We spent considerable time analyzing Project 24, and here's what we discovered: it's not your typical "get rich quick" blogging course. Created by Jim Harmer and Ricky Kesler of Income School, this membership program takes a refreshingly realistic approach to building profitable websites and YouTube channels.
What caught our attention first? The 24-month timeline. In an industry flooded with "make $10k in 30 days" promises, these guys actually tell you it'll take two years to replace your full-time income. That's either brutally honest or terribly pessimistic, depending on your perspective.
The program isn't just one course, it's an evolving library of training modules. You'll find the core "60 Steps" blogging course, a parallel YouTube course, and specialized trainings on everything from E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) to the mysteriously named "Battleship Method" for keyword research.
But here's where it gets controversial: Project 24 teaches you to completely ignore link building. Yes, you read that right. In a world where every SEO expert preaches the gospel of backlinks, Income School says "forget about it, just create great content." It's like telling a chef to make a five-star meal without salt, sure, it's possible, but why make it harder?
The philosophy centers on what they call "Search Analysis" rather than traditional keyword research. They want you to focus obsessively on answering user questions through "Response Posts" and creating comprehensive "Staple Posts" that Google can't help but rank. We appreciate the user-first approach, though we question whether it works in competitive niches.
Perhaps the most valuable component (according to members we researched) is the private community forum. It's where beginners ask questions, share wins, and get feedback from both peers and the Income School team. Think of it as group therapy for aspiring bloggers, minus the awkward circle seating.
Beginner (No Prior Experience Needed)
moderate Moderate (5–10 Hours/Week)
Self-Paced (Work On Your Own Schedule)
Our research revealed a fascinating divide: beginners absolutely love Project 24 for its clarity and structure, while experienced SEOs often react with horror at the "no link building" approach. It's like watching a cooking show where half the audience applauds the chef's innovation while the other half screams about food safety violations.
"The Income School team is head and shoulders above everyone else when it comes to helping others get started on their blogging journey." – Matt, verified member
"Project 24 really helped me get my blog off the ground with easy to follow steps." – Reddit User
"I appreciated the honest timeline of 2 years to build a full income, no hype here." – Quora Contributor
"The community support kept me motivated during tough phases." – YouTube Commenter
"Would have liked more on backlinking and advanced SEO." – Forum Member
Reddit threads about Project 24 often turn into heated debates. On r/juststart and r/blogging, we found passionate defenders sharing their success stories alongside critics warning newcomers about the limitations of avoiding backlinks. The consensus? It's an excellent starting point for beginners, but you might need to learn "real SEO" to scale beyond hobby income.
Project 24 delivers exactly what it promises: a beginner-friendly system for building content sites. Whether that's worth $499 plus annual renewals depends entirely on your experience level and willingness to accept their unconventional SEO philosophy.
The promise to "replace your full-time income in 24 months" is ambitious but framed realistically. Our research found members typically achieve $500-2,000/month within this timeframe, with full-time replacement being exceptional rather than typical.
Started under $400 at launch, now $499 for year one with $279 annual renewals. Price increases have been gradual and announced in advance.
Primary upsell is the Acabado theme. It's recommended frequently but not aggressively pushed. Members successfully use other themes without issues.
We verified multiple success stories through the official site and independent forums. Reddit users in r/juststart have documented reaching Mediavine ad thresholds (50k sessions/month) within 12-18 months following Project 24 methods.
Marketing is honest and grounded in reality. They undersell rather than oversell, which is rare in this industry.
Custom-built LMS that's functional but not fancy. Think Honda Civic, not Tesla, it gets you where you need to go without the bells and whistles
All videos stream 24/7 while membership is active. Text summaries included but no downloadable content mentioned
Browser-based access works on mobile, though desktop provides better experience for actual content creation work
Modern browser, stable internet for video streaming
The platform won't win any design awards, but it reliably delivers content and community access. We've seen prettier interfaces fail at basic functionality, so we'll take reliable over pretty.
The main complaint isn't about deceptive practices but philosophical differences. The "no link building" stance generates the most criticism, though this is a strategic disagreement rather than an ethical issue. Some international students mention the price feels high relative to their local economies.
30-day money-back guarantee with no widespread reports of issues. We couldn't find information about pro-rated refunds after 30 days, which suggests they don't offer them.
Refreshingly transparent. They set realistic expectations with the 24-month timeline and don't use fake scarcity or countdown timers. No "only 3 spots left!" nonsense here.
The community receives overwhelmingly positive feedback. No reports of toxic behavior, aggressive moderation, or censorship of legitimate criticism.
We found no significant red flags. Income School runs a clean operation with transparent marketing and fair policies. The main controversy is strategic, not ethical.
At $499 for the first year, Project 24 sits at the upper end of mid-ticket pricing. You're paying for structure, community, and ongoing updates rather than revolutionary information. For beginners who would otherwise waste months bouncing between free YouTube videos, the structured approach justifies the cost. The renewal fee becomes harder to justify once you've consumed the core content.
After extensive research, we can confirm Project 24 is absolutely legitimate, though perhaps not for everyone. It's the training wheels of the blogging world: perfect for learning the basics but potentially limiting as you advance.
The program excels at what it promises: providing beginners with a clear, actionable roadmap to build content-based businesses. The 24-month timeline sets realistic expectations, and the community support helps maintain momentum when motivation wanes. We particularly appreciate their focus on creating helpful content rather than chasing algorithm tricks.
However, the elephant in the room remains their anti-link building philosophy. While this simplification helps beginners avoid overwhelm, it's like teaching someone to drive but telling them to never use fifth gear. Sure, you'll get there, but you're handicapping your potential speed.
For complete beginners with $499 to invest and realistic expectations, Project 24 offers excellent value. You'll learn the fundamentals, join a supportive community, and likely earn back your investment within the first year. Just understand that as you grow, you may need to supplement your education with more advanced SEO strategies, including the forbidden art of link building.
Think of Project 24 as SEO kindergarten: essential for building a foundation, but not where you'll want to stay forever. And at these prices? At least it's a very nice kindergarten.
At $499 for the first year, Project 24 sits at the upper end of mid-ticket pricing. You're paying for structure, community, and ongoing updates rather than revolutionary information. For beginners who would otherwise waste months bouncing between free YouTube videos, the structured approach justifies the cost. The renewal fee becomes harder to justify once you've consumed the core content.
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