Kenneth Fong’s RapidLevelUp Course Review: YouTube Affiliate Marketing Secrets & Alternatives

What are the Pros & Cons of RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginners?

How Much Does RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginners Cost?

RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginners costs $199. The course doesn’t offer any refund policies.

Who is RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginners for?

If you’re somebody who does not know where to start but is interested in creating an affiliate marketing business, then this course is for you. YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginner’s Course is exactly as its title says: it’s for beginners. Kenneth Fong tackles the basics of getting started and creating an affiliate network. He even gives recommendations for free platforms you can use and companies that offer affiliate programs, such as Amazon Affiliate, to begin the process.

RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginners Course Summary

Module 1: Laying The Groundwork

Training 1: What is Affiliate Marketing, How it Works, and Why it Works Well for YouTube

Kenneth discusses the 3 most important concepts to know about affiliate marketing; audience, platform, and links. He also delves deeper into why YouTube is the perfect platform for affiliate marketers.

Training 2: Affiliate Programs: How to Find the Best Products to Promote

A list of the best affiliate programs for beginners is offered. Kenneth also talks about the differences between high ticket items vs. low ticket items and which works best for YouTube.

Training 3: Choosing Your Niche

Kenneth gives you the top things to consider in choosing your niche and catering to your own personal likes and the audience you want to promote products to.

This is quite similar to Digital Worth Academy, except in that course, they already give you predetermined niches to choose from.

Training 4: How to Name and Create Your YouTube Channel

The whole process into creating your channel and 3 routes for naming your channel; naming it after yourself, your brand, or a hybrid of the two.

Training 5: How to Set Up, Optimize, and Customize Your YouTube Channel

Kenneth walks you through the entire process of setting up your YouTube to drive in more viewers. From choosing your picture to setting up your channel trailer.

Module 2: Planning Content

Training 1: Topic Research

Kenneth teaches you how to use Keywords Everywhere, a google extension that allows you to receive more data on the search volume of a specific keyword. He goes over the importance of branded and non-branded keywords and how they can help your video receive more viewers.

Training 2: Competitive Research

After gathering the necessary data on the popular keywords, Kenneth shows you how to use that information to compete with other content creators of the same niche. From comparing thumbnails to incorporating keywords into your titles and descriptions.

Module 3: How to Make YouTube Videos

Training 1: Creating Your Video Outline and Notes

The basic rules on creating a general outline for a YouTube video are discussed. How to create your introduction, body, and conclusion, and how to discern how long your video should be.

Training 2: How to Use Screen Recording Software to Record

Kenneth gives you a walkthrough on how to use loom, a free screen recording software.

Training 3: How to Edit Your Videos

Kenneth goes over clipping, adding transitions, cropping, improving audio, and which resolution you should use. He uses iMovie to edit videos but also provides alternatives you can use if it isn’t available for you.

Module 4: Publishing

Training 1: Creating Thumbnails

The use of Canva for creating thumbnails is taught. Kenneth discusses how you can make your thumbnails competitive by looking at your competitors’ thumbnails and what kind of text and layout they follow.

Training 2: Upload, Optimize, and Publish Your video

Kenneth teaches how to create a catchy title and incorporating keywords for higher chances of generating views. He goes over what to include in the video description and the first three crucial lines.

Module 5: Advertising

Training 1: Google Ads Crash course

Kenneth goes over how to use Google Ads and how to create your campaign for advertising your video.

What is RapidLevelUp?

RapidLevelUp is a website hosted by Kenneth Fong. Its goal is to help new affiliate marketers in learning how to get started with affiliate marketing. Right now, it has a 3-4 hour online course which contains 5 modules and 13 videos, The YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginners Course. It covers all the groundwork for starting your own channel, finding companies you want to affiliate for, and how to leverage your YouTube channel.

Who is Kenneth Fong?

Kenneth Fong is a digital marketing expert with 10 years of experience. He has a YouTube channel that has amassed 2.28k subscribers. He discusses various topics on digital marketing and how to create income online.

His podcast, The Calm Marketer, where he talks about SEO and social media tips for entrepreneurs, has over 239 episodes and can be accessed through his YouTube channel or Apple Podcasts.

How Much Do YouTubers Make With Affiliate Marketing?

YouTubers can make anywhere from a few hundred dollars per month to over $10,000+ monthly with affiliate marketing, depending on their niche, audience size, and the types of products they promote. Small channels with around 1,000–10,000 subscribers often earn between $100–$1,000 monthly, while mid-sized creators who consistently post optimized content can generate $2,000–$5,000 per month in affiliate commissions. Top-performing YouTubers in profitable niches like software, finance, or tech reviews can earn $10,000–$50,000+ per month by promoting high-ticket products or recurring commission programs.

Earnings depend less on subscriber count and more on click-through rates, conversion rates, and video ranking. For example, a small channel with SEO-optimized videos targeting buyer-intent keywords (like “best video editing software” or “top VPNs for YouTube”) can outperform larger entertainment channels in affiliate income. In short, YouTube affiliate income scales with how strategically you combine quality content, audience trust, and product relevance, not just how many views you get.

What Happens If Someone Buys Through Your Affiliate Link and Wants a Refund?

If someone buys a product through your affiliate link and later requests a refund, the commission you earned from that sale is usually revoked or deducted from your affiliate account. Most affiliate programs only pay commissions on completed and confirmed sales, meaning the buyer must keep the product past the refund or chargeback period.

For example, if you earn a $50 commission on a sale and the customer gets a refund within 30 days, the affiliate network or vendor will reverse the commission so you don’t get paid (or it will be subtracted from your future earnings if it’s already been credited). Some affiliate programs have delayed payout windows (like 30–60 days) to account for refunds before releasing commissions.

If a customer refunds their purchase, you don’t keep the commission. But, this system protects both the vendor and the affiliate network from fraudulent or short-term transactions.

What are 5 Things YouTube Affiliate Marketing Gurus Don’t Want You To Know?

1. YouTube Affiliate Marketing Takes Years of Work

As an affiliate marketer, your profit corresponds to how many people you purchase a product with your affiliate link. Creating a platform can be easy. However, creating a steady base of viewers takes years. You need to post hundreds of YouTube videos for content marketing and build a trustworthy platform for you to have a steady stream of viewers. Even then, it isn’t guaranteed that you would have enough people making qualified purchases to ensure a passive income.

2. Linking Restrictions

YouTube’s guidelines on affiliate links are vague. Affiliate links are allowed, but there are certain rules so that your link doesn’t get restricted. One rule of thumb that most affiliate marketers follow is putting a disclaimer that you earn an affiliate commission before the affiliate link and making sure that your content is relevant.

Tip:

You can create a landing page for all your affiliate links and put that in your description box instead. This takes away some of the risk of getting your link restricted.

3. Advertising Costs Money

If you’re just starting out, you have zero followers. That means the chances of your affiliate links receiving views are close to none. If you’re somebody looking to create income with affiliate marketing, you need to pay for advertising. This is essential so that your content reaches your audience, but there’s no guarantee that you will earn an affiliate commission, since that relies on the effectiveness of your content.

4. Channel Suspensions

One thing to remember is that you’re working on a platform that you don’t own. Unlike having your own digital real estate, you’re at the mercy of the platform you’re using. There are several reasons YouTube can suddenly suspend or ban your channel. You receive three strikes until your account is terminated, where you can lose all the content you’ve posted.

5. Unreliable Payouts and Low Commissions

Since you’re working with another company, the chances of you getting paid rely on their terms. Some companies require that you generate a specific amount of sales to receive a payout. There are also instances in which you generate sales, but they don’t adhere to the guidelines of that company. This would make your affiliate sale unqualified.

When starting out with affiliate marketing, it’s advisable to work with lower ticket items, as they require less work. However, this also means lower commissions. You would have to generate a bunch of affiliate sales to make a decent profit. If you’re generating only a handful of sales with your YouTube video, you probably wouldn’t make that much to make affiliate marketing a steady source of income.

Is YouTube Affiliate Marketing Still Profitable in 2025?

Yes, YouTube affiliate marketing is still profitable in 2025, especially for creators who focus on niche content and SEO-driven videos. While competition has increased, YouTube’s massive global audience and trust factor continue to make it one of the best free traffic sources for affiliate marketers. The key difference in 2025 is that success now depends more on content quality, audience targeting, and keyword strategy rather than just posting product reviews.

However, there is no guarantee that consumers will use your link to purchase these products. You’re also unable to create a customer base, as after their first purchase, there’s a small probability that they’ll use your link again to purchase the product.

Affiliate marketing depends heavily on the affiliate program and platform you’re using. This is always subject to change as you’re working with third-party companies and the affiliate program controls your income. It could take years to build a reputable brand that drives a decent number of people purchasing products using your link.

What are the Alternatives to RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System For Beginners?

• YouTube Affiliate Masterclass by Greg Gottfried focuses on creating faceless, automated YouTube channels that generate passive affiliate commissions. Greg Gottfried teaches beginners how to produce short, simple videos using free tools and royalty-free content, emphasizing organic traffic instead of paid ads. The strategy is low-cost, beginner-friendly, and ideal for those who want to start affiliate marketing on YouTube without showing their face or voice.
• The Super Affiliate System 3.0 by John Crestani offers a more advanced, ad-driven approach to affiliate marketing. It teaches students how to build high-converting campaigns using paid traffic sources like Google Ads, YouTube Ads, and Facebook Ads. The course includes done-for-you templates, ad copy examples, and in-depth training on scaling affiliate offers. It’s best suited for people who have a budget for ads and want to accelerate their results through data-driven marketing.
• Commission Hero by Robby Blanchard centers on promoting ClickBank products through Facebook Ads. Robby Blanchard, one of ClickBank’s top affiliates, provides a detailed blueprint on how to find profitable offers, design compelling ad creatives, and track ROI effectively. The system includes landing page templates, targeting strategies, and access to a private coaching group. It’s a solid alternative for those who prefer fast results through paid traffic and are comfortable with ad spend management.

Final Verdict: Is RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System For Beginners Worth It?

RapidLevelUp’s YouTube Affiliate Marketing System for Beginners is worth it for aspiring marketers who want a simple, affordable introduction to affiliate marketing through YouTube. Kenneth Fong’s step-by-step approach, low startup cost ($199), and emphasis on free organic traffic make it beginner-friendly for those with limited experience or budgets.

However, the course covers mainly foundational concepts and lacks depth in scaling strategies, automation, and long-term monetization, which limits its growth potential. The high competition on YouTube and the constant need to produce and optimize new videos can make income inconsistent and time-intensive.

If you’re looking for a more sustainable, compounding business model that doesn’t rely on algorithm updates or constant content creation, local lead generation is better because ranked websites generate predictable, recurring leads without ads, inventory, or platform dependency.

Is Local Lead Generation Better Than YouTube Affiliate Marketing?

In my experience, local lead generation is better than YouTube affiliate marketing because it requires building a site once and letting it work for you long-term like Bilbo Baggins settling in the Shire in The Hobbit. You build a peaceful home, tend your garden, and let it sustain you for years. There’s no constant filming, editing, or uploading. Instead of an endless content treadmill, it’s about smart setup and minimal maintenance. You can scale by building new sites, not new videos every week. Unlike the low commissions you get with YouTube affiliate marketing, local lead gen delivers stable, recurring revenue from monthly site rentals or commissions. Once a site ranks, leads keep coming, providing predictable income month after month. Plus, your income in local lead gen doesn’t depend on third-party payout structures. You negotiate directly with local business owners and set your own terms. No one can cut your commissions or delete your links overnight.

Why Pick Local Lead Gen as a Passive Income Source in 2025

I recommend local lead generation as a passive income source in 2025 because it offers faster, more predictable, and client-based recurring revenue with less competition and algorithm risk than YouTube affiliate marketing, which depends heavily on views, trends, and platform volatility. For example, my local lead gen site El Monte Superior Roofing 11632 Valley Boulevard El Monte, California 91732 626-587-3330 https://elmontesuperiorroofing.com/ generated 21 high-intent leads just last month. It drove $68,560 in additional income to my client, which paid me $3,428 for a 5% commission.

If you’re looking for steady and recurring income, then I suggest going for a business model like local lead generation. It allows you to create your own digital real estate, removing the need to use other platforms and spending money to generate traffic and profit.