How to Flip Websites for Money

08/17/2022 18:06:34 +0000

Website flipping is a great way to make easy money, and with most businesses focusing on their online presence, now is the perfect time to get involved. But what is website flipping? And how does one go about getting into this incredible money-maker?

Join us as we delve into the world of website flipping by looking at precisely what it entails, a few do's and don'ts, and how to ensure you buy the right website.

What is Website Flipping?

Website flipping is not exactly a new concept, and people who have been doing this for years will tell you that it is a relatively straightforward process that guarantees a significant return in terms of profits.

You can get involved in website flipping by buying a static or dormant website, improving it, sprucing it up, and then selling it to companies or other buyers.

Flipping sites like Flippa make buying and selling websites that much easier and are an excellent tool for those just starting out with website flipping. Flippa and other flipping sites can turn just about anyone into a website flipper.

Let's look at the steps involved in flipping a website.

7 Steps to Website Flipping

Thanks to technology and the evolution of the internet, most businesses have a website. This allows them to draw in new customers and make more people aware of their existence. Website flipping is one way in which you can help a business grow while making a good profit.

Here are seven flipping steps that you should follow to flip a website:

1. Identify Your Niche

Everyone has at least one thing they are passionate about. Whether it is gardening or marketing, there must be something that you know a lot about.

Knowledge of your niche is vital in creating excellent content that will draw traffic to your website, so focus on what you know and build on that.

2. Secure a Domain Name For Your Website

Domain names are easy to come by, and with various online service providers available, you can become the proud new owner of a domain name. When selecting a domain name, choose one that uses commonly searched keywords and make it catchy.

Short, catchy names are easier to remember and are more likely to attract traffic to your website. Leave out letters, numbers, and other punctuation marks like hyphens that are hard to remember and will only complicate your domain name.
Think of your domain name as a slogan for your niche, focusing on something that will create curiosity and bring more traffic to your website.

3. Find a Good Web Hosting Platform

Any website needs a good internet hosting service. Choosing a web hosting platform is essential, as it is critical in making your website available on the internet. Web hosting platforms take the guesswork out of hosting your website and are a great source of on-hand technical assistance should you or the buyer need it.
Popular hosting services are just a search away.

4. Choose a Template or Plug-In to Create Your Website Content

WordPress, Templates, and other plug-ins are available to create the best content for your website. In addition, these products allow for easy maintenance of your website.

Simply download your template, add it to your website, insert your content, and Bob's your uncle! Then, use your knowledge of SEO (or learn more about SEO) to create the best content possible.
Stick to your primary area of focus, and be as specific as possible.

5. Focus on Advertising to Spread the Word About Your Website

Thanks to social media and advertising services from Google, Amazon, and many more, advertising your flipped website can be as easy as a click of the mouse.

Use free advertising services and watch your website traffic grow without spending a cent! Also, look at special offers you can include in your sale price, like a year's free advertising for your website. These great benefits can help you sell our website quickly and are a small price for the traffic generated by the advertisements.

6. Launch Your Website

Once you have launched your website, focus on bringing traffic to your site using SEO, advertising, and spreading the word.

Ask friends and family to share your website link on their social media platforms to bring more traffic to your website.
Keep an eye on the traffic that your new website generates.

Ensure that there is a good traffic flow before selling your website. More traffic means a higher sale price and more money in your pocket.

7. Sell the Website and Transfer the Domain

There are two ways to sell your website.

• Sell it to a buyer
• Auction your website off on one of the many auction sites available

Once you have found a buyer, made an agreement, and sold the website, you will need to transfer ownership of the website to the new owner. The same process applies to sites that have been sold at auction.

Transfer of ownership is easy, and once you have handed over ownership to the buyer, you are free to move on to your next website flipping job. The process is as simple and easy as providing the buyer access to the website's hosting account. Then, change the ownership details to that of the new owner and clear your details.

Look out for any red flags that might indicate a scam, like a buyer wanting to remain anonymous or wanting ownership of the website before money has been exchanged. The internet is a hive of scams, and one small mistake can cost you a lot of time and effort.

Look for our section on selecting a seller or buyer for tips on selecting the right website for your flip and choosing the best buyer.

SEO and Website Flipping

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the overall optimization process of improving the quality of a website and is a crucial element in website flipping. Read a few articles on how to use SEO to improve a dormant website, focusing on the SEO in that particular niche or market, and see your traffic grow.

SEO includes:

• Creating quality content for a website or web page
• Optimizing web pages to make them more user-friendly
• Link-building that will increase traffic to the website
• Identifying your competition in a specific market
• Keyword optimization

One of the most critical elements of SEO is keyword optimization. This focuses on using specific keywords to draw readers and traffic to your side. Several handy online SEO tools can help you identify these keywords and how they will increase your SEO ranking.

SEO does not require a lot of skill and is relatively easy to learn by using tools and tips that you can find by doing an online search. There is a vast array of knowledge, so use this when flipping a website.

Do's and Don'ts of Website Flipping

Before you start your journey of website flipping, there are a few tips that might make your job that much easier.
Here are a few do's and don'ts that you should consider when flipping websites:

Do's

• Focus on optimizing your listing. Be as detailed as possible and create an appealing overview of your website that will draw traffic to your page and attract a host of buyers. Add any extras or benefits that buyers can expect when choosing your website.

• Pay close attention to design and content. Try and adapt your content for the market you are focusing on. Your content should keep readers entertained. Add in graphics and images to make your website fun without overcrowding the site. When looking at the design, ensure that your website is easy to navigate and that advertisements do not take up more space on your web page than necessary, leaving more room for your content and images.

• Choose websites that will benefit from your improvements. A dormant website is usually dormant for a reason. Try and establish where the previous website owner failed and build on these to create an even better website for a product, service, or niche.

• Know your competition. Spend some time searching for similar websites and focus on their rankings. Identify their weaknesses and build your website accordingly. Many ranking sites available online can give you the information you need.

• Use website flipping sites like Flippa to help you get started.

Don'ts

• Never choose a bland or generic domain name. Instead, domain names should be short, catchy, easy to remember, and unique to draw interest and traffic to your page. For example, a dot.com website is easier to remember as users are more statistically likely to click on these websites first.

• Don't forget to list the benefits of your website for potential buyers. Highlight profit opportunities, create as much custom content as possible, and try taking a unique angle when compiling content for your niche.

• Don't waste your time and resources on websites that are not worth anything. Instead, do your research and invest in websites that have great potential for traffic and are more likely to generate a sale.

• Never rush the sale process. Take your time when selling your new website. Negotiate where possible, and always maintain the upper hand in these negotiations. Fewer mistakes mean an easier sale. Do your legal, financial and commercial due diligence when buying and selling websites and know how to spot scammers trying to make a quick buck.

Red Flags and Due Diligence: A Crucial Relationship for Website Flipping

Due diligence is a critical step when buying, or selling, a website. By doing due diligence, you can establish whether the site is an asset or if you should focus your efforts elsewhere. Common things to look at when you do your due diligence are:

• Legal due diligence (copyright, legalities of the content, etc.)

• Financial due diligence (revenue, sales, traffic, etc.)

• Commercial due diligence (future profits, sales, etc.)

Due diligence can also help prevent a run-in with a scammer. Unfortunately, the internet is one of the easiest places to fall victim to a scam.

Here are a handful of our top tips on choosing the best seller or buyer when flipping websites:

• Learn all that you possibly can about a seller. Establish their trustworthiness by looking at their seller ratings, reading reviews, and asking previous customers about their experience with a seller.

• Always establish the reason for the sale of a website. For example, is the niche no longer a popular one? If a niche is no longer popular, it might not be worth your efforts.

• Look at the expected revenue or profit of a particular market or niche. Website flipping is only successful when the content is focused on a market that will draw customers.

• Focus on the traffic of the website you want to buy. Was there a significant spike or drop in traffic to the site?

• Advertise your flipped website on popular flipping websites, or register your website with an online auction site. Buyers are often verified before making a purchase, which takes the guesswork out of actively seeking a buyer for your website.

• Avoid anonymous buyers. Any buyer who wants to remain anonymous is most likely up to no good. On the other hand, a legitimate buyer will have no problem with providing their details to you.

Conclusion

Website flipping is a profitable money-making idea that involves buying, optimizing, and selling websites. With many online services, like Flippa, available to get you started, and a number of plug-ins and templates to help you with content, website flipping can be done by just about anyone.

All you need is an idea, knowledge of the content or niche you will be writing about, and the time and effort to build the best website.

So get started today, work from home, and make easy money when you join the world of website flipping.

About the Host

Sophie Howard is the founder of Aspiring Entrepreneurs, a community designed to help people develop the skills and confidence to build a business and a life that serves them. Sophie began online in 2013 with an Amazon firm, which she sold for more than $1 million in 2015.

Sophie has lectured on stages all around the world, encouraging and teaching other ambitious entrepreneurs. She has established instructional programs educating thousands of students how to sell online, in addition to releasing over 1000 products.

Sophie has also written a book titled "Aspiring Entrepreneurs: A Guide to Finding Your Best Path to Financial Freedom."

Connect with Aspiring Entrepreneurs:

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