Welcome back, readers. As we start our journey to uncover the best affiliate marketing courses available, today we’re turning our lens toward “Wealthy Affiliate.”
Consequently, this program, created by Canadian entrepreneurs Carson Lim and Kyle Loudon, is centered around the core principles of web hosting, website building, and keyword research.
Moreover, it’s designed with a singular goal in mind: to provide you with the tools you need to build a successful online business, generating passive income through your own affiliate websites.
Certainly, we’re determined to separate the genuine opportunities from the empty promises in this industry, so let’s delve into this comprehensive review of Wealthy Affiliate.
Table of contents
What is Wealthy Affiliate?
Henceforth, Wealthy Affiliate stands as a comprehensive platform for those venturing into the dynamic yet challenging landscape of affiliate marketing.
The platform, in its own description, is a “Platform Designed For Affiliate Marketers Of All Levels.”
Regardless of your expertise, whether you’re a novice, have some experience, or are an ultra-successful affiliate marketer, Wealthy Affiliate is tailored to support your journey.
How does Wealthy Affiliate work?
At its essence, Wealthy Affiliate is a mentorship and membership program dedicated to the art of Affiliate Marketing.
Indeed, it provides a monthly subscription model that unlocks a comprehensive learning pathway, guiding you through the intricate world of Affiliate Marketing.
Upon joining the Wealthy Affiliate community, you’re given an introductory tutorial.
Undeniably, this briefing acquaints you with the platform, introduces you to the community, and lays out the roadmap to building and monetizing your first affiliate website.
Wealthy Affiliate’s promise is simple: to teach you how to earn income online through affiliate marketing.
Forthwith, the program offers a two-pronged approach to its core training.
Markedly, the ‘Affiliate Bootcamp’ focuses on building a website dedicated to promoting Wealthy Affiliate, while the ‘Online Entrepreneur Certification’ teaches you to create an affiliate website in a non-MMO niche, such as dog training, pool cleaning, or website hosting.
Meanwhile, the platform hosts hundreds of training modules of varying recency and quality within these two core sections and beyond.
Especially, Wealthy Affiliate positions itself as a platform for anyone keen on affiliate marketing, but its primary audience is individuals with little to no experience in online business or affiliate marketing.
It serves as a stepping stone to grasp the basics before advancing to more sophisticated training.
Who are Carson Lim and Kyle Loudon, the creators of Wealthy Affiliate?
Accordingly, Wealthy Affiliate is the brainchild of two Canadian entrepreneurs, Carson Lim and Kyle Loudon.
Altogether, the duo launched the platform in 2005 under the corporate name “Niche Marketing Inc.” Since its inception, Wealthy Affiliate has amassed a community of over 1.4 million members, making it one of the most renowned affiliate marketing courses globally.
Kyle and Carson have a history of success in affiliate marketing, which is evident in the way Kyle walks you through some of his affiliate sites during the initial training.
Basically, these sites have high traffic and show that he certainly knows his way around the affiliate marketing landscape, dismissing any notions of a scam.
Considering the authority his affiliate sites have gained and the consistent growth of Wealthy Affiliate from 2005 to 2023, it’s clear that Kyle could likely retire comfortably if he chose.
Especially, he seems to be living the dream that many aspiring online income earners desire.
However, it’s worth noting that his involvement in coaching appears to have lessened over time.
Another key figure in the Wealthy Affiliate landscape is Jay Neill, the live chat trainer for WA Premium.
Furthermore, joining in 2007, Jay has earned the title of “the world’s first WA influencer” and is largely responsible for the influx of new members joining the Wealthy Affiliate community.
His influence and teachings are instrumental in helping members navigate the path to making money with Wealthy Affiliate.
What’s included in Wealthy Affiliate?
Upon subscribing to a Premium account, Wealthy Affiliate presents you with a dashboard that resembles more of a social network than a training program.
Especially, the core of the training is bifurcated into two separate tracks: the ‘Online Entrepreneur Certification (OEC)’, a 5-phase, 50-lesson series that walks you through creating and growing a business in any niche of your choice, and the ‘Affiliate Bootcamp’, a 7-phase, 70-lesson series that teaches you how to create a business in a niche related to promoting Wealthy Affiliate.
Interestingly, a significant portion (60%) of the core training is dedicated to promoting Wealthy Affiliate itself. The lessons, primarily in text format with some accompanied by videos for visual concepts, are predominantly delivered by Kyle.
Additionally, to the core training, Wealthy Affiliate offers hundreds of community-created tutorials, though their quality varies.
Weekly live training classes are conducted by Jay Neill (aka magistudios), which are archived for viewing at any time.
Premium Plus members also receive additional weekly trainings from experienced WA members or “Super Affiliates.”
Significantly, membership also grants access to the Jaaxy keyword research tool. You also get your own social media-like profile page on Wealthy Affiliate, where members can post messages.
However, navigating through Wealthy Affiliate’s layout can be a bit confusing and overwhelming, with some users noting issues with the course organization.
Cost of Wealthy Affiliate
Wealthy Affiliate offers three membership levels: Starter (free), Premium ($19 for the first month, then $49 per month), and Premium Plus ($49 for the first month, then $99 per month). The free membership provides limited access to the training material, the Wealthy Affiliate community (for 7 days only), and website building tools.
Unquestionably, Annual subscriptions offer cost savings, with Premium Yearly at $495 and Premium Plus Yearly at $995.
Therefore, while the free training offers a decent introduction to affiliate marketing, it’s primarily geared towards converting you to a paid account.
Similarly, it may not provide enough resources to build a successful affiliate site and generate income online.
For those considering trying Wealthy Affiliate, it is suggested to start with a free membership, then upgrade to the $19 offer for the first month of Premium.
Customer reviews of Wealthy Affiliate
Straightaway, Wealthy Affiliate boasts a 4.9 rating on Trustpilot, but it’s worth noting that this score is based on just a single review.
This might raise eyebrows for a course that presents itself as a leading option in the affiliate marketing space.
Subsequently, to gather a more comprehensive view of user experiences, we ventured onto Reddit, where we found a contrasting set of reviews.
One user likened Wealthy Affiliate to a multi-level marketing scheme, suggesting that once you join, you’re encouraged to promote the program in order to earn commissions.
Moreover, they claimed that the community has a cult-like atmosphere where any criticism is swiftly removed to preserve the allure of commission-earning opportunities.
Further criticisms highlighted the fact that the founders of Wealthy Affiliate, while successful marketers themselves, now seem primarily focused on selling their program rather than actively participating in affiliate marketing.
Explicitly, some users voiced concerns over the lack of freedom to migrate domains, content, and websites built within the platform if they decided to cancel their membership.
Furthermore, there were claims of threats to cancel affiliate accounts and respective commissions if one opted to cancel their Wealthy Affiliate account.
Certainly, this was likened to the coercive tactics used in some MLM schemes, where continuous payment is enforced to retain benefits.
The reviewer suggested looking to free resources on YouTube for affiliate training, mentioning Sebastian Ghiorghiu and Davie Fogarty as credible sources without the MLM-like approach.
Despite these criticisms, it’s crucial to remember that these reviews represent individual experiences and should be considered alongside other sources
when assessing Wealthy Affiliate.
Is Wealthy Affiliate a scam?
Wealthy Affiliate is not considered a scam according to various user reviews and experiences.
Accordingly, it is a legitimate program that offers affiliate marketing training, tools, coaching, and a comm
unity for both free and premium members.
However, the program has faced criticism for potentially oversimplifying the process of affiliate marketing, particularly how quickly one can set up a website and begin earning.
While it is possible to make money with Wealthy Affiliate, the task of driving traffic and consequently generating income is not as easy as it might be portrayed.
Successful affiliate marketing requires a comprehensive understanding and mastery of several skills, including copywriting, Google and Facebook Ads, content writing, website building, conversion optimization, automation, email marketing, click tracking, retargeting/remarketing, SEO, and backlinking, among others.
Mixed reviews
Generally, there is significant upfront work involved, and success is not guaranteed. Furthermore, some users have noted that the actual commissions may be relatively small.
In summary, Wealthy Affiliate is not a scam, but prospective users should be aware of the considerable effort and skills required to be successful in affiliate marketing.
Alternatives to “course/program”: Here we can start talking in a broad aspect about your affiliate marketing course and how to make money with that method.
While the Wealthy Affiliate platform is a useful resource, other alternatives offer unique perspectives and benefits. One such alternative is an approach that guides aspirants from the monotony of 9-5 jobs to the freedom of becoming a successful affiliate marketer. This strategy emphasizes low startup costs, lack of need for an existing product or service, no requirement for inventory or dealing with customer support, and the potential for generating passive income. This strategy, created by an individual who transitioned from a traditional engineering job to a full-time affiliate marketer, offers a tangible example of success in the realm of affiliate marketing. The course offers a comprehensive framework that has proven effective not only for its creator but also for countless students.
Alternatives to Wealthy Affiliate
While the Wealthy Affiliate course is a useful resource, other alternatives offer unique perspectives and benefits. One such alternative is an approach that guides aspirants from the monotony of 9-5 jobs to the freedom of becoming a successful affiliate marketer. This strategy emphasizes low startup costs, lack of need for an existing product or service, no requirement for inventory or dealing with customer support, and the potential for generating passive income. This strategy, created by an individual who transitioned from a traditional engineering job to a full-time affiliate marketer, offers a tangible example of success in the realm of affiliate marketing. The course offers a comprehensive framework that has proven effective not only for its creator but also for countless students.
Our best recommendation to make money online in 2023
As we step into 2023, the “Leave Your Soul-Sucking 9-5 Job Blueprint” by Jonathan Montoya stands out as a top choice for online income generation. This guide provides a powerful 7-step blueprint to becoming a successful affiliate marketer. It’s the brainchild of a former 9-5 worker who transformed into a six-figure super affiliate in just six months.
The course teaches you how to select a niche, pick the perfect product, create a passive income system, and more. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, but a sustainable strategy for building a successful online business with minimal start-up costs. With hard work and dedication, you can achieve not just financial freedom, but a fulfilling lifestyle.
Ready to change your life? Start your journey towards financial independence today by downloading a free PDF of the blueprint. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your 9-5 life into a life of freedom and fulfillment!
