How to value a penalised website/domain?

[addz123]

I have someone interested in a penalised premium website/domain of mine. They've made an extremely fair offer considering it's penalised (and I can't even be arsed to fix it, it's not a priority project).

But at the same time, it's a solid domain and website in a market that is constantly growing. I'm torn between selling it - it's a solid offer to sell now and get rid of a penalised website in my holdings, but I can also see value in holding on to it, taking the time to fix it, waiting for an update, and selling it further down the line as the market continues to grow.

I was just wondering how everyone else values Penguin'd domains/websites?

The simplest way I look at it is that because the domain is penalised, the website has no value. So the only value is in the domain and the content already on the site.

 

[Nova]

How do you know if a domain is penalised?

 

[topcat]

The simplest way I look at it is that because the domain is penalised, the website has no value. So the only value is in the domain and the content already on the site.

If you are certain it's been Penguinised then yes, this is the best way of looking at it. Penguin has devalued inorganic links so you are essentially starting from scratch.

 

[murph]

Personally I'd see the domain as penalised for any further dev. Who knows what it would take to get that lifted. Probably a great deal of time and cash. I'd be tempted to sell especially if the price is good considering.

 

[Nova]

Some might find this article interesting http://www.seomoz.org/blog/identifying-link-penalties-in-2012

 

[addz123]

Personally I'd see the domain as penalised for any further dev. Who knows what it would take to get that lifted. Probably a great deal of time and cash. I'd be tempted to sell especially if the price is good considering.

My thoughts exactly. However, considering I'm not in a rush, I'd be fine with a 6+ month ETA before penalty is lifted.

A part of my brain is thinking, well I could just disavow the 120 root domain backlinks to the site which would take me 5 minutes and hypothetically remove the penalty in the next update. But at the same time, that would be the same as starting from scratch which is what the current price is based on.

In other words, I'd only get a better price after fixing the penalty if I then build some hq links and got traffic and proven earnings back again.

 

[topcat]

Penguin has already discounted the links. Disavowing the links won't remove the penalty in a way that you get back your rankings. You were ranking because you had inorganic links which have now been devalued.

You cannot sell your site based on your rankings returning or on previous earnings as they will not return to the previous level overnight.

My thoughts exactly. However, considering I'm not in a rush, I'd be fine with a 6+ month ETA before penalty is lifted.

A part of my brain is thinking, well I could just disavow the 120 root domain backlinks to the site which would take me 5 minutes and hypothetically remove the penalty in the next update. But at the same time, that would be the same as starting from scratch which is what the current price is based on.

In other words, I'd only get a better price after fixing the penalty if I then build some hq links and got traffic and proven earnings back again.

 

[addz123]

Penguin has already discounted the links. Disavowing the links won't remove the penalty in a way that you get back your rankings. You were ranking because you had inorganic links which have now been devalued.

You cannot sell your site based on your rankings returning or on previous earnings as they will not return to the previous level overnight.

That's exactly what I just said...

 

[topcat]

A part of my brain is thinking, well I could just disavow the 120 root domain backlinks to the site which would take me 5 minutes and hypothetically remove the penalty in the next update.

However, considering I'm not in a rush, I'd be fine with a 6+ month ETA before penalty is lifted.

You were saying that disavowing the links would lift the penalty.

I am saying that if you disavow the links, nothing will happen. They are already dead links.

It is not like a manual penalty which has dropped you into the supplemental index.

If you want to recover, you simply need more and better links. You can do that now, you don't have to wait for a Penguin re-run

Waiting six months for a 'recovery' will do nothing unless in those six months organic links have naturally accumulated.

That's exactly what I just said...

There's no need to make snide comments when people are taking time to offer you help.

 

[addz123]

You were saying that disavowing the links would lift the penalty.

I am saying that if you disavow the links, nothing will happen. They are already dead links.

It is not like a manual penalty which has dropped you into the supplemental index.

If you want to recover, you simply need more and better links. You can do that now, you don't have to wait for a Penguin re-run

Waiting six months for a 'recovery' will do nothing unless in those six months organic links have naturally accumulated.



There's no need to make snide comments when people are taking time to offer you help.

It wasn't a snide comment, you're repeating what I jsut said.

Oh and Penguin isn't just devaluation of links. It's an algorithmic penalty. Therefore yes, in order to recover you do have to wait for Penguin.

 

[topcat]

Therefore yes, in order to recover you do have to wait for Penguin.

I am saying you do not have to wait for a re-run of Penguin so no, I am definitely not repeating what you are saying.

So we I guess we have to agree to disagree.