In mid-2017, I had gained enough experience in digital marketing to generate traffic and revenue through CPA and affiliate marketing.
By July 2017, I decided to diversify my income streams by building digital assets instead of relying only on affiliate and CPA offers.
Why I Tested Display Advertising
This time, I planned to test one of my websites using display advertising.
It is one of the most common monetization methods used by website owners.
Display ad networks act as a bridge between advertisers and website owners. Advertisers bid for placements, and website owners earn based on impressions and clicks.
I chose Google AdSense as my starting point because of its strong market presence and wide adoption.
Google provides multiple ad formats for both desktop and mobile devices. It also offers strong earning potential in competitive niches where advertisers are willing to bid higher.
However, while researching, I found mixed results.
Some website owners were generating decent revenue through display ads, while others were not.
My Testing Plan
To test this properly, I created a structured execution plan.
Research Phase
- Niche research and selection
- Competitor analysis
- Keyword research
Website Setup Phase
- New website setup
- Content creation
- On-page and off-page SEO implementation
AdSense Approval Process
After setting up the website and ensuring it complied with Google AdSense policies, I submitted it for approval.
Once approved, I moved to the next phase.
Traffic Generation Strategy
To generate traffic, I focused on multiple channels:
• SEO
• Social media
• YouTube
• Forums
The goal was to build consistent traffic from different sources.
Ad Optimization and Testing
Once traffic started coming in, I began testing ad placements.
I manually experimented with different ad positions to understand:
• Which placements generated higher CTR
• Which placements resulted in better CPC
Based on the data, I continuously optimized placements to improve performance.
Revenue Growth
Gradually, the website started generating revenue.
The earnings improved over time as traffic increased and ad placements were optimized.
You can see the month-by-month earnings breakdown below.
July 2017 Earnings: $24.89
August 2017 Earnings: $178.11
September 2017 Earnings: $190.31
October 2017 Earnings: $350.92
November 2017 Earnings: $681.88
December 2017 Earning: $1,004.22
January 2018 Earning: $1,805.89
February 2018 Earning: $1,807.29
March 2018 Earning: $1,891.52
April 2018 Earning: $1,349.63
May 2018 Earning: $1,191.22
June 2018 Earning: $1,387.83
July 2018 Earning: $747.62
Overall Revenue Summary:
So, this is my month-by-month revenue breakdown from my website through Google AdSense.
Overall, I made more than $12K in a one-year period from July 2017 to July 2018.
You can also refer to this attached screenshot from Google AdSense to verify this statement from the Google Payment Center.