For several years now I always wanted to try my hand at affiliate marketing. I read articles and blog posts by many bloggers who were making a mighty nice income per month. But because I’m a bit anal, I wanted to begin the right way, not just make it up as I go. If I was going to put in the work required to make this happen, then I needed the right e-course. And that’s when I happened upon Michelle Schroeder’s blog, Making Sense of Cents, which I consider my lucky day.
I began reading her posts, her monthly income reports, taking the free help she offered via an email newsletter, and finally, after having fully analyzed her ‘teaching’ ability, I moved forward and purchased her Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course. There’s absolutely no regret, unlike other eBooks or courses I’ve paid for in the past, basically mirror images more or less of one another, some helpful info, but nothing that can’t be found online if you research.
But I jumped ahead of myself…the biggest factors for me were Michelle’s willingness to help other bloggers by mentioning right there in her blog the methods used to earn her that money. And all from the comfort of her home. I mean, who doesn’t want to earn extra income without worrying if you’re late for work, right?
Before I dig my heels into my review of Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, I’d just like to take a few seconds to explain to you what exactly affiliate marketing is all about.
Affiliate Marketing Definition
It’s a method bloggers use to earn money. You choose affiliates you’d like to promote within your blog posts, they give you a special and unique affiliate link to add within your post or even a sidebar banner. It signals to the affiliate where a click/purchase came from to track and pay the right blogger. Affiliate marketing is used in blogs, websites, and social media networks. One big example to give you an idea is Amazon. You become an Amazon Affiliate, grab their special code for a product you will write about or promote, then when it’s purchased directly from your blog/site, you earn a small percentage for having promoted one of their products.
Now, having said this, I highly recommend going with affiliates you are familiar with, products you’ve used in order to write about them honestly.
Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Course
The best thing I loved about Michelle’s course is the breakdown and simplicity of each module that dig into great depths with visuals, workbooks, and bonuses to help you along. Plus, I have learned so much from the private Facebook group where students continue to help one another. An amazing support system. Every week there are motivational days to get us all involved in one way or the other.
Tweet: Discover how Michelle makes over 50k a month via Affiliate Marketing https://ctt.ec/tDGU1+
Let me break down what’s included in her course to give you an overall picture. Also, there are several individual lesson plans within each module:
- The standard Welcome informative lesson and workbook
- Module 1: What is Affiliate Marketing
- this covers the why and how questions along with the basics of affiliate marketing
- Module 2: How to Find and Apply to Affiliate Programs
- Module 3: Follow the Rules
- Module 4: How to Get Your Readers to Convert
- Module 5: Strategies and Ways to Promote Affiliate Links
- Module 6: Rinse and Repeat
- Bonuses
And whenever there’s new info, Michelle adds to her course, which we’re privy to since it’s a lifetime membership. I mention this because you can go back and refer to the modules again and again, and also post questions to the private group for help. I’ll admit I’ve gone in a few times and the detailed responses along with helpful tips and links astounded me.
There’s a lot of information to take in and applied but if you are serious about starting an affiliate marketing blog, then her course is one I highly recommend. Tried, tested, and love it. It’s been a week since I began using some of her methods and vowed to work hard for a full year and see what happens. The investment in her course was well worth the money when you actually realize and absorb:
- blogging is a business when you step into the affiliate marketing realm
- the possibilities of monthly income is there when you work diligently and consistently
- there are no guarantees in life without some hard work on your part
- affiliate marketing is NOT a get-rich-quick opportunity
And if anyone is thinking: is this easy to do? I’ll stress again that nothing comes easy without commitment, determination, and hard work. There’s no guarantee you will make the same amount of money as the next person involved in affiliate marketing. But through this course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, I personally was taught the right steps to take, workbooks to jot down progress, bonuses to guide me along…and it’s given me a new appreciation what blogging is all about, and what I need to do to make a good run of this new venture.
UPDATE APRIL 19, 2017: Michelle surpassed 100K in March.
“Disclosure: There are affiliate links but for products I highly recommend. I will never put anything on any post that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.”
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