Blog
Introducing usage methods and experiences, it is a heartwarming story.
Adsense multi-site operation practice: a systematic plan to increase monthly income from $20 to $15,000 in 7 years
Once you have a website, you want to make more money. So, today, I'm going to do a thorough optimization of our website. Here are some of my insights.
I currently operate 12 AdSense sites, generating a stable monthly income of over $15,000, with a single site RPM reaching as high as $12. This wasn't achieved overnight; it's a systematic plan developed over seven years.
Today, I'll share this plan with you in its entirety, covering everything from site planning to daily operations, from risk management to revenue optimization.
Why Build a Multi-Site Matrix?
Many people start with a single site, and I'm no exception. In 2018, my first AdSense tech blog was rejected three times before being accepted, generating only $20 in revenue in my first month. At the time, I thought relying solely on a single site was too risky.
Later, practice has proven this judgment correct. Single-site operations have several obvious limitations:
There's a clear traffic ceiling. A single site can only cover a limited number of keywords, and even with excellent content, it's difficult to break through a traffic bottleneck. My tech blog eventually reached around 10,000 IP addresses per day, and no amount of optimization could boost its rankings.
Weak risk tolerance: An algorithm update or a sudden surge in a competitor can cause your rankings to plummet. I've seen countless friends work hard for a year and see their sites wiped out because of a single algorithm update.
With a single source of income, changes in AdSense policies or advertiser budget adjustments directly impact your revenue. Diversifying your risk is a fundamental principle of any business model.
So, starting in 2019, I consciously developed a multi-site matrix. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
My Multi-Site Strategy
After several years of practice, I've developed a relatively mature strategy. The core concept is "vertical depth + matrix coverage."
Three Major Content Strategies
Technical Tutorials
- Programming Language Sites (one each for Python and JavaScript).
- Development Tool Tutorial Sites.
- Technology Trend Information Sites.
These sites are characterized by strong user engagement and relatively high RPMs, typically reaching $8-12. The disadvantage is that content production requirements are relatively high, requiring a certain level of technical proficiency.
Lifestyle Sites
- Health and Wellness Sites.
- Home and Living Sites.
- Travel Guide Sites.
- Food Recipe Sites.
Lifestyle Sites are relatively easy to acquire traffic and have a broad user base, but competition is also fierce. The average price per user (RPM) for these sites is generally between $4 and $8.
Tools and Resources
- Online Tool Collection Sites.
- Template and Material Sites.
- Software Download Sites.
The advantages of these sites are fast traffic flow and high user conversion rates, but they also have high server requirements and relatively high operating costs.
Geographic Market Distribution
Main Market: English-speaking Markets: The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia are my primary target markets. These regions have high ad unit prices and strong user willingness to pay. I have six sites targeting the US market and two targeting the Commonwealth.
Emerging Markets: Southeast Asia, India, and the Philippines. While these regions have low unit prices, traffic acquisition costs are very low and competition is relatively low. They are suitable for content with high traffic but low monetization requirements.
Test Markets: I'll set aside one or two sites in other regions to test new market opportunities, such as the Latin American market.
Core Systems for Efficient Management
Managing 12 sites without a systematic approach would be an absolute nightmare. My current daily management relies primarily on three systems:
Content Production Pipeline
Batch Topic Selection Strategy: I spend one day each week planning topics, using Ahrefs and Semrush to analyze keyword opportunities across all sites. I keep an Excel spreadsheet documenting each site's content plan for the next month.
The benefit of this approach is that it allows for a coordinated approach, avoiding duplication of similar content across different sites and ensuring consistent content updates across all sites.
AI-Assisted Creation: Currently, 80% of the content on my website is AI-assisted. Rather than relying entirely on AI to write, I provide the outline and key points, and the AI handles expansion and polishing. A 2,000-word article takes me about 30-40 minutes to complete.
Here's the specific process:
- I first spend 20 minutes doing keyword research and competitor analysis.
- Creating an article outline and key points.
- Using ChatGPT to expand the content, I'm responsible for steering the direction.
- Finally, I spend 10 minutes reviewing and revising.
Content Distribution Matrix: I'll rewrite a core piece of content based on the positioning of different sites, creating multiple versions. For example, I might rewrite a Python tutorial into a beginner-friendly version and an advanced-level version, publishing each to different sites.
Data Monitoring System
Key Metric Tracking: I review the core data for all sites daily:
Traffic data (GA4 statistics).
AdSense revenue (focusing on RPM and click-through rate).
Search ranking changes (using Ahrefs Position Explorer).
User behavior data (dwell time, bounce rate).
I create a Google Sheets spreadsheet to centralize all this data, allowing me to quickly identify anomalies.
Alert Mechanism: If a site's traffic or revenue drops abnormally (over 20%), the system will automatically send me an email alert. This allows me to identify and address any issues immediately.
Competitive Monitoring: I use Ahrefs to monitor the activity of major competitors, including new content, keyword changes, and backlink development. This information is very helpful in adjusting my content strategy.
Automated Technical Operations
Unified Technology Stack: I use a few tried-and-tested technology stacks for all my sites, one of which is WordPress + Cloudflare CDN. This standardizes the operations process. I also use a few plugins, including Yoast SEO, W3 Total Cache, and Wordfence Security.
Bulk Operation Tools: I've developed some simple scripts for bulk plugin updates, data backups, and website status checks. Basic maintenance for all sites takes only two hours per week.
Security Monitoring: Each site is configured with security monitoring, including malware scanning, login anomaly detection, and file change monitoring. This is one of the most overlooked yet crucial aspects of multi-site operations.
Practical Experience in Revenue Optimization
Multi-site operations aren't simply about piling up numbers; the key is ensuring that each site generates stable revenue.
Ad Position Optimization
For dynamic ad placement, I dynamically adjust ad placement based on user behavior data for each site. For example, users of technical tutorial sites prefer ads in the middle and end of articles, while users of lifestyle sites are more receptive to sidebar ads.
My average click-through rate currently remains above 1.2%, which is a relatively ideal figure.
70% of my traffic comes from mobile devices, so I use responsive ads extensively. These ads automatically adjust to screen size, providing a better user experience and a corresponding increase in RPM.
A/B Testing for Continuous Optimization: I regularly conduct A/B tests on different ad configurations to compare their impact on revenue. I test at least two to three new configurations each month.
Differentiating Content Strategies
Long-Tail Keyword Mining:
The advantage of multi-site development is that it covers a large number of long-tail keywords. I currently rank on the homepage for over 200 of my main keywords, and countless more long-tail keywords.
For each site at different stages, I focus on a specific keyword framework and then build content clusters around these keywords. This ensures both traffic and authority.
Quickly Respond to Hot Topics: I have a hot topic tracking system that allows me to quickly identify trending topics within my industry. Once I spot an opportunity, I produce relevant content within 24 hours and publish it on the most appropriate site.
When ChatGPT first became popular in 2024, I immediately created a series of tutorials related to it, which brought significant traffic to several technology sites.
Continuously Improving User Experience
Optimizing Page Loading Speed: All sites load within 2 seconds, which is crucial for both SEO and user retention. I utilize various techniques, including CDN acceleration, image compression, and code optimization.
Mobile Adaptation: 70% of our traffic now comes from mobile, so the mobile experience is paramount. All of my sites are mobile-first, ensuring excellent display on all screen sizes.
To improve content readability, I break articles into smaller paragraphs and use more headings and lists to make them easier to read. This increases user engagement and helps boost AdSense revenue.
Important Lessons in Risk Management
Operating multiple sites increases the risks exponentially, making risk management particularly important.
Zero Tolerance for Compliance Operations
Content Originality Guaranteed: Although I use AI to assist with content creation, I never copy and paste directly. Every article undergoes my review and revision to ensure originality and accuracy.
Advertising Policies Strictly Adhere to AdSense's frequently updated policies. I regularly review the latest regulations to ensure all sites comply. Any potential violations will be rectified immediately.
Copyright Issues Handled Carefully: All images used are sourced from free stock photo websites or taken by myself. Content with copyright issues is never used. While this may increase costs, it helps avoid legal risks.
Account Security Management
Multi-Account Strategy: I don't place all my sites under a single AdSense account, but instead spread them across several. This way, even if a problem occurs with one account, my overall revenue won't be affected.
IP Address Management: I use a different IP address and device to log in to each account to avoid being identified as linked accounts. This is a crucial detail, but many people overlook it.
Data Backup: All important data is backed up multiple times, including website content, user data, and revenue records. I use a combination of automatic and manual backups for double protection.
Diversifying Traffic Risk
Although search engines are my primary source of traffic, I've also invested in social media, email marketing, direct marketing, and other channels. This way, even if the search algorithm is updated, it won't have a devastating impact on overall traffic.
Controlling Content Update Frequency: I don't update content in large quantities in a short period of time, but instead maintain a steady update frequency. This helps avoid being labeled a spam site by search engines.
Sharing Specific Operational Data
After all this theory, the data speaks for itself. Take the 12 websites I currently operate as an example:
Overall Revenue
- Average Monthly Revenue: Over $15,000.
- Best Month: $18,000.
- Highest Monthly Revenue per Website: $3,000.
- Average RPM: $6-8.
Traffic Distribution
- Average Monthly Page Views: Over 1.5 Million.
- Highest Monthly Page Views per Website: 400,000.
- Average Bounce Rate: 45%.
- Average Dwell Time: 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Keyword Rankings
- Homepage Keywords: Over 200.
- Top Three Keywords: Over 150.
- Long-Tail Keywords: Thousands.
These numbers weren't generated from the start; they were accumulated over three years.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make.
In my work with students, I've noticed some common mistakes beginners make when operating multiple websites:
Many people try to build dozens of websites at once, only to struggle with any of them. I recommend focusing on two or three websites first, then expanding once you've gotten the hang of it.
Severe content homogeneity. In order to quickly produce content, content is copied and pasted across different sites. This not only has no SEO impact but may also result in search engine penalties.
Ignoring data analysis and focusing solely on revenue figures without analyzing the underlying factors makes it difficult to identify optimization strategies and replicate successful experiences.
Weak technical foundations and insufficient understanding of WordPress, SEO, and server technologies prevent quick resolution of issues, impacting overall efficiency.
Future Development Directions
With the rapid development of AI technology, I'm also considering how to make multi-site operations more intelligent:
AI content generation optimization: I'm currently testing more advanced AI tools, hoping to further improve content production efficiency while ensuring quality.
Increasing automation: We plan to develop more automated tools for keyword research, content publishing, and data analysis, reducing manual intervention.
Expanding into emerging markets: Beyond traditional English-speaking markets, I'm also exploring opportunities in emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Diversifying monetization: We're not solely relying on AdSense, but are also exploring other monetization methods such as affiliate marketing, paid memberships, and product sales.
In general, multi-site operations can indeed bring better returns and greater resilience to risks, but this requires a systematic management plan. I hope the experiences I've shared are helpful.
If you're considering multi-site operations, my advice is to start small, gradually improve, and avoid rushing for success. It's a process that requires patience and persistence, but once you get it right, the rewards are substantial.
Other related articles：
Adsense website speed optimization practice: How I increased RPM from $2.8 to $6.5
2025 AdSense Mastery: AI Compliance & Revenue Optimization Guide
Mobile Adsense Optimization Practice: A Complete Guide to Earning $800 to $2000 a Month