For niche info sites in 2025, what’s actually working: free + ads, soft paywall, or lead-gen?
 

If you run a small, content-heavy site (think: niche guides with search traffic), what monetization mix is pulling its weight right now?

Models: 100% free + programmatic ads, soft paywall (metered), hard paywall, newsletter-first, affiliate/lead-gen, or service upsells?

Numbers that matter: RPMs you’re actually seeing, email opt-in rates, % of traffic that converts to anything paid.

Tactics: What moved the needle—topic clustering, updating old posts, adding calculators/tools, or switching ad networks?

Gotchas: What flopped (paywall backlash, SEO cannibalization, ad layout penalties), and what would you do differently?

Looking for concrete setups and “wish I’d known this sooner” lessons rather than theory. No promos needed—just what’s working.