How to Sell a Domain Name – Everything You Need to Know

There always comes a point in the life of a domain name when it changes ownership. The motivations for selling a domain name can vary widely, perhaps the company that owns it is bankrupt or the domain was bought in bulk and never used. If you're planning on offloading your domain name for extra cash or sitting on a domain name that's worth a gold mine, learn how to sell it.

How to sell a domain name?1. Determine the value of your domain

Before you start receiving offers, determine its value so that you can offer a good price. There are many factors to consider in determining the value of a website. If you are not sure of yourself, it is best that you contact a company that specializes in this kind of assessment. Here are some important factors.

Traffic - This is one of the primary factors in determining the value of the domain. This is the number of visitors who arrive on the domain by typing its URL, via a search engine or by clicking on external links. Traffic has a huge impact on the value of the domain and especially if those visitors are monetized.

Top Level Domain - The most valuable websites are ".com" sites. They are much more valuable than other types of domains (.info,.biz,.net, etc.).

Length and readability - The best products are those that are made up of one or two words in English. They are particularly effective when they are directly linked to an industry (hotels.com, biking.com, etc.), that they read well and that they are easy to remember.

2. Be realistic about the price

Domains that sell for thousands of dollars are rare. Unless you have a highly prized domain name, you probably won't receive a large amount of money for selling it. It is better to be realistic about the price if you intend to actually sell it.

3. Hang up a sales message

One of the best ways to receive offers for your domain is to display a "for sale" message on your site. This will immediately notify each site visitor that the domain is available for purchase and how to get in touch with you. There are several ways to do this.

Many domain registries offer simple, free websites. Use the tools provided to create a simple page that indicates the domain is for sale. You could include a link on the domain's SEO or give your contact information (beware of spam).

You can add a page to any of your existing websites to redirect your domains for sale to that sales page.

Change your WHOIS information to mean that your domain is for sale. You can change your registration information to indicate that your domain name is for sale. For example, you can add "Domain for sale" at the end of the owner's name.

4. List the domain with a domain registrar

There are a large number of sales departments that can get your site listed. These services take a percentage of the sale, but can give more exposure to the domain. Some services allow you to add additional descriptions and comments, which can help speed up sales.

One of best domain registrars for selling a website is GoDaddy. Looking to buy a domain instead? Use the active GoDaddy coupons to purchase your domain and earn additional cashback.

5. Respond quickly

If you receive an offer, respond as soon as possible. If you wait longer than 24 hours, you could lose the buyer.

6. Use an attractive price

When you finally decide on a selling price for your domain, use an attractive price to attract buyers. For example, removing INR 1 from the price makes it more attractive (INR 499 instead of INR 500).

7. Negotiate your price

If you know your domain name is worth a certain price, don't let it slip away for less. Arm yourself with detailed information that justifies the price of your domain and explain to the buyer why the price is what it is.

8. Use a payment service for direct sales

When dealing directly with the buyer, have the money transferred through a dedicated payment site. This is to ensure that the money transfers are clear and that you won't receive a blank check or the buyer will not end up without the domain name. Payment services can add a few days to the sale time and take a percentage from you, but they can save you a lot of trouble.

If your domains are selling for low prices, payment services may not be profitable.

Tarun is a former semi-professional sports person with a serious addiction to the internet.