How to calculate website ad revenue
Website ad revenue is commonly estimated as pageviews divided by 1,000, multiplied by page RPM. Use monetized view rate for ad blockers, low-fill inventory, or pages where ads do not show consistently. Add affiliate and sponsor income separately for a full site forecast.
- • Use pageviews for display ads, not users.
- • Use session RPM only if your ad network reports it that way.
- • Segment high-intent pages from broad informational traffic.
Why page RPM varies by site
RPM depends on niche, audience location, ad viewability, content depth, layout, seasonality, and buyer intent. A high-intent calculator or finance article can earn far more per 1,000 pageviews than generic entertainment traffic.
FAQ
How much can a website make from ads?
Many broad sites earn a few dollars per 1,000 pageviews, while high-intent business, finance, software, or review pages can earn much higher RPMs.
What is website RPM?
Website RPM is estimated revenue per 1,000 pageviews. It is calculated as revenue divided by pageviews, multiplied by 1,000.
Should I optimize ads or affiliate first?
For high-intent pages, affiliate or lead-gen revenue can beat display ads. For broad informational pages, ad RPM may be the simpler baseline.