When was the last time you heard a good review about a product you liked, used, or bought? Chances are, it was probably the product itself that received the praise, not the store that sold it. The same concept applies to online courses. The majority of students take the courses because they find them interesting, engaging, or helpful. However, the companies that host and market these courses might not always get the credit they deserve. This is because most schools don’t do enough marketing to get the word out about their courses. This is a problem because, in most cases, marketing is the key to getting good reviews, gaining recognition, and attracting the right audience.

Why Are Online Schools Important?

To start, let’s discuss why online schools are important in the first place. First of all, if you’re reading this article, you’re either already familiar with the concept of online schools or you’re interested in learning more. Either way, you have a fairly good idea of what online schools are and how they work. If this is the case, you can move on to the next section.

If you’re unfamiliar with online schools, they’re essentially online classes that you can take from any smartphone, tablet, or computer with an Internet connection. The only requirement is that you have access to a microphone and camera.

Because of the global pandemic, more and more people are taking the opportunity to learn online. The popularity of online learning has skyrocketed as a result of the pandemic, and it seems like there is always something new and interesting to learn. For instance, you can now learn how to code. Or, if you’re a fan of Stranger Things, you can take a class on how to design costumes for the show.

What Does Marketing a Course Include?

Marketing a course includes a lot of different things. Below, you’ll learn about each part of the process and what it takes to make sure that prospective students know about your school. Keep in mind, however, that not all of these things will apply to all courses, and you’ll have to determine which ones you’ll use.

Scheduling/Registration

The first thing you’ll need to do is set a schedule for when you’ll teach the course. This is going to be important because you don’t want to schedule it too far in advance, as this might cause you to lose students. Ideally, you’ll want to schedule it close to the date it is actually delivered. However, as a general rule of thumb, try to schedule it at least two weeks in advance.

In addition to setting a schedule, you’ll also need to register your course. Just like with traditional face-to-face classes, you’ll have to register a few days/weeks in advance. The only difference is that you can do this online. You’ll also want to make sure to register for the correct department or office. If you don’t register in the right place, you might not get the credit you deserve. This is especially important if you’re teaching a computer science course and you don’t belong to the department of computer science at your university. In that case, you’ll have to register in the department of business or education.

Creating Content

The next step is to create content for the course. This content can take any form that you choose. While most schools create a welcome video introducing the course, some create articles or a blog post on specific topics relating to the course. Additionally, they might create a worksheet, a presentation, or even a mini-FAQ to help new students get started. Essentially, the content you create should help prospective students learn what the course is all about. If you’re doing this as part of your marketing plan, it might be a good idea to create a ‘learning roadmap’ highlighting the specific course material that you’ll cover before the end of the term. This will make it much easier for students to remember what they need to learn and hopefully, keep them engaged throughout the learning process.

Distribution

Once you have your content, it’s time for distribution. For online schools, this usually entails putting the content on a platform, such as YouTube, and sharing the link with your mailing list or social media. In most cases, you’ll have to create an account on a platform like YouTube, then add your content to this account. You’ll also want to make sure to include an embedded link to your course website or landing page. This will allow prospective students to find more information about the course.

Evaluation

The last step in marketing a course is to evaluate the success of your efforts. Just like with any other marketing plan, you’ll want to see how many people you attracted to the course and how many of these people are actually registering and paying for the course. This last step is also about evaluating whether or not you should continue to market the course in the future. If you determined that the course was a success and you have enough support, you might want to consider expanding your marketing efforts to other platforms or distributing your content in a different way. However, if you determined that the course wasn’t a success, it might be a good idea to either scrap it or try a different approach. Just keep in mind that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach when it comes to marketing online courses, and you’ll have to find what works best for you.

This was a detailed guide to marketing a course for online schools. However, just like with any marketing plan, it is only as good as you make it. By following these steps, you’ll be able to successfully market your course and attract the right audience. Additionally, you’ll be able to gauge whether or not this was a success and either continue or switch gears. Just keep in mind that every school and every course is different, so you might have to adjust to fit your specific needs and circumstances.