As more people join the pool of 2.7 billion buyers online, learning digital marketing skills is more important than ever. 

Even physical businesses are starting to build their digital presence. In summary, this is the best time to carve out a space for yourself as a digital marketing coach. This guide will walk you through what you need to know to start.

In this article, you’ll learn the following:

• What is a digital marketing coach?
• How to start a digital marketing coaching business
• How much do digital marketing coaches charge per session?
• Digital marketing coach vs. business coach
• Digital marketing coaching certifications

What is a Digital Marketing Coach? 

A digital marketing coach guides business owners to develop and implement online marketing strategies to grow their brands.

Digital marketing is a field that comprises various marketing skills and niches. Thus, as a coaching expert, you can be a full-service digital marketing coach or specialize in one or more of these areas:

Content Marketing

This area involves creating and distributing high-quality content to attract and convert specific audiences.

Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing is the use of social platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote content and offers, increase social engagement, and get more leads and customers.

Email Marketing

Email Marketing involves the use of lead magnet opt-ins and regular email campaigns to nurture, segment, qualify, and convert leads.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Through SEM, a brand can improve its visibility and conversions on the search engine results page through search engine optimization (SEO) or paid ads.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing involves becoming an affiliate partner. You refer people to a product and earn commissions whenever they buy through your links. Affiliate management software helps you monitor your referrals and commissions more effectively.

While they can offer any or some of the specialized services above—e.g., content marketing coach, SEO coach, or social media marketing coach—they are sometimes simply called online marketing coaches.

How to Start a Digital Marketing Coaching Business

Getting started as a digital marketing coach shouldn’t be a complicated process. Here’s how you can start in 6 steps:

1. Define Your Niche

Digital marketing is extensive and crowded. So, consider choosing a niche to quickly stand out and position yourself as a go-to expert. 

Identify your area of expertise or interest and pick a niche. 

• Are you skilled or experienced in SEO, social media, or content marketing? Are you interested in the niche?
• You can also niche by “target market.” Determine who you want to serve. Will they be other coaches, small businesses, agencies, freelancers, or large businesses?

Then, assess the market demand. It is better to choose a niche with high demand and low competition. However, your final choice, regardless of competitiveness, should be based on what you want. 

2. Develop Your Skill Set

The digital marketing industry lives on trends, new technologies, and the latest products. You must keep up with reports, tools, and the newest marketing trends to stay relevant.

There’s a need for continuous learning and upskilling as a digital expert, which can be done by taking courses, attending webinars, and reading industry blogs. 

To gain practical experience, you can work on your projects and volunteer for non-profits or businesses that fit your target client avatar.

3. Create a Business Plan

Building a successful coaching career requires a well-thought-out business plan. It guides your business and keeps you focused on your objectives. 

Clearly define your brand mission, long- and short-term goals, ideal client, services and pricing structure, unique selling proposition, marketing strategy, brand messaging, and financial plans.

4. Establish Your Brand Presence

As a “digital” marketing expert, establishing an online presence for your business is non-negotiable. 

Create social media profiles and a professional website to establish a strong brand presence and make it an easy choice for your target audience. 

5. Develop Coaching Packages and Systems

Next, you must create coaching packages and frameworks so people know how to work with you. There are free coaching templates and resources to do this easily. 

Provide systems to make lead generation and the client experience smooth, such as:

• Landing pages 
• Scheduling and appointment tools
• Invoicing and payment options
• Contract and survey forms
• Onboarding and coaching sessions
• Note-taking features
• Instant messaging

With Paperbell, you can access all these features in one place, allowing you to run a smooth online business. 

6. Market Your Services

Effective marketing and sales strategies are essential for client acquisition. You can use marketing and promotion strategies like SEO, blogging, video marketing, podcasting, email marketing, and social media to get coaching clients.

You can also join niche forums and communities, attend industry events, and collaborate with professionals to connect with potential clients and referrals.

How Much Do Digital Marketing Coaches Charge Per Session?

Your coaching fees as a digital marketing expert can vary widely based on your niche, experience, location, timeline, and deliverables. 

Here’s a ballpark of what other experts charge:

• Beginners typically charge about $100-$150 per hour for virtual coaching
• Intermediates charge anywhere from $200 to $500 per hour
• Experienced coaches charge more than $500+ per hour

Some coaches also offer one-on-one mentorship programs, group coaching, memberships, and monthly retainers to provide more support and generate consistent income.

Digital Marketing Coach vs Business Coach 

Both digital marketing coaches and business coaches ultimately help clients grow their businesses. However, their focus and approach differ.

A digital marketing coach focuses on providing business owners and marketers with tools and strategies to build their online presence, enhance their marketing strategies, and maximize results and the bottom line. For example, as a digital expert, you can teach a client “how to build a digital marketing strategy.”

On the other hand, business coaches specialize in giving guidance about “building a successful brand.” Their scope of work is broader and covers areas like business management, positioning, marketing, and operations.

Simply put, a business coach covers a range of topics, including online marketing, but a digital marketing coach dives deep into the specific methodologies and strategies of online marketing.

Digital Marketing Coaching Certifications

There are several digital marketing certifications you can take to learn valuable skills and build your credibility as an online expert. 

While a few are paid, many programs by reputable brands are free of charge. Here are ten digital marketing programs and certifications to try:

Free:

• Digital Marketing & E-Commerce Course by Google teaches you how to build online stores and attract customers through digital channels.
• Digital Marketing Certification Course by HubSpot Academy shows you how to develop a human-centered content strategy to grow your business.
• Content Marketing Courses & Certifications by Semrush offers tips on how to build effective marketing and content creation skills.
• Digital Marketing Course by LinkedIn Learning teaches you the skills to become a digital expert.
• Content Marketing Course by Ahrefs equips you with skills to create conversion-driven marketing assets.
• Advanced Content Marketing Course by Semrush provides the best content marketing and blogging strategies to grow online.
• Google Ads Certifications by Google Skillshop is a compilation of courses to teach you everything about Google ads.
• SEO Course Library by Semrush includes courses to improve your visibility and organic traffic through SEO.
• Email Marketing Course by HubSpot Academy teaches you the best practices for creating emails that convert. 

Paid:

• Social Marketing Certification Course by Hootsuite will allow you to grow your brand on social media. It costs a one-time fee of $199.

Become a Digital Marketing Coach

Becoming a digital marketing coach allows you to help other professionals with the marketing essentials they need to succeed in the digital space, and this guide above shows you how. By using Paperbell to create streamlined systems for your business, you can improve your conversions, make sales, provide a positive client experience, and secure customer retention. Start your FREE Paperbell account today.