Updated 2026: I originally wrote this in 2009 after fielding dozens of emails from readers asking about internet marketing coaching. Seventeen years later, I still get the same questions. The coaching industry has exploded in size, which means there are more great coaches available and also more people you should avoid. Here is my honest take on whether coaching is worth your money and how to choose wisely.
Is Internet Marketing Coaching Worth the Investment?
Internet marketing coaching is a paid mentorship arrangement where an experienced online marketer guides you through building or growing your internet business. Coaching can take many forms: one-on-one calls, group programs, forum-based communities, structured courses with direct access to the instructor, or mastermind groups. The investment ranges from a few hundred dollars per month for group programs to several thousand for intensive one-on-one mentorship.
My short answer has not changed since 2009: yes, coaching is worth it, if you choose the right coach and you can actually afford it. The longer answer requires understanding why coaching works and where people go wrong.
Three Reasons Coaching Accelerates Your Results
You skip the expensive mistakes. A coach who has already built what you are trying to build can steer you around the pitfalls they fell into. You are still going to make your own unique mistakes, that is part of the process. But you do not need to repeat the ones that have already been documented. In 2009, I watched people waste months on strategies that an experienced mentor could have flagged in five minutes.
Coaching eliminates analysis paralysis. This is the one I see most often among part-time entrepreneurs. You have limited hours each week, and you spend half of them researching which approach to take instead of actually building something. A good coach gives you a decision framework and accountability. Not sure which email platform to use? Ask your coach, take their advice, and move on. The hours you save on deliberation go directly into execution.
Paying creates accountability. When you invest real money in coaching, you have skin in the game. Your coach has skin in the game too, because your results reflect on their reputation. This mutual investment creates a productive dynamic that free YouTube tutorials simply cannot replicate.
How to Choose an Internet Marketing Coach
The coaching market in 2026 is significantly larger and noisier than it was in 2009. Here is how to evaluate potential coaches:
| Criteria | What to Look For | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|
| Trust | You have followed their free content long enough to trust their judgment | You found them through an ad yesterday |
| Affordability | You can pay without financial stress | Going into debt or draining emergency savings |
| Clear expectations | Written outline of what you will receive and expected outcomes | Vague promises of transformation |
| Refund policy | Clearly stated terms, even if no refund is offered | Evasive or hidden cancellation terms |
| Teaching method | Format matches your learning style (video, calls, forum, async) | No clear explanation of how coaching is delivered |
| Track record | Verifiable student results and testimonials | Only income screenshots with no context |
One piece of advice I gave in 2009 that I want to emphasize even more strongly now: only hire someone you can afford. I have seen too many aspiring internet marketers put $5,000 on a credit card for coaching they cannot afford, then feel enormous pressure to make their money back immediately. That pressure leads to bad decisions, resentment, and usually quitting. If a coaching program costs more than you can comfortably invest, it is not the right program for you right now, no matter how good the coach is.
What Has Changed in Coaching Since 2009
The format has diversified enormously. In 2009, most coaching happened through private forums and occasional phone calls. Today, you can find coaches offering asynchronous video feedback, Slack communities, weekly Zoom calls, Loom video audits of your work, and AI-assisted progress tracking. The best coaches match their delivery method to what actually helps their students learn.
Group coaching has also become more sophisticated. Programs like masterminds and cohort-based courses combine peer learning with expert guidance at a fraction of the cost of one-on-one coaching. For many part-time entrepreneurs, this is the sweet spot of value and affordability.
The Bottom Line
Coaching boils down to two simple ideas. First, find someone who has already done what you want to do and learn from them. Second, make a careful, informed decision about who that person is. Get those two things right, and coaching can save you years of trial and error.
If you are looking for more guidance on building an online business part-time, subscribe to the Late Night Internet Marketing podcast where I have been helping people do exactly that since 2009.
Hey Mark,
Good question and it is likely to have many answers.
Many of the coaching programs offered are surely by guys that have been there, done that, and if you could become a clone of them it would probably make you successful also. There’s the rub.
No two people think alike and it is very hard to follow a step by step set of instructions, just too many distractions and somewhere along the line you will break the chain letter, so to speak.
The type of coaching that I like best is small scale. The reason you are buying is because the teacher sold you on “him” or “her.” Once the program gets started and then your questions and comments have to go through a submit a ticket message system and you may or may not get an answer from some third world country, well then that program just plain sucks in my opinion.
If the teacher can be trusted to be there to answer the questions directly and to give personal feedback in a timely manner I would not suggest anyone subscribes.
One on one, fine, sign me up!
Rich Hill
Hello Mark,
First, let me say that I subscribed to your blog recently – after sending countless numbers of people to your “article directories” list. Thank you for being here!
About coaching:
I have worked as a freelance ghostwriter for more than 50 years and have been writing on-line since 1993 (the Internet Paleolithic era).
I have written for many of the self-professed GURUs and, as a result, have become somewhat cynical about the value of some of their programs.
I recently “outed myself” and started coaching new writers. I am currently working with about 350 people and love every minute of it.
During the time I was writing for others, I found one, 1, uno, marketer whom I believe delivers a total package for beginners, taking them from ground zero through every step of Internet marketing, in words they can understand. He offers a membership site at a cost of $27 per month and that includes free, unlimited hosting, “See Spot Run” how-to articles and more than 250 videos on virtually everything you need to know about marketing.
I won’t mention this marketer by name because I am sure that it would be viewed (rightfully so) as blatant SPAM. I just want to point out to people who are considering a mentor that, although caution should be the byword, there are reputable mentors and coaches out there who can actually help you to build a successful business on-line.
Hmmm…
Did my email the other day break the camel’s back LOL
The reason I haven’t responded to your reply is that you asked one simple question, and I couldn’t answer it.
You outline that question above – ‘what do you want to do’.
And I honestly couldn’t answer the question.
It is easy to tell you what I don’t want to do. ‘What I Want to Do’ – not so much.
I know I want to network, I want to help people with (to me) basic technical and beginning IM techniques, and I want to help myself and my family in the process. I’ve not been able to isolate it into one easily categorized hairball. Information paralysis strikes again.
Here’s my opinion. IM coaching is valuable if the fee includes reviewing what the trainee has done, offering constructive criticism and specifics as to how to improve the site, product, etc., AND to be there for follow-up.
IMO 90% of coaching is a joke because it just involves superficial ideas and generalities, and so often never even gets down to a 1 on 1 basis.
@Robert
Well, I did consider your email when I wrote this — thanks!
I usually recommend a “dual approach” for people like you.
First — find something that you care about and build a niche IM business around that. Teaching topics are best (how to catch bass in Texas, how to play guitar), but you can also be successful with a product based approach (home gym expert, etc). Hone your IM skills on REAL internet marketing. Selling IM products to IM people is not real IM (IMHO) — LOL (enough IMs in there for you)?
Second — if you like IM (I personally love it) — document your journey. Be 100% honest and 100% transparent all of the time. Help people by sharing the things that you know, and admitting the things that you don’t know.
There are lots of other valid approaches, but the above is what I would consider.
Great post, Mark. But then again, I’m a coach (not an Internet marketing coach), so I know the power of coaching. Everything you say is right on.
I’ve been studying Internet marketing since February and have been involved in two group coaching programs: the first was less than $50/month and was 100% online. I participated for four months and got a good grasp of the basics. I’m now writing a book that will launch initially as an ebook, so I joined a book coaching program with a guy who has several best-sellers, many of which were launch online initially. He’s a maste Internet marketer. With a big gulp, I paid a substantial upfront fee for this program, which included a ton of information online. Now I pay $97/month. (I talked with two people who were in the program before I decided to make the initial investment.) I get on a weekly group call where we all can ask specific questions about our books, websites, marketing plans, etc., and get the answers that will put us on the right path.
I’ve found in the world of Internet marketing, coaching is part coaching, and a lot of consulting. Working with a coach/consultant saves a lot of time, effort and money in the long run.
Hi Mark
I apologise that this comment/question is somewhat unrelated. I was reading your latest post and would love to know what plugin you are using to place the animated social bookmarks bar at the bottom of your posts. Again, sorry for being so unrelated. Love your blog and hopefully you will be good enough to respond. Thanks again for an interesting blog, and the useful lists of directories etc that you have provided. Much appreciated.
@Kent — great point. There is definately a difference between Training, Coaching, and Masterminding. That is why it is so important to communicate your expectations to your coach and get on the same page before you begin.
@Valerie — Thanks! Sound like you found a really valuable solution.
@David — As my buddy Andrew Hansen would say — “No worries, mate.”
It is the sexybookmarks plugin. Glad you like it.
Hi Mark
I just sent a really long comment and got an error message and hadn’t saved it doh! 🙂 If you find it floating around in the ether of you system … do let me know 🙂
Upshot … it was a great post …
Jane
Mark,
Thank you for an excellent take on whether to invest in an Internet Marketing Coach and how to go about selecting one.
In my opinion, there definitely is merit in having an IM Coach…actually even a coach for other areas, too. (Think “track and field,” “swimming,” “football.”) As of yet, I’ve not used an IM Coach. However, I had an opportunity to work with a “life coach” — it helped me immensely. I was able to hone in and focus on what I wanted, how best to do it, and I had someone to go to if I had questions or just needed reassurance.
When choosing an IM Coach, one might also consider “word of mouth” options. And maybe you could even try a session or two with the IM coach you choose before committing to a specific length of time.
And, of course, the outcome for one individual may not be the same as for another because of how much time and effort is put into one’s Internet marketing. Or because of the field/area chosen.
A good post. It caused me to think. I agree with the “analysis paralysis” comment. I am suffering somewhat from that myself right now. Fortunately, I have extensive organizational training so I am working through it. IMO I think coaching would be a good idea, as long as it is specific, hands on, and linked to verifiable results. The problem with almost all the “how to” online marketing products is that they deal mainly with the “Why and “What” aspects of marketing, rather than the “How to”. Coaching for the most part should address the latter.
Thanks Mark for the insight on coaching. I know my problem with hiring a coach is it cost too much. I understand the value in it, but the reason I am running a bum marketing is I dont have money to sink into my business. I started this because I need money, not because I have money to spend so I can make more. found some good places to get information, I just keep trying to learn from my mistakes, and learn what I can. Perhaps I will make enough to pay for coaching soon, and maybe I will even still need it by then.
JP