Are Online Coaches Getting Cancelled?
A big shift has happened in the online space. A shift that is making it more challenging than ever for coaches to attract clients with their content.
Scroll through Instagram or LinkedIn, and you will read the same post on repeat. And I’m not talking about that one post that is genuinely interesting, it’s that most posts are just… the same. Maybe they have slightly different visuals and a new hook. But the words, the voice and the actual feeling behind the content are blurred.
AI is becoming a crucial part of online content creation and most coaches have happily embraced it with very little guidance. If you’re reading this blog post, you probably have too. Which completely makes sense. A tool that promises to “do your content for you” sounds like a perfect way to save some time.
But it’s not.
Not if you treat it the way most coaches do. As badly as we want to deny it: We’re outsourcing our voices to it.
In this blog post, I will explain to you why those (very well written) AI posts send out a completely wrong message to your target audience, and might even scare them away from your coaching.
AI content misses your identity
If you’re scrolling LinkedIn, would you rather read something a little messy, maybe a sentence that rambles, but you can feel the person behind it?
Like, “damn, they really sat with this. They care.”
Or do you stop for the polished, perfectly structured post that reads like it came straight out of a business textbook? Clean, but also dead inside.
What makes your content attractive isn’t perfect sentence structure or clever hooks. It’s your opinion, your quirks, and the small but specific ways you say things. The things your audience will want to share with their friends as they’re so catchy. The things that make you you.
AI writes by following patterns. Which is why so much of what it generates feels...okay. Polished, definitely. Technically accurate, maybe. But totally void of perspective.
Your reader might not know exactly what’s wrong, they just know something’s off. They feel less connected. Less curious. Less like you’re the person they’ve been looking for.
Why is everybody using AI?
Content is exhausting for many business owners.
The pressure to “stay visible” is constant. You’re told you need to post 3 times a week, write thoughtful captions, publish a blog, send out emails, possibly even dabble in Reels or podcasts, and also somehow make it all sound strategic and authentic and compelling.
Ehm, a mistake was made, when did you sign up to become a professional influencer? You have a business to run and clients to serve. It’s a lot.
I completely understand that you are using AI to make your work easier. You’re tired, pressed for time, and AI seems to promise a shortcut. However, this shortcut could cost you many potential clients if not used carefully.
Why is AI disrupting the coaching industry?
Your clients value you, they do. They know how incredible you are at what you do.
They know you go above and beyond. They’ve felt the shift, the clarity, the “holy sh*t I didn’t think this was possible” moment.
But here’s a very harsh truth:
Your potential clients don’t value you at all.
They don’t know you.
They don’t care about how many lives you’ve changed.
They don’t care about how many certifications you’ve got.
All they want to do is figure out who's worth trusting to help them truly solve their problems.
AI can save you all the time in the world, but if it’s making people doubt your coaching, what’s the point?
If what you send out to the world is low-value, what does that say about your coaching? Readers will assume your coaching is just as bland and impersonal as your content. You know it isn't, but your prospects don’t. The way you show up online is what they’re judging. And right now, you simply haven’t shown them enough of you yet.
If your content is giving AI vibes… If it feels disconnected, vague, like it could’ve been written by anyone, they’re going to scroll right past your posts.
When you copy and paste generic content with no personalisation, it’s ' cookie-cutter. It makes your coaching feel templated and replaceable, like something AI could deliver just as well. When it comes to the basic stuff, ChatGPT is a pretty decent coach too. So why should your audience invest in you, if they can also just consult AI?
How to tell when you’re content it ‘too AI’
Here’s a simple gut-check: Read your content and ask yourself,
“Could this have been written by anyone?”
If the answer is yes, there’s the root of your problem.
Keep this in mind: you’re not just another coach. You’ve got a specific way of seeing the world. You’ve got stories, values, insights that only you can bring to your readers’ minds.
Focus on those, instead of letting AI lead your whole copywriting process.
The second question to ask yourself: Could this have been written by ME?
AI uses a lot of words and structures that you probably don’t use. Posting this content can make you ‘lose your voice’ and make it obvious that you didn’t write it.
Typical AI copy includes:
Words like embracing, fostering, enhance, seamless, abundance, aligned, authentic, embodied, holding space, transformation.
... the list is long, but these are common culprits. If you want to find more AI words to avoid, just ask ChatGPT to give you 50 examples of AI words in the coaching industry ;)
The em dash (—), where the hell does this even live on our keyboards?
When sentences are phrased as "It's not about…" "but it's..." Do you actually talk like that?
Overuse of emojis. Do you use them yourself? Like, that many?
If you normally wouldn’t use these things but you accept what AI churns out, you'll appear very inauthentic to your readers.
You don’t have to stop using AI
AI can be a great assistant. Use it to help brainstorm, to organise messy thoughts or when you’re stuck and need a little nudge. But the heart of your message, the emotion, the conviction, the stuff that builds connection, still has to come from you.
You’ve got too much to say and too many people to serve to let your message go dull.
And yes, this is overwhelming and it takes a lot of time. But you will get so many trusting clients in return that it’s all more than worth it!
If you’re using AI and wondering whether it’s helping or hurting your message, book a free strategy session. I’ll give you honest feedback on your copy and real ways to bring your voice back in.
