Most online course creators think if they build it, the students will come. They spend weeks recording videos, designing quizzes, and polishing landing pages. Then they wait. And wait. And wait. Nothing happens. No sales. No sign-ups. No buzz. The truth? Your course isn’t invisible because it’s bad. It’s invisible because no one knows it exists.
Press outreach isn’t optional - it’s your biggest growth lever
Public relations for online courses isn’t about flashy ads or paid influencers. It’s about getting real people - journalists, bloggers, podcast hosts - to talk about your course in places your ideal students already trust. A single mention in a respected education blog or a feature in a local news segment can bring in hundreds of sign-ups. And it costs far less than running Facebook ads for months.
Think about it: if a journalist writes, “This new online course helped 300 nurses get certified in six weeks,” that’s social proof with authority. It’s not an ad. It’s a story. And stories get shared. They get saved. They get clicked.
But most course creators treat press outreach like a magic trick they don’t know how to pull off. They send a generic email to 50 bloggers saying, “Check out my course!” and wonder why they get zero replies. That’s not outreach. That’s spam.
Start with who you’re trying to reach - not what you’re selling
Before you write one email, ask: Who actually needs this course? Where do they hang out online? What publications do they read? Who do they listen to?
Let’s say you created an online course teaching small business owners how to use AI tools for invoicing and scheduling. Your ideal student isn’t a tech CEO. They’re a solo entrepreneur running a bakery, a freelance designer, or a local plumber. They read Small Business Today, listen to the Side Hustle School podcast, and follow local chamber of commerce pages on Facebook.
Now you know where to look. You don’t pitch to tech magazines. You pitch to local business journals, entrepreneurship blogs, and podcasts that focus on solopreneurs. You don’t talk about your software’s features. You talk about how your course saved Sarah, a florist in Wellington, 12 hours a week.
People don’t buy courses. They buy outcomes. And journalists don’t write about tools. They write about people.
Build your pitch like a story, not a brochure
Here’s the formula that works every time:
- Who is the person your course helped?
- What problem were they stuck on?
- How did your course change their life?
- Why is this story unique or timely?
Example pitch subject line: “How a single mom in Christchurch doubled her freelance income in 8 weeks - without a degree.”
That’s not a course promo. That’s a human story. And journalists eat that up.
Your email body should be short - under 200 words. Start with: “Hi [Name], I came across your article on [topic] and thought you might find this interesting.” Then tell the story. End with: “I’d be happy to connect you with the student for an interview or send over screenshots of their results.”
Never say: “Here’s my course link.”
Always say: “Here’s a real person who changed their life using this.”
Target the right outlets - not the biggest ones
You don’t need to get featured in The New York Times. You need to get featured where your students are.
For professional upskilling courses, target:
- Local news websites (e.g., Stuff.co.nz, Radio New Zealand business sections)
- Niche industry blogs (e.g., “Digital Marketers NZ,” “Teaching Tech in Schools”)
- Podcasts with under 10,000 listeners - they’re hungry for fresh guests
- University alumni newsletters - even small ones
- LinkedIn newsletters written by educators or industry leaders
Use Hunter.io or LinkedIn to find the right contact. Look for writers who’ve covered similar topics in the last six months. Don’t cold-email editors you’ve never seen write about education tech.
One course creator I know landed a feature in a regional New Zealand business magazine by emailing a journalist who’d just written about remote work. She didn’t mention her course until the third sentence. She led with: “You wrote about how freelancers are struggling with time management. I’ve helped 400 of them fix it - here’s how.” The journalist replied within 12 hours.
Make it easy for them to say yes
Journalists are overwhelmed. They get 50 pitches a day. Your job is to make their job easier.
Include:
- A short, compelling bio of the student (with permission)
- Before-and-after stats (e.g., “Went from $1,200 to $3,800/month in income”)
- High-res headshots of the student (not stock photos)
- A 90-second video clip of the student telling their story
- One clear call to action: “I can connect you with the student for a live interview on Tuesday.”
Don’t make them dig. Don’t make them search. Don’t make them ask follow-up questions. Give them everything they need to write the article - in one email.
Follow up - but don’t annoy
Most people send one email and give up. That’s not persistence. That’s laziness.
Wait 5 business days. Then send one short follow-up: “Hi [Name], just circling back on this. I know you’re busy, but if this isn’t a fit, I completely understand. No pressure.”
If they don’t reply? Move on. Don’t spam. Don’t tag them on social media. Don’t call. You’ve done your part.
Some will reply weeks later. That’s fine. Keep your list of targets. Reuse your best stories. A pitch that didn’t work in March might land in August when the journalist is covering a different angle.
Track what works - and double down
Keep a simple spreadsheet:
| Outreach Date | Outlet | Contact | Story Angle | Response? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-15 | Wellington Business Weekly | Lisa Chen | Single mom doubles income | Yes | Feature published - 87 sign-ups in 4 days |
| 2025-10-02 | EdTech Podcast | Mark Tan | AI tools for teachers | No reply | - |
| 2025-10-20 | LinkedIn Newsletter - NZ Educators | Jamie Lee | How I quit my job after course | Yes | Newsletter feature - 214 sign-ups |
After 10 pitches, you’ll see patterns. Maybe stories about career changers get the most traction. Maybe local news outlets respond faster than national ones. Use that data. Stop wasting time on what doesn’t work.
It’s not about volume - it’s about resonance
One solid feature can do more than 100 cold emails. A single podcast appearance can bring in more students than a $5,000 ad campaign.
Press outreach for online courses isn’t about being loud. It’s about being relevant. It’s about telling human stories that connect with real people who are looking for solutions. And when you do that, the media doesn’t just cover you - they champion you.
Start small. Pick one outlet. Find one student story. Send one email. That’s all you need to begin.
Do I need a big budget to do press outreach for my online course?
No. Press outreach costs almost nothing. You don’t need a PR agency, paid tools, or fancy graphics. The only things you need are time, a compelling student story, and a well-written email. Most successful outreach comes from creators who spent under $50 - mostly on a LinkedIn Premium trial to find contacts.
What if I don’t have any student success stories yet?
Start with your first 5 students. Ask them for a short video or quote after they finish the course. Even if they only got a 10% improvement - like saving 3 hours a week - that’s a story. Don’t wait for perfection. Wait for proof. Real results, even small ones, are more powerful than polished marketing claims.
How long does it take to see results from press outreach?
It varies. Some pitches get replies in 24 hours. Others take 3-6 weeks. The first feature might bring in 50 sign-ups. The third might bring in 300. Don’t expect a viral hit right away. Treat it like planting seeds. Keep sending pitches. Track what sticks. Within 3-4 months, you’ll start seeing a steady stream of traffic from media mentions.
Should I pitch to big publications like Forbes or The Guardian?
Only if your course fits their audience. Forbes gets hundreds of pitches daily. They’re unlikely to cover a niche course on, say, “Digital Scrapbooking for Seniors.” But they might cover a course that helps 5,000+ people switch careers - if you frame it as a trend. Focus on relevance over reach. A local radio feature can be worth more than a generic mention in a national outlet.
Can I use press outreach for free courses?
Absolutely. In fact, free courses often get more media attention because they’re seen as community-driven or socially valuable. A story like “This free course helped 200 unemployed teens learn coding in 6 weeks” is exactly the kind of thing local news loves. You don’t need to sell to get coverage - you just need to show impact.