How to Promote Online Courses on Social Media

You've poured your heart and expertise into creating an online course, but now comes the real challenge: getting people to enroll. Putting your course out into the world and hoping for the best is a slow path to disappointment. This guide will walk you through a complete social media promotion strategy, from building pre-launch buzz to driving sales and maintaining momentum long after you've opened the doors.

Start Promoting Before Your Course Is Finished

One of the biggest mistakes course creators make is waiting until launch day to start talking about their course. By then, it's too late. The most successful launches are built on a foundation of anticipation you create weeks or even months in advance. Your goal during this pre-launch phase is to build an engaged audience that is primed and ready to buy the moment your cart opens.

Validate Your Idea and Build Your Waitlist

Before you invest hundreds of hours, use social media to confirm people actually want what you're creating. Start talking about your course topic casually.

• Ask questions: Use Instagram Stories polls or post questions in Facebook groups like, "What's your single biggest challenge with [your course topic]?" or "If you could master one skill related to [topic], what would it be?"
• Share your journey: Post behind-the-scenes content of you creating the course. Show your messy desk, your content outline on a whiteboard, or a short screen recording of you working on a lesson. This makes your audience feel like they are part of the process.
• Nurture a community: Create a free Facebook Group or community centered around your course topic. Offer free tips, answer questions, and build rapport. This group becomes a valuable pool of warm leads when you launch.

As you build buzz, your main call-to-action should be to drive people to an email waitlist. Create a simple landing page that says "Coming Soon" and promises early access, exclusive discounts, or special bonuses for those who sign up. Promote this list everywhere. It's the single most important asset you'll have on launch day.

Choose the Right Platforms for Your Audience

Don't try to be everywhere at once. Focus your energy on one or two platforms where your ideal student spends their time. Spreading yourself too thin is a recipe for burnout with mediocre results.

• Instagram: Ideal for visual topics like design, fitness, art, cooking, and photography. Use Reels to share quick tips and tutorials, Stories for behind-the-scenes content and Q&As, and Carousels for breaking down complex topics into digestible steps.
• LinkedIn: The go-to platform for courses on professional development, tech skills, marketing, leadership, and B2B services. Focus on sharing insightful articles, thought-provoking text posts, and data-backed content that establishes your authority.
• Facebook: While its organic reach has declined, Facebook Groups are incredibly powerful. You can build a thriving community around your topic, giving you direct access to a dedicated audience that trusts you.
• TikTok & YouTube Shorts: Perfect for reaching a younger audience or for topics that work well in short, entertaining video formats. Think quick language lessons, productivity hacks, or simple coding tutorials. Your goal here is brand awareness and driving people back to your main platform or waitlist.
• Pinterest: If your course is related to DIY, home decor, weddings, recipes, or anything else that is highly visual and inspirational, Pinterest is a goldmine. Create professional-looking pins that link back to your blog posts or waitlist page.

Create a Content Strategy That Sells Without Being Salesy

Once you've chosen your platforms, you need a content plan that builds trust and demonstrates the value of your course. Your social media feed should be an appetizer that makes people hungry for the main meal - your course.

Value-First Educational Content

Give away some of your best insights for free. People are far more likely to buy from someone who has already helped them achieve a small win. This strategy builds authority and generates goodwill.

• Create "Mini-Lessons": Break down a small part of one of your course lessons into a carousel post, a short video, or a detailed caption. For example, if your course is on SEO, create an Instagram Reel showing how to find one high-intent keyword.
• Bust Common Myths: Address common misconceptions in your industry. This positions you as an expert who sees things clearly and helps your audience avoid mistakes.
• Share Quick Tips and Frameworks: Give your audience simple, actionable advice they can implement immediately. These are highly shareable and establish you as a go-to resource.

Harness the Power of Social Proof

Nothing sells a course better than showcasing the success of others. Social proof is your most powerful marketing asset. It tells potential students, "This isn't just theory, it works for real people."

• Collect and Share Testimonials: If you've run a beta version or have past clients, feature their wins prominently. Post screenshots of positive feedback, short video testimonials, or quotes.
• Feature Case Studies: Write a detailed post or create a video breaking down the transformation a student experienced. What was their problem before? What was the result after? Be specific.
• Showcase "In the Wild" Wins: When a follower messages you to say your free tip helped them, screenshot it (with permission) and share it on your Stories. This reinforces that even your free content delivers results.

Use Video to Connect and Convert

Video, particularly short-form video, is the most engaging content format on social media right now. It allows you to build a personal connection that static images and text simply can't match.

• Go Live for Q&As: Host live sessions to answer your audience's frequently asked questions about your topic. This is an incredible way to handle objections and demonstrate your expertise in real-time.
• Create "Shoulder Content": Don't just talk about the course topic, talk around it. If you have a course on public speaking, create a video on how to calm your nerves before a presentation. This content attracts your ideal student without being a hard sell.
• Film Simple Tutorials: Use Reels, TikToks, or YouTube Shorts to quickly demonstrate a simple process. This shows your teaching style and gives a sneak peek into the kind of value you deliver in your full course.

Your Launch Week Game Plan

Launch week is a sprint, not a marathon. Your goal is to maximize visibility and create a sense of urgency. The momentum you built in the pre-launch phase culminates here.

Step 1: Open the Cart with a Bang

Your "cart open" announcement should be your biggest and best piece of content. Make it an event. Go live on Instagram, host a free webinar, or drop a highly produced video announcement. Clearly state who the course is for, the transformation it provides, and the link to enroll.

Step 2: Follow a Daily Content Cadence

Plan your content for every day of the launch to combat different objections and highlight different benefits.

• Day 1: Cart Open Announcement. Focus on the core transformation.
• Day 2: Bust a Myth. Address a common misconception that holds people back.
• Day 3: Share a Success Story. Post your best student testimonial.
• Day 4: FAQ Session. Go live or post a carousel answering the most common questions you're getting.
• Day 5: Introduce a Bonus. Announce a limited-time bonus for new students.
• Day 6 & 7: Create Urgency. Announce that the cart is closing. Use countdown timers in Stories. Remind people this is their last chance to enroll.

Step 3: Be Present and Engage

Launch week is an all-hands-on-deck period. Don't just schedule posts and walk away. Be present in your comments and DMs to answer questions promptly. Engagement signals to the algorithms that your content is valuable, boosting your reach at the most important time.

Keep the Sales Going with an Evergreen Strategy

Your promotional efforts shouldn't end when the launch is over. Turn your social media profiles into an automated sales engine for your course.

• Optimize Your Bio: Your bio on Instagram, LinkedIn, and X should clearly state who you help and include a direct link to your course sales page.
• Create Content Buckets: Build an ongoing content strategy that continuously cycles through education, social proof, and personal stories.
• Pin Your Best Post: Pin a post or video to the top of your profile that introduces your course and directs people to learn more.
• Incorporate "Soft Sells": Mention your course naturally in your regular content. For example, at the end of a valuable tutorial, you might say, "If you liked this tip, we go ten times deeper into this exact process in Module 3 of my course [Course Name]."

By shifting from a launch-only mindset to an evergreen approach, you create a system that consistently attracts new students and generates revenue year-round.

Final Thoughts

Promoting your online course on social media is a marathon of building trust and providing value, bookended by strategic launch sprints. By building anticipation, creating helpful content, harnessing social proof, and staying consistent, you can turn your followers into a community of eager students.

We built Postbase because we know that juggling a multi-platform content strategy, especially during a high-stakes course launch, can be chaotic. Our visual calendar lets you map out your entire launch week content, from Instagram Reels to LinkedIn articles, all in one place. You can schedule everything in advance, saving hours of work so you can focus on engaging with your community in real-time when it matters most.