Real Examples of Sites Making $500+/Month from Display Ads

Earning $500+ per month from display ads might sound like a dream—but for many niche site owners, it’s a very real and attainable milestone.

In this post, we’ll break down real-world examples of websites generating solid monthly income using display ad networks like Mediavine, Raptive (formerly AdThrive), and Ezoic. We’ll explore what makes them successful, what niches they’re in, and key takeaways you can apply to your own site.

💡 Why Display Ads Work

Display ads allow you to monetize traffic passively. Once your site has enough traffic (typically 10,000–50,000 monthly sessions), you can join premium ad networks that pay far better than Google AdSense.

• Mediavine: 50K sessions/month requirement

• Raptive (AdThrive): 100K pageviews/month

• Ezoic: No traffic minimum with Access Now program

Now let’s look at some real sites pulling in $500+ per month—and how they’re doing it.

🧪 Example 1: DIY Home & Gardening Blog – $750/Month from Mediavine

• Niche: DIY gardening, home improvement, and outdoor projects

• Traffic: ~45,000 sessions/month

• Ad Network: Mediavine

• RPM (Revenue Per 1,000 pageviews): ~$18–22

• Estimated Earnings: $750–$900/month

Why It Works:

• Highly visual, how-to content attracts Pinterest and Google traffic

• Seasonal spikes (spring/summer) help boost income

• Long-form, info-rich posts increase time on site and ad impressions

Takeaway: Niche down, write evergreen guides, and optimize for user experience.

🧁 Example 2: Food Blog – $1,200/Month from Raptive

• Niche: Healthy recipes and meal planning

• Traffic: ~60,000 pageviews/month

• Ad Network: Raptive

• RPM: ~$20+ (food niches tend to earn more)

• Estimated Earnings: $1,200/month

Why It Works:

• Strong Pinterest strategy for traffic

• Step-by-step recipe content keeps users engaged

• Content optimized for mobile and Core Web Vitals

Takeaway: If you can create original recipes and stunning visuals, food blogs are high-RPM goldmines.

🧳 Example 3: Travel Niche Site – $600/Month from Ezoic

• Niche: Budget travel and remote work

• Traffic: ~40,000 sessions/month

• Ad Network: Ezoic

• RPM: ~$15–17

• Estimated Earnings: $600–680/month

Why It Works:

• Evergreen posts like “Best Places to Work Remotely in 2025”

• Monetizes both international and domestic traffic

• Lean, fast-loading design improves ad performance

Takeaway: Even without premium networks, you can reach $500+/mo on Ezoic with the right strategy and UX.

📚 Example 4: Education Blog – $500/Month with Mediavine

• Niche: Homeschooling tips, lesson plans, and printables

• Traffic: ~30,000–35,000 sessions/month

• RPM: ~$16–18

• Estimated Earnings: $500–600/month

Why It Works:

• Parents and educators stay on-page longer

• Niche-specific printables drive repeat traffic

• Consistent school-year seasonality

Takeaway: Informational content with high “dwell time” = better RPMs and better income.

💰 How to Get There Yourself

To hit $500/month from display ads, here’s a basic roadmap:

1. Pick a profitable niche with decent ad RPMs (DIY, food, parenting, travel, finance)

2. Publish high-quality, SEO-optimized content

3. Focus on evergreen traffic sources (especially Google + Pinterest)

4. Improve page speed and mobile UX

5. Use a premium ad network once eligible (avoid AdSense if possible)

⚡ Final Thoughts

Display ads won’t make you rich overnight, but they can provide steady, semi-passive income once your traffic scales up. As you’ve seen from these examples, even smaller blogs can earn hundreds or thousands per month with the right niche and execution.

Bonus: Want to see a real display ad site in action? Contact us: https://www.digitdok.com/contact-form