Social Media Marketing Guide: Uncracking the Code
The global corporate e-learning market is projected to be $50 billion by 2026, while the total e-learning market is expected to shoot up to $319 billion by 2029. These numbers clearly signal a ripe yet competitive market for online course creators.
Cutting through the noise and competition on social media can be easier with an understanding of the different tools on each platform and the know-how behind using them for marketing your course. In this article, we will examine six major social media platforms and some actionable tips for online course creators.
Now, let’s jump right in. Click to skip ahead:
- Tricks and tips for mastering YouTube
- Unravelling the enigmatic TikTok
- Getting the best out of Instagram
- Learn to use Twitter like a pro
- Facebook continues to be the king of social media
- Leverage the power of LinkedIn like the masters
- Crush your online course sales with the power of social media
Tricks and tips for mastering YouTube
YouTube is a video-based platform that helps creators to share both short and long-form videos to inform, educate, and entertain their audience. It is an absolute must for online course creators looking to build credibility and make their presence felt. Usually, both younger and older audiences tend to use YouTube consistently. This makes the platform suitable for organically building an audience for your course content.
YouTube stats
- 1.9 billion people use YouTube regularly, which makes up almost a third of Internet users
- People spend more than 1 billion hours each day watching YouTube videos
- YouTube has paid more than $2 billion to content creators in the last five years
- With a 75% growth rate in channel subscription, YouTube is the right place to market your course-related videos organically
Related: 71 Significant YouTube Statistics
Here are eight essential YouTube tips
- Give your channel a unique name, and spruce up your profile with a keyword-oriented description. Add hashtags and links to your website and social media profiles where applicable.
- Invest in a good camera, a teleprompter, and good lighting. Initially, a cellphone should be good enough to shoot your videos. Once the momentum picks up, you can consider upgrading your toolkit.
- Make it a point to have your own studio space set up. It should ideally be a quiet room where you won’t be disturbed while recording content.
- Let go of your camera fear and speak with confidence. The only way to crack this as a beginner is by practicing being on the camera extensively.
- Have a script ready for your videos on Google Docs. You can connect it to a teleprompter so that you don’t stammer or hesitate while you’re recording.
- Consider outsourcing tasks you are less skilled at or might not have adequate time for. These may include simple but time-consuming tasks like video editing, adding captions, responding to comments, and so on.
- Plan out a content calendar and consistently publish compelling videos. The idea is to regularly engage educate and nurture a loyal audience.
- When you upload your content, try to classify the videos according to your course content so that they are easily accessible.
Unravelling the enigmatic TikTok
TikTok as a platform mainly specializes in short-form videos that often have the potential to go viral. If you think you are witty and intelligent enough to communicate your ideas quickly and entertainingly, you can try dabbling with TikTok.
TikTok’s audience usually leans towards the younger demographic. Therefore it may not be appropriate for all kinds of audiences. In addition, it is banned in some countries. So before you decide to dive into it, it’s best to clarify this…
TikTok stats
- TikTok has a total number of 1.2 billion active monthly users
- A regular user of TikTok usually opens the application at least eight times daily
- The five most popular categories on TikTok are entertainment, dance, pranks, fitness, and DIY. These are closely followed by beauty, skincare, fashion, recipes, life hacks, and pets
Here are eight essential TikTok tips
- Like YouTube, you must script your TikTok videos too. However, try to keep them crisp and engaging. Thirty seconds is usually appropriate for this platform.
- Post every single day, as TikTok’s algorithm favours profiles that post consistently. You can always crosspost these videos to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts as well.
- Record multiple TikTok videos in batches. This can simplify content creation for you. It also renders the chance to outsource bulk-video editing at one go.
- Always write down your script, and use a teleprompter so that you do not hesitate while speaking to the camera.
- TikTok does not prefer outbound URLs added to external sites. To add links to your landing page, social media profiles, etc., try to use LinkTree or LinkGenie and not redirect users directly.
- Make sure that your TikTok content has an element of entertainment. This enhances its potential to go viral.
- If TikTok is banned where much of your target audience is located, consider not spending that much time on it.
- Keep a close watch on the trending hashtags and trending audio. Use them to guide your content plans on TikTok.
Related: How To Make Money on TikTok: A Guide for Creators (Includes downloadable guide)
Getting the best out of Instagram
Instagram has more than a billion users and is popular among both B2B and B2C audiences. Hence, creating image and video-based content on this platform can help you build a mighty following and audience that may show interest and eventually purchase your online courses.
Instagram stats
- Instagram has more than 2 billion active users
- 27.3% of Instagram users are aged between 25 and 34
- Instagram is the 4th most popular social networking site in the world
- India, the US, and Brazil have the highest number of Instagram users
Here are eight essential Instagram tips
- Focus on creating videos that have value in terms of SEO. Research the relevant and trending hashtags and keywords beforehand.
- Instagram Reels are quite similar to TikTok. On this platform, you should create short videos between 15-45 seconds and use a script and teleprompter.
- Although Instagram has lately increased its focus on videos, it has primarily been an image-oriented site. Therefore, you should also consider posting high-quality images with great filters too.
- It can be difficult to create unique videos for multiple platforms all the time. So, feel free to shuffle and crosspost your Instagram reels to YouTube Shorts and TikTok.
- Although Instagram gives you more freedom than TikTok in terms of adding URLs, it is still best to use LinkTree or LinkGenie to direct your audience to other social profiles and landing pages.
- Do not ignore your Instagram DMs and comments. This is one potent area where the true potential for conversion lies.
- Regularly track your Instagram Analytics to understand your audience better and create content that can convert.
- Always experiment and make changes to your content strategy depending on the insights you gather from Instagram Analytics.
Learn to use Twitter like a pro
Twitter is an ephemeral social platform that underlines the real importance of immediacy. You can quickly establish connections with both your competitors and your target audience on this micro-blogging platform.
It is also a great place to learn from your peers. Therefore, using Twitter to market your online courses is always a good idea.
Twitter stats
- Twitter is one of the most successful social networks in the world, with annual revenue of $5 billion
- Twitter is the seventh most visited social platform globally
- More than 500 million tweets are posted each day
- In the US, adults spend at least 6 minutes on the platform every day
- 83% of the world’s leaders use Twitter to connect with their audience
Here are eight essential Twitter tips
- Spruce up your Twitter biography to include CTAs to your online course.
- Design your Twitter banner page to reflect the nature of your online course.
- Follow other online course creators and watch what they are doing closely. Try to incorporate their strategies and improvise yours.
- Write multiple tweets at one go, and schedule them using BufferApp or HootSuite.
- Make sure to schedule tweets for publishing every day, at least a couple of times a day.
- Regularly hold Twitter Spaces, which can be live-streamed to your audience. This can be helpful in discussing your course content.
- Keep your content relevant and ensure that it is in line with your course content and the content calendar that you use for other social platforms.
- Use Twitter Analytics to understand your audience better and tweak your Twitter strategy
Facebook continues to be the king of social media
Facebook is that one social platform that needs no introduction. Even though it is now more prevalent among older generations, it continues to have its charm. It also has a healthy balance between professionalism and informal networking.
Consequently, you can market all kinds of online courses to a Facebook audience. It is also a powerful lead generation source, making it as versatile as Instagram but more powerful. We advise you to use Facebook alongside Instagram, as they are owned by the same company, Meta.
Facebook stats
- Facebook has a social media reach of 59% of the global digital audience
- More than 200 million small businesses use Facebook to market their services and products online
- Facebook has more than 2.75 billion active users
- So far, the social media platform’s mobile application has been downloaded more than five billion times
Here are eight essential Facebook tips
- Create a Facebook page or public group closely aligned with your course content. This is your opportunity to showcase your thought leadership side.
- Regularly update your profile description and add links to your website and landing pages.
- Give out your valuable knowledge for free. Those who want deeper, specialized training will feel compelled to opt for your online courses.
- Ensure that you post high-quality images. It is also important to be sure of the correct, platform-optimized dimensions of your photos.
- Controversy tends to generate a lot of discussions and comments on Facebook. We’d say, use it to your advantage smartly, without sounding offensive to anybody. The idea is only to get people to engage in healthy debate.
- If engagement levels rise extensively, consider getting external help to manage the rising flood of DMs and comments. It’s where the gold often lies.
- If you are running out of ideas to post content, feel free to leverage content from your other social profiles and repurpose it.
- Invest in Facebook Ads. They are a great way to drive paid traffic. Facebook Pixels is great for analytics.
Leverage the power of LinkedIn like the masters
LinkedIn is a professional and business-oriented social networking platform where people are keen to develop employable skills and network with like-minded people. Thus, it is an excellent platform to promote online courses that support those objectives and share your knowledge.
LinkedIn stats
- There are more than 810 LinkedIn users worldwide, of whom 310 million are active
- LinkedIn’s annual revenue is more than 10 billion, making it a very successful social media platform
- More than 94% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn specifically for marketing content.
- 60% of LinkedIn’s users are aged between 25 and 34 years
Here are eight essential LinkedIn tips
- Be as professional as possible. Achieving this starts with a professional profile photo and a compelling and error-free profile description.
- Be a part of LinkedIn groups and pages, and engage with the members there. Better still, start your own LinkedIn Group and get people to join your tribe.
- Start posting valuable content regularly, and people are sure to notice you. You can always repurpose content from your blog, YouTube videos, etc.
- Be personable yet professional. Being personable does not mean you should get personal. This is an important tip when it comes to a professional platform like LinkedIn.
- Place your CTA buttons in your profile description and also when you post relevant content.
- Ensure that you have a personalized LinkedIn URL that is easy to remember and share when you attend meetings and seminars.
- Leverage LinkedIn Ads to your advantage. Although they seem expensive at the onset, it is seen that LinkedIn users tend to convert more easily than users of other social platforms.
- Ensure that all your posts, comments, and content are grammatically correct. This is particularly important for you to look credible as a course creator. Hire an editor if your writing skills aren’t something you’re proud of.
Crush your online course sales with the power of social media.
Each social platform comes with its unique essence and fundamentals. When trying to grow your traction and engage your course audience, you need to adopt a tailored approach specific to the platform.
That requires understanding their nuances deeply and leveraging the best practices. While we have shared some actionable tips here, we’ve also created an in-depth guide to help you navigate social media as a course creator. The best part: The guide comes with a detailed and handy checklist to simplify your execution.
Want to learn social media from a pro? You may want to check out this powerful guide from Adam Enfroy.
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