How can I market my course?

[LawrenceMMiller]

Some version of this question is one of the most common by instructors so I thought I would write this, which is a summary of advice from many experienced instructors.

I have compiled a list of things you can or should do to market your course. None of these are short term or an instant path to riches. But, they are things that work if you are serious about building an online business on Udemy. Think strategically, not short term. It often takes a few years of effort to begin to make a significant return on your efforts. 

1. First and most important BE an expert in your field of knowledge. Read, study, and demonstrate state of the art knowledge in your field. If you aren’t this… nothing else is likely to work.
2. Be sure that your course landing page communicates your expertise… “Why should I listen to you?” And, be sure that your course landing page communicates the “benefits” of your course, not merely the “features” of your course. Benefits are how this course will personally benefit me. Customers buy benefits, not features! 
3. Remember that most of your future students will be on Udemy searching for something. That “something” are key words that they will put into the search bar. Think carefully about the key words your future students may be searching for and be sure they are in your title and/or your subtitle. This is how students will find you.
4. Your promo video is what catches students after they land on your page. Spend ten times the amount of time perfecting your promo video as you do on any other lecture. State the benefits of your course, your qualifications, and invite them to join you. These are more important than outlining all the topics (features) of your course. Also, remember that buying decisions are not simply “rational” decisions; they are emotional decisions, and that is about how you make them feel! Personality sells. Do I want to spend hours with this person? Do I like them? I know it isn't "rational" but we buy from people we like.
5. Be your own “brand manager” and build your brand. Brands are built over time by building trust in your marketplace. Brand value is created by being trustworthy, creating consistent value for your customers, over time. The most successful instructors are focused on “marketing”, not just “selling.” Know the difference.
6. Identify Facebook and LinkedIn groups related to your subject matter. Join them. Participate in discussion.
7. Demonstrate expertise by publishing a blog/website with your biography, articles you have written, a page for your courses, and regular blog posts that are educational, value-adding posts. You can see mine at ManagementMeditations.com. It is only one possible model, but I am sure there are better ones. Google the names of some of the more successful instructors and you will find their personal websites.
8. Then, share these blog posts or articles with all relevant groups on LinkedIn or FB. Your LinkedIn page should have articles by you, on your area of expertise. Prove that you are a “thought leader” in your field.
9. Build your own email list be capturing visitors to your website. I use Sumo, but there are other WordPress plugins to do this… oh, use WordPress for your blog. You don’t have to be a web development expert to create a WordPress website.
10. Your Udemy students are your own mail list in that you can send both educational and promo announcements. As you build the number of students there is a multiplying effect when you share what you write.
11. Develop additional courses in your area of expertise. The more courses you have the easier it is to launch a new course by marketing to your current students.
12. Obviously, do a great job of developing your on-camera presence and your courses. Engage in continuous improvement. Alexa Fischer’s Confidence on Camera course is excellent for improving your on-camera presentation skills.
13. Develop a YouTube channel where you can upload the introductory lecture(s) to your courses and include a link, with a discount coupon, to your Udemy course.
14. Develop a Facebook discussion page for your students and to publish articles (the same ones as on your blog page and LinkedIn page.
15. Watch Scott Duffy’s course on Udemy SEO Marketing.
16. It is a consensus of experienced instructors that paid Facebook ads do not work.
17. Do not give away of free courses or thousands of free coupons. Those who take these coupons are not likely to go through the course and are likely to leave poor reviews. Give away a few free coupons to those on your personal FB page, those who know you, and may go through the course and may give a good review. This is something to do only at the first launch of a course.
18. Do not even think about purchasing reviews!!! They are now spotted and removed by Udemy’s Trust and Safety group.
19. Have patience… you are building a business and like starting any business, it is not a get rich quick thing. It takes patience and persistence. Udemy is not a path to quick riches and it is not “passive income.”
    
    

The above is only my advice, but informed by the experience of many other successful instructors,

Larry Miller

[MassimilianoAlf · Accepted solution]

This is a great list with a lot of value... every new instructor should take the time to study it, thanks for posting it!

[MasudRanaParvaz · Accepted solution]

Nice post. Thanks for sharing.

[Haytham · Accepted solution]

Hi Lawrence,

Nice and to the point post.

Regards,

Haytham | realarabic.com

[Bruce · Accepted solution]

Thanks Larry, I have had a very bad experience with free coupons. Never again.

Blessings for the advice.

[akashranglani · Accepted solution]

Super Awesome.

Adding few more points.

1) Answer the questions in quora related to your course and provide course link.

2) Apply same strategy in reddit.

[KennCrawford · Accepted solution]

Great advice, thanks for sharing. 

[Edmund_P · Accepted solution]

well written

[SupaBees · Accepted solution]

Good post Larry!

Agree with pretty much all your points; my takeaway: don't waste money on FB ads directly; also I appreciate the hindsight to only offer FREE coupons to those who have visited/liked our course-related Facebook page - great idea.

Thanks!

Susan

[FinanceED · Accepted solution]

nice; and, also, if I could add:  don't let One course determine the feasiblity of your teaching efforts.  Have a couple of courses on--before, you panic!

[RKArora · Accepted solution]

wonderful suggestions Dear Larry

i have just started 2 days back and was trying to send a message through announcements but could not find thw way.

Can you help me fix the issue. I am not sure its activated to me or not?

with best & Kind Regards

Oh one more question I could find price of Camptasia $100 at some page of Udemy How can I buy this software through Udemy 

God bless you Sir

[LawrenceMMiller]

@Cristi S. I wrote the original message a couple years ago, to be helpful to new instructors. I didn't write to win applause from you or anyone else. Obviously, it was helpful to a good number of new instructors. If it wasn't helpful to you, that is fine. 

Perhaps you can share your own more brilliant and creative ideas that have helped you be a successful instructor. 

[PhoebeJaspe]

Thanks for this.
I recently just published my first course featuring a Games Writer, 3 students so far. Just wondering how I could increase sign-ups. It's about Narrative Design and Games Writing.

[OlivaFrancis]

Thank you for sharing this is a very informative post. I have been doing several Facebook adds and I have been battling with whether they work or not. 

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@LawrenceMMiller wrote:

Some version of this question is one of the most common by instructors so I thought I would write this, which is a summary of advice from many experienced instructors.

I have compiled a list of things you can or should do to market your course. None of these are short term or an instant path to riches. But, they are things that work if you are serious about building an online business on Udemy. Think strategically, not short term. It often takes a few years of effort to begin to make a significant return on your efforts. 

1. First and most important BE an expert in your field of knowledge. Read, study, and demonstrate state of the art knowledge in your field. If you aren’t this… nothing else is likely to work.
2. Be sure that your course landing page communicates your expertise… “Why should I listen to you?” And, be sure that your course landing page communicates the “benefits” of your course, not merely the “features” of your course. Benefits are how this course will personally benefit me. Customers buy benefits, not features! 
3. Remember that most of your future students will be on Udemy searching for something. That “something” are key words that they will put into the search bar. Think carefully about the key words your future students may be searching for and be sure they are in your title and/or your subtitle. This is how students will find you.
4. Your promo video is what catches students after they land on your page. Spend ten times the amount of time perfecting your promo video as you do on any other lecture. State the benefits of your course, your qualifications, and invite them to join you. These are more important than outlining all the topics (features) of your course. Also, remember that buying decisions are not simply “rational” decisions; they are emotional decisions, and that is about how you make them feel! 
5. Be your own “brand manager” and build your brand. Brands are built over time by building trust in your marketplace. Brand value is created by being trustworthy, creating consistent value for your customers, over time. The most successful instructors are focused on “marketing”, not just “selling.” Know the difference.
6. Identify Facebook and LinkedIn groups related to your subject matter. Join them. Participate in discussion.
7. Demonstrate expertise by publishing a blog/website with your biography, articles you have written, a page for your courses, and regular blog posts that are educational, value-adding posts. You can see mine at ManagementMeditations.com. It is only one possible model, but I am sure there are better ones. Google the names of some of the more successful instructors and you will find their personal websites.
8. Then, share these blog posts or articles with all relevant groups on LinkedIn or FB. Your LinkedIn page should have articles by you, on your area of expertise. Prove that you are a “thought leader” in your field.
9. Build your own email list be capturing visitors to your website. I use Sumo, but there are other WordPress plugins to do this… oh, use WordPress for your blog. You don’t have to be a web development expert to create a WordPress website.
10. Your Udemy students are your own mail list in that you can send both educational and promo announcements. As you build the number of students there is a multiplying effect when you share what you write.
11. Develop additional courses in your area of expertise. The more courses you have the easier it is to launch a new course by marketing to your current students.
12. Obviously, do a great job of developing your on-camera presence and your courses. Engage in continuous improvement. Alexa Fischer’s Confidence on Camera course is excellent for improving your on-camera presentation skills.
13. Develop a YouTube channel where you can upload the introductory lecture(s) to your courses and include a link, with a discount coupon, to your Udemy course.
14. Develop a Facebook discussion page for your students and to publish articles (the same ones as on your blog page and LinkedIn page.
15. Watch Scott Duffy’s course on Udemy SEO Marketing.
16. It is a consensus of experienced instructors that paid Facebook ads do not work.
17. Do not give away of free courses or thousands of free coupons. Those who take these coupons are not likely to go through the course and are likely to leave poor reviews. Give away a few free coupons to those on your personal FB page, those who know you, and may go through the course and may give a good review. This is something to do only at the first launch of a course.
18. Do not even think about purchasing reviews!!! They are now spotted and removed by Udemy’s Trust and Safety group.
19. Have patience… you are building a business and like starting any business, it is not a get rich quick thing. It takes patience and persistence. Udemy is not a path to quick riches and it is not “passive income.”
    
    

The above is only my advice, but informed by the experience of many other successful instructors,

Larry Miller

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[JasmineBayer]

Thank you so much ! I needed this 😄 God bless 

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[WokStarEleanor]

Thanks Larry for these very helpful tips. I'm going to put some into practice and see better results.

[GavinHain]

Great advice, that helped a lot as I have been making courses for the last 3 years and there are a couple of things you mentioned that I haven't been doing  🤙🏽

[DrAjithP_15]

Goodone.. thought provoking and indeed useful.. 

[RicardoStephan]

Superb article. Thanks a lot. I really needed those information.

[Pearl_Escapes]

Thank you - just got my first course approved today! I have a lot to learn and I know that marketing is one of my weakest areas - so thank you so much for this!

[VinodCumar]

Wow, Sir! Thanks

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[Ranjithvasudev]

Hi @LawrenceMMiller ,

Inspiring...! 

Thanks for sharing insightful bulletins 💓

[MotionRoyals]

Great. Thank you for Sharing.

[Martin-Conneely]

Hi Larry,

Thank you so much. It is great to get this kind of information.

Marty!

[Partha1981]

Thanks a lot Lawrence for this amazing list. Very kind. of you. GOD BLESS

[drkeshavmohan]

Very valuable advices. 

[iTAS]

Dear @LawrenceMMiller ,

Read every point clearly and thoroughly. Well explained and as a new instructor, learnt and understood many things to take care while creating our further courses.

Thanks,

Aadi Puttaswamy

Founer, iTech Analytic Solutions

[DrAnamZahid]

Soo nice.. thanks for your guidance! 

[PhoebeJaspe]

Just had my first review on the course. I’m quite pleased with Udemy and will he creating a filmmaking course with a higher quality camera.

[Hemav]

Hi Lawrence,

Thanks for letting me know as how to market my course. I am planning to post a blog in linked in and Facebook. I also would like to say in the blog that I have posted my Swiftui course in Udemy and the course has been approved. 

I still have to understand how can l get students to subscribe to the course and learn the course.

your points were excellent. I will try to follow what you have said.

One more good news. I have started preparing for the next Course which is going to be Advanced Swiftui Programming. It should be ready in another fortnight.

If you do not mind, what is level 1 mean?

Thank you for reaching to me.

[PranayKumar108]

Hir Sir. Couldnt find Scott Duffy's course on Udemy SEO Marketing. Please help.

[LawrenceMMiller]

I don't know what happened to it. @ScottDuffy  You are the first one to point this out. Maybe just take another one that is highly rated.