How This "WEIRD" Website Makes $88,000/Month!

Key Concepts

• Niche websites
• Display advertising (RPM)
• Website traffic (SEO, branded keywords)
• Page views per visitor
• Iframe
• Weird/Unique website ideas
• Monetization strategies

Website 1: Akinator.com

• Main Idea: A website featuring a "Genie" (Akinator) that guesses a character the user is thinking of through a series of questions.
• Monetization: Display ads. Each question asked generates a new page view, triggering more ad displays.
• Traffic: 2.3 million visitors per month (SimilarWeb). Primarily from Google search traffic (SEO). Strong branded keyword traffic indicates returning users.
• Earnings: Estimated $88,662 per month. Calculation: 2.3 million visitors x 7.64 page views/visitor x $5 RPM.
• Key Point: The high number of page views per visitor is crucial to the website's success.

Website 2: IMCDB.org (Internet Movie Car Database)

• Main Idea: A database of cars appearing in movies and TV shows. Users can search by make and model to see appearances.
• Example: Searching for "Infiniti EX" shows its appearance in Modern Family.
• Monetization: Display ads.
• Traffic: Just over 600,000 visitors per month (SimilarWeb).
• Page Views: 11.23 pages per visitor (high engagement).
• Earnings: Estimated $33,000 per month.
• Key Point: Demonstrates that even seemingly niche interests can attract significant traffic and revenue.

Website 3: Find the Invisible Cow.com

• Main Idea: A game where users find an "invisible cow" by listening to audio cues that get louder as they get closer.
• Monetization: Display ads.
• Traffic: Approximately 87,000 visitors per month (SimilarWeb).
• Earnings: Estimated $557 per month (lower RPM assumed).
• Key Point: Highlights that even a very simple and "weird" website can generate income.

Website 4: Boredbutton.com

• Main Idea: A website that presents users with a random activity, game, or piece of information by displaying other websites in an iframe.
• Functionality: The site itself doesn't create original content but acts as a portal to other websites.
• Examples: Displays "World's Dumbest Game," "Emoji Phrasebook," and other external websites.
• Monetization: Ads on the homepage and interstitial ads.
• Traffic: Over 700,000 visitors per month (SimilarWeb).
• Page Views: 7.95 page views per visitor.
• Earnings: Estimated $11,000 per month (calculation based on 3 attributable page views per visitor with ads).
• Key Point: Illustrates a business model where value is created through curation and aggregation rather than original content creation.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video showcases four unusual websites that generate revenue through display advertising. The key takeaways are:

1. Niche Focus: Even seemingly obscure interests can attract a substantial audience.
2. Engagement: High page views per visitor are crucial for maximizing ad revenue.
3. Monetization: Display ads remain a viable monetization strategy.
4. Creativity: "Weird" or unique ideas can be successful.
5. Aggregation: Value can be created by curating and presenting existing content in a novel way.

The video encourages viewers to explore their own "weird little ideas" and consider how they could be turned into profitable websites. It also suggests that if "weird" isn't your thing, there are plenty of "boring" websites that make good money too.