Domain Flips, Let's think this through.
Well folks I have over a dozen domains. Too many projects to complete and I am more interested in the sideline of domain flips to help get my other projects out of a cash-strapped stalemate. I am both sharing my thoughts on how to make flips a value-added proposition and also to get your thoughts on them as well.
Domain flipping is the act of buying and selling domain names and microsites or blogs with the intent of making a profit without having to put a ton of time and energy into developing the sites. Domain and Website sellers like Flippa and SEDO broker the sale, sometimes inside 30 days for a listing fee plus final sales commission.
I personally did a few hours of research and am looking to list my first flip with Flippa within the next week to 10 days on a domain I own in the CBD/Hemp niche. There is a range of ways to sell. The lowest cost but lowest reward is to list domains only for sale.
This can be done for as little as $10 plus the commission on the final sale. You can fully develop a starter site with 30+ articles with more content leading to existing earnings which can in many cases lead to a higher flip value. Or you can do something similar to what I am doing with a Domain Name and basic start-up kit that can also lead to other income post-sale.
What am I looking at offering in my Kit?
On the site, I have already begun the kit for I have done a high-quality website design using Generate Press Premium. Because some of the elements are GP Premium features the buyer will need to have a license for GP Premium to keep these features active on the blog. If they follow my affiliate link I will be able to earn an additional commission on the sale of GP Premium.
Also in the kit, I highly recommend Rank Math Premium which is another annual commission for me if they buy through my link. In addition, I promote in the guide I am getting together domain purchase through NameCheap (Commission on domain and possible hosting), website hosting through my own reseller hosting account, and the ability to get training, hosting, and SEO/Content suite through Wealthy Affiliate as options.
Services I can offer include Search Engine Optimization, further website development, content brokering through outsourcing options I have to either per article higher writers or through longer-term contract provide content through the hire of a Virtual Assistant. This allows the new site owner to get started while they learn or have a total hands-free option.
I will offer graphic design for a banner kit as well for example and can offer mentoring services to help them grow into their business and learn to generate traffic for their new site.
The potential is to add up to $1250 in value to the asking price and to potentially extend income for you to 5 years while the new blogger/webmaster gets started online.
Some services like Search engine Optimization can earn me an extra $150 per initial page development for Design and SEO. An ongoing contract could be $400 or more to provide as few as 4 articles a month all outsourced because I don't wish to be distracted from my core businesses and other flips getting too niche-specific.
Hosting can bring me a few dollars a year as will the domain registration if they follow my guide. Other purchases might add $100 or more a year in passive income. I have seen people sell blogs already developed in the $1,000 to $75,000 range and my package is a build-to-suit as opposed to ready built.
Here's your challenge!
Please think of services I can add to the mix below that can bring additional profits. In the case of this first flip I am even listing a few programs I joined that service the niche but I hadn't moved forward because the project was still a future development.
Also list things that may not make back-end passive income but might contribute to a higher sale price by improving value on an undeveloped domain.
Lastly, if you have done a flip or had an offer made to buy your current website please share some of your experience. I have seen some great articles on WA about blog sales and domain flipping and look forward to more experience as this is one thing I have only done a couple of times in my 17 years online.
Lastly any ideas on how and where to market the sale to help Flippa drive new interest in this listing are also greatly appreciated. If all goes well this is very apt to become a training course here at WA for future flippers and those looking to sell a website.
Andy Zeus Anderson
Recent Comments
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Here is my experience, Andy! The first in a small series that I did! My Domain Is Listed For Sale (by Auction) on Flippa! Jeff
I read your series again earlier tonight. I noticed you did very little to market the flip and was wondering what your take is on adding more than domain only to sweeten the deal as well as doing some personal promotion?
Andy
That is a good idea, Andy. Of course, my series was to test out the process on a domain which I was going to let go of since it was hyphenated anyway. One thing I did learn was that there are unscrupulous individuals who try to take you off platform to do a deal which was circumspect at best! I may try this again later with some domains which I might never use, but which I purchased because I though they were clever!
Thanks for the reminder and encouragement!
Jeff
No, in the end, I simply let it expire, but it was a good experience, and I might try again in the future with a domain which might sell, Barb!
Jeff
Hi Andy,
Great idea and methodology!
Nothing further to offer, based on my total lack of experience in this area, but I think you are setting yourself up for a nice additional income.
Best of Luck!😊
Thanks for a great comment, I know adding value during and after the sale is something that will be huge going forward.
Nice idea Andy and good luck. I have no advice to offer but I wish you well and I'd be interested to hear how things go.
Rick
I will definitely follow Jeffrey's example and chronicle the flip starting with what I decide to include, the back end potentials added to the guide, and any marketing I do to help it climb the search algorithm at Flippa which I am up still at 3 AM trying to learn more about. This is going to be a fun project and a huge learning experience.
I took a course a while back how to build up 3, 6 and one year shopify stores and flip them when i had convincing growth stats to show for. Those were either selling own wares and/or dropshipping. But I have no experience with blogs, I assume same principle applies.
I would like to learn more. Your post has potential. Thank you.
Mikey
The nice thing is you learned about building off of sales-based evaluations, 12-48 months of earnings for a final sales price depending on the domain, the niche, and the forward momentum.
In my case I am starting with a domain that has a Logo, a custom theme, a selection of chosen plugins for performance, a getting started guide, and a blank slate to write your future on. Hell, I don't even know if the buyer will be creating a blog, or with this domain name, they could do a directory or storefront of their own.
I may find myself in a new realm and helping develop a full-on eCommerce site and it may have an affiliate program I join in the future. With as hooked as I am on the health benefits of CBD I may become as much a customer as the guy who sold them the site.
The future is exciting but right now can make it profitable.
Thank you I appreciate your response. Yeah but it is not easy sometimes I had to sell at a loss to drive traffic to my stores through Facebook advertising, but then make up the sales by cross selling on site. Tough call but worth it.
I admire your enthusiasm and I really like the idea of running your affiliate program for an ecom store (any niche is potential coffee, tea, socks, flip flops), you are giving your buyer a fully operational store. That's serious potential. And so I wish you all the best your plans realized.
I made about $45K in revenue I spend $25K learning advanced ecom skills and reinvested the rest in other endeavors.
Mikey
Definitely. I am expecting to make a low ball amount on this site. I will be offering more in value than the immediate potential to accomplish two things. To start seller reputation and 2 raise funds towards 2 potentially larger flips in the coming months. I also want to get my name out there a bit and use the lower ticket sales of ready sites to build up my Local SEO business and WordPress design services.
Every sale and commission from the domain flips will put me closer to advertising to clients that could drop $1500 a pop on custom designs and SEO and be worth thousands of dollars a month in continuing services. I have aged this domain for nearly 3 years now, so but the cost is minimal so the risk of loss is mitigated but I still don't expect a millionaire life-changer out of one flip.
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Hey Andy - a good package - wonder if there's any space for autoresponders and/or ecommerce plugin recommendations - both as affiliate links.
Always room to add those ideas, It could be a flexible package dependent upon what the buyer is looking to do with the site. Thanks for the suggestions.