Hey guys, JV here. You have landed here because you are looking for Authority Site System Reviews. I have purchased The Authority Site System 3.0 (TASS) so that I could do an Authority Site System review and provide you with an inside look at this affiliate marketing course.
I was surprised by what I found.
The Authority Site System Review At A Glance
What is TASS? | An affiliate marketing course that teaches students how to build authority websites from start to finish. |
Price? | $997 Regular Price - $599 Discounted Price |
Pros | In depth, over the shoulder training produced by well known experts, Gael Breton and Mark Webster. Has many successful students. |
Cons | Even though the course is designed for beginners, the training can be overwhelming to some. |
Verdict | A very high quality affiliate marketing course. Highly Recommend. |
Our Rating
Here is what you will learn in this Authority Site System Review:
What is Authority Hacker?
Authority Hacker is a business that creates educational opportunities for people that want to learn how to create authority websites.
They do this by offering comprehensive online courses as well as an educational Youtube Channel and Podcast (1).
Authority Hacker was started in 2013 and has developed a portfolio of authority websites along the way that are responsible for millions of dollars of revenue.
They use the tactics that they have learned to create systems that work and then teach those tactics and systems to their students.
Authority Hacker is backed by the Authority Hacker Team, a seasoned team of industry experts who have launched thousands of websites worth millions of dollars.
At base, the Authority Site System focuses on turning hobbies into passive income streams.
Who Owns Authority Hacker?
Authority Hacker was created by Gael Breton and Mark Webster.
They owned a digital marketing agency together and despite doing great work, they were fired by their biggest client.
That is when they decided to start building authority websites, and the rest is history.
Who Is Gael Breton?
Gael is originally from France, but now lives in Hungary.
He teaches a lot of the lessons in The Authority Site System.
He can be a little difficult to understand sometimes, due to his accent, but his personality is very likable, which makes it easy to see past the difficulties with his accent.
Gael has been building authority websites for more than 10 years and has worked with clients all over the world.
He has built many websites that have gained millions of visitors and generate revenues in the high 6 and 7 figure range.
Despite is introverted nature, Gael has been a featured speaker at Harvard, Wharton and Oxford university.
Here is Gael giving a presentation at the Harvard Business School (2) in 2013.
Who Is Mark Webster?
Mark is originally from Scotland.
He teaches all of the lessons that Gael does not teach.
Mark is a systems guy and that is what makes The Authority Site System so effective.
It relies upon a repeatable set of systems to build authority sites.
Mark has been an entrepreneur since the age of 13. He has built multiple businesses and is a wiz at efficiency.
If Gael can come up with an idea, Mark can figure out how to do it in an efficient and profitable manner.
You can learn a lot about Mark from his interview at Cloudways. (3)
What Sets Authority Hacker Apart?
What sets Authority Hacker apart is their systemic approach to building niche websites.
They have created systems for each step of the process, from choosing a niche, all the way through to link building.
These systems give their students the best chance at success, if they are followed.
Also, in my opinion, their attention to detail in the planning process, which is tedious, but imperative to your success, really sets them apart from other course creators.
Authority Hacker Courses
Authority Hacker currently has 2 courses.
Just to be clear, this is an Authority Site System Review.
Now that you have some insight into Authority Hacker, let's take an inside look at The Authority Site System.
The Authority Site System Review
What would you do if you could make enough money from your website to quit your day job?
Do you need to find a blueprint for growth that’s not just another “get rich quick” scheme?
By this point, you’ve probably heard some of the buzz surrounding The Authority Site System or TASS.
This growth hacking course has been featured on Entrepreneur, HubSpot, Ahrefs, and even SEMrush!
Keep scrolling for my in depth Authority Site System review.
I'm going to dive deep into TASS and answer your burning questions!
What Is The Authority Site System?
The Authority Site System is a system developed by Gael Breton and Mark Webster that breaks down the process of building a successful authority site.
Why spend money getting another company to write your content, do niche selection research, and market your site when you can do it yourself?
The Authority Site System is an online business model that teaches business owners how to reach a niche audience.
It’s a sophisticated approach to site planning and niche research.
Entrepreneurs gather and organize content that attracts users via organic searches.
The ultimate goal of an authority website is to:
This program is more than just a collection of affiliate marketing courses or generic site module lessons.
It’s a step-by-step introduction to attracting a willing audience and keeping them interested and engaged.
If you’re one of the thousands of web users creating content for your website, you will certainly benefit from this course.
Who Should Join The Authority Site System?(TASS)
The Authority Site System is designed to teach beginners how to create authority websites.
You’re a good candidate for The Authority Site System if you:
If you have extensive experience with websites and marketing, you should check out Authority Hacker Pro. It’s designed for the successful affiliate marketer who needs more advanced content.
Authority Hacker Pro is only opened to new students a few times a year. If you think you might be interested in Authority Hacker Pro, just shoot me an email at john@jvanderlaandotcom and I will notify when it is opened.
Who Should Not Join The Authority Site System? (TASS)
The Authority Site System is one of the best affiliate marketing courses available today, but there are some prospective students that should not join.
You should not join the Authority Site System if you:
How Does The Authority Site System Work?
The first step in building a highly profitable authority site is to learn exactly how the experts do it.
TASS gives you more than 125 videos to facilitate new site setup.
You don’t have to have extensive internet marketing knowledge, just a desire to learn.
This Authority Hacker course was built for beginners.
You’ll also get access to authentic case studies and a members-only group on Facebook.
If you’re deep into a page creation module or the final niche module, for example, you’ll have access to instant feedback and guidance.
TASS will show you how to develop a great affiliate marketing business by working with products and companies you believe in.
You’ll learn to do website building and internet marketing the right way.
Mark and Gael will take you step by step through the process of starting an authority site.
Keep in mind, this is not a fast process, but a slow, deliberate process that sets you up for success.
What's Included in The Authority Site System?
The Authority Site Systems 3.0 consists of an introduction and 15 Modules.
Each module contains numerous lessons and each lesson consists of a video along with written content and resources, such as tools, templates and websites that are referenced in the lesson.
Also included in The Authority Site System 3.0 is access to the:
Let's take a closer look at each one of these.
Case Study Site
The Case Study site is the website that Authority Hacker is building in the modules.
They literally do all of the work that is covered in each module along with the students, so that you can see the results.
In Authority Site System 3.0, the Case Study site is about dog food.
To-Do System
The To-Do System is known as the TASS 3.0 Project Manager and it is a system of to-do lists, which are checklists that cover each lesson.
It is a very reliable system which keeps students on track, so that they do not miss a step.
If you are a checklist person, you will love this feature.
Facebook Community
The Authority Site System Facebook group is what Authority Hacker uses for support, although they also have an in house support staff in case you can't find what you need in the Facebook group.
The Facebook group is really more like a high level mastermind where you can learn from successful veterans in the niche site industry.
Tool Box
The Tool Box is a list of the tools that are used in the course along with an in-depth description of the purpose of each tool.
This is usually where some Authority Site System students will get sticker shock.
Here is the list of tools used in The Authority Site System:
- Ahrefs
- Siteground Hosting
- Canva
- Gsuite/Google Workplaces
- Elementor
- Rank Math
- Hunter
- Google Analytics/Search Console
Yes, some of these tools are expensive, but if you want to build a real online business, you are going to need them.
This is all covered in the lesson on budgeting.
Update Log
In the update log, you will see all of the updates to the course and they are organized by the date they were implemented.
This makes it very easy to see what has been added since you took the course.
Just another example of a very efficient system that was developed to make things easier.
Templates
This is where you will find all of the templates and spreadsheets that you will be using throughout the course.
In my opinion, this is one of the best features of TASS.
Here are the templates and spreadsheets that are included:
Link Building
- Master Outreach Database
- Skyscraper Outreach Templates
- Ahrefs Prospecting
- Guest Post Outreach Templates
- HARO Tracker
- Guest Posting Prospecting
Research and Site Setup
- Deep Niche Research
- Authority Site Budgeting Spreadsheet
- Monthly Performance Log
- Main Niche Analysis
Content Creation
- Writer Application - Test Article
- Writer Application - Next Steps
- Writer Job Ad
- General Writing Guidelines
- [Template] Alternative Post
- [Template] VS Post
- [Template] Roundup Review Post
- [Template] Single Review Post
- [Template] Guest Post
- [Template] Question Post
- [Template] List Post
These represent a very valuable asset that you can access anytime from the course and make them a part of your online business.
The Authority Site System Review of the Modules and Lessons.
Now let's take a look at all of the lessons in each module for this Authority Site System review.
Introduction
The Introduction module consists of 5 lessons designed to familiarize you with the Authority Site System and how to navigate and find your way around.
I love the fact that they cover how to succeed with the Authority Site System and also have a lesson on budgeting and expectations.
I feel that this is so important and needs to be disclosed up front before students get involved and bite off more than they can chew.
Here are the lessons:
Module 1 - Internet Marketing 101
Module 1 consists of six lessons and is designed to lay a foundation for the student to understand the basics of Internet Marketing.
Here are the lessons:
Module 2 - Brainstorming Niches
Choosing a niche for your website is one of the most important things that will determine your success or failure.
The Authority Site System spend a lot of time on how to properly choose a niche.
That all starts here in Module 2, where you will begin to make a list of posiible niches.
This module consists of 11 lessons and is just the beginning of niche selection.
Here are the lessons:
Module 3 - Qualifying Niches
Module 2 was focused on creating a comprehensive list of possible niches, now Module 3 will teach students how to evaluate and qualify each of those niches.
By the end of this module, you will have chosen a niche that has a very high chance of success.
Module 3 consists of 16 lessons and is the holy grail of niche selection.
Here are the lessons:
Module 4 - Site Planning
Ok, so you've chosen a niche, now you get to build the website... Right?
Not so fast...
Next comes planning the site.
Yes, this is tedious work, but affiliate marketing courses tha teach you to build a website before extensively planning that site could take a lesson from Authority Hackers.
By the time you finish this module, you will have a detailed plan for your website and a roadmap for building your website with the proper foundation.
Module 4 consists of 7 lessons and is essential to your websites success.
Here are the lessons:
Module 5 - Setting Up Your Site
Finally the fun stuff!
It is time to begin to build your website.
By the end of this module, you will have a fully functional website with everything that you need to get started adding content.
Module 5 consists of 12 lessons and will build the complete foundation for a fast and functional website ready for content and ranking.
Here are the lessons:
Module 6 - Branding Your Site
This module is going to teach you how to brand your site.
It will cover everything from picking the right colors for your site as well as the right fonts.
By the end of this module, you will have a fully branded website with your own look and feel.
Module 6 consists of 6 lessons and will teach you how to brand your site complete with a logo and site icon.
Here are the lessons:
Module 7 - Setting Up Posts and Pages
Now that you have the branding for your website, it is time to learn about posts and pages.
This module is going to teach you the fundamentals of setting up posts and pages so that when you are ready to add content, you will have the templates ready to use with your content.
Module 7 consists of 11 lessons and will teach you how to set up posts and pages, as well as how to build a header, footer, privacy policy page and other necessary pages.
Here are the lessons:
Module 8 - Preparing Info Content
Now that you have a fully functioning website, it is time to begin preparations for information content.
This is the easiest content to produce and is essential to the success of your website.
Module 8 consists of 9 lessons and will teach you about creating content that both your readers and Google will like. You will also learn about the different kinds of content that you will be using on your website.
Here are the lessons:
Module 9 - Writing Content
It is time to start writing content!
Don't worry, this module will have you writing like a best selling author.
Module 9 consists of 14 lessons and will teach you how to research, plan and write high quality content that Google and your readers will love.
Here are the lessons:
Module 10 - Uploading and Optimizing Content
Now that you have written some killer content, it is time to learn how to upload it into WordPress and optimize it for the search engines.
Module 10 consists of 13 lessons and will teach you everything that you need to know about uploading and optimizing your content.
Here are the lessons:
Module 11 - Initial Link Building
Now that we have some content published, it is time to learn about link building.
Link building is one of the most important aspects of SEO (search engine optimization and this module dives deep into how and why to build links.
Module 11 consists of 23 lessons and will teach you everything that you need to know about link building
Here are the lessons:
Module 12 - Affiliate Monetization Setup
Now things are getting exciting!
You are going to learn all about affiliate programs and how to use them to earn money on your website!
Module 12 consists of 9 lessons and will teach you everything that you need to know about Affiliate programs and how to sign up and how to implement them.
Here are the lessons:
Module 13 - Commercial Content
Now we are moving toward the end game!!
You are going to learn all about commercial content.
How to create it and what exactly to create.
Module 13 consists of 14 lessons and will teach you about all of the different types of commercial content and how to create them, complete with templates.
Here are the lessons:
Module 14 - Advanced Tactics
This module takes a look at some of the tactics used by more experienced online business owners.
It is one of my favorite modules because even the more experienced students will find some knowledge bombs in here.
Module 14 consists of 9 advanced lessons that will teach you how to take your site to the next level, should you choose to implement them.
Here are the lessons:
Module 15 - Becoming an Authority
You have made it!
But you are not done...
Module 15 consists of 2 lessons that will teach you how to track everything on your website and also what you should do going forward.
Here are the lessons:
As you can see, the course is very comprehensive with many hours of training.
I hope that you have learned something from the Authority Site System review of the modules and lessons.
Now let's get on with the rest of the review!
How Is The Authority Site System Support?
The Authority Site System support is excellent.
There are two methods of support in TASS:
Now let's take a look at the pros and cons for this Authority Site System review.
What I Like About TASS (Pros)
Here is my list of things that I like about The Authority Site System:
What I Don't Like About TASS (Cons)
Even though there is a lot to like about The Authority Site System, every course has some issues, and TASS is no different.
Here is a list of some of the things that I don't like about TASS:
How Much Does The Authority Site System Cost?
The Authority Site System regularly costs $997 but it’s a one-time fee.
You get access to video content, link-building tutorials, and a private Facebook group.
You’ll become part of a community that wants to make money online—the right way.
That price also includes lifetime access to all of the future versions of TASS. We are currently on version 3 - The Authority Site System 3.0
The advanced course, Authority Hacker Pro, is closed to new students right now. Shoot me an email at john@jvanderlaan.com and I will let you know when they reopen enrollment.
What Is Their Refund Policy?
Authority Hacker has a very liberal refund policy.
They will refund 100% of the purchase price if you are not satisfied for any reason within 30 days of purchase.
That is pretty generous.
You can actually go through the course and see if it adds value to your current situation and if it does not, simply contact them within 30 days.
They allow refunds for almost any reason.
The only exception is if you try to rip them off in some way, by downloading, mirroring or any attempt to copy their content and use it for your own gain.
Anyone doing anything like that will be banned and not entitled to a refund.
The Authority Site System Alternatives
There are some really good alternatives to Authority Site System and there are a lot of affiliate marketing courses that really suck.
Below is a list of Authority Site System alternatives that I have been through.
Some you should consider and some you should save your money and move on.
I have listed them in order from best to worst.
1. The Authority Site System | |
5. Affilorama | |
6. FIMP | |
11. ClickBank University |
Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find frequently asked questions regarding TASS.
Is The Authority Site System Legit?
The Authority Site System is 100% legit.
It’s been featured all over social media and in online news.
The program is designed to teach beginners how to create authority sites.
It teaches everything from building links to managing keywords and doing outreach.
The main goal of this course is to get you to four figures of monthly income on your website as quickly as possible.
What is an authority website?
An authority site is a website that provides detailed content on a certain subject (niche).
When enough high quality related content is published, Google sees the website as an authority on the subject and begins to rank the website higher and higher in the search results.
Once a website becomes an authority in both Google's eyes and your readers eyes, it then becomes very easy to monetize the site with affiliate marketing.
Essentially recommending products and services that will help your readers achieve their objectives.
Kaching!!!
Are students really successful using The Authority Site System?
Yes, students are really finding success using The Authority Site System. Some of them to the tune of five figures per month and more!
Here is a video of Authority Hacker success stories:
Can I see some examples of successful websites built with The Authority Site System?
There are thousands of successful authority websites built using The Authority Site System.
Here are some examples of successful websites built using TASS:
Those are just a few examples of successful authority websites built using The Authority Site System (TASS).
I am not techy at all. Can The Authority Site System still work for me?
Yes, The Authority Site System will work for anyone. There is very little tech involved. You will be using WordPress to build your authority site and there is a learning curve associated with WordPress, but it is easy to learn.
All of the tools that are used are explained in detail in the lessons and you can actually watch over Gael's shoulder as he shows you how to use them.
Basically anything that requires tech is explained in detail in the lessons.
How will I make money?
You will make money by recommending products and services in your niche.
This is called affiliate marketing.
The most well known affiliate marketing program is Amazon, but as you will learn in TASS, it is not ideal.
The good news is that there are thousands of affiliate marketing programs in all kinds of niches.
There is almost always an alternative to Amazon
How long does it take to make real money with an authority site?
Authority Hacker polled all of their students to get an idea of how long it took them to make at least $1000 per month.
A significant number of students began to see earnings of at least $1000 per month around the 10-14th month mark.
The good news is that it is very easy to scale your income from this point on.
You should not have any expectations of making significant money in the first six months.
This is covered in detail in the Budgeting and Expectations lesson.
If you have an hour to spare every day for six months, you’ll be surprised by how much you can accomplish.
The quality that all success stories have in common is that they followed directions and didn’t give up.
What if I get stuck along the way?
There is plenty of help if you, or your website get stuck.
Stuck on a link-building section or confused about guest posting?
Visit Authority Hacker’s Facebook group.
It’s the only Facebook community endorsed by Authority Hacker.
Experienced users can help newbies break down:
You can also email Authority Hacker support.
They have a dedicated, in house support team that know TASS inside and out.
The great thing about TASS is that you have permanent access to the coursework, which is always being updated.
Check back in with the site architecture or initial link-building lessons every few months and learn how to make your website visible to Google’s search engine.
The Authority Site System Review Final Thoughts
The Authority Site System is definitely one of the best affiliate marketing courses that I have taken.
If you’re new to content creation, keyword research, and the ins and outs of site building, give yourself a chance to learn.
There are thousands of established sites with owners who started out just like you, not knowing anything about reaching a wider audience.
Click here to get started with step-by-step video content.
Even if you’re not ready to quit your day job, the authority site model will point you in the right direction.
It’s complex because there are a lot of moving parts, but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Thanks for checking out my Authority Site System Review.
If you have read this far, you are the perfect, detail oriented person that can get the most out of TASS.
Success is only a year away!
A year away from when you start!
Start TASS today!
References:
- Authority Hacker Podcast, retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTvgSAxisCh58hjzlMdED0A
- Recent Trends in Funding Digital Startups - Harvard Business School, retrieved from: https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/first-look-may-6
- Interview with Mark Webster, retrieved from: https://www.cloudways.com/blog/mark-webster-founder-authority-hacker-interview/
- 9 'Evergreen Niches' for That Next, New Online Business You're Dying to Dive Into, retrieved from: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308953