(Spoiler: I am not a millionaire… yet)
Four years ago, I retired.
Like many newly retired people, I had big plans: relax, enjoy life… and somehow become wildly successful on the internet.
My hobbies?
- Computer programming
- Baking bread
- Barbecuing
Naturally, I thought:
“Bytes, Bread, & Barbecue.”
Catchy. Alliteration. Slightly ridiculous. Perfect.
I figured if Bed, Bath & Beyond could make it, surely Bytes, Bread & Barbecue was just one viral video away from greatness.
Fast forward four years…
💰 Total earnings: 48 cents.
Yes. Forty-eight. Pennies. Literal “check under the couch cushions” money.
This has led to:
- Heavy eye rolling from my wife
- Mild embarrassment for my adult children
- And a surprising amount of learning
What I Learned Running a Website
🍖 Lesson #1: The Internet Likes Focus (I Did Not)
The internet LOVES single-topic websites.
Me? I built one about:
- Linux software
- Homemade bread
- Barbecue
Which is basically like opening a restaurant that serves:
ribs, sourdough, and Java applications.
The internet doesn’t know what to do with that.
But here’s the thing…
👉 I still like it.
So yes—this “rule” is real…
…but I ignored it anyway.
🎬 Lesson #2: Nobody Wants Your 12-Minute Masterpiece
Early on, I made YouTube videos that were:
- 10–12 minutes long
- Carefully explained
- Thoughtful
And watched by… 12 people.
Turns out, the modern internet prefers:
👉 10–30 seconds
Not minutes. Seconds.
Basically:
- If your video lasts longer than it takes to microwave leftovers
- You’re already losing people
Now I make short videos.
And suddenly… people actually watch them.
🔇 Lesson #3: Silence Is Golden (and Also Less Embarrassing)
Here’s a fun stat:
👉 About 85% of people watch videos with the sound OFF
Meanwhile, early me was:
- On camera
- Saying “um…” every 6 seconds
- Mispronouncing things confidently
Also, at one point my niece asked:
“Ross… why is your hair pink?”
(For the record: it is gray in real life. Apparently lighting matters.)
So I adapted:
- On-screen text
- Optional voiceover
- No more accidental pink hair incidents
Result?
Better videos. Less embarrassment.
🌐 Lesson #4: Your Website Might Be Invisible (And You Did It Yourself)
I built my site using WordPress.
What I didn’t realize…
There is a setting that says:
“Discourage search engines”
And guess what?
Mine was checked.
So for a period of time, I essentially built a website…
that politely asked Google to ignore it.
That’s like opening a restaurant and putting a sign on the door:
“Please don’t come in.”
Lesson learned.
📈 Lesson #5: SEO Is Not Optional (Even If You’d Like It To Be)
I thought I was being clever and creative.
Google thought I was being… unsearchable.
…how search engines like Google actually rank content.
Enter: SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Tools like Rank Math taught me:
- You need keywords
- You need structure
- You need length (600+ words)
- You need internal links
- You need clarity
My early scores?
👉 5/100 (generous)
Now?
👉 75–80/100
Which is basically the “you’re finally doing this right” zone.
💬 Lesson #6: The Internet Has Opinions (Strong Ones)
Putting content online teaches you one important thing:
👉 People will tell you exactly what they think.
Sometimes helpful.
Sometimes… less helpful.
But if you can filter out the noise, there’s real value there—especially for improving your work.
Also, developing a thick skin is now part of the job description.
🐧 Lesson #7: Your Audience Will Choose Your Direction
Originally, this site had three equal parts:
- Bytes
- Bread
- Barbecue
Reality?
👉 Bytes took over.
Why?
- I enjoy Linux and programming
- I keep building apps
- That’s what people engage with
Meanwhile, in real life, I still get asked:
“Hey… where did the bread videos go?”
Fair question.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for a website to get traffic?
Most websites take months or even years to gain consistent traffic. In my case, it took several years of trial and error, improving SEO, and learning what content people actually want to see.
Do you need SEO to grow a website?
Yes. Without SEO, your website may not appear in search results at all. Tools like Rank Math help optimize your content so people can actually find it.
Are short videos better than long videos?
In most cases, yes. Short videos (10–30 seconds) tend to perform better on platforms like YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram because they match how people consume content today.
Can you run a website with multiple topics?
You can—but it’s harder to grow. Search engines and audiences both prefer focused content, so multi-topic websites may grow more slowly.
If you’re curious, I’ve been building tools like RepoRover and Domenico as part of the “Bytes” side of the site.
- RepoRover – One click updates for any Linux Distro
- Leonardo – employs FFmpeg to convert videos to various formats
- Domenico – a sibling of Leonardo who converst 10 second videos to GIFs
🔥 Final Thoughts (From Someone Who Made 48 Cents)
I broke a lot of the “rules”:
- Multiple topics
- Long videos (at first)
- Minimal SEO (at first)
But I also:
- Learned a ton
- Built things I’m proud of
- Found a direction
So if you’re starting a website, here’s the short version:
✔ Keep it short
✔ Assume people won’t turn on sound
✔ Learn SEO early
✔ Expect slow growth
✔ Have a sense of humor about it
And most importantly…
👉 Build something you actually enjoy
Because if you’re doing it just for money…
Well…
You might end up with 48 cents and a really good story.