In the world of website acquisition and monetization, there are often hidden secrets that lead to success. One such example is the story of Brock Yates and his acquisition of AllTurtles.com. Back in 2012, Yates purchased the website for a mere $3,000. At the time, the site was just a forum with 80,000 pages and thin content about turtle species, generating a modest $60 per month. Fast forward to today, and AllTurtles.com receives an impressive 150-180,000 page views per month and earns a mid-five figure income annually. The success of the site can be attributed to various factors such as its well-rounded content, branding, and link juice from a large brand’s PR confusion. With a hands-off approach to content production and a focus on hiring good researchers and writers, Yates has managed to create a profitable website. The monetization of the site is primarily through Mediavine and Amazon Associates, with a 90-10 split in revenue. In the future, AllTurtles.com plans to expand with video content, email list building, and enhancing reader engagement. It’s a fascinating journey that proves that with the right strategy and approach, even someone without prior SEO knowledge can achieve success in the online business world.
History of AllTurtles.com
In 2012, Brock Yates acquired the website AllTurtles.com on Flippa for a mere $3,000. At the time of purchase, the site was a forum with 80,000 pages of thin content about turtle species. It was generating a modest income of $60 per month. The website had low competition and focused specifically on a particular type of turtle species. The content on the site consisted of short articles with minimal information. The site had a forum with 880,000 pages and approximately 50-150 light pages on specific turtle species. The website had monetized through AdSense and Amazon Associates. However, despite its humble beginnings, AllTurtles has experienced significant growth and success over the years.
Growth and Success of AllTurtles.com
Today, AllTurtles receives an impressive 150-180,000 page views per month and generates mid-five figures in revenue annually. The success of the site can be attributed to various factors, including its age, brand recognition, well-rounded content, and link juice from a large brand’s PR confusion. Brock Yates, the owner of AllTurtles, takes a hands-off approach to content production. He emphasizes the importance of hiring good researchers, especially if subject matter experts are not available. Yates employs a mostly outsourced content creation model and has a low-cost writing team through Upwork.
Monetization Strategy
AllTurtles relies primarily on Mediavine and Amazon Associates for monetization. The revenue split between these two platforms is 90-10, respectively. Yates maximizes ad revenue by paying attention to content structure and layout, with a focus on increasing ad impressions and enhancing reader experience. By strategically organizing and presenting content, AllTurtles has been able to optimize its ad revenue.
Future Plans
Moving forward, AllTurtles has exciting plans to continue its growth and success. One of the planned developments is the inclusion of video content. This addition will enhance user engagement and diversify the website’s content offerings. Additionally, AllTurtles aims to build an email list to establish a direct line of communication with its audience. Improved reader engagement is also a focus for future growth.
Content Creation and Outsourcing
AllTurtles places a strong emphasis on content creation and recognizes the importance of outsourcing to maintain quality and consistency. The website’s content primarily focuses on turtle species, particularly in the United States. The process of content creation begins with extensive keyword research to determine the most relevant topics. Based on this research, the appropriate writer is selected for each topic. The majority of content creation is outsourced, with writers hired through Upwork. AllTurtles’ hiring process involves filtering candidates based on success rates and screening questions. The chosen writers are paid $10 per thousand words. Editing is done by a dedicated editor who receives training in formatting for SEO. The website prioritizes thorough content and regularly updates old articles to ensure accuracy and relevancy.
Insights on Site Monetization
AllTurtles’ site monetization breakdown consists of 90% Mediavine and 10% Amazon Associates. To maximize ad revenue, AllTurtles employs several strategies. Content is effectively structured with carefully placed ads to increase impressions. The use of bullet points, images, and larger font sizes enhances the reader’s experience and boosts ad revenue. Additionally, AllTurtles has found that removing the ‘X’ on ads results in increased ad impressions and therefore higher revenue. The website also acknowledges the seasonality of its niche, with peak months in April and May due to weather and increased turtle activities. AllTurtles primarily focuses on turtle species in the United States, specifically in the Midwest.
Backlinking Strategy
AllTurtles initially acquired a website with a decade-old backlink profile, which provided a solid foundation for its backlinking strategy. Although Yates had limited knowledge about backlinks initially, he leveraged the site’s established reputation and internal linking to build a strong backlink profile. Additionally, infographics were created and utilized on Pinterest to attract more backlinks. While paid link services were experimented with, they were deemed ineffective. Instead, AllTurtles focused on acquiring links from reputable sources like Wikipedia and the New York Times. The website strictly concentrates on the niche of turtles, tortoises, and sea turtles. AllTurtles has committed to the long-term maintenance and operation of the website.
Additional Content and Marketing Efforts
In addition to its website, AllTurtles has expanded its presence through a YouTube channel, which serves as a platform for video content. Yates recognizes the significance of owning and building a reader base through email marketing. To further leverage its content, AllTurtles sells specific content on brockly.org, providing individuals with the opportunity to learn how to produce quality content or develop their own content creation process. The podcast episode is sponsored by Search Intelligence, an agency that specializes in building digital PR links for clients’ websites. The episode showcases a successful link-building PR campaign by Search Intelligence. The campaign involved providing expert commentary on the topic of sleeping on one’s back and reaching out to journalists who cover sleep and well-being. The resulting links from publications like Huffington Post, Glamour magazine, and Mirror UK significantly boosted traffic to the client’s website.
Conclusion
The story of AllTurtles.com is a testament to the potential for growth and success in the online world. Through strategic monetization, outsourcing content creation, effective SEO strategies, and a focus on user engagement, AllTurtles has transformed from a modest forum into a thriving website. With plans for further development and expansion, AllTurtles aims to maintain its status as a leading resource for turtle enthusiasts and continue providing valuable and engaging content.