Just getting lots of traffic isn’t the only thing to be thinking about.
Earlier this year, I started an experiment with an SEO-driven directory site for a side hustle.
The idea was simple: target a specific, in-demand keyword and see what kind of traffic I could generate.
I’ve now realised a mistake in my thinking. You live and learn.
At the time, I wasn’t too concerned about the commercial side — it was more of a learning experience and experiment.
Fast forward to now, and the directory is doing very well in terms of traffic (7K/mo). It’s getting lots of organic Google clicks too (2.5K/mo), bringing in thousands of monthly visitors.
But there’s the catch: it’s not making any revenue yet.
It may do one day (I have some ideas up my sleeve) and even if it doesn’t I don’t mind. As they say with side hustles, you often have to make lots of mistakes before you start to find success.
So what was my mistake? The keyword I built the site around includes the word “free,” which doesn’t exactly attract people looking to spend money — neither users or sponsors.
While the traffic numbers are great, the commercial potential is limited.
So I’ve learned a valuable lesson — if you want to generate revenue one day, targeting keywords with commercial intent is just as important as driving traffic. If you’re only experimenting and learning, it’s not such a big deal.
I don’t regret the experiment. It’s taught me a lot about balancing SEO goals with business goals, and that’s something I’ll take into my future projects.
Note: originally published on my Tiny SEO Lessons blog
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