How to Make Money From a Website: 10 Proven Revenue Streams That Actually Work

Think about the last five websites you visited. Chances are, at least two were making money from you – whether you clicked an ad, signed up for a subscription, or bought a product. The truth is, every website has the potential to generate revenue, but most owners fail because they don’t choose the right monetization model.

The good news? You don’t need millions of visitors to create a profitable website. With the right website revenue streams, even small sites can pull in consistent income.

I’ve spent the last 10+ years helping small businesses and creators grow online revenue. I’ve tested everything from AdSense to high-ticket consulting, and I’ve seen what actually works in the real world.

In this guide, I’ll break down the 10 most proven online revenue sources for websites, explain who they’re best for, and show you how to implement each step by step. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to turn your site into an asset that generates real income.

Key Takeaways

• Websites can generate income through diverse revenue streams, including ads, affiliate marketing, products, memberships, and lead generation.
• The best revenue source for a website depends on your traffic level, niche, and audience engagement.
• Small websites with low traffic can still earn money by offering services, digital products, or high-ticket affiliates.
• High-traffic websites often thrive with advertising, sponsorships, and memberships.
• The most successful businesses use a mix of online revenue sources to reduce risk and maximize earnings.

Quick Wins:

• Use ads and affiliate marketing if you have traffic.
• Focus on services and digital products if you have a small but loyal audience.
• Diversify with 2–3 online revenue sources to reduce risk.
• Websites can be sold later as digital assets for 25–40x monthly profit.

Website Revenue Streams at a Glance

Revenue Stream	Traffic Needed	Startup Effort	Earning Potential	Best For
Display Ads	High (50K+/mo)	Low	$$–$$$	Blogs, news sites
Affiliate Marketing	Low–Medium	Medium	$$–$$$$	Review sites, blogs
Digital Products	Low–Medium	High upfront	$$$–$$$$$	Experts, educators
E-commerce (Physical)	Medium	Medium–High	$$$–$$$$$	Niche stores
Memberships/Subscriptions	Medium–High	High	$$$–$$$$$	Creators, communities
Sponsored Content	Medium–High	Medium	$$$–$$$$	Authority sites
Lead Generation	Medium	Medium	$$$–$$$$$	B2B, local niches
Freelance/Consulting	Very Low	Medium	$$$–$$$$$	Professionals
Donations/Crowdfunding	Low–Medium	Low	$–$$$	Niche creators
Selling Your Website	Any	Medium	$$$$–$$$$$$	Site builders

1. Advertising Revenue

Display Ads (Google AdSense and Alternatives)

Display advertising is the most straightforward way to earn money from a website. You place ads on your site, and every time a visitor sees (CPM) or clicks (CPC) on them, you get paid.

Step-by-Step Setup:

1. Sign up for Google AdSense.
2. Add the code snippet AdSense gives you to your website.
3. Ads automatically appear, and you start earning.

Earning Example: A blog with 50,000 monthly visitors might earn $300–$700/month depending on niche. Finance and tech niches pay higher rates than lifestyle or entertainment.

Alternatives:

• Mediavine (requires 50K+ sessions/month)
• AdThrive (100K+ monthly pageviews)
• Ezoic (works with smaller sites, no strict minimum)

Pro Tip: Optimize ad placements (above the fold, inside articles, sidebar) to boost revenue without overwhelming the reader.

Ad Network	Traffic Requirement	Typical RPM (Revenue per 1,000 views)
Google AdSense	None	$1–$3
Ezoic	None	$3–$10
Mediavine	50K sessions/month	$10–$30
AdThrive	100K+ views/month	$15–$40

Direct Ad Sales

Instead of relying on networks, you can sell ad space directly. For example, a local travel site can sell banner spots to hotels.

• Best for: Niche sites with a well-defined audience
• Revenue: A single banner can earn $100–$500/month, depending on traffic and audience quality

2. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing lets you earn commissions when readers buy products through your links.

How It Works:

1. Join an affiliate program (e.g., Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Impact, or a SaaS affiliate program).
2. Place referral links inside your articles or product reviews.
3. Earn a percentage of each sale (commissions range from 4% to 50%).

Earning Example:

• A finance blog promoting credit cards can earn $100–$250 per approved referral.
• A beauty blogger promoting skincare products might earn $1–$10 per sale.

Best Practices:

• Focus on products your audience already wants.
• Write genuine, helpful reviews.
• Use comparison tables for higher click-through rates.

Affiliate Network Comparison Table:

Network/Program	Commission Range	Best Niches	Payout Model
Amazon Associates	3–10%	Consumer goods	Per sale
Impact/ShareASale	10–40%	SaaS, tools, retail	Per sale/lead
CJ Affiliate	5–50%	Retail, finance, travel	Per sale/lead

3. Selling Digital Products

Digital products have high margins because they’re created once and sold infinitely.

Examples:

• eBooks
• Online courses (via Teachable or Thinkific)
• Canva templates
• Stock photos, music, or video clips

Step-by-Step Setup:

1. Choose a problem your audience has.
2. Create a product that solves it (e.g., a “Content Calendar Template” for marketers).
3. Sell via Gumroad, Podia, or WooCommerce.

Examples & Potential:

• eBook ($15) – sell 200/month = $3,000.
• Online Course ($99) – sell 50/month = $4,950.
• Canva Template Pack ($29) – sell 100/month = $2,900.

4. E-commerce and Physical Products

If you prefer selling tangible goods, your website can be a full online store.

Business Models:

• Dropshipping (sell without holding inventory; suppliers ship products for you)
• Print-on-Demand (custom t-shirts, mugs, posters with no upfront stock)
• Handmade Goods (sell crafts, jewelry, or niche products)

Tools to Use:

• Shopify
• WooCommerce (for WordPress)
• Wix eCommerce

Earning Example:
Niche hiking store → $20K/month revenue, ~30% margin.

---

Related Articles

---

5. Subscription and Membership Models

Recurring revenue is one of the most powerful website revenue streams. Instead of one-off sales, you charge users monthly or yearly for access.

Ideas:

• Premium content or reports
• Online communities (via Circle or Mighty Networks)
• Fitness programs, coaching groups, or resource libraries

Example Models:

• Premium content ($10–$20/month)
• Community access ($5–$15/month)
• Exclusive tools/resources ($20–$50/month)

Earning Example:
A career coaching site charges $19/month for resume templates and workshops. With 1,000 members, that’s $19,000 in monthly recurring revenue.

6. Sponsored Content and Partnerships

Brands will pay to reach your audience through:

• Sponsored blog posts
• Paid reviews
• Newsletter shoutouts

Earning Example:

• Small sites: $100–$500 per sponsored post
• Mid-sized sites (100K+ monthly visitors): $1,000–$5,000+ per campaign

Tip: Build a “Media Kit” showing your audience size, engagement, and demographics to attract sponsors.

7. Lead Generation

Instead of selling directly, you can earn money by collecting leads for other businesses.

How It Works:

• Visitors fill out a form.
• You sell these leads to companies (usually B2B or local businesses).

Examples:

• A mortgage calculator site generating leads for lenders.
• A wedding planning blog sending leads to local vendors.

Earning Example:
Each lead might sell for $10–$50 depending on industry. A site generating 500 leads per month can earn $5,000–$25,000.

8. Offering Freelance or Consulting Services

Low traffic? No problem. If your site positions you as an expert, clients will find you. Your website doesn’t need high traffic to make money if you position yourself as an expert.

Services You Can Offer:

• SEO consulting
• Design or writing services
• Virtual assistant or coaching

Pro Tip: Add case studies and testimonials to your site to build credibility.

Earning Example:
Even with 500 visitors/month, a consultant can close $2,000–$10,000 projects if their site is positioned well.

9. Donations and Crowdfunding

Sometimes your audience is willing to support you directly.

Tools:

• Patreon
• Buy Me a Coffee
• Ko-fi

Earning Example:
A niche blogger with 200 loyal readers may earn $200–$500/month in recurring donations.

10. Licensing and Selling Your Website

Websites are digital real estate. If yours has traffic, rankings, or revenue, you can sell it.

Where to Sell:

• Flippa
• Empire Flippers
• FE International

Valuation Rule: Websites usually sell for 25–40x monthly profit.

Earning Example:
A site earning $1,000/month could sell for $25,000–$40,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best revenue source for a website?

If you have high traffic, ads and sponsorships are strong. If you have small but loyal traffic, digital products, memberships, or consulting usually perform better.

How long does it take to make money from a website?

Most websites take 6–12 months to generate steady income, depending on your monetization strategy and how fast you grow traffic.

Can I make money from a website without selling anything?

Yes, through ads, affiliate links, donations, and sponsorships.

How much traffic do I need to monetize a website?

• For ads: 10K+ monthly visitors minimum
• For affiliate marketing: As little as 1K engaged visitors
• For consulting/services: Almost no traffic required if positioned well

What’s the fastest way to monetize a new website?

Offer services or consulting through your site. You don’t need traffic to start pitching clients.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Building a profitable website isn’t about following a one-size-fits-all formula. The best strategy depends on your niche, audience, and goals.

Quick Recap: Best Revenue Sources for a Website

• Low Traffic: Freelancing, digital products, affiliate marketing
• Medium Traffic: Lead generation, memberships, sponsored content
• High Traffic: Display ads, brand partnerships, selling the site

Final Thought: Treat your website like a business, not just a blog. Start small by testing one revenue source for a website, then expand into multiple streams as you grow.

👉 My recommendation: If your site is under 10K monthly visitors, start with affiliate marketing or services. If you’re above 50K monthly visitors, ads and sponsorships become worth it.