TLDR – Is the Ryan Stewart SEO Course Going to Make You Rich?
So Ryan’s Blueprint SEO training is a course that helps you learn search engine optimization techniques, and develop your skills at running an agency.
The idea is you’ll set up strategic partnerships with your clients. You’ll examine and assess their SEO strategies. Then you’ll improve these strategies. You’ll score a big win for the client and they’ll pay you well for this.
So far so good…
This is great. I love SEO, and I’ve seen first hand the great results an agency owner can achieve for their clients. And Ryan teaches all this well. There’s great video content and the Google Sheets template documents are very impressive.
He covers link building, keyword research, technical SEO, practice tests, and a bunch of other stuff too. There’s also deeper insights into website quality audit techniques, keyword gap analysis, and more. Hats off to Ryan for putting all this out there for his students.
Is Ryan rushing it?
But the problem for me is this feels like a fast track to running an agency. With so many competitors already killing it in the industry, you’ll not only have to be good to be successful… you’ll have to be one of the best.
Imagine a trainee airline pilot. Do you think they took a few flying lessons, and then immediately hopped behind the controls of a massive 747 jumbo jet? Or do you think they logged hundreds of hours of flight time flying smaller planes before moving on up?
I think it’s probably the second one, and it’s the same for SEO. The top SEO guys and gals have honed their craft in a big way. They are already experts in their field, and they use this foundation of solid understanding to build and grow their agency. I don’t think many people are learning how to run SEO campaigns and learning how to run a fully-fledged SEO agency at the same time.
So maybe this course is for people who already have an agency and want to grow? Maybe… but these people will find themselves zoning out as the course goes go over things they already know. I think there’s a sweet spot to be found… people with very small agencies and just a little SEO knowledge who are looking to grow. But this feels like a very small number of people.
A real alternative…
I prefer courses that can benefit most people… rather than just a few. Courses like Digital Leasing.
With Digital Leasing, you’re learning local lead generation skills and techniques. You set up a simple but effective website in a specialized niche… something like storm damage repair, or emergency towing services. Then you rent this website out to a local business partner.
They get the super-qualified leads to succeed, you get paid, and your local thrives. Every one’s a winner.
So you’re not running before you can walk, and you’re not scrambling to catch up with competitors who are already streets ahead. You’re gaining skills you can use straightaway, getting paid without delay and setting yourself up as a real leader in your area and in your industry.
And with just a few clicks and a few minutes of your time every day, the levels of freedom are off the chart. Not like with SEO, where you’ll be constantly researching and revising your approaches just like you’re back in school.
So what will you do with that freedom? Maybe an African safari has your name on it, or a Caribbean beach holiday?
Perhaps you’ll finally get time to enjoy the ski season at Zermatt, or the surf off the Queensland coast?
Or you might just choose to spend more time with the people you love the most. It’s totally up to you.
Hit the link to get started with Digital Leasing today.
Who is Blueprint Training For… and Who’s It NOT For?
Who is going to benefit from the Blueprint course, and who should probably not bother? Let’s take a look…
Who It’s For…
You might benefit from the premium course, if…
- You’re running a digital marketing agency – The course is mainly SEO agency focused, so it’s probably a good fit if you already have your own agency.
- You’re passionate about SEO – SEO is a real lifestyle. It’s always changing and evolving, so you’ll need passion and drive to stay engaged.
- You’re looking for a start-to-finish course – The entire course takes you from the very beginning of your journey, right through to growing and scaling, which is good for relative beginners who need guidance through the whole process.
Who It’s NOT For…
Blueprint Training probably isn’t for you, if…
- You want to learn SEO for different reasons – You will get great SEO information here, but if you’re just looking to sell your own products and services, one of the other course options might be better.
- You’re looking for a direct route to big returns – SEO is just one of many different tools in a digital marketer’s arsenal. It’s very important, but it’s not going to make you big returns all by itself.
- You’re looking for more detail – Ryan doesn’t go into too much detail on every critical component, so you might feel like you want more exploration on some points.
The 1000FT View on the Blueprint Training SEO Agency Course
This is where we take a couple steps back and get the bigger picture…
The Blueprint Training Business Model
Is Blueprint Training Worthwhile?
| Area | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Time Investment | 2.0 out of 5 stars | There’s quite a lot to get through here, which is fine because this is a comprehensive course. My big worry is that the time commitment just increases once you’ve finished the course. Running an SEO agency takes a lot of work! |
| Level of Control | 2.5 out of 5 stars | If you fall foul of Google’s search algorithms, or if you don’t keep your clients happy, your business can fall apart. This means there’s not too much control here. |
| Ease of Implementation | 2.6 out of 5 stars | Some students might find it difficult to implement some of the methods discussed here, although the Google Sheets templates certainly make things a bit easier. |
| Profit Potential | 2.3 out of 5 stars | SEO is great, but you’re not going to make a profit without a strong agency game too. Brian does teach this in his course, but I think the market is so crowded these days that many students are going to find it tough to make any money. |
The business model is SEO – search engine optimization. Specifically, it’s about SEO agency business processes.
In other words, you’re working to become one of the SEO industry leaders. You’ll optimize websites and strategies for your SEO clients, and they’ll pay you for the service.
Now, I’m a big fan of SEO knowledge. This is one of those areas of digital marketing that has never gone out of style, and with good reason… great SEO agencies do wonders for their clients!
But there are a few things to keep in mind before you hit that ‘buy’ button.
- SEO is a massive commitment – Most years, Google releases three core algorithm updates, but this is just one piece of the SEO jigsaw. Successful students will need to be on it 24-7 to stay on top of performance.
- This is a busy marketplace – Clutch lists 16,590 SEO agencies currently doing business in USA, and there are probably many more on top of this. Getting noticed ahead of these more-established other businesses is hard!
- Most SEO agencies grow more naturally – This is a self-paced, comprehensive course, but it’s still kind of a fast track to launching your agency. You’re learning key SEO skills and learning how to run your agency at the same time. Most agency owners are SEO experts first, before they get into the agency model.
How Much Does Blueprint Training Cost?
So what’s the Blueprint Training cost? You can get a year’s access to the course for $1,999.
Or, you can sign up for monthly SEO training from $199.
So the annual pass gives you two months for free.
According to Ryan himself, this is really good value…
- He values the SEO Sprints training System at $2,999
- He values the Ryan Stewart Live Bootcamp access at $1,999 per bootcamp
- He values the 5 Pillars of Agency Growth Training System at $1,499
- He values The Agency Template Suite at $999
- He values the Pro Slack Community at $499
- He values the Guest Working Sessions at $999
I’m not quite sure where he’s getting these numbers from, but his message is clear – signing up for the full Blueprint experience is apparently quite a good deal.
How is Blueprint Training Different?
The Blueprint Training course is rather different to a program like Chad Kimball’s. Both offer some local SEO content, but Chad’s is more focused on Google Maps, while Ryan takes a more general view.
It also stands apart from programs like Modern Millionaires, which takes the other side in the classic “SEO v Paid Ads debate”. (What’s the answer? Digital marketers actually need both!)
Reviewing Ryan Stewart – Who is the SEO Guru?
Ryan Stewart comes from Miami, Florida, where he was raised by two hardworking but not very business-minded parents.
Graduating from a degree in political science and economics from the College of the Holy Cross, Ryan snagged himself a pretty good job as a consultant, and it looked like his life was set. But, in 2009, he learned about SEO, and things started to change for him.
By 2010, he had his own SEO agency, working with another ambitious young guy he’d met on Facebook. But this ambitious young guy was not the solid partner Ryan was hoping for. After growing their business well, Ryan’s friend decided to cut him loose. Ryan was locked out of the business he’d helped build, and he’d learned a valuable lesson.
Working as a digital marketing consultant and gaining attention with his blog posts, Ryan decided to go back to school. He studied for an MBA from the University of Florida, graduating in 2014. He was ready to re-enter the SEO agency world, and he wasn’t going to make the same mistake again.
Fast forward two years, and Ryan was devoting most of his time to his agency, while launching something new. The Blueprint Training course was born.
Is There a Blueprint Training Scam Going on Here?
Well this is an easy one… no, there’s no scam. Ryan is legit and so is his course.
The price is not nothing, but it’s not bad either. SEO gurus sell their training for a lot of money online, so a couple of grand for a year’s worth of premium access doesn’t seem like much of a scam.
And the information is good. Improving page optimizations, boosting search volume, carrying out content audit and keyword data analysis tasks… all this is valuable SEO knowledge. And on the business side of things, learning how to create high level proposals and sell your content strategy is very useful for an agency owner.
No scam here. Everything is fully above board…
But does this mean I recommend the course? This question is a bit trickier.
You see, I’m just not quite sure who the ‘ideal student’ is for this course.
Is it the eager SEO beginner looking to improve their skills? Maybe, but all the agency building business stuff might be confusing if you’re trying to learn pure SEO.
Is it the agency owner looking to grow their business? Possibly… but I think most agency owners already know a bit more than just the SEO basics.
I guess the perfect candidate is the small agency owner with just a little bit of SEO knowledge, who wants to learn more about both things. But how many of those candidates there?
If you’re in that ‘perfect candidate’ category, then this might be a go. For most people though, something else is probably better.
My Personal Opinion on the Blueprint Prep Course and Premium Course
Ok, here’s my personal opinion on Ryan’s course.
I think Blueprint SEO training is a cool program, covering loads of really important bases. From technical SEO audit skills, to local SEO reporting, and the page analysis module and agency sales module, you’re getting loads of really great info here.
But do I think this is the right course for people looking to break out of the 9-to-5 and make real money online?
No, I don’t.
Here’s a quick look at what I want to see from programs like this…
- Amazing teaching and content
- Big profit potential
- Real life freedom
Does Ryan Stewart’s Course Hit the Mark?
Unfortunately, I don’t think it does. Here’s why…
- The teaching and coaching is great, this is not the problem here – Things like keyword gap analysis, internal link analysis and agency pulse reporting are superb resources for students.
- The profit potential can be great, but only for certain students – There’s an agency owner-focus for this course, which means you’re entering into a mega-competitive market where you’ll compete against already-established agency owners.
- There’s not much freedom with this course – SEO is a big commitment. If you love this lifestyle, and you love constantly researching the latest changes, then great. But it’s not exactly passive income.
It’s a great course, don’t get me wrong. It just feels like students are a bit rushed – developing SEO skills, learning to run an agency, and learning to scale that agency? It’s a bit like taking your first couple of steps… then learning to walk, run, and do advanced calculus all at the same time.
I’m not saying it won’t work… I just think most people are going to struggle to see good returns from this one.
Instead, I’d point people towards a different program, like Digital Leasing.
Digital Leasing is a local lead generation course that’s causing a real stir at the moment, thanks in part to its fresh and exciting business model.
But this is not the only reason for the hype. Here’s how the course stacks up…
- The teaching and content really is amazing – These are some of the most supportive coaches in the industry, sharing their expert knowledge in an easy-to-follow way.
- There is profit potential for everyone – While Blueprint Training can work for a few people, Digital Leasing is an option for almost everyone. By providing small businesses with the slam dunk leads they need, the sky’s the limit on your returns.
- And the freedom is maybe the most exciting bit… – It’ll only take a few clicks and a few minutes of your time each day to run your local lead generation business. This means real freedom, and the chance to live your life the way you want to.
So what will you do with the freedom?
Will you hit the slopes of St Moritz, or the sands of St Tropez, this winter?
Will you take that cruise you’ve always dreamed of, all that epic road trip?
Or will you just spend more time with all the special people in your life?
With Digital Leasing… this choice is yours.
Hit the link to get started with Digital Leasing today.
What’s Inside Blueprint Training?
The Blueprint Training is delivered over 16 different modules. All in all, the course takes you from the early client analysis stages, through scaling your business with premium services.
That might seem like quite a lot, but don’t worry. It’s self-paced, so it’s not likely your cramming for the LSAT prep course, stressed out of your mind.
Here’s what were working with…
- Module 1 – Analyzing Client Data
- Module 2 – Managing Projects
- Module 3 – Creating Analytics Audits
- Module 4 – Auditing Website Quality
- Module 5 – Handling Technical SEO
- Module 6 – Researching Keywords on Existing Pages
- Module 7 – Executing On-page Optimization
- Module 8 – Analyzing Internal Links
- Module 9 – Auditing Content
- Module 10 – Analyzing Keyword Gaps
- Module 11 – Creating Content Strategies
- Module 12 – Building Links
- Module 13 – Commissioning SEO Reports
- Module 14 – Reporting on Local SEO
- Module 15 – Reporting on Agency Performance
- Module 16 – Enhancing Agency Sales
Learn more about these modules in the table below.
The Blueprint Training Course
| The Module | What’s It all About? |
|---|---|
| Analyzing Client Data | The first module is all about examining the client’s website and their existing performance data. You’ll learn how you can identify improvements to be made and communicate this clearly. |
| Managing Projects | Here, you’ll gain access to project management tools that are key to running a successful SEO agency. You’ll also get some training in how to use this effectively. |
| Creating Analytics Audits | In module three, you’re learning how to audit your clients’s analytics, and then give comprehensive reports on this data. This is an important part of SEO, as you need to show your clients that you are an authority in this field. |
| Auditing Website Quality | Ryan gives you his own website quality audit checklist, and offers training in how you can implement this. Alongside the analytics audit, this is vital to helping your clients understand where they are at. |
| Handling Technical SEO | SEO is about much more than just keywords. You’ll also need to handle a bunch of different technical aspects, such as indexing and architecture. Module five teaches you all about this. |
| Researching Keywords on Existing Pages | Of course, keywords are still important in SEO. In module six, you’ll look at advanced keyword research, checking out what the competitor pages are ranking for as you devise a winning strategy. |
| Executing On-page Optimization | Module seven is dedicated to optimizing your client’s webpages. This includes information on implementing structures and schema, building content, and exploring different keyword options. |
| Analyzing Internal Links | Google rewards websites that are well-structured and pages that are linked together. In module eight, Ryan and the team will go over internal linking best practices, and share a template that automates part of this process. |
| Auditing Content | In module nine, you’ll be focusing on blog and article content. Specifically, you’ll learn how to audit this content for your clients so you can offer improvements. |
| Analyzing Keyword Gaps | There’s another Google Sheet from Ryan in module 10. This one is about creating keyword comparisons between client sites and their competitors, and filling any gaps. |
| Creating Content Strategies | Content is still a massive part of SEO. Module eleven examines how to analyze search engine results pages and build strong strategies for your clients content. |
| Building Links | Link building has grown more difficult in recent years, and Ryan provides in-depth information on how to identify opportunities and build useful links. There’s also an automation element, which makes things a lot easier. |
| Commissioning SEO Reports | You’ll need good communication with your clients, and SEO progress reports will help you achieve this. This is the focus for module 13, and Google Search Console and Google Analytics are big sources of data here. |
| Reporting on Local SEO | Local SEO is a big consideration for any businesses focused on a specific region. Module 14 is all about this, examining Google Business Profiles and other useful tools. |
| Reporting on Agency Performance | Ryan gives you another template in module 15. This one is focused on keeping track of individual client progress. You’ll need to justify your worth to your SEO clients, so this is certainly useful. |
| Enhancing Agency Sales | The 16th and final module is about improving sales and scaling income. You’ll learn about creating proposals that attract high level clients, and optimizing the pricing of your SEO services. |
My Blueprint Training Review – The Conclusion
Thanks for sticking it out with me! It’s time to bring this review to a close.
I think Ryan’s program is a great SEO and agency building prep course. There’s lots of good stuff here, and the link building, website quality audit, and Google Sheets template content is particularly valuable.
The problem I have is the targeting. Who’s the course really aimed at? Most agency owners already know the link building and keyword research basics. Most beginner SEO students don’t want to get sidetracked with agency business advice.
Unless you’re in that sweet spot where you need both ‘SEO 102‘ skills and an agency building crash course, I don’t think it’s worth $2k a year. If you are in this sweet spot… you might want to give it a try.
For most people though, I’m just not sure this course is going to work.
So what’s the alternative? You could check out one of my other reviews… like this one for Flat Fee Mastery.
But the best option, I think, it to check out my #1 pick for making money online in 2024…
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