Buying and selling websites is becoming more and more popular. But what are the pros and cons of buying a website?

The PROS of website buying

* Existing traffic – Ah, good old traffic. Where would we be as webmasters without traffic? probably homeless, so traffic is good m’kay. If you can purchase a site with a large amount of traffic, then you can monetise that traffic and make profits. Profits are also very good 😉

* Members – There is nothing quite like a nice large juicy member (she said) – base. A memberbase of loyal users can be used and abused in numerous ways. You can sell things more easily to them, you can spread viral messages more easily, you can obtain vital market research info for free etc….

* Pagerank – ah, our good friend Mr Pagerank. Google pagerank is nowhere near as important as the general public seem to think, but there are many advantages of buying a site with a decent pagerank, such as selling text links, link trading with authority sites, selling ad space etc…

* Profits – Did I mention that profits are good? well they are, infact, they are probably the single biggest factor when purchasing a website. Many site buyers even use monthly profit multiples to gauge the value of the site. Buying a site with a large monthly profit is a great way to get your investment back quickly, it also shows that the site is working correctly.

* Brand – A wise man once told me that a site with a weak brand is destined for mediocracy. Actually, it wasn’t a wise man that told me that, I just invented it, but either way, it is true. if you purchase a site with a good brand image then rewards yee shall get.

The CONS of website buying

* Cost – Many pop singers say the best things in life are free. But when was the last time you saw Michael Jackson bidding for a PR5 proxy site? I rest my case. If you want to buy a good site then be prepared to hand over you well earned cash.

* Deceiptful sellers – My mother once told me that I should not trust anything that moves, but she was drunk at the time, so I am not sure if she was in the correct mental state to be divulging such pearls of wisdom. Either way, you need to be careful when buying websites. Believe it or not, the seller does NOT have your best interests at heart, infact, he/she just wants your hard earned money. So buying sites can often be like walking through a mine field.

* Losing the main asset – Many sites are popular due to one person. This is particularly true with blogs. Be aware that when you buy a site you will have to replace the previous owner. Sometimes this can be impossible to do.

* Brand – Wait a minute, branding can’t be in the Pros and Cons at the same time, can it? Yes it can, stop complaining and listen carefully, “for I shall say zis only once.” A sites brand is basically it’s reputation, for example, if Michael Jackson came to my house 15 years ago to watch some Disney DVDs, I am sure my parents would have been more than happy for him to have some quiet one on one time with me, but now they would probably chase him away with a burning crucifix. Websites also have reputations, and this can be both a plus and negative thing. If the previous owner was a little dodgy, then you may have just bought a dud.

Now you know the pros and cons of website buying, congratulations.

Dean