In this blog post, I will share 14 powerful tricks on ‘How To Be A Successful Tutor On Teacheron.’

In September 2022, even after paying the most coins and being in the #1 rank, only 3 students contacted me on TeacherOn. I spent close to $300 for this. So effectively, I paid $100 for each contact, and none of them converted eventually. This whole $300 went to the drain. Even Google ads perform multiple times better than this.

To learn more about this website, I talked to many tutors who work on TeacherOn. They shared their secret strategies with me, and I am documenting them below.

Focus on a few subjects only

Create a profile focusing only on one subject or a few related subjects. For example, if you are a Physics expert and mention History and Essay writing in your profile, the chances of conversion are pretty low. Mentioning subjects like Statics, Dynamics, AP Physics, etc., is acceptable because these are related.

No mediators, please

Students want to connect directly with the tutors and not with mediators. TeacherOn is full of mediators, and one way to stand out is to avoid mentioning your team or friends in the profile, especially within the first 50 words.

Highlight your USP

Show your USP in the first few sentences. Only the first 50 words (approx) of your profile are shown on the search result page. Make it count!

Add all the 20 subjects

You can add only 20 subjects, so make full use of it (only 5 if you have never bought coins before, I highly recommend purchasing coins at least once).

Clear and professional picture

Your profile picture should be clear, without pixelation, and should look professional. Showing medals, receiving an award, talking/teaching on stage, etc., adds extra credibility.

A professional profile without errors

It would be best if you used professional language in your profile, and there should be no spelling or grammatical mistakes.

Get at least 1 to 2 reviews

Get the initial few reviews somehow. It will improve conversions a lot. Ask your students to leave a review.

Take a premium subscription of at least 50 coins

Pay at least 50 coins for a ‘premium membership.’ It will make your profile ‘searchable .’ In my experience, this is the best investment you can make in TeacherOn. If you dont pay, your ranking will be so low nobody will ever find you.

By paying only 50 coins, you can not rank high in competitive subjects like Physics, Calculus, Chemistry, Biology, Math, Statistics, etc. So instead of focussing on a competitive subject like Physics, add its variations with much lesser competition. AP Physics, IB Physics, IGCSE Physics, etc., are some great examples.

You can check your rank for subjects added (click on the ‘premium’ button to access it). Based on these ranks, you can buy a premium subscription with slightly more coins.

Save your money

Dont pay a massive sum to rank on top of the search results because hardly any student contact a tutor by searching. The only way to get students is by frequently checking the ‘job postings’ section and contacting prospective clients from your end. It would be best if you did not wait for them to contact you, or you will be doomed.

The only real advantage of ranking high is getting access to students’ contact info early. So, if you have a team and want to contact students earlier, you can go for a premium subscription with the most coins.

If you are aiming for search traffic to your profile, I recommend you to be on the first 2 pages of search results. As one page shows 20 tutor profiles, if you rank within the top 40 for a subject, you can expect to get a few students once in a while.

As of October 5th, 2022, you can rank on the first two pages even for the most competitive subjects. See the screenshot below for an idea.

Teacheron's tutor ranking at 1500 coins

Save your time

Most tutors do not have time to constantly search the posting, contact the students, and talk to them, which is highly time-consuming (and costly too). Only if you have a team of tutors can you do it all day.

Be selective when contacting students

In the jobs posting section, contact only those whom you can help very well. Contact them as early as possible, and instead of sending them a message on TeacherOn only, I suggest you send them a WhatsApp message too. On top of it, you should call them directly as it drastically improves conversions and trust. (Tip: do not contact students whose  phone number is unverified, do not contact students from low-income countries)

Be a salesman!

When someone contacts you, respond promptly. Please read and understand what they are saying and reply accordingly. As they are contacting you for the first time, they dont know you, so it’s time to convince them that you are the right person for their job. Once they trust you, they will deal with you multiple times.

Keep expectations low

Remember, out of 10 students you contact; there will be only 1 or 2 conversions on average. So keep your expectations low. Just do your bit, and the results will follow.

No 1-hour free demo

For online tutoring, you should not give 1-hour long demo sessions where you explain the subject in depth. Instead, keep the demo 20-30 minutes long and introduce yourself and your teaching style. Also, try to understand your student’s requirements.
If the student is ready for a shorter demo, and you feel they can be good clients during the demo, you can always increase its duration afterward. Commit less and deliver more!

I warn you of some students who keep asking for free demos. They contact different tutors, choose the topics, and finish their entire syllabus for free. Such students are small in number, but you must be careful. Such students are unlikely to convert anyway, so why waste time?

So, if a student asks you to explain specific topics in a demo, it is a red flag! Serious students don’t ask for a long demo from multiple tutors.

(True story: A lady looking for a physics tutor for her daughter disclosed that she had taken demos from 50+ teachers and is still dissatisfied. Beware of such people, and do not try to please them.)

About the author

Hi, I am Pankaj, and our company, My Engineering Buddy, has been using TeacherOn for hiring tutors for the last 2 years.
We recently tried getting students from this site but failed miserably. As a result, we interviewed more than 20 successful tutors and thoroughly analyzed this website. This blog is a result of those interviews and analyses.

If you are new to TeacherOn and have trouble understanding these secret tips, I suggest you first read my blog, How TeacherOn works?

If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to put them in the comment section. I will reply ASAP.

Related: Is TeacherOn.com a good choice for students and tutors?

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