137: How to Start a Review Website That Actually Makes Money
Ever wondered how to start a review website and make real money?
Derek Hales shares how he built a profitable site, generates revenue, builds trust, and grew his side hustle into a thriving full-time business.
You can catch it on video too!
Ever wondered how people make real money with review websites?
Derek Hales did exactly that—starting with just two mattress reviews and turning it into a thriving business.
Derek is the founder of NapLab, a site dedicated to in-depth, data-driven mattress reviews. Within six months of launching, his side hustle was making enough for him to quit his full-time job. Today, he’s reviewed over 400 products, employs friends and family, and runs a highly profitable website.
In this episode, Derek shares what it really takes to build a review website that actually makes money, including:
- How his website generates revenue
- How he pinpoints exactly which products to review next
- Why transparency builds trust, increases engagement, and drives more sales
If you’ve ever thought about launching a review site or want to turn online content into real income, this episode's for you!
Do you like what you're hearing? Consider giving it a caffeinated thumbs up. We'd really appreciate it!
Need a little (and sometimes big) push to start and stay focused to grow your side hustle? Dive into my online Masterclass: How To Turn Your Thoughts Into Wanted Things.
What You’ll Hear:
02:20 Transparency in Reviews
03:52 Testing Process and Objectivity
04:45 Revenue Sources - Almost All From Referral L inks
05:44 Deciding Which Mattresses to Test
06:32 Acquiring and Donating Mattresses
07:34 Over 425 Mattresses Tested To Date
08:02 Work Flow of Mattress Testing
14:00 Starting a Review Site: Derek's Journey
16:20 Right Place + Right Time + Skills + Action = Early Success
19:31 Advice for Aspiring Reviewers
20:37 Biggest Surprise For Someone New to the Business - the Competition!
22:04 SEO Basics: On-Page Optimization
22:48 Foundational SEO Tools for Your Website
23:38 The Importance of Off-site SEO
24:53 Building Brand Trust and Credibility
24:46 Leveraging Social Media for SEO Success
25:53 Paid Traffic vs. Organic Growth
26:51 The Power of Word of Mouth Marketing
27: 29 The Role of Promptness in Building Credibility
29:40 Expanding Your Team: When and How
33:30 Navigating Legal Aspects of Running a Review Site
36:15 Maintaining Objectivity in Reviews
38:42 Connecting with Brands and Manufacturers
39:22 Biggest Expenses
41:37 Final Tips for Aspiring Review Site Owners
Wrap Up - Top Takeaways
42:58 Be Consistent With Your Testing
43:31 Transparency is a Key to Your Review Site Website
43:57 Put Content Quality Before Scaling
44:17 Episode 44: Chuck Temple, Building A Review Website Business (the Electric Scooter Guide Company)
44:32 What’s Been Your Greatest Hurdle to Launching?
Connect with Derek:
Connect with Joan:
Be on the show!
Tell us about your side hustle success story!
