Is Arbor Academy A Scam? | The Unbiased Trust Behind Chad Kimball’s Course

Do you want to learn more about Arbor Academy, or also known Chad Kimball’s Google Map training? Is Arbor Academy a scam? Do you own a small business? If you want to use Google Maps to promote local firms, Chad Kimball may be of assistance. I’m not connected with Chad Kimball in any way, so you can be confident that my assertions are impartial.

Is Arbor academy a scam featured image

What Is Arbor Academy: Summary

Product Name: Arbor Academy (or Google Map Course by Chad Kimball)

Founders: Chad Kimball

Products and Prices: Initially offered as $6800, price will depend on your negotiating skills

Overall rating: 52/100

Best For: Those with initial experience with SEO so they can appropriately negotiate the price

Recommended: Not recommended for those who are financially unstable and would borrow money to afford it

What Is Arbor Academy About: Arbor Academy offers a lead generation model by which you help business get sales leads through Google Business Listing

Summary: 

It’s a course that can help you offer services to other business to get foot traffic to their business by creating websites and optimizing business profiles.

What Is Arbor Academy About?

Arbor Academy is a business where you get coaching videos to help you create your own leads and clients. You’ll also get access to Chad’s Google Maps Program to find ad space for advertising, and learn how to rent out the ad space to local businesses in need of help.

The goal is to kickstart your digital agency and help generate leads and clients for your business.

However, despite it being a seemingly promising course, you might find it hard to find an honest review about it as most of the ranking reviews are either affiliates or former course takers. So they have a bias! This Arbor Academy review will give you an unbiased take on Chad Kimball’s course since we’re not affiliated with him or any lead generation course that he’s competing with.

But just before we go in-depth into it let me discuss with you first what affiliate marketing is and why many Arbor Academy reviews are a bit biased when it comes from affiliates of a competitor.

Quick take on Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a way of internet marketing that enables firms to have their goods or services advertised on other affiliates websites. In return, they pay a fee each time the goods are purchased through the affiliate’s website. Affiliate marketers may profit from promoting items from a variety of sectors such as travel, health, music, dating sites, and so on.


How Affiliate Marketing Works - Earn From Your Laptop
How affiliate marketing works

The greatest approach to learning how to generate money through affiliate marketing is to join an affiliate program that you are enthusiastic about promoting since it pertains to your area of expertise. Don’t rush off to join the first affiliate program you come across! Instead, do some research on the numerous alternatives and seek a respectable brand with an inexpensive commission rate.

Because there are no start-up expenses and anyone can do it, affiliate marketing has exploded in popularity. People are now using ad blockers online, so companies must find new methods to attract interested consumers to their websites.

I believe that an unbiased review should definitely come from someone who hasn’t taken the course and is not affiliated with any course same to its niche (which is lead generation).

People behind Arbor Academy

Chad Kimball, the founder of the Arbor Academy, is a business coaching program. The processes of creating a successful business around Google Maps are taught in the videos training course. Chad claims to have discovered a hidden Maps loophole that allows you to make millions every time local businesses make a sale. This company operates on autopilot and does not require any technical knowledge or time to get started.

Chad Kimball made a fortune on digital advertising. He discovered Google Maps and local digital marketing’s hidden gem, which opened up a whole new world of possibilities. That’s what Chad liked about it the most: no significant players are taking notice of it in their marketing strategy. That’s fantastic.

As a result, smaller businesses, startups and firms can benefit from the influx of cash. Chad Kimball is very active on social media in order to promote his programs. He currently has about 8,000 followers on Facebook.

A deeper look beyond The Course

Surprisingly it happens that the Google Map Elite course branded as the Arbor Academy is offered through three different websites:

  • http://arbor-academy.com/
  • Elite.Chaddo.com
  • TheArborAcademy.net

But even if it’s offered on different websites, all websites mention that they are under Arbor Group Associates Inc. in their Terms and Privacy Policy pages:

Is Arbor academy a scam registration illinois

It’s currently registered in the state of Illinois and that’s a great thing to know! The Terms and Privacy Policy pages are one of the first things that you should look for when availing of digital offers because they mention who is accountable for any mishaps. And I believe that any reputable business would always make sure that include and customize these legal pages.

What does Arbor Academy Offer?

The Arbor Academy’s courses are designed to help you start your own digital agency, generate more sales leads for local businesses, and become an expert in the field.
The course curriculum consists of 67 videos and according to a previous course taker here is what the videos are about:

Details inside the course from Beastpreneur.com:
Intro and Overview
White Hat Techniques
The Google Local Ranking Algorithm
Website Authority and The Local Algorithm
Creating Content
Backlinking Resources
Local Keyword Research
Category Keywords
Why Keywords Do or Do Not Return Local Results
Questions?
Problems? Try Phone Support!
Local Knowledge Panel Changes
Google’s Local Pack
Local Prospecting With Mechanical Turk
Ranking Outside Your Locale
Keep Multiple Locations Safe
Pidgeon Update
Google My Business Guidelines
Create and Optimize Your GMB
How To Set Up a My Business Page
Local VS Brand Pages
Basic Places Page Optimization
The Importance of Reviews
White Hat Reviews
Make Starts Appear In Google
GMB Posts
Listing Attributes
Changing Bad Review Snippets
Show Social Media Icons
Reinstating a Disabled Local Listing
Add Local Structured Data to your Website
Google Trusted Photographer
Courting Authority Reviewers
Citations
Citations: What, Why, & How
White Hat Backlinks
Listings On Local Websites
Facebook Pages
Imitate Competitor Citations
Citations Using Image Sharing Websites
Wikipedia Citations
Using Your Building/Office/Home to Get Additional Citations
Sponsorship and Testimonial Citations
Citations Using Knowne
Whitespark and Get Listed Citation Tools
Fixing Citations After An Address Change
Local Guides Program
Local Guides Opportunity
Secret Local Guides Levels
Major Local Guides Points Update
How to Moderate Your Own Maps Edits Through Local Guides
Google Maps Black Hat – Black Hat Set Up & Optimization
Choosing Addresses
Obtaining Phone Numbers
Black Hat Reviews
Setting Up Your Listings
Black Hat Citations
Press Releases
Black Hat Techniques
Intro & Overall Strategies
Yelp Ranking Algorithm
Scrape Box
Selling Leads
Did I Get Slapped?
Important Info: Google and Service Area Businesses/LeadGen
Optimizing Your Black Hat GMB’s Website
Hostnine Reseller Hosting
Black Hat Backlinks
Optimize For Local Keywords
Using Citations as Buffers for Blackhat Linking
Black Hat BONUS VIDEOS
Direct Mail Prospecting Method
Black Hat Case Study
Software

The thing is now that you have a list of topics that you may find inside you might as well start reading into these topics and view free video tutorials about them!

Well from what I see from here, it seems like he truly goes in-depth with his training, but what I don’t like is that it seems like he’s encouraging the use of blackhat techniques! Blackhat techniques are ranking techniques that may get you penalized by Google. While it’s great that it goes into discussing that to be truly informative it kind of positions your future clients to be penalized or sanctioned by Google if you rampantly use blackhat techniques.

It’s understandable that there is a substantial increase the course price especially as it is up and running for five years now!

Course Price

The three websites offer no hint of how much they offer the course. It only has a lead capturing option where you can sign up for a one-on-one call. But

No Refund Policy

According to their Terms page, they don’t offer any refund and goes just like this quote in yellow from thearboracademy.net:

Is Arbor academy a scam no refunds

How does Arbor Academy Work?

The Google map ranking and generating leads for local businesses are topics that Chad Kimball’s course addresses. Local companies require the same level of advertising as other organizations. Local businesses are disliked by big digital agencies because they believe they are too tiny to generate profits.

However, any local entrepreneur with a solid understanding of digital advertising has the ability to generate six-figures. For most entrepreneurs, it isn’t little. This company model relies on highly targeted marketing to locate clients in your community.

You may assist local businesses increase foot traffic by placing your business on Google Maps. Consider boutiques and restaurants that could use a digital boost. Local services such as lawyers and accountants can expand their client base. You may discover your ideal consumers right down the street by utilizing Google Maps..

You’re assisting a small business owner while at the same time creating a decent salary.

How do you make money with Arbor Academy?

Honestly, the only way that you can make money from the course is when you can actually implement the techniques and process that Chad Kimball will show you.

Arbor Academy Reviews

Pros

  • Chad Kimbal has a great record of being an expert in his course niche
  • Arbor Group Associates Inc has verifiable registration in Illinois

Cons

  • Price is not mentioned on website
  • Course was reported to be initially offered to be $6800 which you can start negotiating on
  • It uses a few blackhat SEO techniques which may risk penalty from Google

Is Arbor Academy a scam?

I believe that the course is initially offered to be very expensive ($6800) by which you can start negotiating further down. It seems to be tailored on how much you can truly afford. But I believe even if it was $1000 it’s still way expensive for beginners especially if it’s their first time to learn about SEO and wesbite management.

Just to be fully transparent with you, I am not a student of Arbor Academy by Chad Kimball myself and I do not endorse it in any way.

I have researched the website, testimonials, and information on the Internet to get to the bottom of what Arbor Academy by Chad Kimball genuinely does. This is because I have been burnt from programs just like this in the past and I want to prevent others from making the same mistakes. If you’d like to learn Ways to Avoid Online Scams then click the highlighted text. 

I don’t recommended for those who are financially unstable and rthose who may need to borrow money to afford it since profit and getting back the money you invested for the course would take time, especially as you may need to find clients first.

[The Verdict] Is Arbor Academy Worth its Price?

Thank you for reading my Arbor Academy review. The course price seems to be dependent on how much you are willing to shell out, which I find unfair somehow. I also find the price too steep for people looking for a way to leap to making money online. You may go on to learn another year’s worth of classes, and you can even complete two or three courses for the same price! While Chad Kimball is a reliable coach, I don’t find it worth the price, especially as there are a lot that you can learn from free videos online regarding the techniques that is on their course. 

I find the Arbor Academy a good course only for those with previous knowledge and success in website creation and management as the cost adds up to its risk factors if ever one intends to jump the boat.

Is Arbor academy a scam homepage

A Badass and Legitimate Course To Make Money Online

I started learning about Digital Marketing from the ground up, with no course or mentor to seek for. I was simply going through it because I was curious. With no course or coach to ask from, I was just running on just pure curiosity and work-related routine tasks. Although I was able to learn on my own I found it helpful to have a community with the same interest and job to guide you as you prod further on the field. But you know what, I realized these things:

  1. Not all courses are created equal. Even non-premium-priced courses may be significantly better and more comprehensive than other comparable classes.
  2. The class doesn’t teach you everything there is to know about digital marketing. You can’t trust a course to teach you all there is to know about it
  3. Digital marketing is a truly adaptable profession, but it would be ideal if you could apply what you’ve learned in your actual work

Affiliate marketing kept catching my attention over time. It was something that applied to my career, and it gave me the opportunity to profit from it!

Imagine trying out first before committing to it. Yes it’s FREE to start!

Let me just tell you that digital marketing, especially affiliate marketing truly needs consistent effort, dedication, and love for what you do. The affiliate marketing industry is huge and growing with more and more people buying online. And mind you, it’s not a new program as it has been around for years.

If you decided that it’s something that is worth doing in the long run (best done as a business giving you passive income) you can always upgrade to PREMIUM for JUST $49/mo! With it you can access more courses, tutorials, tools, perks and personal mentoring. If you’re curious here’s a comprehensive article about it. My friend John below can tell you more about it and guide you there…

want to master affiliate marketing

Take a look into what is considered the best training platform & mentoring community


Louee Gonzales Author

Louee Gonzales has been a content specialist for 4+ years now. She has been enjoying writing investigative articles for EFYL. If she’s not writing, she’s either painting or traveling somewhere fun.

She has a degree in Psychology, and quick fact: she can’t read your mind. She has authored articles on the School of Positive Transformation.

Arbor Academy

$6800.00
5.2

Credibility

7.0/10

Income Opportunity

6.0/10

Reliability

8.0/10

Price

1.0/10

Business Model

4.0/10

Pros

  • Chad Kimbal has a great record of being an expert in his course niche
  • Arbor Group Associates Inc has verifiable registration in Illinois

Cons

  • Price is not mentioned on website
  • Price is not mentioned on website Course was reported to be initially offered to be $6800 which you can start negotiating on
  • It uses a few blackhat SEO techniques which may risk penalty from Google

4 thoughts on “Is Arbor Academy A Scam? | The Unbiased Trust Behind Chad Kimball’s Course”

  1. Hi John,

    Paying $6,800 is a considerable investment for people who only make ends meet, me included. So, this is not my cup of tea. The training content seems thorough and detailed for starting your digital agency, but it doesn’t provide a refund policy, making it risky. That’s why your post is valuable for people interested in Arbor Academy to avoid future trouble. I agree that this online training course is not designed for beginners but for experienced online marketers. Your recommendation sounds like a much better approach for people who like to start an affiliate marketing business from scratch, and I would love to try it before bed tonight.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Matt

    Reply
    • Hi Matt,
      Thank you for reading my honest Arbor Academy review and sharing your thoughts.
      I agree with your concerns and risks that put you off Arbor Academy.

      Yes I do recommend you do consider my #1 recommendation. Yes it will help you to become an expert in affiliate marketing and build your own real online business (authority niche website as the foundation).
      Then if you want you you can also learn what you can on Local SEO, Google My Business from training is also inside the Community. Wealthy Affiliate already has a lot of training and success stories opening the lead generation business model.

      Personally I agree with you and Arbor Academy is hot something I would do, I would access the training I already have if and when I choose to add local lead generation to my online businesses if I choose to do digital agency/local lead generation in future.

      Reply
  2. Hi John, Thanks for sharing.
    I came across Arbor Academy and Chad Kimball on a YouTube advert recently so came across your review when searching for a Arbor Academy review online.

    The price definitely does sound very steep but when I first started reading and it said about google maps and google my business this did sound intriguing to me I thought. So I have had a read through I can establish that the course utilizes google maps to help you find local companies to offer your services to. I mean I do wonder what is it that you learn from this course to create this service to charge local businesses for? I kind of get the picture that it is doing some kind of lead generation on their behalf. Kind of like starting your own lead generation agency for others. It actually isn’t a bad idea.

    I think it sounds a bit suspect with the black hat techniques but I wonder what these actually are. Could this just be a term that is misunderstood? The price is pretty unbelievable I think but it’s not the first time I see someone offer a course for this price. Maybe Chad is intentionally trying to keep his circle small. The course seems very extensive it might actually be worth doing for the right committed individual. Do you actually have a link? wouldn’t mind taking a look myself I think

    Reply
    • Hi Alex,
      Thank you for taking the time to read my honest Arbor Academy review.
      If you are serious about shelling out $6,800 for this course – firstly I would encourage you to do a LOT of due diligence
      e.g.
      1. Check the websites thoroughly (you’ll see the links you are asking for in the heading “A Deeper Look Beyond The Course”
      2. Check competitors courses
      3. Check real testimonials, TrustPilot etc
      4. Learn what you can on Local SEO, Google My Business from training you already have e.g. Wealthy Affiliate already has a lot of training and success stories opening the lead generation business model.
      5. Question Chad Kimball directly on the exact Black Hat techniques he promotes and teaches. Then do your own research on this.

      Personally it’s hot something I would do, I would access the training I already have if and when I choose to add local lead generation to my business websites.

      Reply

Leave a Comment