The popularity of online coaching is growing exponentially, according to Allied Market Research. And it’s growing for good reason.
Coaching sessions conducted via video calls let you engage with coaches from the comfort of your home or while you’re on the go. This gives you access to the abundant benefits personal and professional coaching has to offer. Plus, you won’t need to worry about transportation, gas, or travel time.
If you’ve been considering coaching but haven’t yet taken the leap, this is your sign to start. Understanding the types of online coaching, its benefits, and how to find an online coach can help prepare you for your first session.
What is online coaching?
Online coaching is a personal development process that can help you achieve specific goals. The only difference between coaching and online coaching is that the latter is entirely virtual. This means you’ll use video conferencing instead of meeting with your coach in person.
Online coaching programs can be helpful in many areas of life. These include your health, your professional goals, your creative pursuits, and more. It can help you discover your strengths and weaknesses, develop new skills, and build resilience.
Research published by Regent University found no significant difference in the effectiveness of in-person and online coaching. Virtual coaching can offer you a more flexible and convenient option if you have a busy schedule.
Who can benefit from online coaching?
Online coaching comes with all the benefits of in-person coaching and more. It can be especially useful if you’re undergoing major stressors or consistently short on time. This includes people like the following:
Remote coaching sessions offer a more flexible way to get the coaching you need inside your daily routine.
5 reasons why you need an online coach
From additional flexibility to an expanded coach selection, there are dozens of benefits of online coaching. Here are the top reasons why you should consider investing in yourself via online coaching.
1. To improve your mental health
A 2023 study published in JMIR Formative Research found that as few as two to six online coaching sessions can help improve symptoms of depression and anxiety in youth. These symptom decreases were significant and helped to stabilize mood for at least two months following the coaching sessions. This shows that online coaching can also have lasting effects.
2. For the convenience
Online coaching lets you schedule remote coaching sessions according to your needs. You’ll save time and money by not traveling to meet an in-person coach. And, if you travel outside of your city, you can still experience the benefits of coaching wherever you go.
For some people, having to meet with a coach in person can be a barrier to accessing coaching services. Meeting online can help keep your sessions more consistent. Online coaching is also great if you don’t have access to reliable transportation.
3. To access a wider variety of coaches
Working with an online coach enables you to explore a much larger network of coaches than you could if you needed to meet with someone locally. This can open the door to more specialized coaches that you may feel are a better match. This option can also be especially helpful if you live in a rural area that may not have trained coaches nearby.
4. To receive personalized support
Online coaching is tailored to your unique needs. A recent study published by BetterUp found that virtual 1:1 coaching can improve your self-efficacy, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and stress management.
In addition to helping with current stressors, online coaching can teach you how to improve and prioritize your well-being over time. This can span all aspects of your life, from nutrition and exercise to communication and relationships.
5. To maintain accountability
Working with a virtual coach can empower you to take ownership of your actions and outcomes. This gives you the ability to hold yourself accountable, which can increase your self-motivation.
Online coaches meet with you consistently to help you establish routines and healthy habits. Being asked about your goals regularly forces you to monitor your progress, which can make you more likely to succeed.
4 types of online coaching
The beauty of online coaching is that you have easy access to many different types of coaching. Here are some of the session types that are easier to find with digital coaching.
1. Life coaching
Life coaching, also called lifestyle coaching, helps you find happiness and fulfillment in your personal life. Life coaches support and guide you through your obstacles in a way that aligns with your personal values.
Working with a life coach can provide you with valuable resources to address the following:
2. Business coaching
Business coaching helps entrepreneurs and business leaders achieve their work goals. This may include brainstorming on business strategy, marketing, leadership development, and more.
One reason you might seek out a business coach is to improve your communication skills. A communication coach can help you practice these skills in different professional contexts. This can help you become a great leader.
Business coaching can also be more specific to your needs. For example, a small business coach can help you find success with the unique needs that come with launching and growing a business. With executive coaching, executives can unlock their full potential and improve their performance. This can help improve your organization as a whole.
3. Health & wellness coaching
Health coaching aims to help you develop and maintain healthy habits that can improve your overall wellness. Health and wellness coaching can help you implement lifestyle changes. In turn, you can tackle challenges with sleep hygiene, weight management, stress relief, and nutrition.
If you’re looking to get in better physical shape, you can also consider fitness coaching. A fitness coach can help you meet long-term health and fitness goals in a way that’s sustainable for your lifestyle.
4. Career coaching
As its name suggests, career coaching can help you with all things related to your professional growth. Career transition coaching, for example, can help you with changing your career path. High-performance coaching can help you reach for the stars to land a high-level promotion or new job. Working with a mindset coach can help you learn to change your perspective after a layoff.
How to find the right online coach
Virtual coaching opens the door to a range of professional coaches. Finding your perfect match can feel daunting. Here are a few practical steps to help you navigate the process.
Identify needs and goals
The first step to finding your virtual coach is to clearly identify why you need a coach. This can help you narrow down the types of coaching you look into.
For example, if you’re looking for a new job, it makes more sense to look for an online career coach than an online health coach. If you need help navigating a highly personal challenge, it’d be better to start with individual coaching than online group coaching. That way, you can go at your own pace.
Research potential matches
Once you’ve narrowed down the type of online coach you want, the next step is to research your options. It’s worth noting some things you should look for when selecting a coach:
- Expertise & experience: Does the coach have the necessary experience and certifications? How long have they been coaching?
- Coaching style: Does their online bio give you a sense of how they might facilitate your growth? Do they provide the personal touch you’re looking for? Search for icebreaker questions or recent reads to get a sense of their personality.
- Client testimonials: Does their coaching practice have testimonials? If so, are they positive? What do their clients like about them?
- Availability: Are they accepting new clients? How hard is it to schedule appointments?
- Logistics: How do they accept payments? Can you schedule appointments on demand through their website, or do you need to contact them each time?
Consider coaching packages and pricing
The price of your online coaching service will depend on the online coaching platform you use and the type of coaching you’re seeking. For example, career coaching costs can range from $50 to $250 per hour. Factors that influence the cost of online coaching include the session length and the coach’s experience.
Some platforms charge per session while others offer monthly subscription packages. For example, BetterUp offers three subscription plans based on how often you’d like to see your coach. Our Intro Plan includes one 30-minute online coaching session per month. Our Premium Plan includes four 30-minute sessions per month.
If an online coaching business is priced higher than others, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it provides more value. Consider the frequency, length, and types of payment plans you’d like for your visits to narrow your options.
Set up an initial consultation
Once you’ve found a coach you want to try, set up an initial consultation. This conversation should include a discussion of your goals and expectations. This is also your chance to ask questions about their approach.
If your consultation feels off, try scheduling a conversation with other coaches until you find a fit.
Commit to the coaching process
Online coaching requires commitment and accountability. While your remote coach can help you easily create actionable strategies, they can’t put in the work for you. Consider whether you feel ready to invest in your personal growth on your own time. If so, now’s a great time to start scheduling sessions.
The #1 online coaching platform
BetterUp is the best online coaching platform for accessing a diverse set of coaches. Some of the features that set BetterUp apart include the following:
- Specialist coaching: BetterUp’s specialist coaches have unique expertise in specific areas of life, such as navigating uncertainty, helping you build confidence as a public speaker, prepping for high-stakes conversations, and more.
- AI-powered matching: BetterUp has an AI-powered matching system that connects you with coaches specializing in your goals. This can help reduce some of your research time.
- Personalized tools and resources: BetterUp’s platform provides seamless communication tools and resources to support your journey towards personal and professional growth, no matter where you are.
Start your online coaching journey today
Online coaching offers all the benefits of coaching with additional options and flexibility. There are many different types of coaches to choose from, but BetterUp can easily help you find your best fit.
Take the first step towards self-improvement. Find your coach.
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