If you have spent any time trying to build an online business, you have almost certainly been burned by at least one internet marketing product that promised the world and delivered nothing. Overpriced courses full of filler content, ebooks that rehash freely available information, and membership sites that exist primarily to upsell you on even more expensive products. The internet marketing education space has always had a trust problem, and honestly, it has not gotten much better in 2026.
The Problem With Most Internet Marketing Products
The fundamental issue is that many internet marketing products are created by people who are better at marketing than they are at teaching. They know how to write compelling sales copy, create urgency with countdown timers, and stack bonuses until the offer feels irresistible. But when you get past the sales page and into the actual content, you find generic advice you could have found with a Google search.
I have been reviewing internet marketing products since 2008, and my personal policy has always been the same: I only recommend things I have actually read, used, or thoroughly evaluated. You would be surprised how rare that approach is among affiliate marketers. Many people recommend products solely based on the commission rate without ever looking at the content.
How To Evaluate Before You Buy
Here is my framework for evaluating any internet marketing course, ebook, or program before spending money on it:
- Check the refund policy. A generous refund window signals confidence in the product. If the creator is not willing to let you try the product risk-free, that tells you something.
- Look for specificity. Good products teach specific, actionable steps. Vague promises about “unlocking secrets” or “discovering hidden strategies” are red flags. The sales page should give you a clear idea of what you will actually learn.
- Research the creator. Do they have a track record of producing quality content? Can you find free samples of their teaching style through blog posts, podcast episodes, or YouTube videos? If you like their free content, you will probably like their paid content.
- Beware of artificial scarcity. Limited-time offers and countdown timers are standard marketing tactics. That does not make the product bad, but do not let manufactured urgency pressure you into a purchase you have not thought through.
- Look for real results. Are there testimonials from actual people with verifiable identities? Case studies with specific numbers? Or just vague claims about life-changing results?
The Best Investment You Can Make
After nearly two decades in this space, I have come to believe that the best internet marketing education comes from doing the work. Buy one solid, well-reviewed course in your specific area of interest, follow it step by step, and implement what you learn before buying anything else. The people who succeed online are not the ones with the biggest course collections. They are the ones who execute consistently on the fundamentals.
Be skeptical, do your research, and trust your instincts. If a product feels too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
Hey Mark,
There’s crap in the header and crap in background… I’m not sure if this is good for business 😀
Anyway, despite all the crap I opted in. Waiting for the confirmation in the mail.
Cheers,
Alex
Cheers Mark,
I have subscribed and will give it a read when I get a spare chance..
So, I was reading the report during today. Still have several pages left, but now I can say that there’s value inside. Got me thinking on a few subjects and reminded me of a few things I’ve forgotten about.
Indeed simple things that every one starting out should know.
Cheers,
Alex
I’ve seen the banners for this download but honestly I haven’t opted in because of the big stinky looking poo graphic on the banner. It definitely grabs your attention.
Mark, If you say its a good read then I’m opting in and will check it out. Andrew does create great stuff, hopefully this is great too.
That’s why I’m here, Joe. Sorting through all the crap so you don’t have to. LOL
Thanks Mark! I do tend to agree with Alex on the graphics. I’ve done a very quick, initial scan and it looks like a good read. Andrew has some very interesting and (possibly) controversial ideas on article directory submission. Again – I just scanned it – will report back later when I actually read it.
Yeah — I am sure that the graphics are designed to get attention and create buzz. They are certainly doing that. LOL.
Like the idea, but the sales page has no email subscription box! – Not so good for subscriptions now is it? 🙂
Hey Brad — the sub box is just under the eBook graphic. Can you not see it? It may be implemented in JScript. Do you have NoScript or some other tool that blocks JScript?
I speed-read the report and would certainly agree it’s worth your time. I’ll digest more later. I’m still a little confused when Andrew talks about not putting an article on your site that was in a directory when he later dispells the duplicate content myth? That’s confusing.
He confirmed to me that I spend far too much time looking for the perfect theme – it’s a time waster that gets me nowhere.
Ok, now I’ve got Crap Cutter and the $5 Formula. It’s homework time and I’ll have to report back later. Thanks for the info. If you hadn’t recommended it, I probably would have run from the landing page. I hate that format.
@Gandree — Great. I think you will like both of them. More importantly, I personally trust both authors, so you can trust the content of both reports.
I am very interested in your comment about the landing page. This is a huge debate in the Internet marketing community (as you are probably aware). The problem is that landing pages like these convert better than any other kind of landing page. However, I would be very interested to understand which landing page you were talking about, and specifically what bothered you about page. Thanks for your comment, Mark