Suggested marketing activities

Once you’ve launched your courses on the FutureLearn platform, your top priority will be ensuring your courses reach the relevant learner audiences. There are a number of ways you can promote your courses, and below we’ve outlined some of the marketing activities that you can implement through your website, social media channels, email and internal and external comms.

Website & blog

Feature courses on your homepage using banners or tiles.
Create a dedicated landing page or FutureLearn collection page listing all of your courses.
Promote courses on relevant subject pages.
Include course links within relevant news stories, research articles or event pages.
Add seasonal or campaign-specific promotions during key awareness dates.
Always link directly to the relevant FutureLearn course page wherever possible to minimise the number of clicks for prospective learners.
Publish blog articles announcing new courses or highlighting learning opportunities.
Share thought leadership, research insights or industry trends linked to your course topics.
Feature course educators or subject matter experts in articles and interviews.
Repurpose webinars, events, research and other content into articles or resources.
Include links to the relevant FutureLearn course page within your content.
For guidance on SEO link building basics, please see here.

Social media

Follow FutureLearn across all our social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X).
Share your course using engaging, educational, or entertaining content, such as learner benefits, key takeaways, expert insights or trends, alongside a link to the course or landing page.
Tag ‘@FutureLearn’ in social media posts so we can like, comment, amplify and share your content where appropriate.
Invite FutureLearn as a collaborator on Instagram posts. Once accepted, the post will appear on both profiles and reach both audiences. Please note we will only accept collaborations with content that aligns with our brand guidelines.
Encourage your academics, educators and subject matter experts to share the course through their professional networks.
Promote key milestones, including course launches, new presentation dates, learner achievements and relevant awareness days.
Publish LinkedIn Articles highlighting course topics, research insights or educator expertise, with links to the relevant FutureLearn course.

Paid advertising

Use paid social advertising to reach relevant learner audiences.
Consider paid search advertising to capture demand from people searching for relevant topics or skills.
Promote courses through sponsored newsletters or industry publications.
Use display advertising where appropriate to support campaign activity.
Align paid activity with key launches, enrolment periods or awareness campaigns.

Email marketing

Announce new courses to prospective students or relevant audiences.
Feature courses in regular newsletters, including alumni, staff or member communications where appropriate.
Include courses in subject-specific email campaigns.
Segment audiences where possible to send relevant course recommendations.
Include a clear call-to-action linking directly to the FutureLearn course page.
Highlight the skills, knowledge or career benefits learners will gain.

Internal communications

Promote courses through staff newsletters, the intranet and internal communication channels.
Encourage colleagues, academics and educators to share courses with their professional networks.
Highlight relevant courses during internal events, meetings or team communication.
Provide colleagues with ready-made copy and assets to make sharing easier.

PR and media

Announce new course launches through your press office or media channels.
Share research, reports or expert commentary linked to course themes.
Position educators and subject matter experts as key voices on relevant topics.
Promote partnership announcements, milestones and learner success stories.
Coordinate major announcements with FutureLearn where possible so we can support amplification.
Reach out to your Partnership Manager and we’d be happy to provide a quote.

Partnerships and networks

Share courses with existing partners, professional bodies, membership organisations and industry networks.
Encourage collaborators, research partners and employers to promote relevant courses to their audiences.
Include courses in partner newsletters, websites or other community communication.
Ask relevant organisations and networks to share course opportunities with their communities.

Events

Promote courses during conferences, webinars, open days and speaking engagements. We have standard FutureLearn flyers that we can provide for you to print, please speak to your Partnership Manager.
Include course information in presentations, event materials and delegate communications.
Use educator appearances and expert talks as opportunities to highlight relevant courses.
Repurpose event content into blogs, social posts or other marketing materials.

Community and outreach

Identify relevant LinkedIn and Facebook Groups, communities and networks where course promotion may be appropriate.
Work with academics and subject experts to reach relevant professional audiences.
Identify bloggers, influencers or organisations with audiences aligned to your course topics.
Focus on providing value and relevant learning opportunities rather than purely promotional messages.

Content

Another way you can promote your course(s) and support your marketing activities is through content creation. By working with your course educators and current learner community as well as industry-specific influencers, you’ll be able to create a range of content that’s relevant and evergreen, share valuable insights with your audience and potentially improve engagement and enrolments.