Share User-generated content to make $50,000/mo easily

Hi everyone,

Hope you are well.

We have talked about different types of “blogs” a lot on our site.

We have talked about traditional blogs, indie blogs, institutional blogs – and one thing was always common.

Blogs had written content, the content attracted customers & then the customers were monetized either with ads or affiliate programs.

However, that’s not the only way to generate content.

Content can be more than just text and sometimes, it is even easier to produce when it is not “text” but User-Generated Content.

Today we have a story to share with you that is entirely different from the other blog success story. I am sure it’s going to make you crazy and it will force you to rethink about starting a blog.

Before we dive in first, let me ask you something.

If I told you that you could earn $50,000/mo from a blog without writing any content what would you say? Crazy Right?

I know and it’s not your fault cause we have seen blogs with a bunch of texts from Dacades.

But today we have something maybe never seen before. This story isn’t just about a website; it’s about a shift in the way we think about blogging, content creation, and monetization.

I know you are getting curious to know more about this. Let’s dive into this remarkable case study and explore how you can leverage non-text content to build a highly successful online business.

The Backstory: A Blog Without Words

Introducing: A view from my Seat

https://aviewfrommyseat.com

A view from my Seat – is a website where you can go in and look at how your view will be when you go on a game / concert / event in any stadium in the world.

Go on, have a look at the site.

They have millions of photos – taken from different seats of stadiums.

And that’s it.

That’s the whole website.

No written content, only images that are uploaded by users.

And guess what? This site rakes in $50,000 a month through advertisements alone!

Why is this so powerful?

Think about it. Stadiums are huge, and each seat offers a different perspective. For a fan willing to shell out money for tickets, it can be incredibly valuable to see their exact view before they make a purchase. The site taps into this need for clarity and provides a solution.

A View From My Seat turns traditional blogging on its head with a unique, user-generated twist. 📸🤩

Rather than relying on carefully curated words, this site runs on pure visuals. Turning everyday users into photographers and painting a vivid picture for future event goers.

A View From My Seat has created a platform where people can virtually “sit” in seats from stadiums around the world, before even buying a ticket.

But the most fascinating part? The website owners don’t create any content themselves. All the photos are submitted by the users. No writing, no expensive video production—just crowdsourced images from people attending events.

Sounds easy, right? Now, let’s break down how this unique approach makes money and what lessons we can draw from it.

The Evolution of User-Generated Content: From Text to Visual Storytelling

It was a time when content creators labored over every word, crafting lengthy posts in hopes of attracting readers and monetizing through ads or affiliate links.

Fast forward to today, and the landscape has shifted dramatically. While traditional blogs still have their place, a new breed of content creators is emerging—ones who understand that in our increasingly visual world, sometimes less (text) is more.

“The future of blogging is visual. It’s about creating experiences, not just reading them.” – Neil Patel, Digital Marketing Expert

This shift isn’t just a matter of aesthetics; it’s a response to changing user behavior. According to a study by MIT neuroscientists, the human brain can process entire images in as little as 13 milliseconds. Compare that to the time it takes to read and comprehend a paragraph, and you begin to see why visual content is so powerful.

But how can bloggers leverage this trend? Enter the world of image-centric blogging, where creativity knows no bounds and user engagement reaches new heights.

The Science Behind Visual Engagement

Numbers speak louder than words. According to research, posts with images produce 650% higher engagement than text-only posts. HubSpot also noted that visual content is 40 times more likely to be shared on social media. Here’s a quick breakdown of why visuals work:

• Higher Engagement: Our brains process visuals 60,000 times faster than text (3M Corporation).
• Better Retention: Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text (Insivia).
• Increased Persuasion: People following directions with text and illustrations do 323% better than those following directions without illustrations (Springer).

How the Website Makes $50,000 a Month

A View From My Seat generates its income through advertisements. The site pulls in around $50,000 a month simply by displaying ads on its pages. But how does a photo-driven site without any written content draw enough traffic to generate such revenue?

1. User Engagement: The site encourages its users to upload photos from their seats, thus fueling its content. More photos equal more traffic. More traffic equals higher ad revenue.
2. Niche Appeal: The concept of showing views from specific seats appeals to a very specific audience: sports fans, concert-goers, and event attendees. By zeroing in on this niche, the website attracts highly targeted traffic.
3. Evergreen Content: Stadiums and concert venues are permanent. As long as events keep happening, people will want to see their seat views. The content remains relevant, driving consistent traffic month after month.

But here’s where it gets even more interesting. This model is scalable—it doesn’t require much maintenance because the users generate the content. All the website owners need to do is moderate submissions and keep the platform running smoothly.

A New Way to Think About Blogging: Crowdsourcing Content

This story challenges the traditional idea of blogging. Who says blogs need to be based on text?

In a world where we’re bombarded with information, sometimes the simplest ideas can have the most profound impact. What if your next blog could be more visual, or even better, what if your audience could create the content for you?

We’ve seen successful blogs around different kinds of media. A View From My Seat focuses on images, but there are other niches where non-text content thrives:

• Action Figure Showcases: Imagine a blog dedicated to photographing action figures in creative settings, telling stories through images.
• Board Game Scenarios: Visual blogs showcasing different game setups and strategies, appealing to the booming board game community.
• Celebrity Style Spotting: A platform where users submit photos of celebrity outfits spotted in the wild, creating a crowdsourced fashion blog.

The takeaway here is clear: blogging doesn’t have to involve writing. It can be images, videos, or even a collection of reviews from users. The key is to offer value and make it easy for users to contribute content.

Breaking Down the Strategy: How to Replicate This Model

If you’re thinking about starting a blog but feel overwhelmed by the idea of producing endless written content, consider this alternative approach. Here’s a step-by-step strategy for replicating a model similar to A View From My Seat:

1. Choose a Niche That Thrives on Visuals 📸
2. Start by picking a niche that inherently works well with visual content. It could be travel, gaming setups, fashion looks, or even something like interior design.
3. Leverage User-Generated Content 👥
4. Create a platform that makes it easy for users to upload their own content. You’re not just building a blog; you’re creating a community. This way, the majority of the content creation falls on your users, and your role becomes more about curation.
5. Monetize with Ads or Affiliate Marketing 💰
6. Once your platform starts attracting traffic, use display ads or affiliate marketing to monetize it. Platforms like Google AdSense or Mediavine can help you generate passive income by placing relevant ads on your site.
7. SEO for Non-Text Content 🔍
8. Just because your site doesn’t focus on written content doesn’t mean SEO isn’t important. Optimize your image titles, alt texts, and metadata to help search engines understand and index your content.
9. Focus on Scaling and Automation 🚀
10. Once you have a functional platform, focus on scaling it. The beauty of user-generated content is that it grows as more people engage with it. You can even automate some tasks, such as image moderation or uploading.

Case Study: Action Figure Blogs and Other Examples

Similar to A View From My Seat, many other successful blogs focus on visual or crowdsourced content. Here are a few more ideas that have proven to work:

• Action Figure Blogs: Collectors upload photos of their figures in different poses or setups.
• Board Game Scenario Blogs: Players share images of intricate game setups.
• Food Blogs: User-submitted photos of meals from various restaurants.

Each of these examples shares a common theme: community-driven content that fuels traffic and engagement.

The Picture Framework: A New Approach to Success

Drawing inspiration from these success stories, let’s develop a framework for aspiring visual content bloggers. We’ll call it the PICTURE Method:

• Problem Identification: What visual information is your target audience seeking?
• Image-Centric Solution: How can you provide this information through images?
• Crowd Engagement: How will you encourage users to contribute content?
• Technology Integration: What platforms or tools will you use to manage and display visual content?
• User Experience Design: How will you make browsing and contributing images intuitive and enjoyable?
• Revenue Strategy: How will you monetize your visual content platform?
• Expansion Plan: How can you grow your platform and adapt to changing trends?

By following this framework, aspiring bloggers can create visual content platforms that not only engage users but also generate significant revenue.

Overcoming Challenges in Visual Content Blogging

While the potential of visual content blogging is enormous, it’s not without its challenges. Let’s address some common obstacles and how to overcome them:

1. Quality Control: With user-generated content, maintaining quality can be difficult. Solution: Implement a curation process or a user rating system to highlight the best submissions.
2. Copyright Issues: Ensuring all submitted content is original can be tricky. Solution: Develop clear submission guidelines and use image recognition technology to flag potential copyright infringements.
3. Monetization Balance: Balancing ad revenue with user experience is crucial. Solution: Experiment with native advertising or sponsored content that aligns with your visual theme.
4. Platform Scalability: As your site grows, managing large volumes of images can be challenging. Solution: Invest in robust hosting and content delivery networks to ensure fast load times.
5. User Engagement: Keeping users coming back and contributing can be difficult. Solution: Gamify the experience with badges, leaderboards, or even monetary incentives for top contributors.

The Future of Non-Text Blog: Trends to Watch

As we look to the future, several trends are likely to shape the visual content blogging landscape:

1. Augmented Reality Integration: Imagine viewing stadium seats through your phone’s camera, with user-submitted photos overlaid in real-time.
2. AI-Powered Curation: Machine learning algorithms could help sort and categorize vast libraries of user-submitted images, improving searchability and user experience.
3. Virtual Reality Experiences: VR could take visual blogs to the next level, allowing users to “step into” submitted photos for a truly immersive experience.
4. Interactive Visual Content: Clickable, zoomable images that provide additional information or link to related content.
5. Micro-Niche Visual Platforms: As the concept gains popularity, we may see highly specialized visual blogs catering to very specific interests or needs.

Innovative Ideas to Explore

• Virtual Reality Tours: Imagine offering virtual tours through user-uploaded 360-degree images. It’s immersive and taps into the growing VR trend.
• Interactive Infographics: Combining data with engaging visuals can be a powerful way to draw in readers.
• Augmented Reality: Leverage AR to create more engaging, immersive experiences for your audience.
• Interactive Galleries: Allow users to interact with images, creating a more engaging experience.
• Educational Infographics: Use images to simplify complex information, making it more digestible for your audience.

Conclusion: Ready to Start Your Non-Text Blog?

There’s more than one way to succeed in the world of blogging. Whether it’s through traditional written content or user-generated visuals, the possibilities are endless.

It’s time to step outside the box. Start thinking about what visual or interactive experience you can provide for your audience.

Remember, the most successful visual content blogs share three key elements:

1. They solve a specific problem or fulfill a unique need.
2. They leverage user-generated content to create a sense of community and ensure fresh, relevant submissions.
3. They prioritize user experience, making it easy and enjoyable to both contribute and consume content.

Build a blog that’s not just a blog—it’s a platform. A place where your users contribute, share, and engage, all while driving traffic and growing your revenue.

So, what will your non-text blog idea be?

Now that you know the secret, the next question is: How Do You Find a Profitable Niche Business Idea?