Have you turned your passion into a website, but don’t know how to turn it into income? Whether you blog about gardening, cooking, DIY crafts, photography, or any other passion project, monetizing your hobby website with display ads is one of the simplest ways to start earning passive income.
In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to help you start making money from your hobby website using display ads. We’ll also recommend top ad networks that are perfect for small publishers, even if you have low traffic.
Make Sure Your Website Is Ready for Monetization
Before you apply for any ad network, your hobby website should meet certain basic standards:
- Original, Niche-Relevant Content: Make sure your blog posts are unique, well-written, and aligned with your hobby niche.
- Responsive Design: Your website should be mobile-friendly, as a huge portion of traffic comes from smartphones.
- Navigation and Speed: Make your site easy to browse and ensure fast loading times. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to optimize.
- Some Traffic: While many ad networks don’t require high traffic, having at least 500–1000 monthly visitors improves your monetization chances.
Best Ad Network For Hobby Websites
Here are some of the best ad networks for monetizing hobby websites, whether you’re just starting or growing your audience.
Google AdSense (Most Trusted and Versatile)
Google AdSense is the go-to contextual ad network for most bloggers due to its global reach and reliable earnings. It scans your page content and places highly relevant ads in real time using Google’s AI engine.
For hobby sites covering specific interests like stamp collecting, cycling gear, or DIY crafts, AdSense excels in delivering topic-relevant ads that improve both UX and monetization.
Its auto-ads feature dynamically places ads across your site for optimal revenue, and its reporting dashboard gives a clear view of impressions, CPC, and RPM.
- Ad Types: Display, in-feed, in-article, matched content
- Ease of Use: Easy WordPress plugins, fast setup
- Payout: $100 via bank transfer
- Best For: All niche hobby blogs with consistent traffic
- Pro Tip: Use “Matched Content” ads to boost both revenue and pageviews
Ezoic (AI Optimization for Contextual Ads)
Ezoic is a Google-certified publishing partner that uses AI to optimize ad layout, placement, and contextual relevance. It’s perfect for growing hobby blogs with at least 5,000 monthly visits.
The system automatically tests different ad combinations and adjusts placements based on user behavior and content theme, helping improve RPM over time.
Ezoic also offers a free site speed accelerator and in-depth analytics for publishers who want full control.
- Ad Types: Contextual display, native, video
- Ease of Use: DNS-level setup, but great long-term ROI
- Payout: $20 via PayPal
- Best For: Bloggers ready to scale and test monetization deeply
- Pro Tip: Use Ezoic’s “Leap” tool for better Core Web Vitals
Media.net (Best AdSense Alternative for Hobby Blogs)
Media.net is a leading contextual ad network powered by Yahoo and Bing, offering niche publishers a high-quality monetization solution. It uses advanced keyword targeting to show relevant ads, making it ideal for hobby blogs with informative content like tutorials or gear reviews.
The platform supports multiple ad types, including native, display, and contextual ads that blend seamlessly into your content. With its strong advertiser base in the US and UK, publishers can expect better-than-average CPMs for quality traffic.
Media.net provides real-time analytics and a clean dashboard for easy revenue tracking. Setup is straightforward, and the support team is responsive to new publishers.
- Ad Types: Contextual text, native, and display
- Ease of Use: Intuitive UI, beginner-friendly
- Payout: $100 via Payoneer or Wire Transfer
- Best For: Niche hobby blogs with strong US/UK traffic
- Bonus Tip: Works especially well on content-rich blog posts or comparison pages
PropellerAds (Fast Approval, Global Reach)
PropellerAds offers a lightweight, fast-approval solution for contextual monetization. Its contextual tag scans page content and delivers high-conversion native banners or interstitials.
Great for niche blogs with international audiences, it supports multiple ad formats — including push notifications — that are privacy-friendly and mobile-optimized.
PropellerAds doesn’t require high traffic and pays quickly, making it perfect for new bloggers looking for early monetization.
- Ad Types: Contextual native, interstitial, push ads
- Ease of Use: Quick setup, low barrier to entry
- Payout: $5 minimum via Payoneer, Skrill, WebMoney
- Best For: New or micro-niche hobby blogs with global traffic
- Pro Tip: Use “Push Ads” alongside contextual tags for best RPM
Infolinks (Best for Text-Heavy Blogs)
Infolinks is a unique contextual ad network that places ads directly within your blog content, without disrupting the layout. Its in-text and in-tag ads work perfectly for blogs focused on written tutorials, guides, or listicles.
The platform doesn’t require high traffic and integrates easily with all CMS platforms. Ads appear when specific keywords are detected, delivering highly contextual relevance.
Infolinks also offers several other formats like in-frame and in-fold to help maximize visibility without cluttering the user experience.
- Ad Types: In-text, in-tag, in-frame, in-fold
- Ease of Use: Copy-paste integration, no layout edits needed
- Payout: $50 via PayPal, Payoneer
- Best For: Text-rich niche blogs like how-to sites or educational hobbies
Add Ads Strategically on Your Website
The placement of ads on your website significantly impacts your earnings. Simply adding ads isn’t enough; their positioning can make or break your click-through rates (CTR) and overall revenue. Strategic placement ensures ads are visible without overwhelming your visitors, maintaining a positive user experience.
- Above the fold: This refers to the portion of your webpage visible without scrolling. Ads placed here tend to attract the most attention because they’re the first thing visitors see. For example, a banner ad at the top of your homepage or blog post can generate higher impressions.
- Inside your content: Embedding ads within your blog posts, such as after every 2–3 paragraphs, can boost engagement. These in-content ads feel less intrusive and align naturally with the reader’s flow, increasing the likelihood of clicks.
- Sidebar or footer placements: On desktop layouts, sidebar or footer ads perform well, especially for visitors who scroll through your entire page. These placements are ideal for static banners or skyscraper-style ads.
- Avoid overloading: Too many ads can frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates. Aim for 3 to 5 ad units per page to strike a balance between monetization and user experience. Test different configurations to find what works best for your audience.
Optimize Your Website Content for Revenue
The more traffic your website attracts, the more ad impressions you’ll generate, which directly translates to higher revenue. Creating high-quality, engaging content is key to driving traffic and keeping visitors on your site longer.
- Focus on SEO-optimized, evergreen content: Write about topics related to your hobby that remain relevant over time, such as “How to Start Knitting” or “Best Tools for Home Gardening.” Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, like including relevant keywords, to rank higher on Google and attract organic traffic.
- Write long-form blogs: Posts between 1,000 and 1,500 words tend to perform better for ad visibility because they keep users on the page longer. Longer content also provides more space for strategically placed ads, increasing impressions.
- Target low-competition, high-CTR keywords: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to find keywords with high search volume but low competition. These keywords can help your content rank faster and attract users more likely to engage with ads.
- Incorporate multimedia: Images, videos, and infographics make your content more engaging, encouraging visitors to stay longer. For example, a tutorial with step-by-step images or a short video demonstration can reduce bounce rates and boost ad exposure.
Monitor Performance and Adjust
To maximize your ad revenue, regularly track and analyze your website’s performance. Data-driven decisions allow you to fine-tune your strategy and increase earnings over time.
- Google Analytics: This free tool helps you monitor traffic patterns, user behavior, and page performance. Pay attention to metrics like average time on page and bounce rate to understand how visitors interact with your site.
- Ad Network Dashboards: Most ad networks, like Google AdSense or Ezoic, provide dashboards to track key metrics such as RPM (Revenue per 1,000 impressions) and CTR. Use this data to identify which ad units perform best.
- A/B Testing: Experiment with different ad placements, sizes, and formats to determine what resonates with your audience. For instance, test whether a leaderboard ad outperforms a square ad in your sidebar.
Scale Your Monetization Strategy
As your website’s traffic grows, you can unlock higher-earning opportunities by scaling your monetization efforts. Higher traffic opens the door to premium ad networks and complementary income streams.
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Apply for premium ad networks: Once your site reaches 10,000–50,000 monthly page views, consider applying to networks like Monumetric, Mediavine, or AdThrive. These platforms typically offer higher RPMs than beginner-friendly networks like Google AdSense.
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Combine display ads with other revenue streams:
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Affiliate Marketing: Promote products related to your hobby through programs like Amazon Associates. Earn commissions by linking to relevant products in your content.
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Sponsored Posts: Partner with brands to create sponsored content that aligns with your niche.
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Email Newsletters: Build an email list and include ad units or affiliate links in your newsletters.
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Digital Product Sales: Sell digital products like printables, eBooks, or online courses related to your hobby.
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Conclusion
Monetizing a hobby website with display ads is an accessible and rewarding way to turn your passion into profit. By strategically placing ads, creating engaging content, monitoring performance, and scaling your strategy, you can build a sustainable income stream. Start with beginner-friendly networks like Google AdSense, Ezoic, or PropellerAds, and as your traffic grows, explore premium options and complementary monetization methods. With patience and persistence, your hobby website can become a thriving online business.
