I get tons of questions about blogging, so I’m always happy when I can check out blogging courses to see what I think of them and if I think readers would like and learn from them.

Recently I told you about Ruth Soukup and her new course, Elite Blogging Academy. In this review, I’ll lay out what I think more in-depth about the course. Who it’s for, who it’s maybe not for, and why I care. Hopefully, this will help some of you think about if this course is right for you. The current sale ends on in just three days and won’t open again until 2016.

Why I Care About Blogging Courses:

I talk a lot about blogging, why I love it, why I think most folks should try it, and what it’s done to change my life. That said, bloggers come in all shapes and sizes, and many of you are at very different stages in the journey. (If you are a blogging newbie, welcome to the world! Big wave! Go here to get my step-by-step guide on setting up a blog.) Thus, knowing if a course or a book is right for you depends a lot on the stage you are at in the journey.

My Bias:

If you go to sign up for the course, you might see a friendly face on the homepage. That’s me. And that’s me saying how much I like Ruth. And how smart she is. And why I think she rocks. So that’s my bias. I endorsed this course. I’m also an affiliate. And I did it for good reason. I watched all the videos in this course. I also read Ruth’s book in full. Take all that information as you will.

The Background:

A few years ago my friend Crystal Paine started telling me all about how her blog had doubled in traffic thanks to the Pinterest strategies of this brilliant gal she met. Now, considering Crystal’s site already brought in approximately a bajillion visitors a month at the time, double a bajillion sounded pretty great. I listened up. And then I hired the gal Crystal recommended. That gal was Ruth Soukup.

It turns out, though, that Ruth isn’t just smart when it comes to Pinterest strategy. In building her own site (now with over a million visitors a month), she employed an incredible mix of creativity, ingenuity, perseverance, and just plain smarts. And then, she wanted to teach what she did to others. This course is the culmination of her efforts.

What the Course Promises:

Elite Blog Academy promises:

• 12 videos (of about 10 minutes each)
• 12 workbooks
• 16 handouts
• 30 assignments
• a private Facebook group (it’s a forum now on the site itself, but same idea)

In case you don’t like it, Ruth offers a 100% money-back guarantee. (So, if you complete the course and haven’t seen measurable results in terms of income growth and traffic growth, Ruth will refund your money.)

What the Course Delivers:

The course delivers what it says. There are a few completely minor discrepancies on the copy of the sales page (i.e., it’s now a private forum on the site, not a Facebook group), but these are immaterial. The course website when you login has a simple workflow. The videos are nicely produced. The handouts are high quality. What it says you’ll get, you get.

Who I Think the Course is For:

• If you are earning a part-time income on your blog already, no matter if it’s a small number (i.e. $100 a month, which isn’t obviously enough for “part-time” income in general), I think this course can help you.
• If you have time to do the work (there is a lot of it), this is a good course for you.
• If you want some hand-holding in implementation of strategies (watch this video, do this homework, etc.), this course will be good for you.
• If you are looking to build relationships with bloggers, particularly in the lifestyle space. (This is not the ONLY group represented, but there is a majority in this genre.)

Who I Think the Course is (Maybe) Not For:

As I said, I endorsed this course. That said, I do not think the course is for every blogger. Here are some types of folks who maybe aren’t a perfect fit. If you find yourself in the below list, though, you could of course always try the course and then if you aren’t happy just refund it and get all your money back. So take the following with (that) grain of salt:

• If you’re looking for information on how to set up a blog for the first time, this isn’t the place to look. Go here for a simple guide to get you started.
• If you aren’t interested in monetizing your blog, this course probably doesn’t make sense for you to spend the money on. By the same token, if you aren’t earning anything at all off your blog right now, it might not be time. It may first be best to try some lower level monetary experiments first to try your hand at earning a few dollars a month first. (As a good first step, I’d recommend reading Darren Rowse’s book, for example.)
• If you aren’t trying to drive lots of traffic to your blog, this may not be right. Ruth’s personal blog success has been largely focused on the idea of tons of page views (a few million a month, now) translating into ad revenue. If your blogging goals are not in line with that type of model (ad revenue as a result of lots of page views), I want to give a tiny warning. Although you will certainly gain value from the course (because all blogs need more traffic), you will need to look elsewhere for some more in-depth teachings on other ways to monetize in other areas like consulting, public speaking, coaching, etc.

The Summary

In summary, I like the course a ton. I agree with other people who have endorsed it, and that’s why I did, too. As with anything, though, I do not think it’s for everyone. Ultimately, though, the big thing with this course is that you really can get your money back if you do the work and decide it’s not a fit. So, if you’re on the fence, it might be worth trying.

Want to Sign Up?

Like what you hear about Elite Blogging Academy?

Check it out here.

If you have taken the course, or are thinking of it, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.