Course Hero Literature Study Guides
Context
As the Senior Educational Content Specialist for a new team at Course Hero, I played a key role in developing our proprietary literature content. The goal of this program was to create high-quality study guides that could compete with established brands like LitCharts and CliffsNotes.
We were focused on providing students and educators with free, in-depth resources for some of the most popular literary works. This effort paid off not only in the growth of our content library but also in the eventual acquisition of both LitCharts and CliffsNotes, positioning Course Hero as a major player in the literary content space.
My role
- Led a large-scale initiative from 0 to 1, managing the creation of 600+ written study guides, infographics, and nearly 1,000 video study guides.
- Collaborated with multiple stakeholders, including freelance writers, a graphic design studio, and a video studio, to ensure timely and high-quality content delivery.
- Researched and selected titles for the study guides, focusing on the most popular and relevant books for the target audience.
- Provided detailed feedback on study guides, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with the project’s educational goals.
- Hired and managed freelance copy editors to proofread and finalize written content, maintaining high editorial standards across all materials.
- Offered creative direction for both infographics and video guides, working closely with designers and video producers to ensure consistency and visual appeal.
600+ Infographics and Study Guides
Sam worked with our entire team on content development, creative direction, content review and quality assurance. He was a knowledgeable and resourceful partner to work with as well as just an all around good guy to interface with.
Len Davis, President of PureI Video Agency
He’s great at what he does, is super detail-oriented, and delivers great work and expertise on a consistent basis.
500,000+ YouTube Subscribers
The YouTube videos we produced as part of the literature study guides played a huge role in the growth of Course Hero’s YouTube channel, which now boasts over half a million subscribers.
With nearly 7 million hours of watch time and consistently high engagement, the feedback from both students and teachers has been incredible. They regularly tell us how valuable these videos are for teaching and learning, making them a key resource in classrooms and study sessions alike.
Outcomes
- Drove explosive growth on Course Hero’s YouTube channel, now with over half a million subscribers, thanks to the high-quality literature study guide videos that have become a go-to resource for students and educators alike.
- Generated nearly 7 million hours of watch time on the channel, with consistently high engagement across all video content, showcasing the lasting value and appeal of the study guides.
- Contributed to the eventual acquisition of LitCharts and CliffsNotes, positioning Course Hero as a major leader in the literary content space and expanding its offerings with two iconic brands.
- Provided free, accessible study materials to millions of students, ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed academically, whether for classroom learning or self-study.
Sam DeReign 