If you fancy the idea of earning an income through buying and selling, then flipping websites is a good option. The process is simple:
- Buy an existing website
- Increase its value by improving it
- Sell the website for profit
It’s similar to flipping houses, albeit with a much lower barrier to entry. You also don’t need as much time or expertise. In fact, starting off requires little more than some basic website management know-how. Plus, you can do it all from the comfort of your desk – or couch. So, what kind of investment are we looking at?
Capital Requirements
You probably won’t get off to an explosive start, but $100 is sufficient to launch your website flipping business. With that amount, you can purchase a website or online store that earns roughly a tenth of your investment in monthly revenue. Sites that generate more or have been around for longer have higher asking prices – usually in the thousands.
Getting Started
These days, buying a website is safe and simple. This is thanks to online marketplaces. Unlike private forums, which is where website flippers traditionally made their transactions, marketplaces have several measures in place to prevent fraud. They also make it easier to browse a wide range of sites based on your search criteria.
There are a number of platforms that provide websites available for purchase that allow you to see traffic, possibility or profit, and more. It’s a good idea to identify the niches that are currently in demand when making your choice.
Factors to Consider
When evaluating a website, there are some factors that influence its suitability for flipping. This includes the domain name, which should be relevant, brandable, and SEO-friendly. Analyzing the site’s traffic numbers will give you an idea of its performance over time. Another factor is age. Older websites are generally safer investments.
Improving a Website
Once you’ve made your choice and the website is in your name, it’s time to get to work. Depending on the current state of the site, this can involve measures such as improving its rankings in search engines and posting high-quality content on the blog. The aim is to increase the value of the site as much as possible. Most of these tasks can be outsourced.
Selling for Profit
Here’s where it gets exciting. Just like selling any other business, you need to find the right buyer. Fortunately, those can be found on the same marketplaces we mentioned earlier. Listing your website there has several benefits. For instance, some marketplaces send listings on their newsletters, which include hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
It’s a good idea to work on building trust with prospective buyers. This can be done by explaining why you’re selling the site and what the buyer can expect once it’s theirs.
Conclusion
As you learn more about website flipping and start gaining experience, you can easily turn it into a full-time business. There are great rewards to be reaped here, so perhaps now is the time to get started.
