How to Create Effective Online Course Adverts

Oct 11, 2024

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Online course advertisements that grab attention and resonate with your intended audience are an excellent way to increase the conversion rate and stand out the increasingly competitive e-learning market

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With thousands of courses offering the same student population, advertising with the proper message will make all the important difference to ensure that the course is viewed by students.

If you haven't explored the possibility of advertising on courses for your online course company yet, we're here to convince you with solid reasons to consider it.

At the conclusion of this blog post, you'll've gained practical strategies to create appealing copy and visuals while optimizing your ads for performance.

The reason why online course advertisements are important

Online Course Ads Benefits Infographic

The main benefit is visibility. By paying for advertisements, you're making sure that your brand gets seen by members of your target group.

Contrary to other techniques, like organic search content it is guaranteed that your course ad will be seen.

It is an important advantage for the course's owners as well as academies who are just starting off. It requires a lot of time and energy to build an audience organically.

Paid advertising On the other hand, can get your content out there in front of those who are the likely be a part of your class quicker.

This increased visibility also leads to an increase in credibility. The repeated exposure increases recognition and confidence among students making conversions more likely.

Furthermore, you are able to precision target precisely the demographics that is exposed to the ad. Additionally, you can use the retargeting technique to reengage people who are interested in your online course ad without enrolling.

The amount of course ads can achieve will depend on the strategy you choose and general strategy, which includes:

  • In which place do you post your ad
  • The format of your advertisement you select
  • The effectiveness of your copy and your messaging

We'll go over these points and further in the sections that follow.

Where to Publish Your Ads

Your first step is to determine which channel is the most suitable for your business. That is, where is your target audience most likely to find the online course advertisement?

Likewise, if the course you're promoting is about food from across the globe, using social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook will be more appropriate since that's where the target customers would likely to be.

to get the most value out the effectiveness of your advertising The distinctive thing about picking a platform to publish your ads on is that you have to know how to utilize all the features present

Here's a simple listing of the platforms they use and what features they have to ensure that your advertisements are published the best possible way

Instagram

  • Reels Let's do 90-second commercial videos
  • Stories lets you set up creative and engaging advertisements for your courses in just 24 hours
  • Instagram Feed allows you to create an effective visual course advertisement with the right caption to attract your users when they scroll

Facebook

  • Stories: For short and attractive video ads which lasts 24 hours
  • Video Ads: For long-form video ad content
  • Messenger Advertisements customers who see your ads on Messenger are asked to start a conversation with your online business

YouTube

  • Skippable In-Stream Advertisements: Ads are included in user-generated videos. users can skip
  • Ads that are not skippable: Ads are included in user video content, which users must watch from start to finish
  • Discovery Ads  Ads that are Discovery appear in YouTube results for searches, the related videos, and the homepage
  • Bumper Ads: Six-second non-skippable ads perfect for delivering a quick, impactful message

LinkedIn

  • sponsored content ads could be sponsored content that can be directly shown within the LinkedIn feed, making it a native format for ad formats
  • Videos: LinkedIn's advanced targeting ensures that your video ads are seen by the correct audience
  • Text ads They are simple and targeted ads that are displayed in the sidebar on the LinkedIn interface. They're cost-effective in driving people to the landing page of your course.
  • Sponsored Messaging (InMail): These ads are delivered in the form of personalized messages sent directly to LinkedIn users' email inboxes

Search Engines (Google)

  • Google Search Ads allows you to reach those who are currently searching for online courses or similar subjects.
  • Google Display Network Google Display Network Google Display Network lets users to utilize videos or images to connect with users on hundreds of thousands of applications, sites as well as Google-owned properties such YouTube
  • Discovery Advertisements: Discovery ads allow the user to be reached in moments when they're open to finding new content. They also provide an extensive reach across many platforms
  • Advertising Retargeting lets you engage visitors who have visited your website or clicked your ads however haven't signed up for your online course

Bonus Point! Your Existing WordPress website

You can also add your course ads to your website.

This is a great alternative if your website has already attracted a significant portion of the people you want to reach. But either way it's not a bad idea to sell your course to current members.

If you're on WordPress, you can easily build an ad with a reusable Gutenberg block. You have free rein to design any type of advertisement you like such as images, videos or text.

Ad Formats: Long/Short-Form Videos vs. Images

It's best to use the combination of these types, particularly if you're catering to a diverse audience across different media.

But, if you've got an ad budget that is limited or you want to send the message in a specific way, you'll need to consider the pros and cons of each format to help determine which one is the best.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each ad format to help you know which best suits your needs in advertising:

Long-Form Video

 Pros

  • Tell a compelling story that engages your audience
  • Great for explaining difficult items or services.
  • Allows for more creativity allows for the mixing of storytelling methods
  • Provides greater retention for viewers interested audiences
  • Builds stronger emotional connections between your targets
     audience and your brand

 Cons

  • Production costs are more expensive and take longer.
  • Not compatible with some platforms such as Instagram
  • It is necessary to pay more attention period than most people are able to commit to

Short-Form Video

 Pros

  • It's fast and fun.
  • Great for boosting branding awareness within a relatively short amount of time
  • Requires less production time and resources
  • It's easy to share, which makes it more effective to reach organically

 Cons

  • Limited message depth
  • There is a chance that it will not provide an emotional impact

Images

 Pros

  • Simple to make for fast messages
  • Provides a stunning visual appeal
  • Amazingly versatile across different platforms
  • It's the most cost-effective for production
  • Suitable on static platforms and less disruptive

 Cons

  • It can be easily overlooked
  • Video content has a low level of engagement, compared with videos.

When you have considered the benefits and drawbacks of each of the ad formats above, you should be aware of where you can use them and where not to and which of them you will choose according to your perception of best suited to your intended audience.

Writing a strong message and a powerful copy

No matter what format you select whatever format, which ever platform you pick the message in your online course advertisement is crucial.

Whether your copy is delivered via script in an online video, or written as a PPC ad campaign, it mist be strong engaging, powerful and to the point.

Your target audience must watch the ad and then say "Wow! I need to look this up immediately!"

That's what an online course advertisement featuring an engaging headline, clear and compelling body of text, as well as an action-oriented call to take action (CTA) will do.

How to create every component efficiently:

Headlines that grab attention, clear, and benefit-driven

The headline you choose to use is likely the first thing your targeted readers will be looking at. Make sure you make a great first impression - one that'll linger in their minds.

Carefully craft a headline that's short, clear, and directly describes the benefit of the offer.

Don't try to be too witty by using vague words instead opt for simplicity and concentrate on a clear benefit that is a hit with the target market.

Tips for Online Course Advertising Headlines

Here are some other things you should think about:

  • Make use of words that invoke emotion and excitement, such as "free," "proven," "easy," "guaranteed"
  • Highlight the benefits that are real and easily understood. Be clear about what your audience can expect to gain
  • Try to include the number. In our experience, advertisements with numbers result in more results. E.g. "Voted #1 course", "Get Fluent in 30 Days"
  • Create an actionable. Suggest an action or result that your audience could accomplish.

Examples of Effective Headlines

  1.   Learn Spanish Fast - Fluent within 3 months!
  • Power words: Fast, Fluent.
  • Benefit: Learn Spanish within a brief time.
  1.   Increase Sales by doubling your sales using proven Marketing Strategies
  • Power words: Double, Proven.
  • The benefit: Sales increase.
  1.   Find the secret to effortless weight loss
  • Power words: Secret, Effortless.
  • Benefit: Easy weight loss.
  1.   Discover the power of mindfulness within 10 minutes a Day
  • Power words: Power, Unlock.
  • Benefit: Developing mindfulness using little time commitment.
  1.   You can get fit at home. You don't need any equipment!
  • Power words: No Equipment, Get Fit.
  • Benefit: Fitness can be achieved without special tools.

Be sure to make your headlines optimized to the platforms on which your ads for courses will be posted. In particular, concise and enticing headlines work best on social media platforms like Instagram so that users can effortlessly read them given their short attention spans.

The key, in the end, is to ensure your headline is based on benefit and explains why your audience should care and what they'll gain when they engage in a more thorough manner.

Body Text: Concise as well as persuasive and in line with the Audience's Needs

Once you've come up with an eye-catching headline The next thing to do is to create the body copy using a persuasive tone with an easy and simple language.

Emphasize your target audience's pain areas and the way your program can easily address them, with the other benefits that are irresistible.

In this case, for example, you could mention that your course helps them progress in their profession or provide them with unique tips to enhance a sport they're passionate about.

Make it concise, bearing an eye on the limited space for ads as well as the short attention spans of people.

Call-to-Action: Clear, urgent, and action-oriented

Your CTA should include action verbs like "Enroll Today," "Get Started Today," or "Download Free Guide," as they're explicit and will tell the reader exactly what to do next.

Also, you need to make people feel a sense of urgency through your CTA in order to boost conversion.

For example, by using phrases such as "Limited Time Offer" or "Join by the time registration closes" you persuade your audience to decide quickly or lose access to the class.

And if your target audience is already captivated by your program, you can guarantee that they'll click the registration button more quickly than lightspeed!

Finally, strategically place your CTA in your ads such as the button that is placed on your landing page or a hyperlink on your social media advertisement, to make it prominent and drive clicks.

Example of Successful Online Course ads

The last article discussed the process of creating effective online course advertisements for your online course business. The next step is to show you examples of online course advertisements that have been successful and the factors that help these stand out.

Below are the details:

Google Search Course Ad

This is a short and powerful Google advert for Amazon's AWS found in Google's search results when you type in the search term "online courses."

If you look at the picture above you can see that the advert clearly features an attractive headline that's both attractive and benefits-driven. The language used is clear and simple, with the absence of ambiguity or confusion.

The CTA recommends users take action through two key action verbs "Become" and "Learn," encouraging learners to follow their next steps to achieve achievement.

Instagram Course Ad

Screenshot of instagram online course ad

This Instagram course ad by @cfshealth is another fantastic example of a successful online course advertisement. The person in the picture advertises a course of four weeks designed to assist people with chronic fatigue syndrome in managing the symptoms.

He begins with an introductory catchy hook that addresses his target audience "What I'd like to know regarding chronic the fatigue disorder".

He continues to discuss his personal experience struggling with the healthcare system and explains the course he has taken to increase the chances of recovery.

YouTube Course Ad

Example of an online course ad on YouTube.

Its video provides a great illustration of a pre-roll YouTube course ad that promotes the coding classes offered by Devslopes.com.

The instructor begins by telling a story that is unique storytelling before delving into details of the program and how long it will take for you to begin earning extra income with the new skills you've acquired.

Each word is clear and easy to understand, and an effective CTA that is in the form of an link by the side in the movie can be found to lead viewers to the site for the course.

Impress them with your landing Page

Optimize course landing page

You've developed an online course advert that's successful and attracting attention. It doesn't end here.

It is important to think about what you'll do next once your page has captivated the attention of your visitors and that's where the creation of a well-designed landing page comes in.

If a potential student clicks the link on your ad about your course, and gets directed to your landing page the landing page should maintain the momentum to encourage them to enroll.

Your landing page should be optimized with clean designs captivating headlines, as well as compelling body text that appeals to your visitors.

By doing this by doing this, you'll reap benefits, including higher conversions, lower rate of bounces, competitive advantages, and more.

It covers essential strategies like crafting compelling headlines, creating compelling calls to action and providing a seamless user experience. All designed to help you turn users into learners.

Use Your Website to Cross-Sell Other Courses

After your customers are already active on your website, think about including ads that upsell or cross sell programs to generate more income.

For example, if students are enrolled in a course titled "Beginner Web Development"" suggest related courses like "Advanced JavaScript" or "UI/UX Design" for them to further enhance their skills.

If, for instance, a customer is enrolling in a photography course an order bump could include a downloadable guide on advanced photo editing techniques.

It's fun because it's incredibly simple to set up! Simply select the items or services you'd like to feature, then set the pricing option. You can also include an optional message optimized to motivate your customers to buy, and you're done! Your checkout page is all set!

Conclusion

Advertising is a fantastic method to provide your online course more recognition, especially when you're building your reputation.

Make sure you:

  •   Select the appropriate platform to increase return on investment  
  •   Make use of a variety of different ad formats in order to appeal to different segments of your audience.  
  •   Craft a winning message that resonates and drive action  
  •   Maintain the momentum by launching the landing pages that are converted  

Take a look at the blogs that are mentioned in this blog post to help you optimize he impact of your ads and increase the number of conversions and increase your course's value.

Which strategies have you discovered to be effective in creating online course ads? Comment on your experiences in the comment section below.

And, don't forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep updated with the latest trends and methods of online education.

Thank you for reading and have a great time being a teacher!

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Henry       Henry is an accomplished wordsmith for Caseproof and , dedicated to offering unique insights on diverse topics ranging from WordPress plugins to digital goods as well as technical assistance with the might the pen. He brings words to life and finds pleasure in providing helpful guides that meet the demands of his readers in order to help them achieve their goals. Apart from his profession, Henry loves to watch movies as well as play video games and also play the game of chess. He is also a people enthusiast who is passionate about developing and sustaining relations. Keep an eye out for his blog posts - your one-stop resource to WordPress as well as content marketing success.