• Support

    • Monetization Strategy

    Free-first approach with ads as primary revenue (70-90%) and optional paid unlocks (10-30%).

    Free-First Philosophy

    Your tool is free. Core functionality must always work without payment:

    • ✓Core functionality always free (single-item processing)
    • ✓Ads provide steady baseline revenue (70-90%)
    • ✓Optional paid unlocks for convenience features (10-30%)
    • ✓Realistic conversion rates: 0.5-2% (not 5-10%)
    Realistic Revenue Projections

    Small Tool (1,000 visitors/month)

    • • Ads: ~$5/month
    • • Unlocks: ~$50/month (1% conversion × $5)
    • • Total: ~$55/month (~$660/year)

    Growing Tool (10,000 visitors/month)

    • • Ads: ~$60/month
    • • Unlocks: ~$500/month (1% conversion × $5)
    • • Total: ~$560/month (~$6,720/year)

    Portfolio Strategy (5 tools × 5,000 visitors)

    • • Combined revenue: ~$1,900/month
    • • Total: ~$22,800/year

    Build multiple tools for scale. SEO takes 3-6 months per tool.

    When to Enable Monetization

    Launch Phase (Months 0-3)

    Launch completely free. Focus on SEO and building traffic. No ads, no paid features.

    Enable Ads (1,000+ visitors/month)

    Apply for Carbon Ads, EthicalAds, or AdSense. This becomes your primary revenue stream.

    Add Paid Unlocks (If Requested)

    Only add paid features if users request them. Start at $5, increase based on data. Examples: bulk processing, export formats, saved history.

    Portfolio Strategy (6+ months)

    Build tool #2, #3, etc. Compound value across multiple tools. Cross-link for SEO benefits.

    What to Lock vs Keep Free

    ✅ Safe to Lock (Convenience Features)

    • • Bulk processing: Free: 1 item, Paid: 50+ items
    • • Export formats: Free: copy to clipboard, Paid: CSV/JSON/PDF
    • • Saved history: Free: one-off use, Paid: save results
    • • Ad-free experience: Paid users see no ads

    ❌ Never Lock (Core Value)

    • • Single-item processing: Must work completely for free
    • • Basic output: Show full results for single use
    • • Copy to clipboard: Always free
    • • Privacy features: Client-side processing

    Decision Test

    Ask yourself: "Can a free user solve their problem completely with one use?"

    ✅ Yes → Good free tier, safe to add paid unlocks
    ❌ No → You're blocking core value, users will leave

    Pricing for Unlocks

    • • Start at $5: Low barrier, test demand
    • • Increase to $7-10: If conversion rate stays above 1%
    • • Multi-tool bundle: $15-20 for 3+ tools

    Remember: Most users won't pay, and that's okay. Ads are your primary revenue.

    Testing & Optimization

    What to Test

    • • Unlock pricing: Test $5 vs $7 vs $10 (2-4 weeks each)
    • • Ad placement: Sidebar vs bottom vs between sections
    • • CTA copy: "Unlock" vs "Support Development" vs "Remove Ads"
    • • Value messaging: Time saved vs convenience vs workflow integration

    Realistic Conversion Benchmarks

    Free-First Tools:
    • 0.5-1% conversion = baseline
    • 1-2% conversion = good
    • 2%+ conversion = excellent
    Don't expect 5-10% conversions. That's why ads are primary revenue.

    Privacy-Friendly Testing

    • • Umami Analytics: Track events, page views (built-in)
    • • Gumroad Dashboard: Monitor unlock purchases
    • • Ad Provider Dashboard: Track CPM and revenue
    • • Sequential testing: Test one change at a time

    Optimization Priority

    1. Focus on SEO and traffic first (months 0-6)
    2. Enable ads at 1,000+ visitors
    3. Optimize ad placement for revenue vs UX balance
    4. Add paid unlocks only if users request features
    5. Test unlock pricing after 50+ purchases
    Related Documentation
    → Setup ads (primary revenue)→ Implement unlock patterns→ Setup Gumroad for optional unlocks→ Deploy and launch your tool