external sources.

Audio

Upload audio files for podcast-style lessons, guided meditations, or recorded coaching sessions.

Downloadable files

Attach PDFs, worksheets, slide decks, templates, or any other files students can download. File downloads appear as a clear link within the lesson.

Discussion prompts

Add a discussion prompt at the end of a lesson to invite students to reflect, share, or ask questions. For example: "Share one photo you took this week using the rule of thirds." Discussion responses are visible to everyone in the course, so students can learn from each other.

Assessments

Ask students to submit work for your review. Unlike discussion prompts, assessment submissions are private between you and the student. Use these for assignments, homework, or portfolio submissions you want to give individual feedback on.

You can review submitted assessments under Manage Course → Review Assessments.

Add a "How to Navigate This Course" lesson

Consider adding a short orientation lesson as the first lesson in your first module. This helps students feel comfortable in the learning environment before they start the actual content.

A good orientation lesson might include:

• A quick video (2 minutes or less) showing how to navigate the course
• A list of what each module covers
• How to reach you if they have questions
• Any expectations (weekly assignments, live sessions, etc.)

This is optional, but creators who include one tend to see fewer "how do I find..." support questions.

Preview your course as a student

Before you share your course with anyone, see it through your students' eyes.

1. Open any lesson in your course.
2. Click Student Preview at the top of the page.

This shows you exactly what students see, including the lesson layout, navigation between lessons, and any discussion prompts or assessments. Use the preview to catch anything confusing or out of order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next step: Step 2: Set Up Payments and Pricing — connect Stripe or PayPal and create your first price point so students can pay and enroll.

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