With online learning growing at a 900% global rate, it has become the fastest-expanding sector in education. In the U.S. alone, 98% of universities and 77% of companies now offer digital learning opportunities. Courses cover everything from programming to personal development but creating a course is only half the battle since getting people to enroll is just as important. With social media as a primary source of information and entertainment, it has become a valuable tool for course promotion. The challenge is cutting through the noise and capturing attention.

The rise of platforms like Udemy also showcases another trend: individual creators and entrepreneurs turning their expertise into online courses. Beyond sharing knowledge, many see this as a way to establish authority in their field and create a passive income stream.

This is where AI-powered video tools, such as AI Video Cut, come in handy. They help course creators turn long lessons into short, engaging clips that are well-suited for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. But technology alone isn't enough. A structured approach to social media promotion is key.

Key Statistics for Social Media Promotion

• In the U.S., Gen Z video consumers dedicate around 29.3% of their viewing time to YouTube content.
• By 2024, adults in the U.S. are expected to spend an average of 58 minutes per day on short-form video platforms.
• Instagram attracts over 2 billion monthly active users worldwide, making it a strong platform for broad audience reach.
• Facebook sees the highest daily usage, with users spending an average of 33 minutes per day, offering consistent engagement opportunities for online course promotion.
• A study across Germany, the UK, and the U.S. found that 60% of marketers consider influencer marketing more effective in generating ROI than traditional advertising.

Now, let’s see how to get the most out of social media if you want to sell your online course there.

#1. Know Your Audience

Before posting anything, it’s vital to understand who the course is for. A business coaching program won’t attract the same audience as a digital art tutorial. Identifying the target demographic, such as age, interests, preferred platforms, helps tailor content to the right people.

For instance, professionals seeking career growth may spend more time on LinkedIn, while younger learners might be more active on TikTok. A language-learning course might resonate well on Instagram Reels, where visual cues and short lessons are effective, so understanding where potential students spend their time ensures that marketing efforts don’t go to waste.

#2. Allow Short-Form Videos Do the Heavy Lifting

Attention spans are short, and social media is built for quick consumption. A long promotional video is likely to be ignored, but a well-edited 30-second clip can make an impact. Course creators can break down their content into bite-sized highlights, offering just enough to spark curiosity.

Several types of videos work well for course promotion:

• Teasers that introduce key topics.
• Instructor clips to build trust and credibility.
• Student testimonials that showcase real results.
• Lesson previews that offer a glimpse into course quality.

With AI Video Cut, this process becomes much easier. The tool scans long videos and extracts the most engaging moments, making content creation faster and more efficient. Instead of manually sifting through hours of footage, instructors can get ready-to-post clips in minutes.

Here’s how to use AI Video Cut to clip your longer course video into compelling short, bit-sized videos:

1. Open AI Video Cut in your browser.
2. Paste the link to the YouTube video you want to clip or upload it directly from your device. If you need to download the video first, use 4K Video Downloader Plus.
3. Choose one of the prompts or come up with your own custom prompt. Prompts like Trailer to create a teaser video of your lessons or Positive Highlights to share students’ testimonials are recommended.

4. Choose the aspect ratio (9:16 if you’re planning to upload your video on TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or Reels).
5. Choose the video length.

6. Select the style of the auto-captions or turn them off completely if your original videos have them.

7. As soon as you’re happy with your clip, export it and download the video to share it wherever you want.

Another vital thing when it comes to including videos into your promotion strategy is storytelling, which isn’t just a creative tool—it’s a powerful way to market online courses. Instead of presenting information in a straightforward manner, weaving a narrative makes content more engaging and memorable. On YouTube, for instance, storytelling helps capture and retain viewers.

To craft a compelling story, every part of the video should drive the message forward. That means knowing your audience, structuring your content with a clear narrative, and using visuals to reinforce the message. Captions can also enhance engagement, making the story accessible to a wider audience.

#3. Repurpose Content for Greater Reach and Impact

Repurposing content is a smart strategy to get the most out of your existing materials while expanding your reach. By adapting content for different platforms, you can engage diverse audiences without constantly creating new content. Here are some ideas for making the most out of your content:

• Turn long-form videos into short-form clips: Take a YouTube tutorial and break it down into Instagram Reels or TikTok videos. These bite-sized pieces can highlight key takeaways or tips from your course, making them easily digestible for users on those platforms.
• Extract quotes for graphics: Quotes from your blog posts or course materials can be turned into eye-catching, shareable graphics. These can be posted on Pinterest or LinkedIn, helping to reach a professional audience and drive traffic back to your course.
• Create a Highlight Reel from Instagram Stories: If you’ve shared several Stories related to your course, compile them into a Highlight. This can serve as a mini-portfolio of course information, testimonials, or behind-the-scenes content, all in one place.

By repurposing your content, you’re saving time as well as ensuring that your course reaches a wider audience, regardless of their preferred social platform.

#4. Jump on Trends and Make It Relevant to Your Course

Leveraging trending content is one of the most effective ways to boost visibility and engagement. Viral moments spread quickly, and by aligning them with your course topic, you can capture attention while positioning yourself as an expert.

Here’s how to do it:

• Use trending audio on Instagram Reels and TikTok. Pair it with a short, engaging clip related to your course. Whether it’s a quick tip, a behind-the-scenes look, or a teaser for your lessons, trending sounds help increase reach.
• Participate in viral challenges. Adapt popular trends to your niche. For example, a “day in the life” video can showcase the daily routine of an online course creator, offering insights into your teaching process.
• Share memes or relatable content. A well-placed joke or industry-specific meme makes your content more shareable, helping it travel further across social platforms.
• Track what your niche is talking about and share your views on social media. A new benchmark report was released by an industry leader? Share what you think of it. Any new software was released that would make the lives of your students easier? Share, share, share!

💡Tip: You can even try to partner with some of the players in your industry to cross-market your services and products.

By making trending content relevant to your expertise, you increase the chances of reaching new audiences while keeping your course promotion engaging and organic.

#5. Be Authentic in Course Promotion on TikTok

TikTok’s rapid growth has made it a key platform for engagement, especially among Gen Z users. They are 1.2 times more likely than users on other platforms to DM a brand after making a purchase, and 74% of Gen Z TikTok users seek more information after seeing an ad. This level of engagement makes TikTok a strong platform for promoting online courses.

The key to success on TikTok is authenticity. Rather than polished, overly scripted content, short, engaging snippets of course material work best. This format sparks curiosity, encouraging viewers to explore the full course.

TikTok also provides multiple engagement features, such as:

• Comments for discussions
• Live sessions for real-time interaction
• Reposts to expand reach
• Duets and Stitches for collaborative content
• Mentions and DMs to build direct connections

Another effective approach is showcasing student success stories. Sharing before-and-after transformations from those who have completed the course adds credibility and inspires potential learners.

#6. Use Paid Ads to Reach the Right Audience

Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and any other paid social ads offer a way to connect with more people on a platform, but their effectiveness increases when combined with retargeting.

Unlike standard ads that appear in users' feeds and pages, retargeting ads focus on people who have already visited your website. If someone has checked out your course but hasn’t enrolled, these ads serve as reminders, keeping your course top of mind.

For example, an ad promoting online piano lessons for children can be shown specifically to parents who previously visited the course page. The more often they see the ad, the more likely they are to sign up.

#7. Remember: Ads Expand Reach, But Content Matters

Organic reach is valuable, but paid advertising helps course creators get in front of a larger audience. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube offer advertising tools that allow highly targeted promotions.

However, throwing money at ads without quality content doesn’t guarantee results. A poorly made video won’t convince anyone to enroll. This is where tools like AI Video Cut prove useful, helping refine video ads by pulling out key moments from a course and presenting them in a compelling way.

Short, engaging clips with a clear call to action—such as “Enroll now” or “Get a free preview”—work best. The goal is to make people curious enough to click.

#8. Seek Influencers’ and Alumni’s Help

Word-of-mouth still matters, even in digital spaces. Influencers who specialize in relevant topics can bring new eyes to a course. A fitness trainer with a strong Instagram following, for example, could promote a personal training certification course.

Former students can also be powerful advocates. If a course has helped someone land a job or develop a new skill, their testimonial carries weight. Encouraging past students to share their experiences—especially through video—adds credibility.

One of the most effective ways to promote your online course is by showcasing the success stories of previous students. Real-world testimonials act as social proof**,** building trust and credibility while also demonstrating the actual impact your course can have on learners.

Think about it: when deciding whether to spend $100 on a course, would you be more likely to invest in one with glowing reviews or one that showcases concrete, measurable results? Success stories give potential students tangible evidence that they will see a return on investment after completing your course.

Here are a few ways you can share success stories to maximize their impact:

• Video testimonials: Ask past students to record short video testimonials. These can be shared as Instagram Reels or TikTok videos, either as individual reviews or compiled into one video featuring multiple success stories.
• Carousel posts: Share student success stories in carousel posts on Instagram. Each slide can feature a different review or part of a student's journey, keeping your audience engaged.
• In-depth success post: Dedicate a full post to one student's success, using an interview format to discuss their experience and the results they've achieved. This allows you to dive deep into the value your course provides.
• Quotes and snippets: Share short success quotes or before-and-after results in your Instagram Stories or as testimonials on your website. These can be quick, but powerful ways to demonstrate the real-world benefits of your course.

Affiliate programs, where influencers or students earn commissions for referrals, can further boost engagement. People are more likely to enroll when they hear about a course from someone they trust.

#9. Encourage Social Media Mentions to Boost Visibility

Here’s why it matters: when someone tags you in a story or post, they’re not just sharing content; they’re introducing your brand or course to a new audience, their own audience. This kind of organic exposure can help you attract followers who might not have discovered you otherwise.

Here are a few ways to encourage mentions from your audience:

1. Ask students to share their progress and tag your course using a unique hashtag. This not only helps spread the word but also builds a sense of community around your course.
2. Offer small incentives like free resources or exclusive content to students who tag your course in their posts. This encourages them to share their experience and promotes your course to their network.
3. When students tag you in their posts, repost these mentions in your Instagram Stories to show appreciation and highlight the success of your learners. Just remember, don’t overwhelm your audience with too many reposts. If you receive a lot of mentions, consider doing a story thanking students collectively for their support.

By encouraging social media mentions, you can create a ripple effect that helps your course gain credibility, expand its reach, and drive more potential students to enroll.

#10. SEO and Hashtags Matter More Than You Think

A well-crafted post can get lost if it isn’t optimized for searchability. This is where captions, descriptions, and hashtags come into play. Using the right keywords increases the chances of a post appearing in search results or trending feeds.

For instance, a video about coding for beginners should include terms like “learn to code,” “beginner coding course,” and platform-specific tags like #PythonTutorial or #CodingForBeginners. Hashtags aren’t just for aesthetics—they improve discoverability.

On YouTube, SEO is even more important. Video titles, descriptions, and tags determine how content ranks in search results. A well-optimized video can continue to attract viewers long after it’s posted.

#11. Engage with Your Followers

Posting content isn’t enough. Interaction is what really makes a difference. Responding to comments, answering questions, and engaging with users builds trust. A course creator who actively interacts with potential students is more likely to convert followers into paying customers.

Live Q&A sessions or free mini-lectures can be a great way to engage. They offer direct interaction and give potential students a chance to see what the instructor is like before committing to a full course.

User-generated content, such as challenges or assignments based on the course, can also boost engagement. If students share their progress, it acts as free promotion.

#12. Build Connections & Collaborating for Course Promotion on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is more than just a professional networking site; it’s a global platform with members in 200 countries and regions, offering access to a vast audience of professionals. This makes it an effective space for promoting online courses, especially those focused on career development and skill-building.

One way to leverage LinkedIn is through direct outreach. Sending personalized connection requests or direct messages to professionals who could benefit from your course helps establish genuine connections. Instead of generic messages, highlight how the course aligns with their career goals and professional growth.

Collaboration is another key strategy. Partnering with industry professionals or influencers increases visibility and credibility. By engaging with thought leaders, participating in discussions, and co-creating content, you can expand your reach and attract the right audience.

#13. Drive Traffic from Active Reddit Communities

Reddit is home to thousands of niche communities, making it a valuable platform for promoting online courses. If done correctly. Unlike traditional advertising, Reddit favors authenticity and meaningful engagement over direct promotion.

The first step is to identify relevant subreddits related to your course topic. Whether it’s r/musicians for music-related or r/marketing for digital marketing classes, or r/programming for coding classes, the key is to become an active, respected member.

Together with posting paid ads, share valuable content, such as insightful articles, tutorials, or thought-provoking discussions that naturally connect to your course. Answering questions and providing expertise in comment threads helps establish credibility, making users more likely to check out your course when the opportunity arises.

Another effective approach is hosting an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session. Instructors can answer questions about their expertise, course content, and industry trends, building trust and driving interest.

#14. Track What Works and Adjust

Not every post or ad will perform well. That’s why monitoring analytics is crucial. Social media platforms provide insights into engagement rates, click-throughs, and conversions.

If a particular type of content gets more shares and saves, it’s worth creating more of it. If a paid ad isn’t converting, adjusting the visuals or copy may help. Testing different approaches and refining based on performance data leads to better results over time.

Final Thoughts

Promoting an online course on social media requires more than just posting links. It involves understanding the audience, crafting engaging content, and using tools that simplify the process.

AI Video Cut helps by transforming long lectures into short, high-impact videos, making it easier to maintain a consistent and engaging presence online. With the right mix of creativity, interaction, and adaptability, social media can turn a well-made course into a successful one.