Professional coaching earns near-perfect ratings but stays largely invisible where clients actually search
Across 1,339 Australian professional coaching businesses, the cohort holds a median rating of 5.0 yet posts a median RADAR score of just 46.1. Strong reputations sit atop thin search visibility and weak conversion foundations, leaving most operators dependent on referral rather than discovery.
Five-star ratings, almost no reviews behind them
The median business holds a perfect 5.0 rating but rests on only 11 reviews, and 48.4 per cent show this review paradox of high marks with thin volume. Reaching the top quartile takes just 39 reviews. Sentiment is strong, but the evidence base is too shallow to convince a cautious prospect at scale.
Most coaches are missing where clients look
An estimated 72.7 per cent of the cohort sits in the low-traffic band, and 52.6 per cent register as effectively invisible in search. With a median domain authority of just 7.0, most sites lack the standing to rank. These are third-party estimates, but the pattern points to heavy reliance on word of mouth over discovery.
More businesses sliding back than pushing forward
Momentum is negative across the cohort, with 54.2 per cent declining against 42.9 per cent growing. Some 116 businesses have collapsed outright in visibility. The divergence suggests a widening gap between operators consolidating their position and a larger group losing ground.
Weak foundations undercut strong reputations
Only 3.8 per cent reach the Accomplished tier, while 47.9 per cent sit in the digital bottom and 27.3 per cent are off the radar entirely. The most common CMS category is other or none detected, signalling absent or unmanaged websites. Reputation is not being converted into a platform that captures demand.
| Region | Businesses | Median RADAR | Accomplished | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTA | 4 | 58.5 | — | |
| QLD | 224 | 47.7 | 9 | |
| ACT | 29 | 47.5 | — | |
| NSW | 345 | 47.3 | 18 | |
| SA | 60 | 46.5 | 2 | |
| VIC | 304 | 46.1 | 14 | |
| AUK | 60 | 46 | 2 | |
| BOP | 9 | 43.1 | — | |
| TAS | 11 | 42.9 | 1 | |
| WKO | 7 | 42.3 | — | |
| WA | 102 | 41.8 | 1 | |
| CAN | 27 | 40.2 | — | |
| WGN | 18 | 34.2 | 1 | |
| NT | 5 | 32.7 | — |
Smaller cohorts shown for indication only.
Share of the cohort with each tool detected (BuiltWith). Businesses may run more than one.
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