Walking the talk: why online teaching presence matters more for marketers

If marketing is about managing relationships, then teaching is too. Marketing educators train students to understand customers, build trust, and communicate with a clear and consistent voice. Yet some overlook how these same principles apply to the learning experience they create in online and blended learning classrooms. This commentary challenges faculty to “walk the talk” by designing courses that demonstrate marketing in action through intentional teaching presence. Teaching presence involves the choices instructors make in design, communication, and interaction that shape how students experience a course. Drawing on the Community of Inquiry framework and marketing ideas like touchpoints and brand consistency, this article offers practical strategies for strengthening visibility, tone, and engagement across instructional channels. When faculty approach their courses with the same strategic insight used in marketing, they create stronger connections, improve learning outcomes, and model the very disciple they teach.