Did you know that according to the Pew Research Center, 69 percent of U.S. adults use Facebook? Out of this number, seven in 10 use the site daily.

This usage pattern is remarkable compared to other social media platforms, and it's a good reason why businesses continue to choose to market on Facebook. However, you won't be able to capitalize on the number of people online every day if you don't know the right strategies. 

Read on to learn how to market an online course with Facebook today! 

Create a Landing Page

Before you get started with marketing on Facebook, you'll first want to create a landing page in order to sell an online course. A landing page is a standalone web page that doesn't include any other internal links. It also has a single goal, and as viewers scroll down the page, there should be convincing copy, statistics, and imagery that compels them to perform an action at the bottom.

In this case, the goal of your landing page is to promote a course. Your call to action (CTA) at the bottom should be a link that takes people to a payment page for the course. You can also request people to fill in a simple form with their name and email in order to add them to your course email campaign. 

This landing page is what your Facebook marketing is centered around. 

Utilize Facebook Groups

If you're still getting a feel for your audience, your next step should be utilizing Facebook groups. You can either start posting to groups that allow you to market your course or create your own.

Your free Facebook group should be focused on a topic that's related to your course. If you're selling a course about how to take better portrait photography, consider creating a course about improving photography skills or working with clients. You want to create an active and supportive community that isn't just about purchasing your course. 

By replying to messages, creating polls, and keeping the conversation active, you'll gain people's trust and become an authority on the topic. You can also create a premium, private Facebook group that's only accessible to people who've purchased the course. 

There, you can offer more detailed advice, create live videos where your members can ask questions and get answers, and more. 

Post Facebook Ads

When it comes to Facebook advertising, you can't ignore Facebook ads. These ads are most effective when you have a good grasp of your target audience. You should be able to know their: 

• Age
• Gender
• Marital status
• Interests
• Pages they follow
• Geographic area
• Language
• And more

The more you know about your target audience, the easier it is to send them targeted ads that they'll actually read. You can even send ads to people who have already engaged with your business in some way, making it more likely that they'll click on your link to your landing page. 

Creating an effective Facebook ad is all about testing–it's rare to create a high-converting one right off the bat. It's recommended to create both an image ad and a video ad so that you can see which is more effective for your audience. You'll also want to create ads with three to five different images for the same reason.

You'll find that overall, images featuring people do better than images of objects or landscapes. Facebook Business also gives its best practices for ads. 

Your ad budget depends on your overall digital marketing budget. However, you want to invest enough that you're able to get enough data to determine which ad is running the best. You can then increase your ad spend for the most effective ad! 

Write Compelling Copy

Engaging copy can help you gain the attention you need on any social media platform. Along with choosing a video or image for your ads, you'll also want to focus on well-written captions. Ads with a conversational tone and lots of line breaks do well because they're easier to read for people who are used to quickly scanning their Facebook feed.

You'll also want to keep in mind that your online course is about addressing a problem that your audience needs solving. In your copy, address the problem directly and then talk about the benefits they can enjoy with your course.

Lastly, end with a strong call to action that tells them exactly what you want them to do next–such as clicking on the link in order to learn more about your limited-time course.

Use Messenger

When you're just getting started, messaging people directly is a great way to get their attention. Of course, you don't want to open with a sales message that they'll just ignore. Instead, start a conversation by thanking them for their likes or comments and then ask them about their issue.

With the example of better portrait photography, you can ask them what their biggest struggle is when it comes to taking portraits. Then, you can offer some advice and then link them to your course with a discount code.

Although this does take time, you can also automate your messages with chatbots over time. 

How to Market an Online Course: All About Engagement

Now that you know how to market an online course on Facebook, the biggest takeaway is that it's all about engagement. You want to engage people in conversations and a supportive environment by creating a Facebook group that isn't centered around selling.

You'll also want to engage people through captivating ads that have imagery or videos that draw the eye. By using multiple strategies, you'll find that these tactics will give you more ROI than simply posting on your Facebook page regularly. 

Are you new to online course creation and want a solid way to make passive income? Enroll in our free video course on course creation today!