To expand your business, you’ll need more local visitors to your website and quality content to attract those visitors from organic search.
You can create content yourself, but that takes time. If you don’t want to invest in content creation, consider buying a local website or blog that already has the content you need.
Wait, You Want Me to Buy Something?
Let’s explore the options for creating local content on your website:
- Hire someone to create/write/post content on your website: Hiring someone, even an intern, typically costs money.
- Use a current employee: While that employee might have the necessary skills, it takes them away from their primary responsibilities. This could even be you, but do you really have the time?
- Outsource: Outsourcing can be effective, but like hiring a new employee, it takes time for the person to get up to speed. Agencies or consultants aren’t dedicated full-time to your business as they have other clients.
- Buy a website: Purchasing an existing website or blog that has the content you need can save you time, though it requires some initial investment.
Advantages of Buying a Local Website or Blog
There are several benefits to buying a local website or blog with content that complements your business:
- No surprises: You already know the content and can review it ahead of time. Ensure to perform due diligence first.
- Know the traffic you’ll gain: If the website you’re buying has existing traffic, you can redirect that traffic to your current site.
- Increased exposure: Adding content to your site can increase exposure and drive more local customers.
- Transfer trust and links: Moving content properly can improve your current site’s search engine ranking.
- New content sources: The original blog owner might continue creating content for you, especially if they’re a local advocate of your business.
- Established fan base: You’ll typically acquire the existing followers of the blog or website you purchase.
Finding a Local Website or Blog to Buy
Identifying a blog or local website to buy can be challenging, depending on your location and industry. Many local blogs and websites are hobby projects, not primary sources of income for their owners.
Here are some search queries to start identifying potential targets:
- CityName blog
- CityName keyword blog (e.g., CityName Restaurant Blog)
- CityName State blog
- CityName State keyword blog
- CityName local news
- CityName State local news
Check the second and third page of search results for potential bargains. Websites ranking lower might cost less and could be improved with some SEO work.
Perform Due Diligence
Make sure to check several key aspects before purchasing a website:
- Review the backlinks.
- Verify the domain name’s ownership via WHOIS.
- Check for trademarks.
- Perform a site search (site:domain.com) on Google.
- Conduct an SEO audit using tools like SEMrush, Siteliner, and Copyscape.
- Ask for access to Google Analytics and Google Search Console to analyze traffic and possible penalties.
- Review historical data to ensure consistency in content and topics.
- Prefer websites that are at least four years old and haven’t been affected by recent Google updates.
When in doubt, hire an experienced SEO expert to evaluate the website. Have a clear plan for integrating the website or blog into your current operations.
Negotiating a Price & Terms
Consider the following when negotiating a price:
- Content: Evaluate the number of posts and the time it would take to create similar content.
- Domain name: Assess its value.
- Traffic and rankings: Estimate the cost of acquiring similar traffic through PPC.
Start by offering 25 percent of your maximum budget and be prepared for negotiations. Some owners may not be willing to sell, but deals are out there.
Successful Content Integration
After purchasing a blog or website, move the content to your current site. For example, create a blog section if you don’t already have one and use 301 permanent redirects to transfer the posts. Use Google’s Change of Address Tool to inform Google about the move.
Conclusion
Buying a local website or blog can be beneficial, though it may not work in all cases. If a suitable site exists, you may find a great deal. Combining websites and migrating content is simpler than it seems and can greatly enhance your business’s online presence.
