Anyone with specialized knowledge or expertise can sell an online course. People are eager to pay for access to valuable information regarding finance and investing, content creation and marketing, beauty, tech, travel, and pretty much everything in between.
It’s a no-brainer: online courses have never been easier to build, promote, and sell (so long as you know what you’re doing). Plus, they’re profitable. In 2021, online courses generated around $214.26 billion. Even more exciting? The market is projected to grow to over a trillion dollars by 2030.
If you’ve already built an online course, you’re probably wondering how to sell it. Sit back, and we’ll run you through the step-by-step process of selling online courses on social media.
Why Sell Online Courses Through Social Media?
Why use social media to sell online courses? For one, it’s free. Most platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest require zero investment to sign up and start reaching potential buyers. Secondly, it’s effective. A 2024 Hubspot report found that 88% of course creators cited social media as their top lead generation channel.
Social media allows you to build (and retain) an audience, create a customer sales funnel, and connect with buyers directly. But if your plan consists of merely plugging a sales link here and there, crossing your fingers, and hoping for the best, you probably won’t have much luck.
When it comes to marketing online courses on social media, you need a game plan. We've separated this into two key marketing plans: the first for before you launch your course, the second for marketing post-launch.
Part One: Marketing Your Online Course
Throughout this blog, we’ll break the process into two parts: marketing your course pre-launch and ensuring sales post-launch.
To begin with, you’ll need a social media marketing strategy that balances the right mix of organic content and marketing.
1. Choose a Social Media Platform(s)
Not all platforms are created equal. Different demographics typically hang out online in various places, so you’ll want to align your social media strategy and choose the right platforms for your brand.
A good way to do this is to start building a target persona for your customers. This involves figuring out your customers' who, what, why, and where. Consider their hobbies, interests, age, location, needs, and pain points. You can use free online tools, like Google Analytics and Trends, to research your customer persona(s).
Here’s a Handy Guide to Social Media Platforms and Which Courses Typically Sell Well in Each:
Tech & Coding Courses: GitHub, Reddit, LinkedIn
Marketing & Business Courses: X, LinkedIn
Data Science Courses: LinkedIn, Kaggle
Health & Wellness Courses: Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, X
Personal Finance Courses: Reddit, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, X
P.S. If you’re using Whop as your platform to sell your online course, you can access in-depth customer insights like contact details, names, which products were purchased, and more. You can even collect data about customers who have canceled their subscriptions using exit surveys.
Once you’ve identified your buyers, you can create your profile and build your brand.
2. Build and Grow Your Brand
You’ve selected your platforms and are now staring at a blank profile. It’s time to build your brand to generate interest, credibility, and, most importantly, buyers.
Building a brand on social media means more than a logo and a catchy bio. You need to give people a reason to listen, trust, and purchase from you. This requires a unique identity that sets you apart in the online world. Your brand presence directly influences how people perceive you and your courses.
How do you begin? Now that you’ve identified your target personas, you can research what resonates with them online. Analyze trending creators and courses and how they market themselves on social media. Then, ensure that you create a consistent aesthetic and develop a strong voice. Create valuable content without expecting a sale (more on this in a moment).
Finally, start engaging your audience. Find popular content and interact with others in the comments section (don’t be spammy; try to add value). Respond to your own comments and messages promptly, and show your audience that you value their input. Leverage any online presence you had prior and direct traffic to your social media profiles.
A strong brand builds trust with potential students, making them more likely to enroll. It also helps you become easily recognizable, leading to more referrals and repeat customers.
3. Share Something for Nothing
Nobody wants to buy from a pushy salesman. As we said above, you need to give value in your content without expecting a sale. For course builders, this means sharing practical content that helps your audience solve problems or learn something new. You can do this without giving away any of the good stuff within the course itself.
Start by creating free resources. These could be anything from tutorials and tips to case studies and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Make direct-to-camera content, speaking one-on-one with your audience. Leverage tools within your platform to reach more people—like Reels on Instagram or live videos on TikTok.
Once you've established yourself as an authority in your niche, you can start using social media to sell your course. Your audience will more likely trust and support you if they've already benefited from your free content.
When you share something for nothing, you're building relationships and demonstrating your authority.
4. Softly Promote Your Course
Social media users are used to regularly being bombarded with annoying marketing and advertising. To appeal to potential buyers, avoid hard-selling tactics that can be a turn-off. Instead, focus on soft promotion.
What do we mean by soft selling? Again, it’s perfecting that balance of organic and valuable content with clever marketing. Raising awareness and interest in your course without overtly pitching. And there are many ways you can do this, from leveraging feedback and student results to giving glimpses and sneak peeks.
Social proof is a really powerful tool for promoting your course. Humans listen to other humans. So, any positive testimonials and reviews from satisfied students can help build trust and credibility. Encourage students to share their experiences on social media or in online reviews, and repurpose this feedback into content and show appreciation.
Free previews of your course content can also be effective. They give potential students a taste of what to expect and help them decide if your course is right for them.
Try creating content that mentions you're selling a course without directly selling it. This could include videos or posts discussing your course's benefits - maybe you focus on the problems it solves. Authenticity is one of the biggest factors in building customer trust.
5. Collaborate With Other Creators
Collaborating with other creators helps course builders expand their reach and attract new students. When you partner with other creators in your niche, you can cross-promote each other's courses and tap into new audiences.
A few things that you could do with another creator is to host joint webinars or workshops to share your expertise and attract a larger audience. You could also interview each other or appear as guests on each other's platforms. Or, you could offer discounts or special packages when students purchase your and the other creator's courses.
By collaborating with other creators, you can leverage each other's strengths and reach a wider audience. This can be a win-win situation for everyone involved. Plus, if you’re just getting started, it can bolster your credibility.
6. Promote a Launch Date
Now that you’re established on social media, you need a pre-launch strategy to market your course effectively.
Set a specific launch date and count down to it on your social media platforms - you can use a countdown timer to create excitement and build anticipation. Record daily social media stories about the launch and any behind-the-scenes glimpses you can offer. You can generate early-bird discounts or bonuses, too. Try to encourage people to sign up for an email newsletter before the launch (this can also help you build out an email list for retargeting down the line).
When you launch your course, make sure to celebrate the occasion with a special announcement or event!
7. Create a Mailing List for Presales and Discount Codes
An email list is essential for promoting your course and staying connected with your audience pre- and post-launch. Encourage potential students to sign up for your mailing list in exchange for exclusive offers, early access, or discount codes.
Use your mailing list to send personalized emails about your course, share valuable content, and build relationships with your subscribers. This can be a powerful way to convert potential students into paying customers.
8. Launch!
It’s go time! Once you've completed steps 1-7, it's time to launch your course.
Post-launch, follow everything we’ve learned so far: build brand awareness, share valuable content, and engage with your audience. Promote your launch on social media, your website, and your email list. Encourage your audience to share the news with their communities.
Engaging with enrolled students and providing continuous customer support after the launch is important. Offer ongoing resources to help them succeed.
Part Two: Marketing Your Course Post-Launch
In part one, we covered everything from getting up and running on social media right up to your course launch. But it’s important that your strategy extends beyond the launch, to keep growing your audience. Follow the steps below to maximize the post-launch phase and propel your course’s sales.
1. Put Your Sales Link in Your Bio
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to create a customer journey and drive traffic to your course sales page is to ensure your sales link is prominently displayed in your social media bio. This makes it easy for potential students to find and access your course.
Make sure your sales link is clear and concise, and consider adding a call to action to encourage clicks.
2. Continue to Collaborate
While collaboration pre-launch matters, it’s just as important to keep collaborating with other creators and your community post-launch. Once you’re making sales, continue to seek out opportunities to partner with other creators in your niche.
You can host joint webinars or workshops and share your expertise, attracting a larger mixed audience. Interview each other as guests on each other's social media videos and livestreams. Basically, keep doing whatever is working. Be proactive about finding people you genuinely like and feel inspired to work with. Not only does this help both parties professionally, but it gives personal development, too.
3. Offer Time-Limited Discount Codes, Deals, and Bundles
Urgency and exclusivity can be powerful tools for encouraging people to purchase your course. However, it’s important to maintain integrity rather than create false urgency to push sales.
Offer time-limited discount codes, deals, or bundles that create a slight sense of scarcity within your audience, encouraging immediate action from buyers.
For example, you could offer a flash sale with a steep discount on your course for a limited time only. Early-bird discounts can also be effective, providing a discount to students who purchase your course before the official launch date. Or bundle deals offering a discount when students purchase multiple courses together. This is an effective way of collaborating with other course creators, too.
By offering time-limited deals, you can create a sense of excitement and encourage potential students to seize the opportunity before it's gone.
4. Try Social Selling
Social selling is an inbound technique where, instead of outbound tactics such as cold calls or emails, you attract targeted leads and nurture them authentically through the customer journey.
The art of social selling involves the right mix of organic and marketing content while leveraging SEO and audience-building principles. Content should be informative, engaging, and relevant to your target buyer. This will establish you as an authority in your niche, attracting the right people to your profile.
You can join relevant online groups and forums where your target audience is active, and connect with potential students. Keep your focus on offering value and addressing pain points. Respond to comments, messages, and questions in a timely and helpful manner. You can provide discovery calls or reach out to followers in DMs to see if your course is right for them.
If you’re keen, you can even give live selling a go.
5. Run Giveaways
Giveaways and competitions are a tried-and-true method of boosting engagement, views, and interest. It’s a fun way to give back to your audience and encourage interest in your course.
You might choose to give away access to your course itself—or choose a relevant prize that is appealing to your target audience and aligns with your course topic. When hosting giveaways, you want to ensure everyone is on the same page. Clearly outline the rules, including the eligibility requirements, entry methods, and deadline. Share your giveaway on social media, your website, and your email list.
Encourage people to share the giveaway with their friends. You can have entry requirements such as ‘must share this post’ or ‘must tag 3 friends’. Use a random number generator or other fair method to select a winner.
The Key to Promoting Courses on Social Media: Using Your Platform As a Sales Funnel
Social media is one of the best ways to sell your online course, but you’ll get the best results from using it as a sales funnel (rather than a mere marketing tool).
Many course creators use social media to direct potential buyers to their course sales page. While this approach is effective, if the buyers want to communicate with you and use your course they have to navigate between two platforms, which can cost you leads.
A more efficient approach is simply using a platform like Whop to create and host your course. We offer a built-in community feature that allows your audience to interact with each other (and with you) directly within the platform. Students and potential buyers can chat, use forums, and complete their course all in one place. You can offer a free tier to nurture those not yet ready to commit and private tiers for current students. Plus, by providing a course and community built around it, you can charge more for the value given to students.
Create and Sell Your Online Course Today with Whop
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