1. An Overview of Sudhrana’s Lead Gen Project
Sudhrana, a BlackHatWorld forum member, built a hyper-automated lead generation website system that earned him over $1,000 in just a few months. He initially called it an “experiment,” but the results have been impressive, with over $650 earned in the first two months, now exceeding $1,000, and a plan to expand to hundreds of new sites.
The project revolves around using programmatic SEO with subdomains (e.g., city.state.domain.com) to rank for local keywords like “plumber in [city].” Sudhrana wrote a custom script to fully automate the process, from creating subdomains and generating content to submitting URLs to Google.
Key Project Details
- Timeline: The project started around August 2024 and spans approximately six months.
- Milestones:
- Aug 2024: Launched the first site, resulting in ~25 calls.
- Sep–Oct 2024: Earned $650 from 125 calls, with 20 conversions.
- Nov 2024: One site hit 1 million impressions, with total revenue exceeding $900.
- Jan 2025: Broke the $1,000 mark, despite two new sites dropping in rank.
- Feb 2025: Had one call that generated $200!
- Target Audience: The project targets the U.S. market, specifically all cities and states, using the
city.state.domain.comstructure. The customers are local businesses that need leads, such as plumbers, home repair services, etc. - Who is Sudhrana? A BlackHatWorld member since 2016 with 326 posts and 195 likes. His real identity is unknown, but he is skilled in programming (PHP, Python, Node.js) and SEO, especially programmatic SEO.
2. How Sudhrana Makes Money
Sudhrana’s main revenue model is pay-per-call, working with LeadSmart (leadsmartinc[.]com) to sell qualified calls from potential customers. He also had some revenue from lead forms, but they are currently inactive.
- Pay-per-call: He creates subdomains targeting local keywords (e.g., “plumber in Miami”) that drive users to a single phone number. Calls are tracked via Ringba and forwarded to local businesses through LeadSmart. Each converted call generates revenue.
- Main Campaign: $618.11 from 19 conversions (averaging ~$8.47/call).
- Side Campaign: $31.95 from 1 conversion (~$15.98/call).
- Highest Earning Call (Feb 2025): $201 from a single call lasting just over 3 minutes.
- Specific Revenue:
- Aug–Oct 2024: $650.06 from 125 calls (20 conversions).
- By Nov 2024: Total revenue exceeded $900 across all sites.
- By Jan 2025: Exceeded $1,003.67 from 388 calls (35 conversions).
- Current Month (Feb 2025): $90.54 from 14 calls, despite a 74% drop in conversion rate.
Costs & Profitability
- Operating Costs:
- Initial: ~$15–20 (expired domain ~$10–15 + $5 for OpenAI API).
- Ongoing: ~$100/month (estimated for server, Cloudflare, ChatGPT API, Ringba). Total cost over six months is around ~$600.
- Note: Since Sudhrana wrote the script himself, he saved on developer costs (which would be ~$1,000–$5,000 if outsourced).
- Profit:
- Total Revenue: $1,003.67 (as of Jan 2025).
- Total Cost: ~$600 (over 6 months).
- Net Profit: ~$400, with a profit margin of ~40%. The actual profit is higher if the value of his custom script is considered.
Key Features
- Nearly 100% Automation: The custom script automatically generates thousands of subdomains, creates content, and submits them to Google within 30 minutes.
- Effective Pay-per-call Model: A single call can earn anywhere from $8 to $201, which is ideal for high-value local services.
- Low Cost, High Potential: The project requires just $15–20 to start but can scale to thousands of dollars in profit.
3. Tools Used
- ChatGPT (via OpenAI API): Used to generate unique content (200–500 words per page) for thousands of subdomains. The content is managed in Google Sheets with placeholders like
[City]to customize each page. - Custom Script (PHP, Python, Node.js): The core of the operation, automating subdomain creation, content generation, and URL submission to Google Search Console. It can handle dozens of sites simultaneously, saving significant time and cost.
- ExpiredDomains[.]net: Used to find high-authority expired domains (DA 10+, 20–30+ referring domains) related to the niche, helping the sites rank faster.
- Cloudflare: Manages DNS, supports bulk subdomain creation, and ensures server stability.
- Google Search Console (GSC): Monitors indexing performance (36.1K indexed pages, 41.3K not indexed) and helps optimize SEO.
- Ringba: Tracks and routes calls from a single number to local businesses, simplifying call management for thousands of subdomains.
- Ahrefs & SEMrush: Used for analyzing expired domains and tracking site performance.
- Google Sheets: Manages ChatGPT content and placeholders for mass content generation.
- Wayback Machine: Checks the history of expired domains to avoid spammed or low-quality sites.
4. Step-by-Step Breakdown
Phase 1: Research and Preparation (Jul–Aug 2024)
- What he did:
- Researched local keywords (e.g., “plumber in [City]”) and noticed sites using subdomains to rank.
- Used ExpiredDomains[.]net to find expired domains (DA 10+, 20–30+ referring domains), verifying them on Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Wayback Machine.
- Wrote a custom script (in PHP, Python, and Node.js) to automate subdomain creation, content generation, and GSC submission.
- Details:
- The most time-consuming part was domain selection and keyword research (~a few days).
- Cost: ~$15 (domain $10 + OpenAI API $5).
- Result:
- Secured a quality domain, had the script ready, and prepared for the first site launch.
Phase 2: First Site Launch (Aug 2024)
- What he did:
- Connected the domain to Cloudflare and added it to the server.
- Ran the script to create thousands of subdomains (
city.state.domain.com), each with Home, Service, About, and Contact pages containing 200–500 words of ChatGPT-generated content. - Submitted URLs to GSC and pinged them for faster crawling. Achieved 36.1K indexed pages in a few days.
- Details:
- Each site took 30 minutes to create and a day to start getting indexed.
- He recorded ~25 calls, though revenue was still low.
- Result:
- The first site was live, generating traffic (735 clicks, 802K impressions) with initial revenue of ~$100–$200.
Phase 3: Growth and Optimization (Sep–Oct 2024)
- What he did:
- Increased call volume (~55 in Sept, ~35 in Oct), earning $650 from 20 conversions.
- Improved the ChatGPT prompts for better content quality and added prominent CTAs to headers, menus, and footers.
- Began experimenting with new sites, targeting all U.S. cities.
- Details:
- Impressions steadily increased (~20K/day), but the CTR was low (0.1%) due to an average position of 51.3 (pages 6–7 of Google).
- Cost: ~$50/month (server, API, Ringba).
- Result:
- Generated $650 in revenue from 125 calls, with 77 completed and 20 conversions.
Phase 4: Expansion and Challenges (Nov–Dec 2024)
- What he did:
- Launched 8 more sites, one of which hit 1.03M impressions with 858 total clicks.
- Monitored performance on Ahrefs: the best-performing site had 95 referring domains, 2.8K keywords, and 58 organic visitors.
- Tested a micro-niche on a nationwide scale, earning $90 in December 2024.
- Details:
- Some sites performed poorly (0% CTR, average position 64.5), and a few dropped in rank due to a Google update.
- Cost: Increased to ~$100/month due to the new sites.
- Result:
- Total revenue surpassed $900, but two new sites (launched in Dec) experienced rank drops.
Phase 5: Optimization and Breakthrough (Jan–Feb 2025)
- What he did:
- Continued running old sites, with total earnings reaching $1,003.67 from 388 calls (35 conversions).
- Had a single call worth $201 (3 minutes, 8 seconds). Optimized CTAs, but form conversions dropped by 74% (0%).
- Used a custom script to ping 1,000 URLs per day via the Google Indexing API.
- Details:
- The strongest site had 2.52M impressions and 1.03K clicks, but the CTR was still 0%.
- Cost: Remained stable at ~$100/month, with a net profit of ~$400.
- Result:
- Crossed the $1,000 mark and is now expanding to 100 new sites to “dominate” the niche.
5. How Did It Turn Out?
Revenue:
- Total Revenue: $1,003.67 (as of Jan 2025) from 388 calls and 35 conversions.
- Breakdown:
- Aug–Oct 2024: $650.06 (125 calls, 20 conversions).
- Nov–Dec 2024: ~$250 (estimated, total reached $900+).
- Jan–Feb 2025: $90.54 (14 calls), plus the one-time $201 call.
- Average Revenue per Conversion: ~$28.67 ($1,003.67/35), with the highest being $201.
Performance:
- SEO:
- Total of 5.6M impressions and 2.5K clicks on the 4 main sites (over the last 3 months).
- Average CTR of 0–0.3%, with an average position of 44.4–64.5 (pages 5–7 of Google).
- The best site had 2.8K keywords, 95 referring domains, and 58 organic visitors.
- Calls:
- Total: 388 calls, 231 completed, and 35 conversions.
- Average Call Duration: 1 minute, 8 seconds, for a total of 6 hours and 54 minutes.
- The main campaign accounted for 72% of his revenue ($727.89).
- Sites:
- 8 sites are live, with one reaching 1.03M impressions and 36.1K indexed pages.
- 2 new sites (Dec 2024) experienced rank drops, but the older sites remained stable.
Other Achievements:
- Built a nearly 100% automated system that takes only 30 minutes to launch a new site.
- Successfully tested a micro-niche site ($90/month), opening up new potential.
- Inspired a wave of discussion on BlackHatWorld, attracting dozens of questions.
Challenges:
- Low CTR (0–0.3%): Keywords were on pages 5–7, so he needs to optimize titles, meta descriptions, and schema.
- Declining Conversion Rate (74%): The forms are not converting (0%), so he needs to check the conversion funnel.
- Google Updates: 2 new sites dropped in rank, likely due to an algorithm update targeting spam (Sep 11, 2024).
- Lead Quality: Many calls didn’t convert (231/388 completed, only 35 converted).
6 Key Takeaways from Sudhrana’s Project
Recipe for Success:
- Automation is King: A custom script saves massive time and cost, allowing him to launch thousands of subdomains in minutes.
- Quality Expired Domains: Choosing domains with DA 10+ and 20+ referring domains helps new sites rank quickly, especially for local keywords.
- Effective Pay-per-Call: The model can generate high revenue per call ($8–$201), making it perfect for local service niches.
- Smart AI Content: Using ChatGPT with placeholders allows for mass content creation that is fast and unique enough to rank.
Creative Innovations:
- Subdomain Structure (
city.state.domain.com): This model targets all U.S. cities without the need for hundreds of individual domains, optimizing for local keywords at scale. - Custom Automation Script: Combines PHP, Python, and Node.js to handle everything from subdomain creation to content and URL pinging.
- Pinging 1,000 URLs/Day: Using the Google Indexing API to expedite crawling and indexing, achieving 36.1K indexed pages quickly.
- Micro-Niche Testing: Experimenting with a micro-niche site that earned $90/month, proving the scalability of his method beyond the primary niche.
Challenges and Solutions:
- Challenge: Low CTR (0–0.3%). Solution: He is optimizing titles, meta descriptions, and adding schema (FAQ, Review).
- Challenge: Rank drops from Google updates. Solution: He is focusing on older sites, choosing “cleaner” domains, and improving content quality.
- Challenge: 0% form conversion. Solution: He is reviewing the conversion funnel to identify the issue.
- Challenge: Time-consuming domain selection. Solution: He uses Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Wayback Machine to filter for quality domains.
Advice for Those Who Want to Try:
- Start Simple:
- Buy an expired domain on ExpiredDomains[.]net (~$10–15), with a DA of 10+ and 20+ referring domains.
- Use a free Cloudflare account and a cheap server (~$10/month).
- Generate content with ChatGPT via Google Sheets (~$5 for the OpenAI API), targeting keywords like “service + city.”
- Build the System:
- Hire a developer (~$500–$1,000) to write a subdomain and content script, or learn basic PHP/Python for free on YouTube.
- Sign up for Ringba (~$10/month) and partner with a pay-per-call network like LeadSmart.
- Submit URLs to GSC and ping 200–1,000 URLs per day for fast crawling (using an Instant Indexing Plugin if the API is inactive).
- Optimize and Promote:
- Focus on local keywords (use a free 7-day trial of Ahrefs for research).
- Add CTAs to the header, menu, and footer; try schema markup to improve CTR.
- Check domain history on Wayback Machine to avoid spam risks.
- Initial Cost: ~$50 (domain $15, API $5, server $10, Ringba $20).
- Learn More:
- Watch YouTube videos on programmatic SEO.
- Read Ringba or LeadSmart documentation to understand pay-per-call.
- Join forums like BlackHatWorld or subreddits like
r/SEOandr/LeadGeneration.
- Important Notes:
- Choose a low-competition niche (home repair, electricians) for easier ranking.
- Be cautious with Google updates; prioritize quality content and clean domains.
- Be patient; it takes 2–3 months to see significant traffic and revenue.
7. Source / Link:
Original Thread: BlackHatWorld – Case Study: Build an Automated Subdomain Lead Gen Sit
