If you develop the domain

[julian]

you want to really sell you might put someone off from buying it - as it's in use.

If you don't the domain is wasted..?

So if you develop it and it's a shit job then you also potentially risk putting of a buyer because you've done a shite job, and maybe its clear it could not work.

So maybe you'd better just leave it parked..

or perhaps the best is.. non resolving to upset a potential buyer who thinks they could develop it better than you.. but then no serp history would annoy some..

maybe i'm thinking too much about this..

 

[Blossom]

What I would do:

Install WordPress and switch to a clean, generic free theme with a white background.

Use Hello Bar or a similar method to announce that the domain name is for sale/you're accepting offers in a non-intrusive way.

Get a few pages of content on there (more on the homepage), make sure it looks neat and use minimal (if any) advertising - especially above the fold.

Add a Google news block widget set to target the exact domain name for a bit of additional content.

If you have a company, add a clear logo and link to your website. Add a contact form/contact page link in the footer (as well as in any nav) as that's where most people tend to look first.

 

[Edwin]

(Untested idea) How about making the background graphic of a "developed site" a sales pitch i.e. nothing shows in the HTML about the sale, so nothing for the search engines to index, yet visitors can still see that it's potentially available?

 

[tifosi]

Here's what I do with mine e.g. http://www.ilender.co.uk/

Custom db driven landing page, categorised with adsense. Big 'for sale' notice box & contact form. Effectively, part developed, part parked.

Adsense revenue is 8x parking from last few months.

 

[namdas]

If I am interested in buying a domain then links and backlinks are always a good bonus - would much prefer the 'head start' to starting from scratch and kicking my heels for up to a year - but I agree it can be offputting if the domain looks completely in use. Generally I'll make offers to buy uglier, less 'high quality' looking sites but if something looks v professional I'll assume its not for sale.

That being said from your POV if a site is ranking well it pays to make it look good and get conversion rates up and then you have a solid source of income - which in most cases is better than a one off lump sum - so you won't need to sell anyway

 

[gigikentgigi]

If you names are reg'd with Godaddy there's a host of free templates you can use.

Here's a few of mine with free "Instant page"

http://www.24hourglazing.com/

http://www.arcticholidays.com/

Nothing special but it all helps.

thx