7 Ways to Market an Online Course (Even If You’re a Beginner)

You have been told by many online gurus, solopreneurs, influencers, and your neighbors that all you need to do is launch an online course to earn millions. And it made sense to you, too. 

“If Justin Welsh can do it, why can’t I?” you said to yourself.

So, you do your thing, create your course, and launch it on a platform. Now, all you have to do is wait for a million dollars to appear in your bank account. 

But guess what? Six months have passed, and you have two students, neither of them paid you because both of them are your friends, and one of them has already dropped out.

So, what do you do now?

What those online gurus DIDN’T tell you is, you need to put a decent amount of effort into marketing your course, so that people actually buy it and you can make some money.

I mean, if people don’t know that your course exists and it can help them, how would they buy it? 

That’s why I’ve put together a list of things you can do to successfully market your online course that will help you make a LOT of money.

01. Repurpose Your Course Content

Let’s talk about one of the most powerful ways to market your online course: sharing valuable content.

Sharing your content works because it helps you build trust before you sell. When you share genuinely useful insights, people start seeing you as an expert who understands their challenges. Over time, they’ll be more likely to invest in your course because they already believe in your knowledge and teaching style.

Consistently publishing helpful tips, explanations, and how-to content in the form of blog posts, infographics, and short videos also improves your visibility on search engines like Google, bringing more potential students to your course through organic search. And when you engage with your audience through blog comments, social media, or email, you start forming a community. 

Even small, free pieces of content like a short guide, checklist, or quick video lesson can give people a taste of what your full course offers. This lowers their hesitation and builds confidence in your paid offering.

The best part about using content to market your course is that you can repurpose your existing course material into multiple content formats. For example,  blog posts, infographics, short videos, and more. 

How to Market Your Course Through Content Marketing

1. Break down your course: Review your course lessons to identify key ideas, challenges, or common student questions, and turn each into a standalone content piece.

2. Create bite-sized content: Repurpose your key ideas into blog posts, visuals, short videos, or audio clips. Then share them on your website or social platforms.

3. Stay consistent: Regular posting matters more than perfection. Pick a frequency you can manage, like weekly or biweekly, and stick with it.

4. Always deliver value: Each piece of content should provide real value to your audience. It can be by addressing a problem, sharing a new skill, or offering clear answers to their questions.

5. Guide your audience: Don’t be shy about suggesting a next step. Encourage your readers or viewers to subscribe to your email list, download a free resource, or check out your full course.

02. Be an Active Member on Relevant Communities

Engaging with online communities is one of the most powerful and authentic ways to market your online course. By engaging with the community, I don’t mean spamming links or quick promotions. What I mean is building genuine connections and trust, which are the foundation of any successful course business.

When you participate in forums, social media groups, or other online spaces where your potential students spend time, you position yourself as a helpful expert, not just a marketer. This way, people start to recognize you as someone who genuinely wants to help, not just someone trying to sell.

Over time, this approach turns you into a trusted authority in your niche. People who value your free contributions are far more likely to invest in your course because they already know you, like you, and trust your expertise.

Community engagement also creates a sense of belonging. When potential students see you as part of a supportive network, they feel more comfortable enrolling in your course, confident that they’ll be learning from someone who’s approachable and credible.

Best of all, this approach often leads to organic word-of-mouth marketing. 

How to Start Engaging with Communities

1. Find where your audience hangs out: Identify the online spaces where your ideal students gather. This could be Facebook Groups, Reddit communities, LinkedIn groups, Discord servers, or niche forums related to your course topic. 

2. Listen before you speak: Before jumping in, take time to observe and understand the community. What questions do people ask most often? What struggles or goals keep coming up? Listening first helps you contribute meaningfully instead of promoting blindly.

3. Provide genuine value: Start helping by answering questions, sharing insights, or pointing people to helpful resources (even if they’re not your own). Your goal is to be useful, not to sell. 

4. Share bite-sized expertise: Once you’ve built some presence, start sharing small, helpful pieces of your course content. It could be a short tip, framework, or example. Present it as advice, not promotion. 

5. Engage, don’t broadcast: Don’t just drop posts and disappear. Respond to comments, ask thoughtful follow-up questions, and participate in ongoing discussions. 

6. Mention your course (only when it fits): If someone’s question directly relates to your course topic, and the community rules allow it, gently mention your course as a resource that could help. 

7. Respect the rules: Every community has its own guidelines. Read them carefully, and always stay within the boundaries. 

8. Be patient and consistent: Building a reputation takes time. After continuous and valuable participation, people will begin to seek your input, follow your work, and naturally gravitate toward your course. 

03. Run Paid Ads on Google and Other Platforms

Paid advertising is a fast and effective way to reach your targeted group of potential students who are most likely interested in your course. Unlike organic methods that require time for your content to be discovered, paid ads let you quickly put your course in front of people based on specific interests, demographics, and even online behavior.

This means you can display your course ads directly to individuals who have already shown interest in topics related to your content or fit the profile of your ideal student. 

With paid ads, you can target the students who are already looking for a course. Thus, save money and increase your chances of reaching people who are ready to learn.

Paid ads also allow you to test different marketing messages rapidly and see what resonates best with your audience. This helps refine your strategy faster than relying solely on organic methods. 

How to Implement Paid Advertising for Marketing Your Online Course

1. Start small and test: Don’t dive in with a large budget upfront. Begin with a modest budget of $5-$10 per day, running multiple ads simultaneously. This allows you to test different approaches and identify which ads perform best, without risking too much money.

2. Choose the right platform: Select advertising platforms that align with where your target audience spends their time. Some of the most effective platforms include:

3. Define your target audience: Knowing your ideal student is crucial. Take time to define who they are: What are their interests? What age group do they belong to? Where are they located? What problems are they trying to solve? The more specific you are, the better your targeting will be, leading to more effective ads.

4. Write compelling ad copy and visuals: Your ad should grab attention and highlight your course’s benefits. Use clear headlines, compelling descriptions, and engaging visuals or videos that show what students will gain

5. Create a dedicated landing page: When someone clicks on your ad, they should land on a page designed specifically to convert visitors into students. Ensure your landing page clearly explains your course’s benefits, includes testimonials from past students, and features a strong call-to-action.

6. Track and optimize your results: Paid ad platforms provide valuable insights into your campaign’s performance. Keep an eye on metrics like click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC), and conversions (enrollments). These metrics will help you understand what’s working and what isn’t, so you can continuously optimize your campaigns.

7. Retargeting: Use retargeting campaigns to show ads to people who have visited your course’s landing page but didn’t enroll. These individuals have already shown interest in your course and may just need an extra incentive or reminder to complete their enrollment. 

04. Be Active on Social Media Platforms

Social media marketing is incredibly effective for selling your online course. That’s because it allows you to connect directly with your target audience, where they already spend a lot of their time. 

Nowadays, social platforms are not just for sharing personal updates; they are powerful tools for building a personal brand. 

The viral nature of social media also means that valuable content can be shared widely by your audience, extending your reach organically and cost-effectively. 

How to Implement Social Media Marketing

• Choose Your Platforms Wisely: Don’t try to be everywhere at once. Identify 1-2 social media platforms where your ideal students are most active. 

• Optimize Your Profile: Make sure your profile clearly states who you are, what your course is about, and who it helps. Include a clear call to action and a link to your course landing page or website. 

• Share Valuable Content Consistently: Repurpose content from your course into short, engaging posts. This could be quick tips, mini-tutorials, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or answers to common questions. 

• Engage, Don’t Just Post: Social media is about interaction. Respond to comments, answer direct messages, and ask questions to encourage conversation. 

• Use Relevant Hashtags: Hashtags help people discover your content. Research popular and niche-specific hashtags related to your course topic and use them strategically in your posts. Also, spend some time to understand which platforms encourage the use of hashtags and which don’t.

• Run Contests or Giveaways: To quickly grow your audience and generate excitement, consider running a contest where you give away free access to a mini-course, a chapter of your main course, or a related resource. This can encourage shares and new followers.

• Collaborate with Others: Partner with other course creators, influencers, or experts in complementary fields. This could involve doing a joint live session, a shared post, or cross-promotion, exposing your course to their audience.

• Analyze Your Performance: Most social media platforms have built-in analytics. Regularly check which types of posts get the most engagement, when your audience is most active, and how your content is performing. Use this information to adjust your strategy and improve over time.

05. Influencer Partnerships and Collaboration 

Instead of building an audience from scratch, you can leverage existing networks with a built-in trust factor through partnering with other course creators or influencers. Through a strategic partnership with influencers, bloggers, or industry experts, you gain access to their audience, who are already interested in related topics. 

The endorsement from influencers serves as powerful social proof, motivating their followers to trust and consider your course. 

Similarly, teaming up with other course creators in complementary niches allows for cross-promotion, helping both parties expand their reach without directly competing. This can lead to joint webinars, shared content, or affiliate partnerships, all of which increase your visibility and credibility. 

How to Implement Effective Partnerships and Collaborations

• Identify potential partners: Look for influencers, bloggers, industry experts, or other course creators whose audience aligns with yours but who don’t directly compete. 

• Research and reach out: Before making contact, take time to understand their work, audience, and values. Personalize your message when you reach out, explaining why you admire their work and how a partnership could benefit both parties. 

• Start small and build trust: Avoid asking for a major commitment right away. Instead, suggest a small collaboration like a joint Q&A session or a social media shout-out. 

• Offer value first: When proposing a partnership, think about how you can contribute. Can you create valuable content for their audience? Can you help promote their work to your growing audience? Would they be interested in a free review copy of your course?

• Explore different partnership models:

• Be professional and organized: When working with partners, set clear expectations, deadlines, and deliverables. A simple written agreement (even an email) can prevent misunderstandings and ensure everyone is on the same page.

• Track results: Regularly assess how your partnerships are performing. Which collaborations are driving the most student sign-ups or engagement? By tracking the effectiveness of your partnerships, you can refine your strategy and focus on what works best for future collaborations.

06. Build an Email List

Building an email list through lead magnets is another effective strategy for course creators. The core reason for this is that email marketing provides direct access to an audience who has already shown interest in your content or expertise. 

Unlike social media, where algorithms control the visibility of your content, email marketing ensures your message reaches the inboxes of people who have willingly signed up. 

How to Implement This for a Beginner Course Creator

• Create a lead magnet: Offer a free resource like an ebook, checklist, or mini-course related to your course topic to entice people to subscribe.

• Set up a landing page: Use platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit to create a simple page with a clear headline and an email signup form.

• Automate emails: Set up a welcome email to deliver the lead magnet, followed by a nurture sequence offering valuable content before promoting your course.

• Promote on social media: Share the lead magnet on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn with a strong call to action to drive traffic to your landing page.

• Optimize for conversions: Ensure your lead magnet is high-quality and clearly addresses a need to make it worth visitors’ email signups.

• Track and improve: Monitor email open rates and landing page performance to test and refine your strategy for better results.

07. Collect and Share Testimonials

If you want to build and scale a successful course business, testimonials are one of the most compelling ways to build credibility. Testimonials work as proof that your course delivers real value. 

Prospective students are more likely to enroll when they see that others have benefited from your course. That means testimonials can significantly enhance your course’s reputation.

How to Collect and Use Testimonials Effectively

• Reach out to early students: After students complete your course, ask for feedback by sending a simple questionnaire or prompt for their thoughts.

• Incentivize feedback: Offer a small incentive, such as a discount or exclusive content, to encourage students to leave a testimonial.

• Highlight specific benefits: Ask students to focus on particular aspects of the course, like key takeaways or how it helped solve a problem.

• Use a variety of formats: Collect both written and video testimonials to showcase authentic feedback from different perspectives.

• Share across multiple channels: Feature testimonials on your course landing page, social media, emails, and promotional videos for maximum reach.

• Ask at multiple points: Request testimonials at various stages of the course, not just at the end, to capture a range of experiences.

• Feature success stories: Include testimonials that highlight how students achieved specific goals or overcame challenges thanks to your course.

Marketing Your Online Course is All About Your Personal Brand

All the methods I have mentioned in this blog are for marketing your online course through building your personal brand. When you successfully build your personal brand,  people will see you as an authority in your field and will trust that you can add additional value to their lives.

As a result, it will go a long way if you want to go a long way with your online course business and scale further into other verticals. 

FAQs

How to convince people to buy your course?

You can convince people to buy your course by showing clear results and real success stories. When learners see proof of transformation, trust and desire naturally follow.

Where to promote your online courses?

You can promote your online courses on social media, niche communities, and email lists. Focus on platforms where your target learners already spend time.

Which online course is profitable?

The most profitable online courses solve a specific, high-demand problem. Niches like business skills, tech, and personal development often perform best.

How to get students online?

You can get students online by offering free value through content, webinars, or lead magnets. Once they trust your expertise, they’ll be more likely to enroll.

How to sell your course before you create it?

You can sell your course before creating it by pre-selling with a landing page and collecting sign-ups. This helps validate demand and fund your course creation.