Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Review: Scam or Legit?

When I first ventured into the world of online business, I was just like many others—searching for the perfect side hustle that could help me earn extra income. From selling products on eBay to dabbling in freelance work, I tried nearly every opportunity that promised to make money online. While some worked to a degree, none of them offered the freedom or scalability I was truly looking for. Fast forward to today, and I’m fortunate enough to run a thriving six-figure online business full-time, built on systems that generate consistent income.

One of the key turning points in my journey was discovering affiliate marketing—a business model that allows you to earn commissions by promoting products and services you believe in. It’s simple in concept but requires strategy and execution to truly succeed. That’s where courses like Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing come into play. Created by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, this course promises to teach bloggers and entrepreneurs how to build a profitable affiliate marketing system from scratch.

In this review, I’ll share my honest thoughts on the course, including what it does well, where it falls short, and whether it’s worth your investment as someone looking to scale your income online. Having tested countless strategies and tools over the years, I know how important it is to find resources that genuinely deliver results—and I’m here to help you determine if this course fits the bill. Let’s dive in!

What is Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing?

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is a comprehensive course designed to teach bloggers and online entrepreneurs how to monetize their platforms through affiliate marketing. It breaks down the process step-by-step, showing you how to build a passive income business that requires minimal ongoing effort once established. The course emphasizes ethical practices and sustainable strategies, focusing on building trust with your audience to increase conversions.

What sets this course apart is its practical approach. You’ll learn essential skills like choosing the right affiliate programs, strategically placing affiliate links, and using tools like Pinterest to drive traffic. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, the creator, also shares her personal strategies that helped her earn over $300,000 from a single blog post. This isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme—it’s about creating a real business that grows over time with consistent effort.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Who Created Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing?

The course was created by Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, an award-winning blogger and internet entrepreneur behind Making Sense of Cents. Michelle started her blog in 2011 as a hobby and turned it into a multimillion-dollar business. She’s widely recognized for her transparency, regularly publishing income reports that showcase her earnings—often exceeding $100,000 per month, with a significant portion coming from affiliate marketing.

Michelle’s reputation as an expert in affiliate marketing is well-earned. Her success story serves as proof of the effectiveness of her methods. Beyond her financial achievements, she’s known for her approachable teaching style and commitment to helping others replicate her results. Her course reflects years of experience and real-world application, making her an ideal mentor for aspiring affiliate marketers.

Who is Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing For?

This course is tailored for bloggers and online influencers who want to monetize their platforms effectively. It’s particularly beneficial for:

• Beginners: If you’re new to affiliate marketing or haven’t yet monetized your blog, this course provides a solid foundation.
• Intermediate Bloggers: Those who have some experience with affiliate links but struggle to generate consistent income will find actionable strategies to improve their results.
• Bloggers in Any Niche: While not niche-specific, the course equips you with universal principles that can be applied across industries.
• Busy Individuals: The self-paced format allows flexibility for those juggling other commitments.

However, it’s not ideal for advanced marketers already earning thousands from affiliate sales or those looking for video-based instruction. If you’re someone who thrives on text-based learning and wants access to a supportive community, this course could be a game-changer.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

How is Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Structured?

The course is divided into six modules, each designed to guide you through the process of building a successful affiliate marketing business from the ground up. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find:

• Welcome Module: Introduction to Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, her success story, and an overview of what to expect in the course.
• Module 1 – What is Affiliate Marketing?: Covers the basics of affiliate marketing, its benefits, and how to start building a passive income business.
• Module 2 – How to Find and Apply to Affiliate Programs: Teaches you how to identify high-converting affiliate programs, apply effectively, and align programs with your audience’s interests.
• Module 3 – Follow the Rules: Focuses on legal requirements like disclosures, no-follow links, and compliance with affiliate program policies.
• Module 4 – How to Get Your Readers to Convert: Provides actionable strategies for increasing click-through rates (CTR) and conversions while building trust with your audience.
• Module 5 – Strategies to Promote Affiliate Links: Discusses various promotion techniques, including leveraging social media platforms like Pinterest.
• Module 6 – Rinse and Repeat: Explains how to maintain and scale your affiliate marketing efforts over time.

The course also includes over 30 lessons, worksheets, checklists, and bonuses such as access to a private Facebook group for additional support. This structure ensures that both beginners and intermediate marketers can follow along and implement the strategies effectively.

Are Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Students Getting Results?

One of the most compelling aspects of this course is the success stories from its students. Many have reported substantial increases in their affiliate income after applying Michelle’s strategies. For example:

• A student shared that they went from earning almost nothing through affiliate marketing to generating consistent monthly income by implementing the course’s techniques.
• Another blogger credited the course for helping them achieve over six figures in annual revenue from their blog, enabling them to leave their corporate job.
• The Pinterest bonus has been particularly impactful for many students. One user noted that it helped them grow their blog traffic significantly, which directly boosted their affiliate sales.

These testimonials highlight that while results vary depending on effort and niche, many students have found measurable success by following Michelle’s guidance.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

How Much Does Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Cost?

The course is priced at a one-time payment of $197 or two monthly payments of $105. Both options grant lifetime access to all course materials, including future updates. This makes it a one-time investment that continues to deliver value as Michelle updates the content.

Additionally, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, but it comes with conditions. To qualify for a refund, you need to demonstrate that you’ve gone through the course and taken action on its teachings. While some may find this policy restrictive, others have reported receiving refunds without issues when requested.

It’s worth noting that while the course itself has no hidden costs, Michelle does recommend additional tools (like email marketing software or Pinterest schedulers) that may require separate investments. However, these are optional and not mandatory for implementing her strategies.

Praises for Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing

There are several aspects of Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing that I believe deserve recognition. Here’s what stood out to me:

• Transparency and Honesty: Michelle Schroeder-Gardner is refreshingly open about her strategies and earnings. She doesn’t shy away from sharing specific affiliate programs she uses, how much they pay, and her exact methods for promoting them. This level of transparency builds trust and provides real-world examples that students can replicate.

• Actionable Strategies: The course includes practical tips that can lead to immediate results when implemented correctly. For instance, one student reported earning $300 in Amazon affiliate purchases within two days after tweaking their post based on Michelle’s recommendations. The strategies are straightforward and designed to be accessible, even for those who aren’t tech-savvy.

• Pinterest Bonus: The bonus content on Pinterest is particularly valuable. Michelle teaches how to leverage Pinterest for driving traffic, which is a game-changer for many bloggers. Students have credited this bonus with helping them increase their monthly page views significantly, with some reporting over 100,000 views per month after implementing her techniques.

• Easy-to-Follow Structure: The course is well-organized, making it easy to digest even for beginners. Each module builds on the previous one, ensuring a logical progression from foundational concepts to advanced strategies.

Criticisms for Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing

While the course has its strengths, there are several areas where it falls short. Here are the main criticisms:

• Lack of Depth: Many students and reviewers have noted that the training feels shallow and generic. Key topics like creating tutorials or reviews are covered briefly, often in text-based lessons with minimal examples or detailed instructions. This lack of depth can leave students searching elsewhere for more comprehensive guidance.

• No SEO Training: One glaring omission in the course is the lack of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) training. SEO is crucial for driving organic traffic to blogs, yet it’s barely mentioned in the course materials. This oversight makes it less effective for students who rely on search engines as a primary traffic source.

• Text-Based Format: The course relies heavily on text-based lessons, which may not suit all learning styles. While there are some visual aids, such as worksheets and PDFs, the absence of video tutorials or over-the-shoulder demonstrations limits its appeal to those who learn better through visual or interactive methods.

• Not Ideal for Beginners: Despite claims that the course is suitable for new bloggers, it assumes you already have an established blog with decent traffic. There’s little information on setting up a blog from scratch or driving initial traffic, which makes it less helpful for complete beginners.

• Hidden Costs: While the course itself has no mandatory additional expenses, Michelle recommends tools like ConvertKit and Tailwind that may require separate investments. Some students feel these recommendations add up and can be misleading if you’re on a tight budget.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Should You Join Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing?

After going through Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, I believe it’s a solid course for certain types of online entrepreneurs, but whether it’s right for you depends on your goals and current level of expertise. If you’re a blogger with an established audience and are looking for actionable strategies to monetize your site through affiliate marketing, this course can be a great investment. Michelle’s transparency, practical tips, and proven methods make it effective for those who want to start earning affiliate income quickly.

However, if you’re completely new to blogging or online business, this course might not be the best starting point. It assumes you already have a blog with traffic, and there’s little focus on foundational skills like setting up a website or driving organic traffic. Similarly, if you’re looking for in-depth SEO training or prefer video-based learning, you might find the course lacking in these areas.

Ultimately, I’d recommend joining if you:

• Have a blog with some traffic and want to monetize it effectively.
• Prefer text-based learning and actionable strategies.
• Are willing to invest in additional tools like email marketing software or Pinterest schedulers.

If you’re still unsure, the 30-day money-back guarantee provides some peace of mind, allowing you to try the course risk-free as long as you’re willing to put in the effort.

Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing Alternative

While Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing is a good option for bloggers focused on affiliate income, I personally believe there’s a better alternative for those who want a more comprehensive education on making money online: Wealthy Affiliate.

Wealthy Affiliate is an all-in-one platform that not only teaches affiliate marketing but also provides tools and resources to help you build an entire online business from scratch. Here’s why I think it stands out:

• Comprehensive Training: Unlike Michelle’s course, Wealthy Affiliate offers step-by-step training on everything from setting up your website to driving traffic using SEO, social media, and paid ads. It’s perfect for beginners who need guidance on every aspect of building an online business.

• Interactive Learning: Wealthy Affiliate includes video tutorials, live webinars, and interactive lessons that cater to different learning styles. This makes it more engaging compared to the text-heavy format of Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing.

• Built-In Tools: The platform provides access to key tools like website hosting, keyword research software (Jaaxy), and community support—all included in the membership fee. You won’t need to purchase separate tools or services to implement what you learn.

• Supportive Community: Wealthy Affiliate has an active community of members who are always ready to help. Whether you have technical questions or need advice on affiliate strategies, there’s always someone available to assist.

• Affordable Pricing: Wealthy Affiliate offers free starter memberships with basic training and tools, making it accessible even if you’re on a tight budget. The premium membership costs $49 per month (or $497 annually) and includes everything you need to succeed.

In my experience, Wealthy Affiliate is ideal for beginners and intermediate marketers who want to build a sustainable online business beyond just affiliate marketing. While Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing focuses primarily on monetizing blogs through affiliate links, Wealthy Affiliate equips you with the skills to create multiple income streams.

If you’re serious about building an online business from scratch and want access to top-notch training and resources, I’d highly recommend checking out Wealthy Affiliate as an alternative. It’s been a game-changer for many entrepreneurs—including myself—and offers far more value for those looking to scale their income online.

Recommendation: Here’s The Best Alternative

Anthony Smith

Anthony Smith is an internet entrepreneur. He created the Side Hustle Ideas Database to help people find side hustles for making extra money, with the potential of turning into a full-time income.

After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a business degree, he gained business experience at a consulting firm. At the same time, he tried various side hustles including freelance writing, blogging, and eCommerce. He managed to turn his side hustles into a full-time business, earning over $3 million. Now, he enjoys financial freedom and travels around the world as a digital nomad.