You may have the option to specify student access to courses and materials for months, years, or lifetime.
Lifetime access is very appealing to prospective students. Years later, students can hop back in and get a quick refresher or download that useful PDF you gave away with your course. To my surprise, almost no courses have a legal disclaimer about the content going away if the platform or business goes away, maybe it’s inferred from the terms of use web/app policy. Students may expect content to be updated as tools (e.g., Adobe, Sewing Machines) and techniques evolve.
Having a one-year policy still sounds awesome, and gives the course creator a little protection from internet sharing of accounts and other liabilities. It gives students a little time to get through the course if they can’t get through all the material due to life. It also gives students the ability to come back for refreshers while they are actively using the content.
In conclusion, lifetime access is a great way to help get more sales. You can generate more revenue by offering lifetime access as an upsell for more value.