Blog For Sale

 51 Comments on Blog For Sale 0 1267

A lot of bloggers say, “I’d never sell my blog.” “It’s my baby.”

And that’s how blogs become; like children we’ve nursed and cared for since day one. We gave them life and celebrate each milestone.

In fact, just like raising a child and hoping they will grow up and have good traits, when a person starts a blog, they often dream of the day when their blog will have a good Google page rank, a decent Alexa rating, consistent traffic, thousands of comments and a community of readers who frequent their site.

That dream can either come true by giving life to a blog, or we can buy that dream.

Yes. People buy existing blogs. how some are selling blogs and buying ready made ones

Today’s Lesson

After reading the article, The 10 Most Expensive Blogs Of All Times, I realized how blogging has paid off for some individuals.

With sweat equity and determination, their blogs became a worthy investment. An investment others were willing to pay big bucks for.

In reality, starting with an established blog has many advantages.

In some cases all of the hard work is done. Posts are written. SEO (search engine optimization) is in place. Google and Alexa have ranked it. Posts have been Tweeted and shared on Facebook. It’s possibly monetized. It has name recognition. Visitors are frequenting it and many are commenting on a regular basis.

And even though blogs often reflect the personality of the blog author, with just a few tweaks, a ready made blog can quickly represent the new owner.

There are even sites which specialize in the buying and selling of blogs. One of the popular ones is Flippa. For a small fee, they handle the entire transaction.

That said, to complete a sale of any kind, it takes a willing buyer and a willing seller.

What say you?

Today’s Assignment

Would you sell your blog?

Or would you consider buying a ready made blog?

Care to share?

~Barbara

51 thoughts on “Blog For Sale”

  1. I would not sell my blog, because it’s my home base. If I had several blogs, then I might consider it. I would still need to keep one home base, though!

    Would I buy established blogs? Probably not. It’s not because I think it’s stupid. It’s because I either am not interested in running the kind of blogs others are running, or I don’t have the expertise for it.

    1. Hi Kelvin,

      That’s a good point. When we have more than one blog, selling one of the others may be something we could consider. I like your idea of having a “Home Base” – a place where our regulars can always find us.

  2. I wouldn’t sell my blog simply because my blog is me name….and one cannot replace that online. Oh, sure, a couple million or billion dollars would make the replacement ‘way easier……

    And no, I wouldn’t buy anything established; I’m stubborn that way. I make my own success.

    1. Hi Barbara,

      That’s true. It wouldn’t make sense to sell a blog which sports our name, unless like you said, someone wants to throw a few mil at us. 🙂

      I like how you put that, “I make my own success.”.

  3. Hi Barbara, great blog you have here, I’ve been lurking for a while.

    I wouldn’t mind selling my blog if the occasion shows up, because I am not that attached to it; I have always seen a blog only as a vehicle. I’m into writing, so I’d simply move into a different writing project. Starting new writing projects always gives me an energy boost.

    …and besides, it would be funny to read people’s comments saying “hey, this blog is not half as good as it used to be when Nacho was in charge” 😛

    1. Thank you Nacho,

      LOL. That would be fun to read the comments if we did sell our blog.

      That’s true. If we did sell, we could just move to another blog, and hopefully our readers would follow us, too.

  5. Hi Barbara – Anything’s for sale at the right price. 😉 If someone bought PassingThru, we’d have more time to figure out what to do with ourselves!

    I doubt I’d buy an established blog. Changing or matching its voice seems too much like work. I noted in the comments of the post you cited that some of the blogs that sold for big money quickly went defunct or static page. Kinda sad when you think about it.

    1. Hi Betsy,

      I saw that too, where blogs were sold and then went defunct. That is sad. I also noticed how one blog was sold, but the previous owner was kept on to run it. I see that as a pretty wise move.

  7. Sure. If someone offered, I’d sell any of my blogs and/or web sites. I can always start new ones — sometimes, that’s part of the fun.

    Would I buy an established blog? If I had the extra money to buy an established blog, there are too many other things that that money could be spent on, so, no, I wouldn’t.

    1. Hi Mike,

      I agree. Starting new blogs is a lot of fun.

      As for buying an established blog, I’m guessing those who do, see how they can increase it’s earning potential, and that makes it worthwhile. Chances are, they would monetize it and then flip it.

  8. Dear Barbara:

    Buying and selling blogs seem quite ridiculous to me. And I must admit here that I am hearing this for the first time. No, I would not sell my blog and I definitely don’t even want to think of buying a blog. The new blog can never become ME, you know.

    Hope you are well and that life is beautiful!

    Joy always,
    Susan

    1. Thank you Susan,

      I agree. It would be difficult to buy a blog and then make it “us”. Not that it couldn’t be done, but it would probably be easier if we “thought” a lot like the blog owner.

      That said, if the blog was information based and didn’t include a lot of personal posts, that might make it easier.

  9. A definite maybe. 😉
    I’m excited about where I plan to go with the blog I’m working on now and I don’t think I’d sell too soon. On the other hand, I have a project in mind that is simple way beyond my current capability and if I did start it or if selling my current sites would help to get it started I would.
    I have several sites that are doing very well but are not blogs (oh, how I wish I had used WordPress for the CMS *hits head on desk*). I also made some terrible choices in domain names.
    Would I sell? Yes. Would someone legit buy it. Probably not.

    1. Hi James .. my understanding is that blogspot blogs have no value .. because they sit on Google .. is that right – do you know? I have a domain name which is pointed directly at blogger. Anyway I’m not thinking of selling! – but for interest. Thanks – Hilary

      1. Hillary, if you have the blog running under your domain on Blogger (not just forwarding the domain from the registrar) it will be just fine. Blogger does have instructions to set this up properly so all the pages are on your domain.
        If (or when) you decide to move to WordPress or sell the blog, the blog itself should be able to be exported and imported into WordPress (more or less reliably).
        So, you could sell a “Blogger” blog just like any site. The same works for WordPress.com blogs (a bit easier to import into a WordPress.org blog than Blogger would be). I’d say it then would have value (in a monetary sense).

        1. Hi James .. thanks for answering this .. the query came up previously with a valuation figure – which valued blogger blogs at $0 .. but obviously if we moved it over to WP and waited a few months – then the rating would go up .. but not take its history of links with it ..

          Thanks so much for replying .. good to know and learn .. Hilary

    2. Hi James,

      With regard to your other sites that are not WordPress, could you move them, or is it too late, or not possible?

      Re: Domain names. Those can be tough to pick especially when our first choice is usually not available. And, I don’t know about you, but when I picked mine (for this blog), I really didn’t take that part of blogging seriously, nor did I look into my crystal ball. 🙂

      1. The other sites are static html sites and trying to keep the URL’s the same can be a bit of a headache. I’d hate to mess up the backlinks and I don’t really trust redirecting (actually I don’t trust my skill at setting up the redirection).
        As far as the domain names go, I made the one apparently unforgivable domain name mistake. I bought a .info (it was really cheap 🙂 ). I also got cute when I made it so it also was weird making the domain totally worthless.

  10. I’ve never understood how buying a hugely successful blog could work. Unless you’re extremely talented, how could you duplicate the skill and talents of the original owner? If you couldn’t, it would quickly lose its readership and sponsorship.

    1. Hi Dot,

      I agree. If a person buys a hugely successful blog, they’d have to be aware of what could happen to it if the quality wasn’t kept up. I think that’s why one of the blogs (see link) hired the blog author to run it, after the sale.

  11. If I was definitely finished with my blog, was ready to just shut it down or just leave it sitting there forever, then yes, I’d consider selling it, but probably with the caveat that my content remain on the blog. I’ve started to make a bit of a name in my niche, and I wouldn’t want to feel like I was pulling a bait and switch on my readers.

    1. Hi Jodith,

      That’s a good point. If we got tired of blogging, it would be much better to try and sell the blog than to have it just sitting there, that is unless it’s making a passive income we don’t want to give up. (Although that’s often part of the value of a blog – the income it produces.)

  12. If someone was to offer me a serious amount of money of course I would take it, such as £100,000…yes please! I would then set up a charity helping to make the world a better place to live in. I would then start another blog!

    I would never even consider buying a blog, a blog for me is too personal and it would be impossible to take over from someone else.

    1. Hi William,

      I hear you. It’s like “show me the money”. 🙂

      That is one thing about blogs, some are truly a reflection of the blog author, which would be hard to replicate, but if it was a nondescript site, that could make it easier to take over. (i.e. such as product reviews, or Hollywood gossip; provided these were topics the buyer has an interest in)

  13. Barbara — I wouldn’t sell mine. Actually, I have a hard time imagining someone wanting it for the reasons you’ve mentioned in your post.

    I suppose it’s how you think of your blog. Mine is more of personal journey in writing. So, in my mind it would be like selling my journal and I can’t imagine that.

    In answer to your other question, I don’t think I would buy a blog, unless I started an online business that needed one. Then I think it would make sense, especially since I’m not very good at the construction of a blog.

    It is interesting to read the comments of others:~)

    1. Hi Sara,

      I agree. Some blogs are like personal journals, therefore they would be 1) difficult to let go of, and 2) difficult to take over but yet keep the readership.

      That’s a good point about buying an existing blog if it “fit” the business you have. In many ways, it could be a great addition to a business website and I think that’s why some of the blogs listed in the above mentioned article went for such big money.

  14. Hi Barbara .. I wouldn’t sell my blog .. but I’d be happy to make some money from the concept!

    Also I wouldn’t buy another blog – I believe you can, if you have the know-how, build a blog pretty quickly and then at least .. all the twitches, tweaks, ambience of it are all yours.

    If I had a hugely successful blog – and I needed the money – then may be .. but mine isn’t it!

    Nor I hope will yours be …. please?! Cheers Hilary

  15. Hi Hilary,

    I know what you’re saying. Blogs can be built pretty quick, so unless you want instant traffic and possibly earnings, it might be better to go the build your own route.

    My blog? Haha! I don’t see anyone making me a six (or seven) figure offer, so I’m guessing I’ll be around for quite some time. 🙂

    1. Hi Barbara .. very glad to hear you’re not considering it! & you’ll be around like the rest of us for many years to come?! It’s well worth six figures though .. or even, just even seven .. to us it’s a gold mine! & a pleasurable one .. lots of wonderful useful learning points within ..

      Excellent .. see you on the next post .. bye for now .. and enjoy the weekend & Friday first! .. Hilary

  16. Hi Barb! If my blog were a commercial enterprise or business blog with income streams and etc. selling it would be a possibility in my head. I sold my catering business years ago for example, no regrets, time to move on etc etc. But my blog is something else – it is NOT commerical, it is my voice – admittedly goofy at times, monkey-mind topics at times, but still my voice. It is not for sale. I’m shocked that anyone would buy/sell blogs if there was not a business involved, i.e. money, but I’ve been shocked by lesser things I guess.
    hugs
    suZen

    1. Hi Suzen,

      The buying and selling of blogs is actually becoming big business. Some buy them because they’re established, whereas others buy blogs and then flip them (resell them) after they’ve made tweaks to them and make money in the process.

  17. Hi Barbara,

    Not in a million years. One of the beautiful things about blogging is the fact that you help create it and mold it and shape it. You learn a lot in the process and I think it also helps build confidence in your skills.

    To buy a blog that has already been created seems like an act of laziness. But that is just me.

  18. Hi B
    Guess we aren’t real business people otherwise we would look dispassionately at the numbers and make a decision to buy or sell.

    Since we blog because we enjoy blogging… and talk a bit about making money… we would never sell our blogs.

    Reading through the comments I think that most people agree on that.

    1. Hi Keith,

      What you said reminds me of how when we start a blog, we aren’t thinking of possibly selling it (or at least those who comment here don’t). That said, with the buying and selling of blogs being a way to make an income from a blog, I do wonder if more bloggers will start building blogs with a future sale in mind.

      I’d actually like to do an experiment, build a blog and put it up for sale. If I do, I’ll document the process and then share what I’ve learned.

  19. Hi Barbara.

    If my blog were worth something, lol… more than a few bucks, heh, heh… I would consider selling it. And then I’d run out and start another one that would piggyback on the one I’d sold.

  21. I do not want to think about this idea right now….too personal feeling emerge with this topic

  22. Holy crap, I can’t believe the one that sold for 30 million dollars. I would sell my baby let alone my blog for that kind of money!

  23. Hi Barbara,

    I couldn’t imagine anyone actually wanting to buy my blog – unless their name is Mandy Allen, of course! Not that it isn’t packed with the type of content that everyone aspires to….ha ha ha, just joking there! I can see why people buy established blogs in a niche, but not named blogs. I doubt I would sell my blog, but I have considered flipping blogs and for that would probably buy existing domain names, but not necessarily sites with content. The advantage of an existing name is often they already have some history, e.g. ranking, and you can back date posts so it looks like the site has been around for a while and hasn’t just been built to sell on.

    (Are we supposed to bid for your blog now??)

    Enjoy the journey.

    Mandy

    1. Hi Mandy,

      That’s true. When our blog is named after us, the buying pool becomes smaller, however, that’s to say it doesn’t hold value.

      Like you, I think it would be fun to flip blogs or domain names. I’ve read there can be decent money in that, but I don’t know what the learning curve entails.

      Bid for my blog? Let the bidding begin. 😆

  24. I would never want to sell my blog because my blog is what is about the person who I am and what I do in their . . . Sounds confusing – but what I really mean is that my blog is myname.com I would never want to live to see that someone else uses my name, while I wouldn’t even know at which content he would be posting on their while we are putting the sale trough. Besides. A blog is like a child – just as you say. Will you ever sell your child Barbara, as how can you?

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