Congratulations, you’ve created your course! Next, you need to focus on your online course marketing, launch and promotion (not necessarily in that order!) Even the best courses will struggle to gain traction if no one knows about them, so this is where your marketing strategy comes into play.
As a learning designer and project manager, I’ve seen firsthand that fantastic online courses won’t reach their full potential because of poor or non-existent marketing strategies.
Effective marketing isn’t something you tack on at the end; it’s a continuous process woven into every stage of development, from initial planning to post-launch evaluation. Starting early allows you to build anticipation, gather leads, and even make pre-sales before your course goes live.
From Idea to Launch
The 6-stage model to guide you through the eLearning development process:
- Stage 1: Plan Your Course and Project – Audience, Topic, Strategy
- Stage 2: Design Your Course – Structure, Content Types and Content Writing
- Stage 3: Create Course Content – Use Tools and Technology to Develop Your Course
- Stage 4: Promote Your Course – Online Course Marketing, Launch and Sales
- Stage 5: Deliver Your Course – Implementation, Enrolment and Support
- Stage 6: Support and Evaluate – Post-Launch Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
Overview of Stages 1, 2 &3 (Planning, Design and Development)
Think of your marketing efforts as a separate sub-project alongside your course creation. It requires planning, execution, and continuous evaluation, just like your main project. Before we explore how to promote your online course effectively, let’s review previous stages.
Before diving into Stage 4, let’s look at what happened in the previous stages. Select the headings below to view details in a dropdown.
Stage 1:
Planning your course and business strategy:
You identified your target audience, validated your course topic, and created a project plan.
Stage 2
Design your course:
You refined your course structure and designed engaging content through storyboards, scripts, and initial content writing.
Stage 3
Development – creating your course content:
You refined your course structure and designed engaging content through storyboards, scripts, and initial content writing.
Having completed stage 1 and 2 steps, you should have the following deliverables in place:
Strategic Foundation:
- Validated course idea and niche: A clear understanding of your topic, target audience, and niche.
- Detailed learner persona: A profile of your ideal learner, including their needs, goals, and pain points.
- Course roadmap and project timeline: A structured outline of your course’s sections and lessons.
- Technology requirements and platform decisions: Choices regarding the tools you’ll use for content creation.
- Initial marketing strategy: A plan for promoting your course.
Course Design Elements:
- Comprehensive course structure: A roadmap outlining the course sections, lessons, and topics.
- Defined learning outcomes: Well-defined goals, objectives, and measurable outcomes aligned with your learners’ needs.
- Content strategy and media choices: Decisions about media types (videos, text, interactive activities) and delivery methods (self-paced, live workshops, webinars).
- Content, scripts, and storyboards: Content for modules, lessons, storyboards, and scripts or drafts for videos, lessons, or interactive elements to guide content development.
- Quality standards and guidelines: Clear criteria to maintain high-quality content.
- Course content: complete developed course content on platform of your choice
In this post, I will focus on stage four – promoting your online course strategically.
Stage 4: Promote Your Course - Market, Sell, Launch
While I do not offer marketing services, I have done much research and have digital marketing qualifications from my past life. Based on that, I outlined the important components of strategic marketing, course launch stages, and considerations when marketing and promoting your course. I also put together resources and templates that should be helpful starting points.
I also got some marketing and business strategy experts to share tips and valuable advice, so keep an eye on my social media, where we will post these tips!
Finally, throughout the post, I will give you real-life examples based on the two case studies selected for this series. Select the heading below to see the case studies details.
Case Study 1:
Maya’s Sustainable Gardening Course
Maya is a sustainable gardening enthusiast and teacher with a devoted Instagram and Facebook audience and over 10 courses already online. She’s adding a new course on propagation techniques. Maya’s audience is already familiar with her work, so she opts for an evergreen model. She integrates the new course into her existing marketing channels, using automated funnels to drive enrolments. This allows her to focus on creating content while her system handles the sales process.
Case Study 2:
Kris’s First Online Coaching Programme
Kris is a coach launching his first online programme. While he has a small Instagram following, he’s well-established on LinkedIn. Kris hosts a live webinar to demonstrate the value of his programme and convert attendees into students. He also partners with LinkedIn influencers in his niche to promote the course, expanding his reach beyond his immediate network.}
Table of Contents
1. Marketing and promotion strategy
Start early and be systematic
Many course creators tend to think that they finish the content and then “just market it.” Big mistake. Create your online course marketing and launch plan, and work on it. Otherwise, by the time you are ready to promote, You may have no audience, no email list, and no one waiting for what you’ve built. Starting your marketing efforts early allows you to
- Build anticipation for your course before it goes live.
- Gather leads through pre-launch campaigns.
- Test ideas with your audience to ensure your course resonates.
Think of marketing as a project parallel to course creation, with its timeline, milestones, and goals. That is how I usually see that. It isn’t easy to merge it with the course development completely, so I typically look at it as a sub-project that must be run parallel to your development. The difference here is that while your course development aims to serve your learners, this marketing sub-project aims to serve you and your business needs.
The main course development project goals and research findings inform marketing.
Plan your marketing timeline and goals.
A well-defined marketing strategy is the backbone of your promotional efforts. It provides a clear direction and helps you stay focused throughout the process.
Marketing Timeline
The first step is to map out a timeline that integrates marketing with your course creation schedule. Start by mapping out key milestones and campaigns. Think about your pre-launch, launch, and post-launch phases. How do your marketing tasks integrate with your course creation tasks?
This ensures that your marketing and course creation efforts are aligned and you’re not scrambling to promote your course at the last minute.
- Pre-Launch (3-6 months before launch): Build awareness, grow your audience, and create anticipation.
- Launch Phase (1-2 weeks before and during launch): Concentrate on converting leads into buyers and creating buzz around your course.
- Post-Launch (Ongoing): Engage your learners, gather testimonials, and attract more students through continued promotion.
There is no single correct approach, and every marketing plan can be unique, but there are some commonalities. Start by deciding on your launch date and working backwards to create a timeline for marketing tasks. Plan email campaigns, social media posts, webinars, or free content to promote your course.
To create a successful marketing and launch plan, you really need to build it around the following elements:
- Build an audience
- Decide on a marketing and communications strategy.
- Brand and customise your online school
- Design a high-converting course sales page.
- Officially announce your course launch.
- Promote your online course.
- Provide support and ask for feedback and reviews.
To read more about these elements read the
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Set Marketing Goals
Clear goals will help you measure the success of your marketing efforts. Here are some examples:
- Build an email list of 1,000 subscribers before launch.
- Achieve 50 pre-sales during the pre-launch phase.
- Enrol 100 students within the first three months of the course launch.
2. Hands-on marketing activities
This is where you start turning your online course marketing plan into action.
Pre-Launch Early-Stage Marketing (During Planning & Design)
Pre-launch activities focus on building awareness, growing your audience, and creating anticipation. Start as early as you can, but typically it is around 3-6 months before the launch.
A. Brand Development:
- Course and Personal Branding: Develop a strong brand identity for both your course and yourself. What makes you unique? What value do you offer?
- Value Proposition and USPs: Clearly articulate your course’s benefits and unique selling points (USPs). What problems does it solve? How is it different from other courses? Competitive analysis is crucial here—research similar courses to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and pricing. Identify gaps in the market that your course can fill.
- Brand Voice, Messaging and Visual Identity: Create a consistent and professional brand identity (name, logo, colour palette, tone of voice). Ensure your branding aligns with your course topic and target audience.
B. Know your Audience (both learners and buyers):
If you followed the planning stage correctly, you already know your target audience – who are they? What are their needs, motivations, and pain points? Now, take it a step further.
- Audience Research: Deepen your understanding of your target audience. Identify where your audience spends their time online. Are they active on LinkedIn? Instagram, Facebook? Do they hang out in specific Facebook groups? You likely gathered some of this information during the planning phase, but revisiting it from a marketing perspective is crucial. Consider how your learner persona translates into a buyer persona. What are their purchasing behaviours and motivations?
- Creating Buyer Personas: Develop detailed buyer personas to represent your ideal clients (it may be 2-3 personas). This helps you tailor your messaging and target your marketing efforts effectively. Your learner can be something completely different from your buyer. While learner personas focus on how they learn, buyer personas focus on their purchasing behaviours.
C. Build Content Marketing Foundation:
- Content Pillars: Identify 3-5 key themes and topics that align with your course content and audience interests. They will form the basis of your content marketing strategy.
- Building Authority: Share valuable, informative content that establishes you as an expert in your field. This builds trust and credibility with your target audience.
- Content Calendar: Create a content calendar to plan and schedule your marketing content. This ensures consistency and helps you stay organised. Use and repurpose your course content for blog posts, social media updates, and email newsletters.
Maya’s Sustainable Gardening Course
Activity Timeline: 4-6 months before launch
- Brand Development: Created a cohesive visual identity (logo: leaf & soil motif) and value proposition: “Grow plants effortlessly with science-backed techniques.”
- Audience Research: Polled Instagram followers to discover that 68% struggled with propagation. Hosted a Facebook Live Q&A to deepen understanding.
- Authority Building: Published biweekly blog posts like “5 Common Propagation Mistakes” and shared free infographics on Instagram.
- Lead Magnet: Offered a downloadable “Propagation Success Checklist” in exchange for emails, gaining 500 subscribers.
Case Study: Kris’s Coaching Programme
Activity Timeline: 3 months before launch
- LinkedIn Branding: Updated profile to highlight coaching expertise, sharing posts like “3 Signs You’re Ready for Career Change.”
- Collaboration: Partnered with a LinkedIn influencer for a co-hosted webinar on “Leadership in Remote Work,” attracting 200 sign-ups.
- Teaser Content: Released a 10-minute video snippet, “Mastering Difficult Conversations,” to his email list.
Mid-Stage Marketing (During Content Creation)
As you develop your course content, start building anticipation and interest.
A. Lead Generation:
Start capturing leads early by offering something valuable in exchange for email sign-ups. This could include Free resources (e.g., a downloadable checklist or guide), a free mini-course or video series, a live webinar or a Q&A session.
Here are some components and considerations of this stage.
- Lead Magnets: Offer valuable free resources, such as cheat sheets, checklists, or mini-courses, in exchange for email sign-ups.
- Email List Building: Focus on growing your email list. This is one of your most valuable marketing assets.
- Landing Page Optimisation: Create dedicated landing pages for your lead magnets and course registration. Optimise these pages for conversions. Make sure the checkout process is easy. Optimise your sales page with transparent pricing, benefits, testimonials, and a seamless checkout process. Consider using limited-time offers or discounts to create urgency.
B. Build Pre-Launch Content Campaign:
A strong pre-launch campaign will help you build excitement for your course. Ideas include:
- Teaser Content: Release snippets of your course content to pique interest and generate excitement.
- Social Proof: Start collecting testimonials and reviews from early-access students or beta testers.
- Early Bird Incentives: Offer special discounts or bonuses to those who pre-register or purchase your course before the official launch.
- Behind-the-Scenes Content: Share glimpses of your course creation process to build a personal connection with your audience.
C. Build the Community:
Be part of the community that is interested in and active about your topic.
- Social Media Presence: Engage with your target audience on relevant social media platforms.
- Online Communities: Participate in online communities and forums related to your course topic.
- Influencer Marketing: Connect with influencers in your niche to expand your reach.
Case Study: Maya’s Pre-Launch Campaign
Activity Timeline: 2-3 months before launch
- Email List Building: Sent subscribers a 5-day “Propagation Basics” email series, linking to her free checklist.
- Social Proof: Invited 20 subscribers to beta-test Module 1, collecting testimonials like “Maya’s tips saved my orchids!”
- Behind-the-scenes: I posted Instagram Stories showing course filming, with polls asking, “Which plant should I demo next?”
Case Study: Kris’s LinkedIn Strategy
Activity Timeline: 1 month before launch
- Lead Generation: Offered a free “Career Clarity Workbook” via LinkedIn Ads, targeting mid-career professionals (cost: £50, leads: 300).
- Early Bird Incentives: Announced a 20% discount for the first 50 enrollees via email, selling out in 48 hours.
- Community Engagement: Hosted a LinkedIn poll: “What’s your biggest career challenge?” (Responses shaped his webinar content.)
Launch Phase Marketing
Your launch phase usually spans 1-2 weeks before and during launch. It is all about converting leads into buyers and creating buzz around your course. To do this effectively, you’ll need to be well prepared.
A. Launch Strategy and Execution:
Decide on your launch and course delivery model.
- Launch Models: Consider different options, such as a soft launch, beta testing, or a full launch. Choose the approach that best suits your course and target audience. Check out my blog explaining 15 different course launch models: How to Launch Your Course: Most Common Online Course Launch Models Explained.
- Evergreen vs. Scheduled Availability: Decide whether you want an evergreen course (always available) or a scheduled launch with specific enrolment periods.
- Launch Timeline and Activities: Create a detailed timeline with specific activities and deadlines. This will help you stay organised and ensure a smooth launch.
B. Marketing Channels:
Successful online course marketing means selecting and focusing on the proper mix of marketing channels and activities.
- Go Where Your Buyers Are: based on your learner and buyer analysis focus your efforts on channels that guarantee sales.
- Multi-Channel Promotion: Promote your course across multiple platforms to maximise your reach. This could include:
- Social media platforms (e.g., Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube).
- Email marketing campaigns.
- Hosting live events
- Paid advertising (e.g., Google Ads, Facebook Ads).
- Partnerships with influencers or affiliates.
- Launch Day Activities: Plan special events or promotions to create buzz and excitement for your launch day.
C. Monitor and Optimise:
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Track relevant metrics, such as website traffic, conversion rates, and sales figures.
- Real-Time Adjustments: Be prepared to make adjustments to your marketing strategy based on the data you collect.
Case Study: Maya’s Evergreen Funnel
Activity Timeline: Launch Week
- Automated Funnel: Used Kajabi to set up a sales page with a 3-step checkout. Sent a 5-email sequence: Day 1 (announcement), Day 3 (testimonial video), Day 5 (limited-time bonus: “Seasonal Propagation Calendar”).
- Social Media: Ran Instagram Carousels highlighting course modules, driving 150 clicks to the sales page.
Case Study: Kris’s Webinar & Flash Sale
Activity Timeline: Launch Week
- Live Webinar: 120 attendees; 40% converted into buyers after a live Q&A. Offered a 48-hour flash sale (£199 → £149) post-webinar.
- Affiliate Promotion: 3 LinkedIn influencers shared promo codes, generating 30% of sales.
Post-Launch Marketing
Your online course marketing efforts don’t end after the launch. The timeframe and level of efforts depends on the course model you selected and other factors. Your activities can be ongoing or last a few days, weeks, or months
Here, you engage your learners, gather testimonials, and attract more students through continued promotion. It is essential for long-term success.
- Ongoing Promotion: Continue promoting your course through various channels.
- Student Success Stories: Gather and share testimonials and success stories from your students.
- Course Updates and Improvements: Keep your course content fresh and up-to-date. This demonstrates your commitment to your students and helps you attract new learners.
Case Study: Maya’s Evergreen Nurturing
Activity Timeline: Ongoing
- Testimonials: Featured student success stories in monthly newsletters (e.g., “How Jane Grew 50 Plants in 6 Weeks”).
- Content Repurposing: Turned Module 3 into a blog post, “Advanced Propagation Techniques,” boosting SEO traffic by 25%.
- Upsell: Launched a VIP add-on (£49) for personalised feedback, promoted via email.
Case Study: Kris’s Post-Launch Community
Activity Timeline: 1-3 months post-launch
- Student Spotlights: Shared LinkedIn posts highlighting graduates’ career transitions, tagging participants.
- Nurture Sequence: Sent biweekly emails with advanced negotiation scripts, retaining 70% of students for his next cohort.
- Feedback Loop: Surveyed learners, leading to a new module on “Remote Team Leadership” (launched 6 months later).
3. Key Marketing Concepts that you need to know
Sales Funnels
A sales funnel is a visual representation of the customer journey, from initial awareness to purchase. It typically includes the following stages:
- Awareness: Attract potential students through valuable content and targeted advertising.
- Interest: Capture their interest with lead magnets and engaging social media content.
- Decision: Provide detailed information about your course and its benefits.
- Action: Make it easy for them to purchase your course with a clear call to action.
Course Launch Models
The course launch model is your strategic approach to introducing your online course to the world. It’s more than just flipping a switch and making your course available; it involves carefully planned steps to generate excitement, attract your target audience, and drive enrolments. Choosing the right model can significantly impact your course’s visibility, sales, and overall learner experience.
There are various launch models to choose from, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Some popular options include soft launches, beta testing, full launches, waitlist launches, evergreen launches, cohort-based, and live event-based launches. I have discussed them in more detail in my blog post How to Launch Your Course: 15 Online Course Launch Models Explained.
The best model for you will depend on factors like your target audience, your goals, and the resources you have available. You can also combine different models for a hybrid approach. There are professionals out there specialising in launching online products, so it is a good idea to consult one of them.
4. Marketing Tools and Technology
Several tools can help you streamline your marketing efforts:
- Email Marketing Platforms: MailerLite, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign
- Social Media Management Tools: Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, Social Pilot
- Analytics and Tracking: Google Analytics
- Landing Page Builders: Leadpages, Unbounce
- Community Building: start building your community early emerging platforms (e.g., Discord for community-building:
Explore automation options to save time and improve efficiency – for instance, automatic responses, resending messages, following up on emails and messages and so on.
Here it the possible matrix of tools Maya and Kris can be using through various marketing campaign stages.
For Pre-Launch marketing, the toolkit could include:
- Canva for creating branded graphics and lead magnets
- MailerLite or ConvertKit for building your email list
- Google Forms for quick audience research
- Buffer, Hootsuite, Social Pilot or another tools to schedule content pillars across platforms
During the Launch Phase:
- Webinar platforms like Zoom, StreamYard or WebinarJam for live events
- Deadline Funnel to create genuine scarcity
- Testimonial collection tools like Boast. Vocal Video, SoryPromt, VideoAsk
- Landing page builders like LeadPages for high-converting sales pages. Landing page builders within email marketing platforms are also possible options.
For Post-Launch success, they can use:
- Repurposing tools like Repurpose.io to maximize content reach
- Analytics dashboards to track performance
- Automation platforms like Zapier to connect your systems
- A CRM to nurture student relationships
The right tools and automation mean less manual work and more strategic thinking!
5. Budget and Resource Planning
Thinking about budgets is key for any launch, especially when you’re starting out. Allocate a realistic budget for your marketing activities. Consider your time constraints and whether you need to outsource any tasks. Track your return on investment (ROI) to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Here’s a sample budget table you can adapt for your own course launch. Remember, this is just a sample – you’ll need to adjust the figures based on your specific needs and resources.
Remember, these figures are estimates. Do your research to get accurate pricing for your specific needs. Also, consider any VAT implications depending on where you and your customers are located.
I’ve included some notes to help you think through each item. Don’t be afraid to start small and scale up as you gain traction. Also, consider free or low-cost alternatives where possible. For example, you could use free social media platforms and create your own graphics initially. On the other hand, it may be worth investing in a more advanced tool offering more automation.
TIP:
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The Summary
Marketing your online course is a continuous, dynamic process. By starting early, planning strategically, and adapting to your audience’s needs, you can achieve your marketing goals and build a thriving online learning business. I’d love to hear about your experiences with course marketing.
Share your course marketing challenges in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!
Further Reading
- How To Launch An Online Course in 2025? from EducateMe
- How to Market your Online Course – 5 Best Strategies From Course Navigator
- 62 Ways To Market Your Online Course & Increase Sales in 2024 from Thinkific
- “What Type of Course Launch is Right for You?” from Teachable.
- Duxbury Digital: “Online Course Launch Strategy 101”
TIP: Ethical Marketing
Building Trust Through Transparency
Ethical marketing hinges on honesty and respect for the audience. Transparent pricing—clearly stating costs, fees, and terms upfront—eliminates confusion and builds trust. For example, avoiding hidden charges (e.g., surprise upsells) ensures learners feel valued, not manipulated. Equally critical is avoiding misleading claims: overpromising results like “Become a millionaire in 30 days!” risks credibility and harms long-term relationships. Instead, focus on realistic benefits backed by evidence, such as showcasing verifiable student successes. Ethical marketers also disclose partnerships (e.g., affiliate links) and use genuine testimonials, not fabricated reviews. By prioritising integrity over short-term gains, creators foster loyalty and align with the growing consumer demand for authenticity. As Maya, a sustainable gardening educator, demonstrates, clarity in course outcomes and pricing attracts the right audience and nurtures a community rooted in trust. In an era where scepticism runs high, ethical practices aren’t just moral—they’re strategic.
Note, that this post provides general information about online course marketing.
It is important always to consider the specific context and requirements of your learning projects. If you have any questions or would like to delve deeper into the topic, please email me or book a free online consultation via my contact page.
If you like productivity hacks, check out my recent posts. You will find there tips and recommendations for tools, practices, and approaches that may help you work less and smarter:
How to Launch Your Course: Online Course Launch Models Explained
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