debate Have you ever created a website to sell a high value domain?

[SSM]

I'm not referring to low or even mid value domains, but ultra premium domains.

The way I see it, is that these type of domains will

A) get type in traffic, and
B) If a party is interested, they'll find a way of making contact regardless of which landing page is used.

I.e. it makes no difference if the domain is parked to Sedo, Dan, GoDaddy etc.

BUT... I'm curious to if anyone has ever gone to the effort of creating a website (rather than just a landing page) with the purpose of driving organic traffic to the domain with the hopes of attracting more attention to the fact the domain is for sale.

With an extensive background in SEO for 15yrs, I'm tempted by taking this route to sell a 7 figure domain. At the same time, I also know the search intent of the user will not be targeted and that majority of the traffic will be pointless. But there's the small chance that businesses within the same industry will discover the site through organic keywords, visit the site and see the domain itself is for sale.

So whilst I see the pros and cons, I'm actually curious if anyone has ever done this?

 

[eyedomainous]

Once you created a website, you would be selling a website, not domain. Even if the buyer is not interested in buying your website content you would be selling website. You may not care as long as you sell. But you would miss a fact: Pricing of domains and websites is different.

If you create websites on "ultra premium domains" you might lower domain value. The chances is high. If you think some exposure will help, create a page to say the domain is for sale and buy traffic or promote it yourself. Ultra premium domains usually don't need such efforts and those efforts may backfire as promotion would be seen like looking for a buyer desperately. Some buyers may think like that: if this was a ultra premium domain it wouldn't need promotion, either the domain is not premium or the domain is overpriced.

Indexable content is the only distinction between parked, landing page and "website" domains.

Parked and landing pages are ecommerce websites. And, buyers of parked & landing page domains also get, and often keep, the website.

Indexable domains are search engine ranked. The higher the rank the greater the value to buyers, regardless of the (indexed) content.

I'm sorry, but the chances are not high an ultra premium domain, with an indexable website, would lose sales value -compared to the same domain parked (banned), or on a landing page.

Also, IMO, self-promoting a parked / landing page domain looks considerably more desperate than getting search engines to rank/promote your premium domain, organically aka free!

 

[poweredbyme]

Indexable content is the only distinction between parked, landing page and "website" domains.

Parked and landing pages are ecommerce websites. And, buyers of parked & landing page domains also get, and often keep, the website.

Indexable domains are search engine ranked. The higher the rank the greater the value to buyers, regardless of the (indexed) content.

I'm sorry, but the chances are not high an ultra premium domain, with an indexable website, would lose sales value -compared to the same domain parked (banned), or on a landing page.

Also, IMO, self-promoting a parked / landing page domain looks considerably more desperate than getting search engines to rank/promote your premium domain, organically aka free!

If you add indexable content to premium domains, the domain loses value unless it's sold with the existing content, in other words as a website.

SE rankings are based on page rather than domain. If buyer changes existing internal URL's and/or content, overall SE rankings drop more compared to domains with no content history. Because changes in URL's and/or content, change the status of the domain from a neutral domain with no content history to a spam domain with spam content. Don't think you could redirect old internal pages as a solution. Redirections don't help much. Domains with content history lose value unless they are sold with existing content, as websites. Domains with previously indexed content and backlink history have less value for buyers with intention to develop their own websites. They prefer to buy domains with no content and backlink history. That is more important for buyers who will use the domain for their existing products and customers.

 

[SSM]

If you add indexable content to premium domains, the domain loses value unless it's sold with the existing content, in other words as a website.

SE rankings are based on page rather than domain. If buyer changes existing internal URL's and/or content, overall SE rankings drop more compared to domains with no content history. Because changes in URL's and/or content, change the status of the domain from a neutral domain with no content history to a spam domain with spam content. Don't think you could redirect old internal pages as a solution. Redirections don't help much. Domains with content history lose value unless they are sold with existing content, as websites. Domains with previously indexed content and backlink history have less value for buyers with intention to develop their own websites. They prefer to buy domains with no content and backlink history. That is more important for buyers who will use the domain for their existing products and customers.

There's a lot in this response that is incorrect information however I'm not getting into this as it will turn into a topic about SEO rather than awareness.

 

[eyedomainous]

If you add indexable content to premium domains, the domain loses value unless it's sold with the existing content, in other words as a website.

Indexed domains often sell to competitors seeking to gain market share. Sometimes the buyer's goal is to "kill the site", and/or incorporate its innovative content. Either way a competitive premium domain, with content, cannot lose value to a non-competitive premium domain name, without website content... because it simply can't compete for market share it possess no threat in the search marketplace.

SE rankings are based on page rather than domain.

SE rankings are based on page content AND the domain's keywords.

If buyer changes existing internal URL's and/or content, overall SE rankings drop more compared to domains with no content history.

Domains with no content history have no SE rankings because they have no content history in the index.

Because changes in URL's and/or content, change the status of the domain from a neutral domain with no content history to a spam domain with spam content.

How does a URL with content become a "neutral domain"(?) with no content history?
How does a neutral domain with no content history become a spam domain with spam content?

Don't think you could redirect old internal pages as a solution. Redirections don't help much. Domains with content history lose value unless they are sold with existing content, as websites.

Subdomain redirects are indexed. And, as mentioned, my subdomain redirects improved site rankings.

Domains with previously indexed content and backlink history have less value for buyers with intention to develop their own websites. They prefer to buy domains with no content and backlink history. That is more important for buyers who will use the domain for their existing products and customers.

Because virtually all domains not in the index have been banned for being parked, or For Sale spam sites domainers often recite this 'no site history' fabrication instead of revealing the actual banned site reality.

 

[Corey]

not sure if this is what you mean, but...

a work in progress... is

GDBR.com

Cheers
Corey

 

[Jenksy]

not sure if this is what you mean, but...

a work in progress... is

GDBR.com

Cheers
Corey

Looking good.

 

[DomainBoxio]

Yes, but instead of showcasing the amazing domain, it normally just becomes a site I that I am responsible for until the end of time!

 

[Andreas B.]

Easiest way is to turn your domain into a news website,
for ex. using wordpress + news plugins...

You can also rent out a service for that, so you don't have to host at all.

Yes, but instead of showcasing the amazing domain, it normally just becomes a site I that I am responsible for until the end of time!

Depends.

If you visibly put a link at the top (right corner), calling it 'contact' , and then forward to a DAN landing page,
you have good odds that a pot. buyer clicks on it.

 

[Surya Giri Kurniawan]

http://erealestate.com/domains.htm

It's owned by Domain King. Might be the first website for selling domains available in the world.

 

[Monster360]

I'm not referring to low or even mid value domains, but ultra premium domains.

The way I see it, is that these type of domains will

A) get type in traffic, and
B) If a party is interested, they'll find a way of making contact regardless of which landing page is used.

I.e. it makes no difference if the domain is parked to Sedo, Dan, GoDaddy etc.

BUT... I'm curious to if anyone has ever gone to the effort of creating a website (rather than just a landing page) with the purpose of driving organic traffic to the domain with the hopes of attracting more attention to the fact the domain is for sale.

With an extensive background in SEO for 15yrs, I'm tempted by taking this route to sell a 7 figure domain. At the same time, I also know the search intent of the user will not be targeted and that majority of the traffic will be pointless. But there's the small chance that businesses within the same industry will discover the site through organic keywords, visit the site and see the domain itself is for sale.

So whilst I see the pros and cons, I'm actually curious if anyone has ever done this?

Create a sight and monetize it, that will only add more value.

 

[Igor Mironyuk]

Yes, I create channel sites for some of my premium domains, like DroneTV.com, and it continues to attract attention, and offers, from others in the industry. Some of the offers were quite respectable, but as the $1.4M asking price targets the TV station market... I continue to respectfully decline lessor offers.

I'm transitioning to a sub-domain set-up [so all site links don't resolve yet.] where the sub-domain does biz and interested parties that visit the main domain discover it, and others, are for sale. I think posting the domain is for sale on the 'biz' site interferes with the 'sales pitch'.

As far as SEO goes, I'm glad to see both the sub-domain and/or the domain still rank the first page.

Rinse & repeat for ResellTV.com (Resell.com is $2M @ Godaddy), and 8 others in my premium network.

.COM is king and it is fact but what is about other TLDs like .NET, .INFO, .BIZ?