Making $10K/Month with Google SEO: From High-Traffic Sites to App Development

People keep asking if SEO is still profitable or if Google ad revenue is declining. I always answer: with billions of daily searches, it's hard to argue demand is gone.

Here’s how our main projects earn revenue, from busy Google sites to mobile apps. Years of trial and error shaped our setup, with each part supporting the business as a whole.

Since 2018, we’ve grown from a few websites to 120+, earning $10K+ monthly from Adsense. Our approach: build high-traffic sites, monetize with Adsense and ad networks, and recently expand into iOS apps.

Why High-Traffic Sites Are the Foundation

We prioritize high-traffic sites because traffic forms the basis for monetization. Without a steady stream of visitors, other strategies are ineffective.

Our sites fall into three categories. First are image resource sites—our main expertise. We started with one avatar site in 2018. Now we run 40+ sites on memes, holiday graphics, and more. One meme site sees 5,000+ daily visitors and $300–$400 per month. Most of this runs automatically.

Next, tool-oriented sites have smaller traffic but higher engagement. Our resume generator, with a focused audience, brings in about $1,200 per month reliably.

Finally, there are content-driven sites focused on specific niches like technology guides, tutorials, and life hacks. These allow us to quickly capture trending search traffic and maintain a steady flow of visitors.

Building High-Traffic Sites the Right Way

You need a clear plan and some discipline to build high-traffic sites. We rely on keyword tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to map each site, from main topics down to specific phrases. For a design tool site, searching 'logo design' gave us 200+ useful keywords to shape our content.

Most of our content starts with automation. AI tools make first drafts. Then we fine-tune everything. This approach tripled our output since 2020, so one editor can now keep up with 40 sites. We put a lot of effort into site speed and reliability. Most run on Alibaba Cloud with a CDN, loading in less than two seconds. We also ensure everything works well on mobile. That helps Google rankings and keeps things running smoothly.

Adsense: Our Steady Revenue Engine

Adsense remains our primary source of cash flow. Back in 2018, a new site might make $20 per month. Today, our best-performing sites consistently generate $10K+ monthly.

Effective ad placement matters most. Our top setup: one adaptive ad at the top, 2–3 native in-content ads, and a sidebar display ad. This setup yields up to $12 RPMs.

Traffic quality matters. Traffic from developed countries is more valuable. Focusing on English-language sites tripled or even quintupled our revenue compared to the same Chinese traffic.

Strict compliance with Adsense is essential. We carefully review every article before publication. So far, we’ve avoided any bans across 50+ sites.

Every week, we analyze improvements to ads, traffic, and content to refine our strategy.

Ad Networks and Diversified Revenue

We use networks like CJ, ClickBank, and ShareASale to diversify income. This helps get higher conversions. Design tool reviews bring both ad revenue and affiliate commissions per sale.

We include affiliate recommendations right in our articles. We don’t put them on separate pages. Then we use analytics to see what works best.

Niche Sites: Small Traffic, High Value

Niche sites are newer for us. They target focused audiences, like tutorial sites and tool reviews. These sites get less traffic but higher value per user. Niche sites do well when they’re detailed and trustworthy. Our articles often are over 5,000 words and include full guides and code. Working with both the community and experts helps boost trust and engagement.

iOS Apps: Exploring a New Frontier

We’ve begun developing iOS apps since 70% of our site traffic comes from mobile users. Apps help us deliver a better user experience with features like push notifications and enable additional ways to earn revenue, such as subscriptions. To innovate efficiently, we launch simple app versions quickly using our existing content and user base from our image sites. We assess updates and future development based on data like download numbers, user engagement, and retention rates. This approach helps us test ideas and refine our apps to better meet user needs.

Collaboration Between Projects

All our projects work together. High-traffic sites send visitors to our niche sites and apps. We share content and branding, so everything feels connected.

Next, we’ll upgrade tech, add more languages, strengthen our top niches, and launch Android and mini-program app versions.

Lessons Learned

Over the years, we learned to diversify revenue, trust data, keep learning, and put user experience first.

By combining high-traffic sites, niche platforms, ad networks, and apps, we built a strong and flexible business. The online world is always changing. Sticking to a clear, data-driven plan helps us grow and find new opportunities.

Our team met with the client on Monday to review the Zephyr project’s Q3 launch campaign status. The campaign began as an omnichannel activation across CTV, paid social, and programmatic display. However, new client directives delivered during the meeting prompted a significant change in focus while the campaign was already active. The team had to shift quickly from the original objectives to new priorities, moving from a performance-driven narrative to one centered on broader themes, all within a tighter timeframe.

With these new goals, we’re shifting from a performance-tracking focus to a broader message about everyday wellness and inclusivity. This means we need to quickly adapt our messaging, campaign structure, and visuals to support the updated objectives.

To respond, I immediately gave the team clear follow-ups. The visual art team will lead post-production stock content talks. Ad sales will update the media plan with the new messaging and coordinate with DSPs to keep things on track. The copy desk will remove any unsubstantiated medical claims, add the new call to action, and work alongside legal for review.

For the rest of the week, we’ll have a quick team stand-up every morning to spot any blockers. Our next check-in with the client is July 3rd to preview draft assets and confirm we’re meeting compliance goals. We’re aiming to get final approval by July 7th at 17:00 PDT. We’ll keep everything moving forward together and immediately flag any delays.