By Zamie Ayo
In today’s fast-paced digital economy, the rise of online courses promising to teach you how to “make money online” has exploded into a full-blown industry. From TikTok ads and YouTube videos to Instagram reels and email newsletters, countless entrepreneurs and influencers now offer digital products claiming to unlock the secrets of financial freedom. But is this growing trend a legitimate side hustle for sellers and a valuable tool for buyers or is it a polished scam taking advantage of the desperate and hopeful?
The answer lies somewhere between the both ends. While many digital courses can offer real value, a disturbing number exploit marketing hype and buyer naivety. To properly evaluate this trend, we must take a closer look at the empirical evidence, the motivations behind both buyers and sellers, and the broader implications for the future of digital entrepreneurship.
The Boom in the Digital Course Industry
According to a 2023 report by Research and Markets, the global e-learning market is expected to surpass $375 billion by 2026, with individual creators and influencers accounting for a significant portion of that growth. Platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, Gumroad, and Thinkific have lowered the barrier to entry for anyone to package knowledge or perceived knowledge into a course and sell it online.
The appeal is obvious. For sellers, digital courses offer passive income potential: once created, a course can be sold repeatedly with minimal overhead costs. For buyers, especially those in lower-income brackets or emerging markets, these courses promise a shortcut to financial liberation in an economy increasingly dominated by remote and freelance work.
What Are These Courses Selling?
Digital courses vary widely in topic, from copywriting and affiliate marketing to dropshipping, crypto trading, AI automation, digital marketing, and even course creation itself. The irony is that many courses now teach others how to make money selling courses a potentially unsustainable loop where value can become diluted or redundant.
There are undoubtedly well-structured, content-rich courses taught by industry veterans who draw from years of real-world experience. These often provide tools, templates, and insights that would take learners years to gather on their own.
However, at the other end of the spectrum are cookie-cutter, repackaged content offerings filled with vague advice, motivational fluff, and no actionable steps all sold for hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Empirical Evidence: Value vs. Hype
Empirical studies and surveys suggest that the completion rates for most digital courses are shockingly low. A 2020 study by MIT found that only 3-6% of students who enrolled in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) actually completed them. While digital entrepreneurs may argue their paid courses lead to better engagement, many buyers still drop out due to lack of structure, motivation, or because the course underdelivered on its promises.
Furthermore, reviews across TrustPilot and Reddit communities show mixed reactions. Some buyers praise certain courses as life-changing, while others feel duped complaining of overpriced content that simply regurgitates free information already available on YouTube or blogs. This inconsistency raises questions about regulation, transparency, and ethical marketing practices in the digital learning space.
The Seller’s Side: Lucrative or Misleading?
For many digital course creators, this is not just a side hustle it’s a full-time income stream. Some well-known creators report monthly earnings in the five to six-figure range. The success stories of sellers like Vanessa Lau, Ali Abdaal, and others highlight how powerful personal branding, email funnels, and social proof can be when selling knowledge online.
However, ethical gray areas often emerge. High-pressure sales tactics such as “limited time offers,” false scarcity, testimonials from affiliates rather than students, and inflated success metrics are commonly used to convert hesitant buyers. In some cases, creators spend more time marketing than actually crafting valuable content.
This raises a critical ethical question: is the seller truly invested in teaching, or simply capitalizing on aspiration?
The Buyer’s Perspective: Worth the Investment?
For a digital course buyer, the biggest risk is not financial loss, but false hope. Many courses are bought in a moment of emotional vulnerability someone struggling with bills, hating their job, or desperate for a change might be easily lured by the promise of “making thousand monthly with no experience.” When results don’t materialize, the emotional toll can be more damaging than the lost money.
Yet, buyers who approach digital courses with realistic expectations and due diligence can find real value. Courses that teach marketable skills such as data analysis, SEO, freelance design, coding, or social media management can enhance a learner’s resume or launch a freelance career. These tend to offer more measurable ROI than get-rich-quick style schemes.
So, Is It a Side Hustle or a Scam?
The answer is: both and neither. The digital course industry is a powerful reflection of the internet economy: democratized, fast-moving, and full of both potential and peril. For sellers, creating a course can be a legitimate and profitable side hustle but only if it is built on genuine expertise, ethical marketing, and real value delivery.
For buyers, success depends largely on research, mindset, and alignment of expectations. Courses are not magic wands. They are tools and tools are only as effective as the person using them.
Final Thoughts: Proceed With Caution and Clarity
Before buying or selling a digital course, it’s essential to ask:
- Is the creator credible? What is their background, and do they practice what they preach?
- Is the content unique and actionable? Or is it just repackaged common knowledge?
- Are the claims realistic? Or is the course built around hype and pressure tactics?
The digital course marketplace isn’t inherently a scam but it’s also not an automatic path to riches. When approached with critical thinking, transparency, and a genuine desire to grow, it can be a worthy side hustle for the seller and a transformational learning experience for the buyer.
