Behind the smiles, precariousness. Content creation among self-employed coaches

While the literature on the creation of digital content has focused on influencers, few studies deal with the professional and commercial use of internet by self-employed individuals seeking customers for their products or services. This article proposes to fill this gap by considering the case of coaches specializing in career changes. By analysing how web marketing is transforming the work of freelancers, it highlights the gap between the very positive image projected by the digital content created by these professionals, and the precariousness of their working and employment conditions. The emotional, financial, and time investment required to create content is itself a factor of precariousness. In particular, the promises of entrepreneurial success conveyed by web marketing training courses – whose clients are coaches (but also consultants, therapists, etc.) – contribute to the development of aspirational work. Web marketing is thus fostering the development of precarious labour markets.