Did you know that you can sell websites (or blogs) for real, tangible money? A lot of people are unaware of this, which is a shame as dormant sites are often left lying for years when they could be making money. Many websites become abandoned, for various reasons, leaving behind a golden opportunity for someone with the time and know-how to earn a profit. Perhaps the business is no longer operating, or a blogger may have started a new job that has a conflict of interest with their site. Regardless of the reasons why, there are plenty of sites available for purchase. The process of buying and selling websites, known as “flipping websites”, is similar to property development, minus the brick and mortar. The truth is, anyone can do it, regardless of how little experience you have or what industry or niche your website falls under. We can advise you on how you can make money from your dormant website or blog.

Benefits of Buying a Website

There are many advantages to buying a website with the sole intention of improving it and reselling it, such as:

  • An audience has already been established
  • The site is already indexed within Google and other search engines
  • The site will already have backlinks

But what does this mean? Taking over a site that already exists means that all you have to do is implement some search engine optimisation to improve it, instead of building a site from the ground up which would take much longer.

Step by Step Guide to Buying a Website

Step One: Getting Started

When buying a website, you want one that makes money, or previously made money, or at least had a fair amount of traffic. Realistically, you don’t want to start buying and selling blogs or websites that aren’t worth much. Our best advice is only buy additional sites once you understand what gives them value. Therefore, step one is gaining knowledge on how websites work.

Step Two: Get on the Market

Look for sites that are no longer in use. Any website that hasn’t been updated for several months, or years, is likely up for grabs. You should use your current network to find them, for example make regular visits to blogs you have read in the past, or post about it on social media. Once you come across a site that hasn’t been updated or had any activity for quite some time, reach out with a simple email expressing your interest in purchasing the website. For expert assistance, go to Smarter Acquisitions, a professional website flipping service which can help you through every step.

Step Three: Evaluate the Site

If you are buying a website independently, ensure to ask the owner to prove the traffic and any income it produces. After you receive evidence of this you should ask for a second opinion; if you know anybody in the same industry or niche ask for their advice. Also, bloggers or website owners will likely have an understanding of how to improve sites, therefore if you have a contact with this type of experience, you could ask them to help you develop it. For this same reason, it is worthwhile for you to first of all establish yourself as a blogger and build up a working knowledge of websites and SEO before investing in flipping sites. However, if you don’t have anyone to assist you, Smarter Acquisitions can evaluate your website for you.

Step Four: Establish a Contract

When buying websites through Smarter Acquisitions, you are protected as you will receive ownership before submitting your payment. One of the main purposes of Smarter Acquisitions is to ensure both buyers and sellers are safeguarded against fraud. If you do decide to buy independently, you must establish a contract with the current site owner. This documentation will be used as evidence should anything go wrong.

Step Five: Taking Ownership

Once website ownership has been transferred, there may be other essential transfers that must be made to complete the process. For example, you may have to transfer the site onto a new server and transfer domain names. The seller should co-operate with your during this transference period. Of course, if you choose to purchase a website through Smarter Acquisitions, they will assist you with all these technical steps.

What about Selling Websites?

The process of selling a website is very similar to purchasing. First of all you must determine its value. Secondly, you will likely have to advertise that your site is for sale (unless you are already in touch with a prospective buyer). You can list your website on a legitimate and trusted site flipping website, such as Smarter Acquisitions. Once negotiations begin with a buyer, you should try to be as helpful as possible with providing information and transference details. Ensure you get everything in writing and work with experts like Smarter Acquisitions to carry out any technical tasks.

Buying and selling websites: the smarter way

Everyone can do it, we can teach and advise. Any industry.

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