A year ago, Charles wrote this blog post kicking off the inaugural launch of this site after being a top 100 seller on Gumroad, and the #1 SEO seller on the platform, for over 3 years at that point.
The main reasons for this project were Gumroad changing policies to 4x fees, Charles had too many SEO services and products under different roofs and a split team focus.
12 months, $275,000+ in total revenue, 6 new launches, 3 major updates and just a 3 man core team later. Charles Floate Training has been one serious success, and as a team, we personally believe it's only just getting going.
SEO has been Charles' bread and butter for the past 15+ years and Charles Floate Training is the labour of love that stems from his passion for the business, before we get into the rest of this post, here is a quote from the man himself:
Without this business, this audience and the network that has come from it, I wouldn't be able to run half the ongoing experiments I have over the years nor would I have had anywhere close to the amount of opportunities that have spawned from it... A year down the line, I can only once again, thank you for being a part of that, in whatever role you've played, it all means an awful lot.
This business is now almost fully ran by my team, with my creative insights being the spearhead, but them being the backbone - So the real thanks goes to Yudhish, Christopher and Vishal.
I know that in the following years we will be able to grow this business to even crazier heights, and as we move more towards an AI-powered virtual world, we will be at the forefront with a fast paced and young team that can outpace anyone or anything when given the chance to leap on.
As we celebrate CFT's first year (!), we would like to share with you some of the milestones we've achieved so far, the successful projects Charles and the team have undertaken and been working on throughout the year, as well as the future plans to help CFT become the #1 training company in SEO. As Charles would say in his videos, without any further ado, let's jump into it!
Progress Report: A Banner Year
For a lot of niche site owners, bloggers and SEOs it's been a complicated year. The unpredictability and lack of any clear answer to solving traffic drops has caused a lot of people to sour on SEO in general by moving to other digital marketing channels, or quitting the industry to pursue other careers entirely.
However, as we know, SEO has been through this phase before, where sites lost traffic due to a fundamental algorithm change (remember Panda, Penguin, Medic?). Those who want to succeed will find a way, and we believe most of you who are still in the SEO sphere are those people.
We have a very mixed bag of revenue streams, the main source is via this Shopify site but the majority of consulting clients book in directly through our portal, and we have a lot of clients that want to use wire or crypto, and we've been able to create long term revenue via promoting affiliate offers inside our free and premium training.
The Shopify store alone has been able to generate just over $180,199.97 in revenue:
This doesn't include the 30%+ sales that were paid straight to our bank account, the sales from our old Gumroad, the sales from crypto, the Wise.com transfers or any of the affiliate commissions we've earned either - Suffice it to say, we had a great 12 months!
So much for SEO being dead...
And we are proud to say that we don't spend any money on ads, paid media or retargeting (for the time being) - ALL of our earnings comes through organic social, email and search traffic.
That means we operate at 90%+ margins with an EPC (Earnings Per Click) of >$3!
Charles decided at the start of the year to invest in two main content types: free eBooks and Pemium Webinars.
Most of the SEO courses released this year are relaunches or were sold in the past in their previous iteration. For this year, Charles and the team have updated each to provide everyone with the latest versions containing the best advice against the latest Google algorithm changes (in particular, the infamous March 2024 update) and the technological advancement brought about by AI to help improve your SEO processes and initiatives.
Charles also started launching webinars to help engage with his audience and share his unique insights with the community at premium prices. There were webinars where he partnered with our SEO professionals, but he hosted and led most of them to great success. All sessions included downloadable templates, SOPs, Q&A sessions, and—most importantly—a copy of the video recordings for attendees to rewatch and review after the webinar was over. If that's not value for your buck, then I don't know what is!
The Best of The Bunch
Below are the CFT's money-makers that allowed us to reach a banner year.
#1 - SEO Side Hustles 24/25
SEO never sleeps, and so should you. Well, not really, but at the least, you have to grind and slog your way through ranking on top of Google search, now that the game is different. SEO Side Hustles 24/25 will more than equip you with the latest demands Google has for SEOs and site owners. This guide unveils the untapped potential in today's SEO landscape, challenging the notion that niche sites and SEO are dead.
This 213-page eBook is chock-full of vital information and offers cutting-edge strategies for SEO and building a veritable online business. It teaches you how to leverage the power of AI and evolving SEO techniques, such as SEO copywriting and monitoring website performance using Google Search Console and Google Analytics, to transform the internet into your personal money-making machine.
This course, priced at $79.99 USD, is designed to give freelancers, entrepreneurs, content creators, and marketing professionals a competitive edge in the market and stay ahead in the SEO game.
#2 - AI Content on Steroids
The thing about AI content is that, no matter what people say about it, it ranks on search engines. To achieve this goal, it's just a matter of editing and refining the result produced by AI.
This comprehensive 145-page guide teaches you how to use AI to create content optimised to rank on search engines and convert readers. From reframing your content strategy and creating a consistent brand voice with AI to mastering holistic campaigns and decoding content performance metrics, this eBook covers it all.
It also instructs readers on using various tools and software (Topical Map AI and Cuppa being two of them) to speed up the process further so you can delegate this task to your team and VAs. You'll learn how to balance AI efficiency with human creativity, adapt AI for various content formats, and even craft AI-driven social media strategies.
The process shared in this guide is the perfect complement to your marketing strategy and campaigns. Building a brand is vital to your search engine success, and producing high-quality content at scale is at the very heart of it!
#3 - Omniscient OnPage SEO 2.0
For those looking to optimise their websites for the most impactful on-page factors, Omniscient OnPage SEO 2.0 is here to guide you.
From basic understanding to advanced techniques, you'll learn how to rank your site pages on top of Google search for these Google SEO fundamentals even before the backlinks kick in.
Readers will gain access to Charles' exact strategy, perfected over a decade and applicable to any website, niche, or language. The ebook covers crucial topics such as content optimization, crawlability, site speed, trust signals, and user engagement, all explained in easy-to-understand language with screenshots and detailed tutorials.
Even better, you'll learn how to leverage AI to ensure your site observes the best on-page practices to increase your search ranking for your target keywords!
With over 170 pages of invaluable content at $39, this resource is designed to transform you from a novice to a technical SEO savant without breaking the bank.
#4 - Six-Figure Freelance SEO - 2.0
Some SEOs prefer to build a portfolio of websites across various niches, while others want to work for clients and help them build their SEO strategy from the ground up. If you find yourself in the latter camp, "The Six-Figure Freelance SEO - 2.0" is the ultimate guide for a lucrative client-based SEO career, if not launch an SEO agency.
This ebook, priced at $179, helps you refine the basics until you become a master of your SEO craft. From identifying your target audience to scaling your business and everything in between (choosing the most profitable SEO services, building your brand, pricing your services effectively, and finding high-quality client leads daily), the course covers every crucial aspect of building a six-figure SEO career.
This updated guide is precious in today's SEO landscape, where Google's evolving algorithms have created challenges and opportunities. Since most site owners have lost their income from the massive traffic drops their sites received, they may want to dabble in freelancing as they rebuild.
You'll gain insights into delivering algorithm-proof strategies, leveraging AI tools (it's a requirement nowadays) to increase productivity, and positioning yourself as an industry influencer. With copy-paste materials for case studies, outreach emails, and proposals, you'll be equipped to close clients at impressive rates!
#5 - Selling Backlinks 2.0
You've probably received emails from countless link sellers and vendors who want a backlink to your site. For the most part, you have ignored their emails and continued with your life. But what if I told you that you're most likely sitting on a potential, lucrative, passive income-generating goldmine?
Selling Backlinks - 2.0 is your guide to turning this potential into actuality! This 106-page course covers everything from the basics of link selling to advanced strategies for maximizing your profits.
You'll learn how to vet potential buyers, set appropriate prices for your backlinks, and evaluate your site's worth in the link marketplace. The course also includes a completely automated system for selling backlinks, allowing you to generate substantial passive income with minimal time investment.
Sold at $99, you can expect to get your money back and 10x your monthly income with the potential guest posts you can sell from your site!
#6 - Parasite SEO Secrets
Google may help your website, but it will never hate big publication sites like Forbes, The Guardian, and other prominent news outlets. Not to mention, UGC from sites like LinkedIn, Medium, and Quora continue to rise the ranks and get more organic traffic from small niche sites. This is the reality of the situation now, and it's time for you to take action if you still want to appear on top of SERPs.
Enter Parasite SEO Secrets - your SEO course for unlocking the potential of ranking for any keyword in Google using this powerful technique . It teaches you how to exploit Google's preference for size, age, and authority by building pages on large, established sites. Just as important, you will learn which niches to create content for based on your SEO keyword research and affiliate commissions from various programs.
When done correctly, you should be able to harness the power of free and paid sites where you can publish your parasite content, optimise the content for their target keywords, and generate commissions from the successful transaction from your affiliate links.
#7 - ELITE AI SEO - Live Webinar
ELITE AI SEO - Live Webinar is an advanced training session designed for experienced SEO professionals looking to harness the power of AI to revolutionize their businesses. Led by award-winning SEO marketing specialist Charles Floate, this 5-hour live webinar offers cutting-edge insights into AI applications in SEO, from automated link building to efficient content creation and beyond.
Participants will gain access to Charles' exact prompts, tools, GPTs, and sequences, which can be immediately implemented to boost efficiency and scale operations beyond human capabilities. The webinar covers a wide range of topics, including the evolution of AI in SEO, practical use cases, and strategies to prepare for the future of the industry, all based on years of research and real-world case studies.
By attending this webinar, SEO professionals can expect to learn how to overhaul their processes, make their businesses more profitable, and automate entire campaigns while maintaining human-quality output. With the potential to grow your SEO business by 500%+ without extensive hiring, this webinar offers a unique opportunity to stay ahead in the rapidly evolving world of AI-powered SEO.
#8 - The Niche & Keyword Hunting Bootcamp🎯
The key is in the keywords, or so the saying goes (you heard it first here!). Your ability to drive organic traffic to your site from search results depends on the search queries you've chosen to optimise your site pages. The Niche & Keyword Hunting Bootcamp teaches you exactly that - equip SEO professionals with the skills to identify and capitalize on the most profitable niches and keywords in the digital landscape.
This five-hour webinar discusses boot camp basics and essential SEO tools to get started in building your keyword strategies. Then, participants will learn how to implement advanced strategies for finding new trends, analyzing SERPs, and scaling opportunities, all while maximising existing assets. They will also learn to understand semantic SEO, calculate competitiveness and profitability, and even explore non-English SEO strategies.
With real-world examples, actionable insights, and a Q&A session, this bootcamp offers invaluable knowledge for on-page SEO specialists, site owners, and SEO freelancers who want to elevate their SEO game and uncover lucrative opportunities in an ever-evolving digital marketplace.
#9 - Beating The Algo: SEO Earning Strategies For 2024
The biggest to an SEO's livelihood is Google's constantly changing and evolving algorithm. What may be working now may not work weeks or months from now. Worse, these changes happen drastically with no solution in sight, leaving website owners speechless and clueless on how to resolve the issue.
At this point, the best solution to the algorithm program is adaptability, something that you will learn with the Beating The Algo: SEO Earning Strategies For 2024 live webinar. This 5-hour session covers a wide range of topics, from understanding recent algorithm changes to exploring new high-ROI strategies in parasite SEO, affiliate marketing, and local SEO.
Participants will gain insights into why certain sites lost rankings, learn about recovery strategies, and discover how to leverage AI for solo SEO projects. Charles also shares his trusty toolbox, link-building advice, and strategies for succeeding in non-English SEO markets, all backed by real-world case studies and examples. It also comes with downloadable resources and a Q&A session after the webinar.
#10 - The 2024 Link Building Blueprint w/ Julian Goldie
Six long hours may be too much for most SEOs to endure, but that's the kind of dedication Charles and co-host/SEO extraordinaire Julian Goldie have for their audience with The 2024 Link Building Blueprint webinar. It offers a unique opportunity to learn from two industry leaders who have collectively built and sold millions of dollars worth of off-page SEO, providing insights from both white and black hat perspectives and enabling attendees to create money-hat link building strategies for their sites and clients.
From link acquisition basics to advanced strategies like AI-powered backlink magnets and digital PR techniques, participants are sure to learn how to secure high-quality backlinks, negotiate costs, and leverage AI to automate tedious tasks. At the same time, they learn about future-proofing their SEO strategies against rapidly changing technologies and Google updates.
The course includes actionable guides, swipe-and-deploy templates, and insider secrets that beginners and experienced SEO professionals can immediately implement.
The monthly reoccurring webinar costs $399 with a money-back guarantee promise. This makes this resource a low-risk, high-reward investment for those interested in levelling up their link building strategies.
Future Plans
Nothing's set in stone as far as planning is concerned as of right now. That's because, just like SEO and Google's algorithms, plans change based on where the winds take us. However, before is a short list of things to expect from CFT as we continue to grow and expand in this coming year:
- More Content on The Site—We are slowly but surely creating free SEO content on your site in the form of blog posts to help teach readers the best SEO practices to ensure the success of the sites they manage.
- More Premium Content—The courses have been huge for CFT, and we'll continue creating new courses and resources, both free and downloadable, and updating the old ones to help you scale your business further. The same goes for webinars—we'll launch premium webinars and partner with more SEO influencers who specialise in specific practices we haven't covered before. We'll keep you posted!
Conclusion
Charles has always been a trailblazer, choosing paths less traveled, and Charles Floate Training is no exception. The results speak for themselves: building a six-figure annual business in its first year, primarily through social media sales, is an achievement we're immensely proud of.
For the second year, expect more of the same from CFT, just even better! We recently started blogging here on the site, so make sure to check out my other posts and as Charles moves into owning half of the SEO tool industry too, we're still constantly trying and testing new techniques, theories and systems.
Lastly, here are a few words from Yudhish Puran, CEO @ Charles Floate Training:
As we approach the end of our first year at CFT, the growth has been nothing short of remarkable. The results speak for themselves—within just a few months, it became clear that sustaining revenue above $10k per month purely from organic would require continual innovation. That's when I started planning our launch calendar for the entire of 2024 with Charles, and our Trello board quickly ballooned to 150+ different cards! Most of this year has been about testing what works for our audience, next year we're going to double down on those things and take things to the next level!
Thank you for being part of our journey. We're excited about what the future holds and look forward to helping you achieve your SEO goals.
Regards
Christopher Benitez, Head of Content @ Charles Floate Training