These days, social media is flooded with self-proclaimed “digital marketing experts” selling PDFs, online courses, and coaching programs. The twist? Their courses aren’t about helping real businesses—they’re about teaching you how to sell a course about selling courses. Welcome to the infinite funnel.
Digital Marketing Isn’t New
Some influencers pitch digital marketing in 2025 as if it’s a brand-new goldmine. But the truth is, digital marketing has been around for decades. Platforms evolve, but the fundamentals—value creation, targeting, conversion—remain the same.
Most of these “innovations” are just reheated ideas that have been available for free for years.
What They’re Really Selling
Look closely and you’ll see: their main product is a course about selling courses. It’s a pyramid of PDFs with no real-world application or client service—just a cycle of recycled content.
And about those PDFs: they’re outdated, clunky, and awful on mobile devices—the very place their audience lives.
AI Is Fueling the Fire
Generative AI makes it easy for anyone to create a “course” in a weekend. But fast content creation isn’t the same as value. Too often, these AI-driven courses are shallow and lack real experience.
Real Uses of AI in Business
- Automating repetitive workflows
- Creating customer support scripts and chatbot flows
- Analyzing data trends for better decision-making
- Writing SEO-friendly content
- Personalizing marketing campaigns at scale
- Prototyping products with AI-generated designs
- Translating and localizing content
- Assisting in coding and debugging
- Building internal productivity tools
These are the kinds of AI applications that deliver real value—not just another funnel PDF.
No Real-World Experience
Ask these course creators about real client work—SEO for e-commerce, lead generation for law firms, or managing ad spend for B2B companies—and you’ll often get vague answers or topic changes. Their “results” are revenue from selling the course, not from marketing success.
YouTube Has It All (for Free)
Everything they sell is already on YouTube—usually explained better, with real examples, at no cost.
Branding Over Substance
These influencers excel at personal branding, not business marketing. They focus on image—cars, reels, aesthetics—rather than creating results for actual clients.
A Virtual Echo Chamber
They quote each other, repeat the same tactics, and create the illusion of expertise. But beneath the surface, it’s all fluff.
Targeting the Vulnerable
They prey on those seeking quick wins—students, burned-out professionals, stay-at-home parents—promising passive income with little effort. The reality is that real digital marketing takes learning, testing, analyzing, and adapting.
The Illusion of Mentorship
“Live strategy calls” are often just sales pitches. Once you buy in, the promised mentorship disappears, replaced by generic videos and upsells.
Extracting Real Value
Occasionally, they showcase genuinely useful tools—an AI content generator, analytics plugin, or productivity hack. The key is to find these gems without falling for the rest of the funnel.
Where’s the Real Value?
Real digital marketing products solve problems, help businesses grow, and deliver measurable results. If a course only teaches you how to sell the same course, it’s an empty shell.
Before You Buy, Ask Yourself:
- Does this product teach a real skill?
- Is there proof it works outside this one funnel?
- Could I learn this for free elsewhere?
- Will this help me create value for a real business?
If the answers aren’t convincing, it’s best to walk away. Save your time, money, and effort for building skills that actually matter.