Adam Cherrington’s Adam’s Method Review: Ghost Traffic Sources for Phantom Affiliates? Plus Alternatives Models
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Adam Cherrington’s Adam’s Method (Cherrington Experience) is a good affiliate marketing mentorship for experiened marketers. If done well, Adam's "phantom affiliate marketing" strategy of using "ghost traffic" sources may give you an edge in saturated markets. However, these sources tend to be low-quality. Fraud is also rampant with this type of traffic, which makes it a risky source for complete beginners.

Adam Cherrington’s Adam’s Method, sometimes called Cherrington Experience, is an affiliate marketing mentorship. It teaches Cherrington’s sourcing strategy of using “ghost traffic” (hidden buyer networks) to generate sales. Adam calls this method “phantom affiliate marketing” because you are invisible to other marketers.
Adam’s Method reviews are mixed, with a 3.38/5 rating on popular review site, BBB. Satisfied students like that the mentorship provides tools and personalized help. They also highlight the strong community support. Several say that every student gets the opportunity to ask questions during the live Zoom calls. Negative reviews of the mentorship complain about the hidden upsells, automated customer service, and buggy tools. Some older students point out the high ad costs and additional fees for 1-on-1 coaching. They said there were misled into taking out loans that they could not repay.
In my experience, affiliate marketing as taught by Adam’s Method is like the Leonid meteor shower. You study forecasts, clear your schedule, and still watch long stretches of empty sky. That reflects the sporadic and unpredictable flow of traffic and commissions in affiliate marketing. The lack of control is like FDA recall notices, where a product can be relabeled or pulled overnight. Affiliate payouts change, and conversions could collapse because control over the offer never belongs to you.
This article reviews Adam Cherrington’s Adam’s Method and his strategy of using “ghost traffic” sources. I list down what’s included in the mentorship, like the 6-month live coaching and access to tools like Protocol and ScrapeBot. I then talk about how Seth Traub found success through the mentorship. You will also discover the story of how Adam went from selling guitar lessons to founding Cherrington Media. I then talk about Adam’s claims and how his “phantom affiliate marketing” compares to other models like local lead generation.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Adam’s Method?
✅ Pros:
- Adam Cherrington has been running ads since 2006.
- Adam’s Method’s ghost traffic relies on less-saturated traffic sources like push notifications, in-app, and native ads.
❌ Cons:
- Adam’s Method requires $5,000 to $10,000+ in ad spend to start.
- Adam Cherrington’s “hidden” sources are often low-quality and high-fraud.
- Adam’s Method involves a lot of data analysis and risk management work.
Price: Adam’s Method 6-month mentorship is reported to cost $28,995.
Refund Policy: Adam’s Method does not offer any refunds.
Origin: Created by Adam Cherrington, a long-time direct response marketer. 2022
What Is Adam’s Method’s Ghost Traffic Sources?
Adam’s Method’s ghost traffic sources are basically paid traffic channels like solo ads, newsletter buys, and co-reg, which are rarely used by affiliate marketers. Unlike platforms like Facebook/Google, these sources are not easily “spied on.” This essentially turns you into a “phantom” that others cannot compete with. Adam says that the benefits of using ghost traffic sources are:
Cheaper compared to mainstream platforms like Facebook, Google, and TikTok.
Less competition as they are unknown to 99% of marketers.
Less affected by algorithm changes like Apple’s iOS tracking changes and
Facebook account bans.
What Are Some Ghost Traffic Platforms and How Much Do They Cost?
- Push notification networks - Typical CPM of $0.05 to $6.
- PropellerAds
- RichPush
- Zeropark
- MegaPush
- DatsPush
- Native ad networks - Typical CPM of $0.20 to $12.
- MGID
- Taboola (backdoor placements)
- Revcontent
- Adsterra Native
- In-app and SDK traffic - Typical CPM of $0.30 to $1.50.
- Unity Ads
- AppLovin
- Mintegral
- Chartboost
- IronSource
Cheap CPM does not equal cheap CPA. Fraud rates on ghost traffic range from 20% to 60%. Optimization is required to prevent losing money on bot traffic. Some steps include IP blacklisting, sub-ID pruning, placement-level exclusion, and daily data reviews.
What Do You Get With Adam’s Method?
- 6 months of direct coaching and support from Adam Cherrington or his team.
- Adam’s “Protocol” tool for identifying and exploiting ghost traffic sources.
- Training on how to use AI for ad creative, copy, and landing page generation. AI use for high-volume ad testing is also covered.
- Access to Adam Cherrington’s private group of high-ticket affiliates.
- Other tools reported to be included:
- ScrapeBot & CropBot - Two Chrome extensions that find and size Google images for your ads.
- Flexy - A landing page builder with pre-made templates optimized for conversions.
- Metric Mover - A tool that integrates with Flexy to help create and test landing page variations rapidly.
- DIYTrax - A URL and landing page rotator to help you test your ads.
- Pixelpress - A tool for creating and testing banner ads.
- Blaze - Adam’s personal ad server platform designed for scaling operations.
- No Escape - A specialized tool for creating and testing pop-up overlays on landing pages.
- Cherrington Media Mobile App - An app to easily access the community and get updates.
How Did Seth Traub Make $3K+/Day With Adam’s Method?

Seth Traub made $3K+/day with Adam’s Method after adopting the strategies and increasing his ad budget. He also claims that he achieved 110% ROI. He said that he had not even heard of the traffic sources that Adam uses, even though he’s been in affiliate marketing for 20 years. Seth promotes ClickBank products and is reported to have been banned from Google AdWords in the past for running an anti‑spyware scam.
Who Is Adam Cherrington?

Adam Cherrington is an expert affiliate marketer and founder of the ad agency, Cherrington Media. His agency manages over $40 million in ad campaigns. Adam does not do affiliate marketing himself anymore. His 27-member team manages this business without active involvement on his part.
His first website, MadGuitarLicks.com, offered free guitar lessons. It earned $129,000 in its first year through affiliate marketing. He expanded to over 30 similar sites, generating approximately $500,000 annually. Google’s “Penguin” update in April 2012 devastated his sites, reducing income by 90%. After a year of struggles, the setback drove him into media buying. In his first 3 years, he spent $30 million on paid ads and made back $10 million.
Born in San Benito, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley, Cherrington’s parents ran a plant nursery. They divorced when he was seven, and at fourteen, he moved to Dallas to live with his mother and step-family. He currently lives in Wylie, Texas. Adam is a member of The Upper Room Church in Dallas.
At the University of North Texas, he supported himself through work and student loans. Financial troubles forced him to sell illegal drugs. He lost his apartment and his place at the university in six months. After attempting to smuggle drugs into Australia, he was caught by customs. His help in a sting operation cut his sentence from ten to three years.
At 24, he was released from prison and moved to San Antonio. He joined his father’s pest control business while attending community college. His path shifted after taking an HTML/CSS class. While working night shifts at FedEx, he learned web development, including HTML, CSS, Photoshop, and SEO.
What Is Adam Cherrington’s Invisible Affiliate System?
Adam Cherrington’s Invisible Affiliate System is a $67 introductory course on how the “phantom affiliate” strategy works. It teaches the basics of how to tap into ghost traffic sources. The course has not been positively received by students. Many have called out the course for being outdated. There are also complaints about the use of bots for data scraping and website cloning.
What Are Adam Cherrington’s Claims?

- Adam Cherrington claims that you can make $1,000 to $5,000 a day using ghost traffic sources.
- He claims that “competition doesn’t exist” in these hidden traffic sources.
- He claims that using AI can simplify the process.
Debunking Adam’s Claims
- Earning $1K to $5K a day in affiliate marketing is rare for beginners. Even with “ghost traffic” sources, a lack of deep understanding of the model will hold you down. You should master things like market research, audience psychology, and ad channels. Elementor reports that beginner affiliate marketers earn $0 to $1,000 per month.
- Adam’s claim that hidden traffic sources have no competition is misleading. All digital traffic sources attract competition over time. Maestra.ai data shows that 45% of affiliate marketers cite traffic as the primary challenge. When a traffic source proves effective, it naturally attracts more marketers. The fact that Adam is promoting these “ghost sources” means that the competition is increasing.
- AI can certainly enhance efficiency in digital marketing by automating tasks like segmentation and analytics, it does not eliminate the need for strategy and human judgment. Research from McKinsey shows that AI adoption in marketing can lead to revenue uplifts of 3% to 15% and sales ROI increases of 10% to 20%, demonstrating its potential to improve marketing effectiveness. However, AI cannot replace the creativity, testing, and decision-making required for campaign success. It aids in optimizing processes but does not guarantee success on its own, making it a tool rather than a simplified solution for achieving high profits.
What Are Some Adam’s Method Alternatives?
- Robby Blanchard’s Commission Hero AI – An affiliate marketing course that teaches a Facebook‑ads focused 3‑step system. Best for those with experience in Meta ads.
- Tom Bell & David Ford’s Native Ads Master Class – A 14‑module affiliate marketing course that teaches native advertising.
- Sam’s AI Offer Publishing – An affiliate marketing course that teaches a hybrid AI‑driven method of creating low‑ticket digital products to build a buyer list.
Final Verdict: Is Adam’s Method Worth It For Beginners?
Adam’s Method is not worth it for beginners because of its high risks. It can teach you the basics with Adam’s “7 pillars of affiliate marketing.” However, if you’re expecting to get traffic easy from Adam’s “ghost sources,” you are likely to be disappointed. Based on reviews and the realities of affiliate marketing, there is no easy way to build traffic.
Is Ghost Traffic Affiliate Marketing as Reliable as Local Lead Generation?
In my opinion, ghost traffic affiliate marketing is not as reliable as local lead generation. Ghost affiliate marketing is as unpredictable as the Atlantic hurricane season. It relies on random clicks from shadowy traffic networks. On the other hand, a local lead generation business is like the Blue Ridge Parkway. Traffic flows smoothly after the route was laid once. Similarly, local lead generation leads come in on their own with little daily effort after the site ranks.
Why Is Local Lead Generation the Safest Way to Build Online Income Without Paid Ads?
Local lead generation is the safest way to build online income without paid ads because you own assets that capture free, evergreen traffic. You get paid for consistently generating leads for local businesses. You are not gambling on unregulated traffic sources or learning enterprise-level media buying. There’s no need for massive ad budgets, no risk of traffic fraud, and no sleepless nights tracking sub-IDs.

One of my clients is Riverside Elite Roofing, 10098 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, California 92503, 951-633-8880, https://riversideeliteroofing.com/. There was a month where 3 of my high-ticket leads closed for $70K. I earned $3.5K from 5% commissions. If you want to build reliable income with low risk and low maintenance, local lead generation is the best path.

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