Christmas is a wonderful time to connect with your students and grow your online course business. It is also one of the most profitable periods for many industries. But can you truly sell your course offer without a well-devised marketing plan? The answer is simple: no.

So, while Santa makes the final touches before delivering the gifts, let’s see what strategies you can implement to deliver a profitable course offer.

To bring you inspiration and the best examples, we researched top creators and picked 13 marketing ideas to help you boost your online course sales this holiday season. You can find examples of these ideas and easily adapt them for your own offers.

Festive marketing ideas to promote your courses

As an online course creator, this is your opportunity to offer something meaningful that resonates with your students. Whether it is a discounted course, a special bundle, or an engaging holiday-themed campaign, here are some Christmas marketing ideas for you.

Christmasify your website

At Christmas, we like putting up the Christmas tree and our favorite decorations. Just like around the house, your website needs some Christmas spirits as well. You might be thinking, “How does this help me sell my course?” Well, it might not directly close a sale, but it does play a role in shaping the buying decision.

So, to run your holiday campaign, you can begin by updating your website with season-related design elements and copy.

By this, we do not mean you have to get a flying Santa zooming across your homepage (although that could be fun). Just look at some things that can be easier to implement. For example,

Add festive banners with Christmas-related colors. Here, you can present your special offer and keep the holiday theme.
Update your hero section. For example, that could be your image or your main copy.
Change your key pages to seasonal copy. If it relates to your special offer, you can write things like “Get started before the bells ring.”

Let’s look at Jamie Oliver’s website. Here, he offers hundreds of recipes. He also created a Christmas-specific page where people can find recipes for the season. So, if you have templates, downloadables, and other digital resources, you can create a page with Christmas hype.

Create a stocking stuffer offer

We are sure you already have a resource you can market as a stocking stuffer gift. It can be a mini course, a downloadable resource, or even a personal call with you. So, how can you use them in your Christmas marketing strategy?

The idea is to position whatever you have to offer as a Christmas gift. This strategy creates fear of missing out (FOMO). So, the students who are interested in enrolling in your course will be urged to join now, as it is now that they receive the additional gift.

And by “gift” we do not imply a random resource. We have to be strategic here as well.

For example, let’s say you want to promote your course about Social Media Marketing for small businesses. In this case, you can share a resource on holiday social media marketing hacks. It can also be a social media calendar for the businesses you target. You get the idea!

For example, entrepreneur and best-selling author Seth Godin gifts free eBooks and audiobooks alongside his paid books.

Offer lifetime access to a course

If you usually set course access duration for a limited time, Christmas is a great time to break this rule. Yes, the access limits urge the students, to get to the finish line and not drop. Yet, it also causes us to worry about deadlines.

So, you can use your website or social media to let the students know you are making exceptions for Christmas. For example, you could say, “This holiday season only, get lifetime access to [Course Name].

In this case, you also need to ensure you clearly communicate that this is a limited-time offer. Adding a deadline, like “Available until December 25th,” creates urgency and motivates students to act before the opportunity slips away.

Yet, if all your resources have lifetime access, you can implement the discount strategy. If you run your course on Uteach, you have the opportunity to put in the old price and new price for the course. This way, the students can see that it was discounted on your website.

Here is how creator and trainer Angel Rodriguez implemented it. All you need to add to your page is the seasonal copy and communicate that it is a special offer for Christmas.

Besides that, with Uteach, you can easily create promo codes so that buyers can gift your course to others.

Share your online school advent calendar

Have you ever heard of the 12 Days of Christmas marketing strategy? The idea comes from the well-known Christmas carol of the late 18th century, which celebrates these 12 days with a sequence of increasingly extravagant gifts.

This concept is now being used in marketing for two good reasons. First, it brings a sense of tradition. Second, it created the urgency we need. This a fun and festive way to promote your courses and other offerings.

So, how can you use this strategy to promote your course? You can design an online advent calendar with a special surprise or discount behind each door for 12 days. Each day, you reveal a little surprise for your students. For example, a downloadable checklist one day, a sneak peek video from your course the next, or even a special discount.

For instance, on Day 1, you could share “A Goal-Setting Worksheet for the New Year,” and on Day 5, “A Mini Tutorial on [Your Topic].” By Day 12, perhaps there is a grand finale with a festive offer like “20% Off All Courses” or a free masterclass for all your newsletter subscribers.

You can share about the days on your social media like Kubota does.

But it does not always have to be something big. Even a small gift builds anticipation for your students and does the trick. You could even create a downloadable calendar that your audience can follow along with, ticking off each day as they claim their surprises.

Gift a course as part of your social media contest

If you are looking for a way to engage your audience, create a buzz, and promote your course, this next strategy is what you need. Social media giveaway is how you can get the students talking about your courses, sharing your content, and spreading the word to their networks.

Here is how you can make it work. Create a holiday-themed contest where participants can win free access to one of your courses. And to participate, all they need to do is follow your social media account, tag a friend in the comments, or share your post with their followers. You could even ask them to post something creative, like their holiday learning goals.

To make the prize even more exciting, you can add extra goodies. For example, the winner could not only get a free course but also a 1-on-1 coaching call with you or a bonus downloadable resource.

For this, you would need a festive social media post, be it an image or a short video. The most important thing is to be able to position this as an opportunity that aligns with the holiday spirit.

Besides making your course part of your giveaway, you can create a gift card or a discount card.

Here is an example of an entrepreneur and creator, Marie Forleo, running a giveaway on social media. She is giving away a free spot to live in one of her training programs. To win the spot, the participants need to follow her, share the post to the stories, comment, and tag their friends.

So, it does not always have to be a course. You can choose any other valuable offer you know people are interested in and run your giveaway.

Create a New Year’s resolution bundle

We all agree that Christmas and New Year are a time for fresh starts and big goals. This makes a perfect opportunity for you to create a New Year’s Resolution Bundle that appeals to your students’ goals. Why sell just one course when you can sell more, right?

So, you can position this offer as a valuable resource to start the year on the right foot.

For example, you can bundle your main course with complementary resources or mini-courses that address common goals. If your course is about personal development, your bundle could include “Mastering Time Management,” “Goal-Setting Strategies That Stick,” and a downloadable planner for the first quarter of the year.

If your niche is health and wellness, you could offer your main fitness course along with meal prep guides, a short mindfulness program, and access to a supportive online community.

You can frame it like this in your copy: “Start your 2025 stronger than ever! Get your exclusive New Year’s Resolution Bundle at 30% off until January 1st.”

You can even offer tiered bundles, too. For example, a basic bundle with the core course and a premium bundle that includes extras like live coaching sessions, group webinars, or personalized feedback.

And if you could sell something seasonal, that would make your offer better. Here is an example of a floristry school, “Flowers to Impress,” doing it. In their bundle, they offer the course and resources, especially for the holiday season. At a time when everyone is looking to decorate their houses, these courses teach people to design the Christmas way.

This is what we call the right bundle offer at the right time!

Add a countdown to your course pages

The holiday season is also a time when we want students to act sooner rather than later. And what is a better way to introduce a FOMO than including that countdown on your offer page?

You can make the countdown visually appealing with holiday-themed elements, like snowflakes, bells, or a color scheme that matches the season. And then place it on your New Year’s Resolution Bundle or a special Christmas stocking stuffer offer. It will ensure that visitors do not miss out on your holiday deals.

Next to your countdown timer, pop-ups are another way to say, “Hey, I have a Christmas gift for you; come and get it.” So, if you are running a special Christmas offer like the ones we discussed above, pop-ups are another way to promote the offer.

When it comes to creating it, timing is everything. A pop-up that appears the moment someone lands on your site feels intrusive. But one that shows up after a visitor has had a chance to browse or when they seem ready to leave feels more natural. For example, an exit-intent pop-up can catch their attention just as they are about to close the tab, offering a discount or freebie.

Make sure to keep your message short and highlight the value of the offer, as in the example below. It promotes the 12 days of Christmas deal. So every day the visitors enter the website, they can expect something unique.

Create a thematic quiz to capture leads

Depending on your niche, you can use a quiz as a lead magnet and get new leads.

Let’s suppose you are offering personal development courses. In this case, you can have a quiz titled “Which New Skill Should You Learn in 2025?” or “What Kind of Learner Are You? You can include holiday-themed questions like, “If Santa granted you one skill this Christmas, what would it be?”. To receive the results

Yet, it does not always have to be a serious quiz. You can make one just for fun. Have you seen quizzes like “Which Disney character are you”? You can do pretty much the same for your course and link it to the holidays. For example, if you offer cooking courses, you can have a quiz like “What is your favorite Christmas treat: cookies, cocoa, or candy canes? Your answer may reveal your personality!” And then, you can offer them a recipe guide in exchange for their email address.

Let’s see how creator and entrepreneur Ali Abdahal uses quizzes as lead magnets. For his YouTube Academy course he offers a quiz for those who want to check how ready they are to start a YouTube channel. Then you need to insert your email to get the detailed results. And then you know the rest.

Get active in your course community

What is the most dedicated space to share exciting updates and special offers, have fun, and connect with the students? Yes, that is your course community.

Even something as simple as posting cheerful updates, sharing inspirational quotes, or dropping a surprise holiday message can light up your course community. For instance, a message like, “Happy Holidays, everyone! I am so proud of the progress you have made this year. Let’s finish 2024 even stronger!” can go a long way in building a stronger connection.

And besides cheering your students, you can also use the community to promote your Christmas offer. For example, let’s say you have business courses. In this case, you can run a free Q&A session for your community members or introduce the offer via a simple community post. The session can be about “New Year business ideas”. The participants will share their plans. In the meantime, you can offer your courses that are a solution to their problem and help with their plans.

If you run your course business on Uteach, you can create your own communities within your platform. The platform gives you the opportunity to have different Discussion Topics for a variety of courses. You can choose to make it a free community or monetize it and charge.

Share thematic reels and social media posts

Creating thematic reels and posts helps you engage your audience, show your personality, and subtly promote your courses.

Here, you need perfect planning, too. You can create a social media content plan for this holiday season to stay consistent. Here are a few ideas you can use for your posts. For example, if your niche is productivity, you can create reels on “How to Plan Your New Year’s Resolutions Over a Cup of Hot Cocoa.”

Your posts can also incorporate holiday-themed humor or trends.

You can use a popular Christmas meme format to highlight the struggles your audience faces that your course can solve. For example, “When you realize Christmas is over and you still haven’t started learning that skill you promised yourself last year.”

Do not shy away from behind-the-scenes content either. Share snippets of how you are celebrating the season. Might be you are decorating your workspace, brainstorming goals for the new year, you get the idea. Personal posts like these humanize your brand and foster a connection with your audience.

Start a social media challenge to share emotions

When it comes to social media, the idea can never be enough. So, another fun way to promote your online school business is starting a fun challenge.

For example, you could launch a challenge called #MyHolidayLearningMoment, where participants share something meaningful they have learned this year. Ask them to post a short video or photo with a caption explaining their proudest learning moment. You could start it by sharing your own story: “This year, I learned how to bring more creativity into my teaching, and it has been so rewarding. What did you learn? Share your story with #MyHolidayLearningMoment!”

Tie the challenge to your course by offering a reward. For instance, every participant who shares their story and tags you could be entered into a giveaway for free access to one of your mini-courses, a one-on-one coaching session, or a holiday-themed workbook.

Another idea is to run a gratitude-themed challenge, like #12DaysOfLearningGratitude. Each day, you or your audience could share one thing they are grateful for related to their learning journey. This kind of challenge not only sparks engagement but also fosters a sense of community among your followers.

Make sure to actively promote your challenge. Post updates, share participant stories in your feed or stories, and respond to every entry to show appreciation.

Here is an example of what it may look like for your students as they join your challenge.

Send promotional emails

Social media is good. But let’s not forget about another powerful tool - email marketing.

People are already in a buying mindset, looking for great deals and thoughtful gifts, so your course might be just what they need. But how do you make sure your emails stand out among the flood of holiday sales pitches? With a little creativity, of course.

First, focus on the subject line. A catchy, holiday-themed subject line can instantly grab attention. Think of something like, “Gift Yourself This Christmas: Get 20% Off Our Courses!”.

When creating the email content itself, do not just focus on the discount. Also, emphasize how your course can help students achieve their New Year’s resolutions. For example, “This holiday season, why not give yourself the gift of growth? My [Course Name] will help you master [Skill] in 2025!”

Here is how Masterclass promotes its courses via email newsletters. They shared the top courses with the subject line: “Last chance for a last-minute gift, delivered instantly”.

Tips to run your online course Christmas campaign

Plan ahead․

The holidays are a busy time for everyone, including your students. Start planning your Christmas campaign well in advance. Decide on your offers, content and promotional schedule early. So, you will have time to create your messaging, prepare visuals, and test everything. The earlier you start, the more prepared you will be to handle the holiday rush.

Have a content calendar․

Your content calendar helps you maintain consistency and ensures you hit your deadlines. Include key dates like your launch, countdown posts, and final reminders to create a cohesive campaign flow.

Stay consistent across channels․

Your campaign should feel like one cohesive experience, no matter where your audience interacts with it. That is why you need to use the same tone, festive visuals, and core messages across your website, emails, and social media. For example, if you create a holiday-themed quiz on your website, tease it on social media and follow up with an email directing subscribers to participate.

Bring in a sense of urgency․

The holiday season is short, so urgency is key. Like we discussed above, you can use countdowns and pop-ups to motivate your audience to act quickly. Also, highlight the benefits they will miss if they wait too long, like achieving their New Year goals or getting exclusive bonuses.

Bring your Christmas marketing ideas to life

We hope you liked these Christmas marketing ideas and could get the inspiration you were after. To make your campaign a success, you would need the mindset, mood, and the right tools.

And if you are looking for an affordable online course platform, you can join Uteach for free. Uteach offers everything you need to market and promote your courses. From applying discounts to gifting a course to creating communities and bundling up your offer. We will help you bring your business’s Christmas miracle to life.

Best Christmas Marketing Campaign Ideas to Promote Online Courses