Your trusted platform to guide you to legitimate online courses that delivers real results.
Learn How To Build A Profitable Blog With Affiliate Marketing
We discovered Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is a comprehensive text-based course created by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, who built her blog "Making Sense of Cents" into a $50,000+ per month affiliate marketing empire. The course promises to teach bloggers how to monetize their websites through ethical affiliate marketing practices.
What caught our attention immediately? The course hasn't seen significant updates since its 2016 launch, despite the digital marketing landscape changing dramatically. We spent considerable time analyzing the 6-module curriculum, which covers everything from affiliate marketing basics to advanced promotion strategies.
The course structure includes over 30 lessons and 20+ worksheets, focusing heavily on text-based learning (we found this surprising for a $197 course in 2024). Students get lifetime access to materials and join an exclusive Facebook community where they can network with other affiliate marketers.
Our research revealed Michelle's approach emphasizes ethical marketing practices throughout, teaching students how to convert their audience without using manipulative tactics. However, we noticed the heavy reliance on her personal success story as the primary selling point, with limited data on typical student outcomes.
The course targets complete beginners who already have a blog but struggle with monetization. While Michelle's credentials are impressive, we questioned whether strategies that worked in 2016 remain equally effective today, particularly given the minimal course updates our investigation uncovered.
Beginner (No Prior Experience Needed)
light Light (1–5 Hours/Week)
Self-Paced (Work On Your Own Schedule)
Make Money
Our analysis of user feedback revealed a clear divide between beginners who found value and experienced marketers who felt underwhelmed. The course maintains a decent reputation among new bloggers, though concerns about dated content consistently surface.
"I felt like I FINALLY got unstuck after learning new strategies from the course." - Blogging Her Way reviewer
"Michelle is laying down the foundation for an affiliate marketing business that actually converts and makes money" - Busy Mom Side Hustle
"If you are an affiliate marketing beginner, this course will 100% be worth the price tag" - Happy To Wander
"We agreed that Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing was NOT a good course and we would NOT recommend it" - eBiz Facts reviewer
"The Pinterest lesson included helped me loads" - Happy To Wander blogger
Reddit discussions paint a mixed picture. One user stated, "MSAM is a good beginner course. It won't teach you anything groundbreaking, but it will give you a solid foundation." We found multiple threads questioning whether the $197 price justifies content that many claim is "common sense or easily found online."
The course appears most valuable for complete beginners with existing blogs who need structured guidance. Experienced marketers consistently report disappointment with the basic content level.
The course promises to teach "How To Build A Profitable Blog With Affiliate Marketing." While Michelle's personal success ($50,000+/month) validates the potential, we found limited verifiable data on typical student outcomes, making it difficult to assess average results.
Consistently priced at $197 with payment plan option (2 payments of $105) since launch. No aggressive discount strategies reported.
No immediate upsells discovered. All bonuses included with initial purchase.
Success stories exist but often come from course affiliates. Independent verification of student income claims remains limited. Examples include Kelan Kline (Believe In A Budget) and The Savvy Couple, both successful bloggers who reviewed the course positively.
Marketing focuses on instructor credibility without unrealistic promises, though more transparent student outcome data would strengthen claims.
Hosted on Teachable, providing reliable access and user-friendly navigation
Lifetime access to all materials and future updates. Primarily text-based with some video content in bonus sections, downloadable worksheets included
Teachable platform offers mobile-responsive design for smartphone and tablet access
Standard internet connection, web browser, no specialized software needed
While Teachable provides solid functionality, the text-heavy format feels dated for a mid-ticket course. We expected more video content and interactive elements at this price point. The lifetime access partially compensates for these limitations, but modern learners may find the delivery method less engaging than contemporary alternatives.
The most significant complaint we uncovered involves the lack of updates since 2016. Several students expressed frustration about paying $197 for strategies that haven't evolved with the industry.
The refund policy requires students to "show they've gone through the course material and taken action" within 30 days. We find this subjective requirement potentially problematic, though no widespread complaints about denied refunds surfaced.
Marketing appears transparent without false income claims. However, we noticed heavy reliance on Michelle's exceptional results ($50,000+/month) without sufficient data on average student outcomes.
Mixed reports about the Facebook group's value emerged consistently. Some students find it supportive, while others describe it as less active than expected.
No major ethical concerns emerged, but the dated content and conditional refund policy warrant careful consideration before purchasing.
At $197, this mid-ticket course provides reasonable value for complete beginners but falls short for anyone with basic marketing knowledge. The lifetime access and community aspects add value, though the dated content diminishes the overall proposition.
Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing earns a legitimacy score of 6.8/10. We found it's a genuine course from a credible instructor that delivers foundational knowledge for beginners. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner's documented success lends authenticity, and the ethical approach to affiliate marketing sets a positive tone.
However, our investigation revealed significant limitations. The course's minimal updates since 2016 concern us, especially given how rapidly digital marketing evolves. The text-only format feels outdated for a $197 investment, and we couldn't find sufficient data on typical student outcomes beyond cherry-picked success stories.
For complete beginners with blogs who need structured guidance and prefer reading over video learning, this course provides a solid foundation. The Facebook community adds ongoing value, and the lifetime access ensures you can revisit materials.
Yet we can't ignore that much of this information exists free online, and the strategies haven't adapted to current algorithm changes, social media evolution, or AI integration in content creation. Experienced marketers or those expecting cutting-edge tactics will likely feel disappointed.
Our recommendation? If you're a complete beginner comfortable with the text format and 2016-era strategies, this course offers decent value. Otherwise, consider more current alternatives that better reflect today's affiliate marketing landscape.
At $197, this mid-ticket course provides reasonable value for complete beginners but falls short for anyone with basic marketing knowledge. The lifetime access and community aspects add value, though the dated content diminishes the overall proposition.
No reviews yet for this course. Be the first to leave a review!
We discovered Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is a comprehensive text-based course created by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, who built her blog "Maki...
We discovered Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is a comprehensive text-based course created by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, who built her blog "Maki...
We discovered Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is a comprehensive text-based course created by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, who built her blog "Maki...
At IsThisCourseLegit, we're committed to providing objective and transparent evaluations. Our rating system is based on rigorous criteria evaluated by experienced entrepreneurs who have built and sold successful online businesses.
Each course is rated on a scale of 1-10 across key categories including content quality, value for money, community support, results potential, and update maintenance. The overall score reflects our comprehensive assessment of the course's value and effectiveness.
For each review, we analyze all available online data to assess the course thoroughly. Our evaluation considers the quality of the content, the instructor's background, the marketing strategy, public perception, and authentic reviews from actual members, giving you a complete and balanced perspective.
If you're the creator of a course we've reviewed and believe there are any inaccuracies or outdated information in our review, we want to hear from you.
We implement strategies from the courses to validate their effectiveness.
We track course updates and community development over time.
Copyright © 2025 Is This Course Legit. All Rights Reserved