How To Buy A Blog in 9 Easy Steps [Everything You Need to Know]

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By Colin Linnett

April 11, 2022

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Learning how to buy a blog is something every marketer and entrepreneur should consider at some point.

It's an investment that can lead to profitable outcomes immediately and in the future.

And thankfully, learning how to do it correctly is not that hard.

Yes, there's a slight learning curve, and several decisions are needed, but the more you do it, the better you get.

You can learn the basics and gain confidence in purchasing a successful blog pretty fast.

In this article, I'm about to show you how in 9 steps.

Let's get started.

What Are The Benefits Of Buying A Blog?

There are lots of benefits of buying a blog.

Besides getting a ready-made site to build upon or complement your current website or online business, you can also use it as an asset to create money.

But that's not all!

Blogs can also be used as lead magnets and propel you as an authority figure for your niche market of choice.

Here are a few more benefits.

Passive Income

Blogs are great for the reasons mentioned above and so much more (and if you're still not convinced, you can check out our guide on why blogging is important). However, one of the stand-out benefits is monetizing them in numerous ways.

Monetizing can enable you to create passive income every month, and the options are many.

You can:

Add an affiliate link to your blog content and make money while you sleep (check out our guide on how to create affiliate links in WordPress)
Place ads on your site from companies like Ezoic and Mediavine
Build a newsletter service and use an autoresponder to send pre-written emails targeting affiliate links and content on your website.
Create a course, software, or eBook, and sell it on the blog

Build Your Portfolio

Another benefit of buying a blog is to add it to your portfolio of websites. It's like building a digital real estate investment, and you can accumulate the income from each one or sell them later for a profit.

Flipping The Website For Profit

Finally, relating to building your portfolio, you can flip the blogs for profit.

Website flipping is purchasing a blog with potential, adding content, utilizing off-page and on-page SEO, and selling your website for profit.

There's much more to it than this, but website flipping is a profitable business method that earns decent money.

Where Can You Buy A Blog?

You have 3 main options available to you when buying a blog. These are:

Marketplaces such as Flippa and Exchange Marketplace (check out our Flippa review)
Website brokers such as MotionInvest and Empire Flippers
Facebook groups such as Flipping Empire Group

Each has its pros and cons and offers solutions for bloggers, eCommerce sellers, and even those looking to buy a domain name or software.

Website brokers offer a done-for-you service, including vetting, due diligence, negotiations, etc.

At the same time, marketplaces and Facebook groups are great for finding low-priced deals. However, you have to be careful not to get scammed using specific marketplaces and groups because it's more of a do-it-yourself service.

How To Buy A Blog From Someone (9 Simple Steps)

Now that you know the benefits of buying a blog and the best places to purchase them, let's get started with the 9-step process of actually purchasing a blog.

Step 1. Determine Your Budget

The first step is to determine your budget and see how much money is available to spend on acquiring an established blog. It's an essential step because your budget will decide where you go to purchase.

For example:

The Empire Flippers deal flow primarily consists of websites valued at over $100,000. Alternatively, you can find many blogs listed for sale under $100k on MotionInvest or Flippa.

So, get your numbers in order and see how much you have available to spend.

Step 2. Make A List Of Marketplaces, Facebook Groups & Website Brokers

Now that you know your budget, you should create a list of the best places to buy a blog.

Here are a few options to consider:

MotionInvest
Empire Flippers
Flippa
Exchange Marketplace
FE International
Quiet Light
Micro Acquire
Flipping Empire Group (Facebook Option)

Visit these options and see if they're suitable for your budget and try to get a feel for the one that feels like the best fit for you.

And get started along your journey by checking out listings available on Motion Invest.

Check Out MotionInvest

Step 3. Decide On A Niche Topic

Do you have a blogging niche in mind? If you don't, you'll need to decide before purchasing a website.

You can visit the marketplaces for ideas, but in general, you want to look for one that has growth opportunities and monetization potential.

In addition to this, ask yourself if you can see yourself being happy working in the niche for the next few years.

Below is a list of some great niches to consider when buying a blog.

Coffee
Pets (dogs, cats, etc.)
Prepping (survival)
Gardening
Outdoor Sports
Fitness & Weight Loss
B2B
B2C
Personal Finance
Home & Kitchen

Break each of these niches down and look for sub-topics within each one — then look for blogs to buy on broker sites and marketplaces related to the niche.

Step 4. Target 3 Potential Websites To Buy

Visit the selling platforms and spend a fair amount of time finding potential deals to target.

If they fit your price range and your niche is suitable, write them down. Aim for around 10 sites at first, but eventually narrow the list down to your top 3 options.

Your job is to inspect the blogs, the target audience, and the competition to see if they're worth the investment. Not doing this will increase the chance of buying a dud site or paying more than it's worth.

The next 4 steps will deal with due diligence and inspecting the blogs for good investment opportunities.

Step 5. Take A Look At The Competition

Check the competition for each site to see how easy it will be to compete with its competitors. Look at the content, backlinks, website layout, and monetization methods.

Ask yourself the following:

Is there blog content good?
How many times are they publishing blog posts?
What blogging platform are they using?
Which WordPress theme are they using? (Here's how to find what WordPress theme a website is using)
Are they using a specific WordPress hosting company?
Do they have an internal link structure?
How many backlinks do they have?
Are they using an exact matched domain name?
Do they have a social media following?
Is it a new blog?

These are all questions that need answering to see if you can counteract them to perform better over time.

For example, can you or your freelance writer produce premium content, and will your backlink and internal linking strategy be better than the competition over time?

If you feel confident that you can at least compete, it's a good sign.

Step 6. Check Traffic Stats Carefully

You can spy on them using tools like Ubersuggest and SEMrush (or other Ubersuggest alternatives). You can plug their domain name into the tools and see how much traffic they get for each keyword and the number of backlinks.

In addition, you can ask the seller to show you their Google Analytics reports and data to back up their traffic claims. If you're using a website broker, they'll do this for you, but if you're not, it's your responsibility.

Step 7. Analyze Monthly Income (Including Monetization Methods)

Another crucial aspect of buying a blog is to analyze the monthly income the blog is said to be earning. Again, website brokers like MotionInvest will verify this for you, but it's on you if you're using marketplaces and Facebook groups.

Ask the seller for a copy of their profit and loss statement (P&L). You can also request monetization methods, ad revenue, affiliate income reports, and other proof to verify income for the blog.

A blog with earnings sustained for extended periods is the best investment.

Step 8. Check For Growth Potential

Another crucial aspect of learning how to buy a blog is knowing if the site has growth potential. If it doesn't, what you're buying is pretty much what it will always be.

On the other hand, if the site has room for growth, your income can increase, and the overall value of the blog will rise if you were to sell later on.

Look for monetization methods that the blog isn't using. For example, if the website is using Google AdSense but nothing else, then right away, you can grow the blog's income by using another (better paid) ad service like Ezoic.

You should also look to see if the blog can branch out to target sub-topics and if you can build an email list, add affiliate products, or even your own products.

Growth potential is essential because some blogs have the potential to snowball, while others may fizzle away, especially if the blog's topic is a passing trend or phase.

Step 9. Decide If It's Worth Buying

The last step is to decide if that blog is worth buying.

You probably have a favorite option out of the 3 sites you started with, so you'll need to weigh whether it's worth making a bid.

If you've gone through the steps and are happy with your research and vetting, this is the final thing to do.

All you're doing is checking if the website has the correct price.

A quick method is to take the monthly income over 12 months and multiply it by 36. This number is the average sale multiplier for MotionInvest and will give you a rough idea of what the site is worth.

Here's an example of a website earning $1,000 each month after expenses:

$1,000 x 36 = $36,000

If the price is less than or equal to this figure, it's a good indicator that the valuation is correct.

Other Important Things To Know When Buying A Website

The list above includes the primary steps for learning how to buy a blog; however, there are a couple of other things you should know to make the sale more manageable and more straightforward.

Let's take a look at them.

Will They Transfer The Files Over For You?

Once you have purchased the blog, you will need to transfer the domain name and the website files to your hosting account.

It's a simple process for some; it's a nightmare for others.

If you're using a website broker, chances are, they'll transfer the files for you or at the least fully support you while you do it.

Unfortunately, most marketplaces and Facebook groups won't do this, or if they do, it will be an extra charge.

If you purchase from a private seller, they may offer to transfer files over for you, but this will have to rely on trust.

Always ask about transferring the websites over before purchasing, as it will keep you prepared and save you a lot of hassle.

Are You Getting A Period Of Support?

Many people learning how to buy a blog don't realize that when the transfer is over, you will still have teething problems with using the site, WordPress plugins, software, email list, and various other aspects of the blog.

Website brokers will ask the blog sellers to provide support for at least 30 days after the sale to make a smooth transition, but some won't, so you need to ask the question.

Will They Accept Escrow?

Escrow payments are the best way to buy and sell a website; it protects both the buyer and seller and will protect you from being scammed.

Escrow holds the funds while you check everything is in place and are satisfied. Then, if you're happy to proceed, you inform Escrow, and they release the funds.

Escrow isn't essential but it's the best way to purchase a blog.

Ask the seller, broker, group, or marketplace if you can use Escrow.

Final Thoughts On How To Buy A Blog

You now know how to buy a blog and understand what you should and shouldn't do during the process.

You know the benefits, the steps to follow, and the necessary checks you need to make so you don't get ripped off.

If you're going to use a marketplace or a Facebook group for lower fees, make sure you perform proper due diligence before parting with your money.

If you want security and a done-for-you service, consider using a website broker like MotionInvest.

Check Out MotionInvest

Blogging & Niche Websites

By Colin Linnett

Colin Linnett is a seasoned copywriter and certified content marketer who helps entrepreneurs and bloggers by creating engaging content to woo their readers.

He spends most of his time writing blog posts, emails, and researching the latest marketing trends online.

Want to learn step-by-step how I built my Niche Site Empire up to a full-time income?

Yes! I Love to Learn

How To Buy A Blog in 9 Easy Steps [Everything You Need to Know]