While combing through my files for income records from my botting in Lineage 2 Classic, I stumbled upon an old chart from my time on Yandex Zen. Nowadays, Zen is far more restricted and pays less, but a few years ago, it was a goldmine. This is the story of my experiment with automating views, generating ad clicks, and taking advantage of Zen’s early days.

For those unfamiliar, Zen is a Russian blogging platform by Yandex, where creators can earn ad revenue based on the reach of their posts. When Zen first opened its doors to bloggers, there was a lot of potential for growth—and for testing some “gray area” tactics.

Disclaimer: This story is entirely fictional; none of it actually happened. I’m not promoting fraud or any illegal activity, nor do I take responsibility for what anyone chooses to do with this information.

How It Started

In August 2019, I discovered some software created by someone to help bloggers hit Zen’s monetization requirements. At the time, you needed around 1,000 views per article with an average retention time of 1.5 minutes, plus at least three articles, to qualify for monetization.

While I don’t remember all the details, this chart is what I had left from that experiment. The software worked simply: bots would visit the channel, scroll through articles, “read” them slowly, move the cursor around, and use mobile proxies to mimic genuine traffic.

Once I saw the software, I thought, “This is it.” I built the first bot version, but initially, Zen didn’t count the views. I adjusted parameters for more human-like actions, tweaked fingerprints, and played with scrolling speed. After a few days of experimenting, Zen finally started counting the views.

Reaching Monetization and Scaling Up

I launched my first channel with three original articles I’d written myself. After running it through the bot, the monetization button appeared, so I verified it with my personal information. I thought I’d hit the jackpot: I’d write articles, pump up traffic, and eventually create dozens of channels to cash in on Zen.

However, days went by, and the profit was minimal. That’s when I thought, “What if I manually click the ads?” I tried it—and saw my first earnings roll in. From there, things escalated.

Developing a Realistic Ad-Crawling System

It didn’t take long to realize that Yandex’s ad network (RSYA) was no amateur. Clicking ads and quickly exiting didn’t work; the system required more realistic engagement. So I developed an “ad-crawler” that would stay on the site, navigate to different pages, and interact with the content before clicking ads.

The next step was to adjust metrics. After researching high-paying niches on RSYA, I ordered content specifically targeted to these topics from freelance platforms to drive up ad rates. I set the click rate on ads to a cautious 2%, keeping it low to avoid detection.

I also found that Zen could detect and ban entire networks linked to a single user if they suspected automation. That meant I needed to diversify my setup, so I started using separate servers, proxies, and accounts to avoid a complete takedown.

Scaling Up the System

With demand rising, I had to get creative with my setup. I sourced data from reliable sellers and collaborated with some unconventional players to keep my accounts running. Within days, more channels began hitting monetization targets, allowing me to maximize earnings.

Thanks to a powerful system that could support over 100 threads, I was running multiple channels simultaneously. I think I may have even bought a few extra servers—although my memory’s a bit hazy here. But the bottom line was, it worked. Channels stayed under the radar for over two weeks, raking in revenue daily.

Zen offered next-day payouts, so I was able to quickly draw profits. During those initial weeks, the income was incredible.

Managing Risks and Knowing When to Exit

The golden days didn’t last forever. As Zen’s algorithms and security measures evolved, it became harder to go undetected. Zen began tightening its policies, rolling out stricter checks that eventually led to lower revenue. Channels were banned more frequently, and on forums, other users confirmed that Zen had “closed the loopholes.” As profits dropped, I decided to pull out and move on to other projects.

Key Lessons Learned

Looking back, the experience taught me some valuable lessons about timing and risk management. Here’s what I took away:

1. Test and Adapt Quickly: Getting in early is crucial. Being able to adjust bot settings and adapt based on what’s working (or not) made all the difference in those early days.
2. Balance Realism and Scale: Setting click rates too high or using basic engagement triggers would’ve been obvious. Mimicking real user behavior allowed the setup to go undetected for a longer time.
3. Prepare an Exit Strategy: With platforms constantly evolving, it’s crucial to know when to pivot. When the system started detecting bots, I was ready to pull out and explore other income streams.

Conclusion

Ultimately, this experience was a crash course in automating revenue and understanding the balance between growth and risk. If there’s anything I’d pass on, it’s this: jump on opportunities quickly, but don’t rely on them long-term. There’s always another trend or tool out there; the key is to stay curious and keep looking.