The Top Mistakes Course Creators Make With Supplemental Resources (And How to Fix Them)

As course creators, we often put our heart and soul into crafting powerful video lessons, only to undermine our teaching with poorly designed supplemental resources. These supporting materials can make or break the student experience, yet they're frequently an afterthought in the course creation process.

Having worked on over 60 course-related projects spanning 40+ industries, I've seen how even the most brilliant educators can stumble when it comes to creating effective resources. The good news? These mistakes are easily fixable once you know what to look for.

What Are Supplemental Resources?

Before diving into common pitfalls, let's clarify what we mean by "supplemental resources" in an online course context.

Supplemental resources are the supporting materials that accompany your video, audio, or text lessons. They help students implement what they've learned, provide reference information, or guide them through exercises that reinforce concepts.

These resources come in different formats:

• PDF documents
• Google Docs and Sheets
• Spreadsheet calculators
• Fillable workbooks
• Templates
• Checklists
• Swipe files
• Cheat sheets
• Reference guides

For example:

• A business course might include templates for business plans, financial calculators, and marketing checklists
• A photography course might offer camera setting cheat sheets, post-processing workflows, and client questionnaire templates
• A wellness course could include meal planning worksheets, progress trackers, and guided journal prompts

With that understanding, let's explore the most common mistakes I see course creators make with these resources—and how to fix them.

Mistake #1: The Individual Lesson Download Avalanche

The scenario is all too familiar: a student watches a lesson video, then needs to download one (or several!) different files. Then they move to the next lesson and repeat—download, open, save somewhere. By the end of the course, they've accumulated dozens of disconnected files scattered across their computer or Google Drive.

This approach creates several problems:

• Organizational chaos - Files end up scattered across various folders or lost in the downloads folder abyss
• Overwhelm - Students miss resources because there are just too many to keep track of
• Disjointed experience - The constant switching between the course platform, downloads, and different applications breaks their learning flow
• Motivation killer - The technical friction drains energy that should be going toward implementation

The Solution: Create Module or Course Companions

Instead of individual downloads for each lesson, consider consolidating resources into module or course-level companion guides or workbooks. This approach gives students a single, organized reference to accompany their learning journey.

When to use module workbooks:

• When modules represent distinct phases of a learning process
• When you want to prevent students from jumping ahead prematurely
• When you have a moderate amount of resources per module

When to use course-wide workbooks:

• When there aren't many resources (making a single document manageable)
• When students are building a single cohesive project throughout the course
• When the course is relatively short or focused on a single outcome

For example, I once worked on a marketing funnel course where students built their complete funnel strategy piece by piece throughout the program. We created a single course workbook where students could document their planning, drafts, and design decisions in one place. By the end, they had everything they needed to implement their funnel, all in a logical, organized format.

But what about resources in different formats?

If you need to include resources in formats that can't be combined (like a spreadsheet alongside text-based worksheets), create a clear system:

1. Make your module workbook the "home base"
2. Include visually distinct callout sections within the workbook that direct students to download specific resources at the right moment
3. Add thumbnail previews with clear, prominent links: "Click here to access your ROI Calculator"

This way, students encounter each resource in the proper sequence while following the linear flow of your main companion document.

Mistake #2: Creating Resources That Lack Functionality

The format of your resources matters tremendously for the student experience. I frequently see course creators make one of two functional mistakes:

1. The Non-Editable PDF Trap: Beautiful but inflexible PDFs that students can't easily fill out digitally
2. The Digital-Only Oversight: Resources that work perfectly on screen but become unusable when printed

Both scenarios frustrate students and create barriers to implementation. Let's explore how to avoid these pitfalls.

The Solution: Balance Aesthetics with Usability

While I generally recommend Google Docs and Sheets for their flexibility, accessibility, and ease of updating, the specific format matters less than ensuring your resources are functional for all your students.

If you prefer PDFs:

• Invest in software that makes creating fillable fields straightforward
• Consider how you'll handle updates (every small change may require redoing the fillable component)
• Recognize that some students may lack the software to edit them effectively if you don't set it up for them

If you use Google Docs/Sheets:

• Learn to leverage tables, colors, and borders to create visually appealing resources
• Set appropriate sharing permissions (view-only with "make a copy" instructions)
• Consider teaching students to set up a folder structure at the beginning of the course

For any format, accommodate both digital and print users:

• Provide adequate space for written responses (digital fields can expand, but printed pages can't—as an added bonus, appropriately sized writing fields can help the learner by indicating the expected response length)
• Handle links thoughtfully—either include the full URL in text or ensure all links are also accessible in the course portal
• For spreadsheet calculators or other digital-only tools, create clear instructions for how to access and use them

The key is putting yourself in your students' shoes: try using your resources exactly as they would. Is the experience smooth or frustrating? Does it enhance learning or create barriers?

Mistake #3: Too Many Resources (Or Too Much Fluff)

One of the most pervasive myths in online education is that more content equals more value. This "comprehensive trap" leads many course creators to overwhelm students with unnecessary resources that ultimately detract from the learning experience.

Signs you may have fallen into this trap:

• You've created "bonus" resources for almost every lesson
• You're adding cheat sheets and summaries for concepts that don't require them
• Your resources repeat information already covered in videos
• You've included worksheets with questions that don't directly advance learning outcomes

The Solution: Quality Over Quantity

The most effective supplemental resources are those that directly support your course's promised transformation—no more, no less.

For each resource, ask yourself:

• Does this directly help students implement what they're learning?
• Is this something they'll actually use (not just something that "seems helpful")?
• Does this complement my video content without competing with it?
• Is every question or prompt purposeful and necessary?

Keep your core learning pathway clean by:

• Moving truly optional resources to a clearly labeled "bonus" section or module
• Ensuring each resource serves a specific, necessary purpose
• Creating worksheets that guide implementation rather than just reviewing concepts
• Including only the most essential reference materials within the main course flow

Remember, a cheat sheet is only valuable if students truly need to memorize or quickly reference that information. A worksheet is only helpful if it guides students through necessary thinking or planning. A journal prompt is only transformational if the reflection yields insightful outputs.

I once fell into the trap of creating detailed cheat sheets for every lesson in my courses. Eventually, I realized students were skimming these instead of watching the videos, missing valuable context and nuance. Now I aim to create resources that only make complete sense after watching the lesson—they complement rather than replace the core content. You might not always strike the perfect balance, but it's still helpful to have this objective in the back of your mind.

Mistake #4: Inconsistency Between Lessons and Resources

This final mistake often emerges over time. Your course evolves—you update resources with new information, respond to student questions with supplemental materials, or refine your approach—but your video lessons remain unchanged.

The result? Students experience jarring disconnects between what they hear in the video and what they see in the supplemental resources.

This inconsistency can manifest as:

• Technical information that's outdated in videos but updated in resources
• Different terminology or frameworks used in lessons versus worksheets
• Additional steps or information in resources that aren't mentioned in videos
• Different approaches or recommendations between the two

The Solution: Systems for Alignment

Preventing resource-lesson misalignment requires both thoughtful development and systematic updating:

During initial course creation:

• Develop a detailed course outline before recording or creating resources
• Create resources immediately after recording each lesson while content is fresh
• Review all materials as a complete package before launch
• Have a test student go through both lessons and resources to identify disconnects

For ongoing maintenance:

• Schedule regular course reviews (quarterly or biannually)
• Keep a running list of needed updates to both videos and resources
• When you must update resources before videos, include clear notes about the discrepancy
• Consider a full course audit when disparities become significant

Remember that while resource updates are easier than re-recording videos, significant misalignment ultimately undermines the student experience. When your course needs a major refresh, consider investing in a professional course audit to identify all areas needing improvement and create a prioritized revamp plan.

Click here to learn about how and how often to update your online course.

Creating Transformational Resources: The Bottom Line

Supplemental resources should do exactly what the name implies—supplement your teaching in ways that enhance learning and implementation. When designed thoughtfully, they can dramatically improve student outcomes by:

• Providing structured implementation pathways
• Reinforcing key concepts at the point of application
• Reducing cognitive load through clear organization
• Guiding students through complex decision-making processes
• Creating tangible results students can see and use

By avoiding the four common mistakes we've explored, you'll create resources that truly serve your students' learning journey rather than overwhelming or confusing them.

Remember, the goal isn't to create the most comprehensive set of resources possible—it's to create the most effective resources for delivering your promised transformation.

Need help evaluating and improving your course resources? My Course Audit service provides expert analysis of your current materials and actionable recommendations to create a more effective, engaging learning experience.