The Digital Marketing Mirage: Are We Just Selling Courses on Selling Courses?

There’s a bizarre loop taking over social media these days. If you scroll through TikTok, YouTube Live, or Instagram, you’ll be hit with a barrage of so-called “digital marketing experts” peddling their latest PDF guides, online courses, or coaching programs. But here’s the kicker: they’re not teaching you how to enhance your business or boost your performance. Instead, they’re showing you how to sell a course on selling courses. Welcome to the infinite funnel!

Digital Marketing’s Not a New Game

Let’s face it, many of these influencers act like they’ve struck gold in 2025. They’re pitching digital marketing as though it’s a brand-new concept. Sure, platforms change, but the core principles—value creation, targeting, and conversion—have remained steadfast for decades. They’re recycling what countless others have offered for free, and honestly? It’s getting old.

The Real Product?

If you dig a little deeper, what are these “experts” really selling? The answer is alarming: predominantly, it’s a course on how to sell digital marketing courses. It’s like a pyramid of PDFs with no real utility for end-users. The only people buying into this are those hoping to enter this crowded market themselves, creating a cycle of recycled content that lacks genuine entrepreneurship.

AI: The Double-Edged Sword

Generative AI has made it easy for anyone to whip up a “course” in just a weekend. A few prompts to ChatGPT and some Canva graphics later, voilà! You’re an educator! But fast production doesn’t equal real value. Many of these courses are superficial, filled with fluff, and lack any real experience.

Instead of just churning out marketing funnels and PDFs, why not harness the real power of AI? Think about it:

• Build automation tools to save businesses hours of grunt work.
• Create tailored customer support scripts and chatbot flows.
• Analyze data trends to make smarter decisions.
• Generate SEO content that actually ranks.
• Personalize marketing campaigns at scale based on audience behavior.

These applications can truly add value to businesses and offer genuine opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship.

The YouTube Goldmine

Let’s not sugarcoat it: nearly everything you’re paying for is available for free on YouTube—often with better quality! From step-by-step tutorials to expert interviews, you can find real-life applications, all without breaking the bank. Why plunk down cash for a PDF when you can learn to build a meaningful campaign in real-time? That’s the beauty of leveraging existing, high-quality resources!

Branding Over Substance

What’s missing in this chaotic scene is authentic branding. Many of these influencers excel in self-promotion—aesthetic curation, posing in front of flashy cars, collecting followers, and creating envy-inducing reels. But let’s be real, that’s not digital strategy; that’s personal image management!

And can we talk about the echo chamber? Everyone quotes each other, spinning the same tired narratives. It creates an illusion of success and expertise, but at its core, it’s all just fluff.

The Vulnerable Target

The most unsettling truth? These schemes often prey on those looking for quick wins—young dreamers, burnt-out professionals, and stay-at-home parents lured in by the promise of passive income. They get sold the dream: “Download this PDF, launch your course, and watch the cash roll in.” Here’s the reality: genuine digital marketing requires learning, testing, analyzing, and yes, failing sometimes.

Real-life success in digital marketing takes perseverance and a willingness to learn. Those live strategy calls? More often than not, they’re just polished sales pitches meant to squeeze money out of the truly desperate.

Where’s the Real Value?

Real digital products are born from the need to solve problems. They help businesses grow, automate workflows, acquire leads, and improve customer experiences. Courses that only teach others how to create similar courses? Those are empty vessels with no real impact.

So, what can you do? Be discerning and think critically. Invest some time in understanding what AI can actually do without falling into the trap of generic, sales-driven courses. Instead, try and explore solid resources out there—like reputable blogs or established marketers.

Ready to Dive Deeper?

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be! There are tons of free and paid resources that can get you on the right track. Dive into platforms like OpenAI for great insights into AI applications, or explore YouTube for guides and practical demonstrations.

Want to join the conversation? So, what’s your take on this digital marketing craze?