Marketing is a key step in getting your amazing class in front of its people! The most successful teachers build momentum early, stay visible after launch, and treat marketing as an extension of their creative practice. Inside, we’ll break down the core marketing basics that still work - and share ideas to help you promote your class in ways that feel natural, and engaging.

In this article:

• Marketing Fundamentals (That Still Matter)
• Create Marketing Content That Feels Fresh
• Creative Ways to Market Your Class

Marketing Fundamentals (That Still Matter)

At its core, marketing is about visibility + motivation: helping the right people discover your class and giving them a reason to click become a student.

A few key things to remember:

• Marketing is not a one-time announcement, it’s an ongoing conversation.
• Your goal isn’t to reach everyone, but to reach your people.
• The best marketing feels like storytelling, not advertising.

Think of your class as a living project. As long as it exists, it can continue to grow.

Plan ahead: Don’t wait until launch day to think about promotion. While you’re planning and filming your class:

• Outline teaser posts and launch announcements in advance
• Decide where each piece of content will live (email, social, discussions)
• Capture extra footage (b‑roll, process shots, bloopers) for future posts

This makes marketing feel lighter, not like extra work.

Set Simple, Meaningful Goals: Clear goals help you measure momentum and stay motivated. For example:

• Get your first project upload
• Earn 10 membership referrals
• Receive 5 thoughtful reviews

These benchmarks give you something to celebrate and something to build on.

Start Where You Already Show Up - and be consistent! 

You don’t need to be everywhere. Start with platforms you already use, enjoy using, and use to connect authentically with your audience.

Common places to promote: Email newsletters, Instagram / Reels, TikTok, YouTube / Shorts, Facebook groups

Less obvious (but powerful) spaces where your audience might lean a bit nicher: LinkedIn, Reddit or niche forums, Medium or a personal blog, Twitch or live streams

And be consistent - visibility compounds over time! Below are some thought starters on how to approach consistent promotion without feeling like you keep repeating yourself.  

Make Yourself as Discoverable as Possible 

Students should always be able to find your classes as easily as possible. Create a dedicated page on your website or blog that lists your classes. This turns your site into a long‑term discovery engine.

When posting across your channels: 

• Use relevant, niche hashtags to help new audiences discover you
• Add hashtags in the first comment, not the caption
• Always include your class or general referral link wherever you promote

TIP: Referral links should always be used when promoting your class! Your unique referral link gives new students a 1‑month free trial while earning your referral revenue. Read more at Earn From your Referrals.

Create Marketing Content That Feels Fresh

The best-performing class marketing content rarely feels like an ad. It feels like a peek behind the curtain - and it should feel like you. 

Reuse or What You’ve Already Made

You don’t need to reinvent anything. One class = dozens of content opportunities (and hey short‑form video is still one of the strongest discovery tools available). Consider how you can create a new 30-60 sec video by repurpose things like:

• A clip from your intro video or a favourite lesson moment 
• Bloopers or outtakes
• A before/after transformation
• A specific myth or mistake your class helps fix

Capture Behind-the-Scenes Moments

Process content builds trust and curiosity. While filming or working:

• Share messy drafts or works-in-progress
• Talk through decisions you made
• Give your audience an extension of the class - what extra tips didn’t make their way into the final product? 

Make It Interactive

Engagement boosts reach. Use native tools like polls, quizzes and sliders or reactions to build engagement on your posts. And remember - your audience can be your best source of feedback and input! Try asking them what they want to learn, then show them you built a class around it.

From your Referrals.

Creative Ways to Market Your Class

Use this section as food for thought and think about how you can use different channels for distinct purposes and get creative with your social presence! 

Get Creative (& Intentional) with your Platforms

• Think of YouTube as evergreen discovery, not just promotion. It’s potentially a place where people can spend time with you in a less polished way. Try creating companion or bonus videos for the superfan to rabbit hole into (and don’t forget to link back to your Skillshare channel using your referral link!) 
• Turn everyday emails into marketing: what was the impetus for your new class? What inspired you to create it? Was it a blocker you (or someone you know?) hit along the way? Sharing the why behind the class, or expanding on the specific problem it solves for people, can be a great way to naturally include a link to your class in conversation with your audience. Afterall, maybe they’re having that problem too! 
• Use milestones as marketing moments: highlight amazing student projects, celebratory reviews, or hitting a number like 100 students. These types of milestones can help potential students validate your class (and are also big moments - they’re worth celebrating!) 

• Try things: different creators see success with different tactics. Don’t be afraid to try something new and see what works for you. Some ideas: 
  • Run a pre‑launch countdown
  • Offer limited‑time free access links
  • Pitch your class to blogs or creators in your niche
  • Collaborate with another teacher or creator
  • Go live to answer questions or demo a lesson

The best class marketing shouldn’t feel forced. Share what you’re learning, what you’re building, and why it matters to you. When people connect with you, enrolling in your class becomes an easy next step.