Putting websites up for sale

The focus of our platform is of course (it's in the name) business takeovers. However, we are regularly approached with the question whether sellers can also offer websites for sale through us. In practice, buyers for websites appear to overlap with buyers of online businesses and we regularly publish websites that are for sale. We do this under a number of conditions, because the focus here is slightly different than with online businesses. Moreover, we don't do it too often to prevent our business focus from being diluted.

In this article we will explain why we think the combination of websites for sale and online businesses for sale is logical and how they (can) reinforce each other. Additionally, we explain conditions for inclusion.

Website for sale - Why interesting

Why might a website takeover be interesting for you? We see several reasons for this: as a business owner you are dependent on visitors. No visitors, no turnover. These visitors usually come through search engine results (organic), as direct traffic and through paid channels (such as Adwords). Referrals are another source of visitors and one that can provide very targeted traffic that converts well. Consider a blog about the benefits of breastfeeding, while you have an online store selling supporting products.

If you, as a business owner, are given the opportunity to purchase such a source of traffic, then it is more than worth considering. An important aspect is the prices you now pay for your traffic and to what extent this traffic converts. Plot this against the expected traffic and conversion of the website to be acquired and you will soon have an idea of what the value of such a website can be for your business.

An additional advantage is that you can profile yourself as an expert and authority on the subject on the more general and not too commercial website. Provided it is clear and transparent for the visitor, this gives your online store extra authority. Also in terms of SEO value!

Sell website

As a seller, you have built a beautiful website with a specific visitor group. Very few parties keep their website for a 10+ year period. Most people stop earlier because they no longer have the energy/time. But why stop when you can sell? You may not have thought about putting your website up for sale before, but it is a way to maintain the website and still get something out of it.

Whether your website is marketable depends on several factors. The quality of the content, your authority, the specificity of the topic (the more niche the better) and the search positions in Google (and Bing). Do these elements generate many high-quality visitors? (i.e., match your content with what they are looking for and then convert well) Then there is a good chance that putting your website up for sale makes sense!

Putting a website up for sale - The terms and conditions

While web online businesses mainly look at turnover and order history, free visitor numbers are leading for websites. Does your website have many unique monthly visitors who arrive organically via the search engine results, possibly via incoming links or as direct traffic? Then register as a seller via the homepage and put your website up for sale. Especially if your website serves a niche audience/subject, we can do something for you!

FAQ - Sell website

1 - Where can I sell my website?

You can sell your website in different ways. You may have an interested buyer in your network. In that case, the sale of the website can take place directly. If you do not yet have a buyer in mind, a platform that brings together buyers and sellers of online businesses and websites is the most logical choice.

This can be done easily on a general platform such as Marktplaats.nl, where you can also find a section 'exploitations and acquisitions'. However, when selling a company via Markplaats.nl, there is a good chance that you are leaving money on the table, because this platform is designed for private sales, not necessarily for business use. Selling your website optimally involves more than a simple profile with a photo and a few lines of text. Overviews of turnover, industry or year of establishment or other standard information cannot be completed with a template on Marktplaats.

Businessforsale.eu, with 50,000 serious buyers and sellers, is the largest specialized platform for selling websites.

2 - How does putting a website for sale work?

Once you have decided that you want to sell your website, there are a number of steps you can take to put your website up for sale. You can register as a seller for free at Businessforsale.eu. Based on your data and the data from your website, an anonymous profile is then drawn up. Your website will then be visible on the platform in the 'offer' section. The website is still anonymous at that time. Potential buyers can make contact and you then decide whether to share your website details.

3 - How much does it cost to sell a website?

Matching buyers and sellers on Businessforsale.eu is done on a 'no cure no pay' basis: as a seller you only have to pay in the event of a successful sale via the platform. This concerns 1% of the agreed transaction price with a minimum of €299. Or when you choose for the Promotion Package there will be a 2% success fee with a minimum of €499. 

In this case, you do most of the selling yourself and use the platform mainly to be findable by potential buyers. If you want more help with selling your website, it is possible to opt for a 'managed listing'. Some of the work is then taken off your hands. The costs of this assisted sale are €2,000 + 3% of the transaction price. Do you want to be relieved as much as possible and receive maximum guidance during the sale? This is possible from an asking price of 1 million euros. The costs of a premium listing are tailor-made.

4 - Can I sell my website myself?

Particularly for smaller websites, it is quite possible to take care of sales yourself. After registering on Businessforsale.eu, your website can be found by potential buyers, and you can then come into contact with interested buyers whenever you wish. You can then take care of the introductory meetings, negotiations, due diligence and the final transaction yourself. You are supported by an extensive knowledge base. Of course, the Businessforsale.eu team is always available to assist if you are stuck. If you would prefer more help, it is possible for larger websites (asking price €300,000 or more) to opt for extensive guidance through a 'managed listing'. With a premium listing (asking price 1 million euros or more) you have as little to worry about as possible.

5 - What is my website worth?

When you are going to sell your website, you naturally want to know what your website is worth. This can be calculated in different ways and depends on many factors. As a rule of thumb, you can calculate with three times the annual profit or one times the turnover. That calculation is quickly made, but also has a large margin of error. After all, this method only looks at the moment, while potential buyers are also interested in the future perspective. In addition, other factors, such as market demand and any available stocks in the case of an online store, also play a major role in determining the final asking price.

6 - Can any website be sold?

Not every website is suitable for a sale. Most buyers are interested in purchasing a website because they believe they can make more money in the future than they are paying today. To create that perspective, a history of turnover is often needed. Businessforsale.eu therefore offers a platform for those websites that generate turnover and can demonstrate historical turnover growth. Websites that have visitors but do not offer any commercial benefit or websites that may have the potential to one day generate turnover are less suitable for sales via Businessforsale.eu.

7 - How long does it take to sell a website?

It is difficult to say exactly how long it will take to sell a website. There are cases where we managed to find a buyer and complete the sale within a short time. But as a rule, selling a website is not a process that takes weeks, but months to perhaps a year. Exactly how long the sale takes depends on the popularity of the website among potential buyers, the complexity of the deal, the accessibility of the seller, the findings during the due diligence phase and: of course, there is also a bit of luck involved.

8 - Do I have to go to a notary to sell a website?

Various constructions are possible when selling a website. Depending on the construction, it may or may not be necessary to visit a notary. When the website is part of a company and is sold as such, we speak of an asset transaction. In that case, part of the company's ownership is sold, but no share transaction takes place and no notary is needed. Do you also want to sell the associated BV with the website? Then the deal becomes more complex and a share transaction is necessary. This can only be done by notarization.

9 - How do I transfer my website if it is sold?

When your website has been sold, you have set a takeover date with the buyer. The amount involved in the sale has often already been paid before the takeover date. On the takeover date, you then give 'the key' to your website, so to speak. Sellers often like it if this 'key transfer' is accompanied by extensive documentation, in which you describe in detail how your website should be maintained and what the daily operations are. The actual transfer then concerns the takeover of the domain and the associated hosting. After the buyer has taken over the domain name and hosting (usually via a hosting party), the website takeover is complete.

10 - What does the website sales process look like?

If you want to sell your website, start by creating a free account on Businessforsale.eu. After you have entered some information, your website can be found by interested buyers. They can express their interest and, if necessary, sign a confidentiality agreement before you release the details of your website - which is anonymous until then. A buyer can then choose to make a first offer. After that first offer, a personal introduction and negotiation often follows. If there is agreement on an offer, the due diligence phase follows. The buyer is then given the opportunity for a certain period of time to view the figures, the website and other relevant matters, to ensure that everything is correct. Has the due diligence been completed without major findings? Then the sale can be completed. In the case of an asset transaction, this can be done between buyer and seller and in the case of a share transaction, this will be done via the notary.