Could poor websites be hindering domain name sales?

[Edwin]

I've been doing quite a lot of digging over the last few days, looking at literally hundreds of websites matching some of the domains we own.

There are a lot of instances where there are several dozen "candidate" companies for a given domain (in that they all use the term within the domain as the primary way of describing their business on their homepage, e.g. "We specialise in _______" or "We are the ________ experts") yet in every single case their websites don't seem to have been updated for years (they've not moved on from the late 90s/early 2000s look). Even some pretty large firms.

Other clues: no social media icons, messages that the site's "best viewed with XYZ browser", very narrow layouts, free email accounts for contact, "Enter here" buttons on the homepage, missing images, etc.

When I looked at some of them more deeply by cross-referencing with other sources of information, it seems the companies in question were still very much in business. It was just their web presence that was outdated.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that if they're not relying on it for business (or if their needs are served by a simple placeholder that allows customers to find out the basics) - I'm not a website snob.

But in that sort of situation, what chance does anyone realistically have of selling them a domain name, even if it's genuinely hand-on-heart the perfect fit for their business?

 

[wonder_lander]

Maybe the ideal fit is to partner with a web development company and offer your domain with a brand new, mobile friendly, social aware and responsive layout?

 

[Edwin]

Maybe the ideal fit is to partner with a web development company and offer your domain with a brand new, mobile friendly, social aware and responsive layout?

Perhaps. But then you've just turned a potential low 4-figure (or whatever) sale into a much more complex and expensive proposition. But you might be right in that it might be the ONLY way to get the sale...

 

[Blossom]

Are the websites always in the same kinds of niches? Perhaps there are niches to avoid as a domain seller for this reason.

In my experience it's often local businesses that have this kind of approach, because they tend to know their customers personally and get lots of referrals offline. My other half's family owns a printers and their website is pretty basic, definitely undersells the quality and price of the work they do, but they're fine with it. On the flip side, they are probably equally as horrified that I don't even have business cards

 

[Edwin]

The problem seems more acute in B2B. I'll keep looking, I've probably gone through about two dozen domains so far. But even for products or services that individually cost thousands of pounds or more, there seems to be a real lack of updatedness (for want of a better word) to the websites.

You're right about the local aspect. If they're only trawling for business within a 10 mile area, what does their web presence really matter? (Although even there, if there are 10-20 local competitors, it could make a difference - but how do you persuade people of that cost-effectively if they've never experienced a "successful" website, or lack the background knowledge to tell what makes for a successful website).

 

[scottmccloud]

I think all you can hope for is new blood comes into the particular business (new owner/marketing manager etc) who does understand the importance of digital marketing or a new or existing business wants to move into this sector with the benefits of a killer domain name.

There is a lot to be said for the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" belief in a lot of things but the failure to engage (or at least continually re-evaluate) a company's marketing strategy is madness. From SEO to PPC and social media marketing (as well as all offline marketing methods), brands can be built quicker than ever before and more established businesses can soon find themselves overtaken.

 

[aZooZa]

Apathy. In a word.

 

[martin-s]

Interestingly, it's pretty common for accommodation providers to dump their existing domain name when setting up a new website.

I've never understood that!

 

[Edwin]

Interestingly, it's pretty common for accommodation providers to dump their existing domain name when setting up a new website.

I've never understood that!

It was probably registered for them by the previous web designer (who likely also packaged it with overpriced hosting) and they either didn't understand that the domain was "portable" or said previous design company (or hosting firm) held it hostage.

Plus a nice new domain means the next design outfit can charge them for SEO all over again.

There are plenty of decent folk in the business, but there are scads of rip-off merchants too. Compounded by the fact that companies often can't tell good from bad SEO or design...

I think the worst I've seen was a B&B with 5 different domains, and 5 lousy websites (all bad in different ways).

 

[baldidiot]

Maybe the ideal fit is to partner with a web development company and offer your domain with a brand new, mobile friendly, social aware and responsive layout?

That was going to be my suggestion too.

Especially if you're able to do some kind of simple mock up of the potential website to peak their interest. Obviously increases cost/effort but may help convince someone of the value as they're getting more than 'just a domain'.

Eg: Someone may think £1k for a domain is expensive, but £3k for a custom website with perfect domain could sound like a bargain.

 

[philiporchard]

Maybe we can make this issue work to our advantage...

i.e. If you're quite good at setting up a smart looking Wordpress theme, and filling it with some half-decent content, potential buyers of the 'perfect' domain may well be more receptive to it if they also associate it with a smart looking website - even if it is shallow on content.

I appreciate that it doesn't work for a huge number of domains, but I'm currently experimenting with this very idea - and plan to try it on 3 domains.

Greg F is already booked in - I'll let you alll know how it goes!

 

[philiporchard]

Sorry - just re-read the thread, and realise that this comment has alreayd been covered by wonder_lander and baldidiot! Serve me right for not reading all the comments before replying!

 

[Murray]

But in that sort of situation, what chance does anyone realistically have of selling them a domain name, even if it's genuinely hand-on-heart the perfect fit for their business?

Not much

As you say, their site and online presence tells you how seriously they're taking things online

They might blindly buy a keyword domain for low xxx though

 

[RobM]

I sold 3 today, People want a simple landing page and a way to contact you.

 

[wonder_lander]

I sold 3 today, People want a simple landing page and a way to contact you.

Pure inbound Rob or had you done some outreach? Any details on "type" of domain name?

 

[RobM]

Zero outbound. If someone wants your domain and you're not stupid (I've had I want $2m offers) they come to your domain, see it's for sale, and have a way to get in touch for negotiations. They don't need 'verification', pretties, or any of the other rubbish that sellers offer.. they know what they want what they can pay and who's dealing with them.
PS Sorry I've just destroyed everyone new with their fresh gtlds who want 10,000 times their outlay - that's just how it is.

 

[RobM]

I should add that those 3 domains didn't make 'millions'. However I sold one I bought on this forum a monthish ago for 3k and the others for another k each. It's there.

 

[Edwin]

That's great!

Was that off of a Domain Offer page? If so, have you found that it makes a real difference to the level of leads you're getting?

And do you quote a price up front, let them make an offer, or somewhere in between?

 

[Skinner]

Selling a domain with a website add on is asking for a nightmare in my experience. The reverse as in selling a website package and adding a domain isn't too bad.

Packaging them with logos, letterheads, business cards, etc works ok, lifted the idea from brand bucket and an ex-biz partner used to do graphics.

 

[WalkinDude]

Search engines, along with all the big names that tirelessly appear on the first page of any results you search for have done us in. The search engines are a law unto themselves and for immediate coin the spirit of the internet is no longer what it was. I'm no expert but if I search for Sofa's and the search engines return results for deep links in the usual big brands then the bloke who's got nice little bespoke Sofa website is screwed. The big brand websites are now in fact thousands of little sites under one brand with the domain name Bigbrand.co.uk the access point. They spend loads on advertising with the search engines etc and it's very cosy and people are not stupid nor can you fight the tide when governments allow search engines to be the defacto private Goverment of the internet including taxing the internet indirectly.

They've killed the little man just like the giant farming corporations did in for the small holdings farmers. Domainers have done little to resist this. Almost nothing. Have not united, have not modernised the domaining business. Have done little to inspire entrepreneurs and small businesses. Just want maximum buck for their domains and after that the new owner will find that turning it into a viable business isn't really that straightforward.

If I wasn't a domainer, but was entrepreneurial there is no way i'd buy a domain name at an end user price. Back in the day the act of buying the domain got you least half way towards earning a return but now I'd only pay that price if along with the domain a path to establish myself online in line with the amount I paid for the domain came with the domain and that's what I think buyers would pay for. Corporate Search engines wantonly destroyed that aspect and were so powerful no one stood in their way. A domain simply isn't what it used to be and until there's a portion of the internet that uses domain names in the manner they were intended then the simple reality is the vast majority have limited commercial value, said to be as much as 84% of what is it 4 million domains registered in the UK alone. All that's happening in recent years the 'domain market' is no longer a growing market but a market that is simply winding down and weeding out these 84% of domains.

We see examples of this in all walks of life. Big brand occupying the high streets. The high streets become homogenous in all except the most affluent areas. The little man is considered at a national level worthless. The decision makers do it every single time. It's just easier, it's weak, it's uninspired, and it cuts out huge swathes of entrepreneurial talent who are then forced to simply CONFORM and go work for the existing brands. Many of today and tomorrows entrepreneurial talent are now working for these big brands. These were supposed to be the domain buyers, but they see it as pointless and have CONFORMED such that market is on it's knees now.

If however resistance had been stronger, and a thriving entrepreneurial market online had been maintained this would have reigned in the power of the big search engines. It's my view the decision to make changes to the value of a domain name in search results was warranted to a certain extent cos people were taking the mick with spammy sites, but the true motive behind it was big corporate power and greed to shut out the little man and control the online market. It's the little man that buys domain names, the big brands probably need less than 0.1% of the domains that exist.

The search engines who's names do not need to be mentioned promoted themselves as the means to 'discover' the internet. Then they IPO and sold everyone out within a matter of minutes.

If a new way can be found to make domain names a reputable search criteria, guaranteeing minimum quality standards, without the insane barriers to success the corporate machine is quietly constructing, then they can be revived and empower small businesses but the direction right now is an internet that is about as inspiring as your typical out of town Shopping Mall.