Would you sell or keep a website that...

missyb · #1 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009, 09:53 PM

makes a small amount of money consistently? But you are over it and have more lucrative projects on the go.

Situation is I don't know what to do about my "learner site" that is earning an ok income considering I mostly ignore it. I have other projects on the go and I want a bit of head space.

I have learned A LOT from this first site, I have done many things 5 times over (to fix mistakes etc and learn) so I think that is why I am getting to the point I don't even want to think about it any more. I would rather just move on with my new projects.

The site is not earning to its potential. But I don't think I can not face another go over. It is earning though and I can ignore it and it still earns though it did dip a bit and has plateaued. (traffic and income wise)

Simply put:

Do you let go of a site EVEN if it makes money, and EVEN if you know it has fantastic KW's and has huge growth opportunity?

Or do you sell it and remove even thinking of it from your mind to apply the knowledge that you know have more productively?

Bill the Builder · #2 (**permalink**) 10-27-2009, 10:58 PM

A lot really depends on how much you are making and how much you would get for it. If someone offered you 40-50x monthly earnings, would you sell it?

Is it an adsense based site that the new owner could easily take over?

jayorban · #3 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 05:43 AM

You definitely keep it as long as its covering your hosting fees. If its even a little bit profitable I would keep it definitely. Throw some different banners up, maybe a high converting clickbank product with a high gravity. Do some experimenting, and see what happens! At the same time work on other more lucrative projects! Good luck...

missyb · #4 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 06:30 AM

Thanks for your thoughts guys, after making this forum post and doing a little maths, I got a lot more enthused about it again. Plus I rediscovered my really good source of cheap decent content...so if I outsource and spend 15 min on updating a month...

...and it makes $200 (minimum amount after expenses) plus a month, which is a cool $2400 a year... and as I am a kiwi when I convert it it is more like $3200 a year ... That's not bad for a beginner site. I never worked it out like that before.

Also I am pretty sure if I update once a month (haven't done anything for months and it has remained stable) income should be maintained if not increase. I just have to wash my mind of all the things I know need work on it. Otherwise I will go crazy, cos I am a little bit of a perfectionist!

But I think my time is better spent building my new projects well, than redoing (yet again) the beginner site.

Thanks again, this has helped me to turn it over in my mind...

sequencehosting · #5 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missyb

Thanks for your thoughts guys, after making this forum post and doing a little maths, I got a lot more enthused about it again. Plus I rediscovered my really good source of cheap decent content...so if I outsource and spend 15 min on updating a month...

...and it makes $200 (minimum amount after expenses) plus a month, which is a cool $2400 a year... and as I am a kiwi when I convert it it is more like $3200 a year ... That's not bad for a beginner site. I never worked it out like that before.

Also I am pretty sure if I update once a month (haven't done anything for months and it has remained stable) income should be maintained if not increase. I just have to wash my mind of all the things I know need work on it. Otherwise I will go crazy, cos I am a little bit of a perfectionist!

But I think my time is better spent building my new projects well, than redoing (yet again) the beginner site.

Thanks again, this has helped me to turn it over in my mind...

Nice to see you got it figured out.

Yesterday on another forum there was someone selling a hosting business and he pulled out at the last minute because he was getting ripped off. His domain was worth 3 times the last bid. Always better to keep it

If it's a blog you could always look for quest writers

Jonathan · #6 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 07:39 PM

I'm glad you decided to keep it. That's what I would have recommended.

vipdistinct · #7 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 01:30 AM

Yeah, I would have also recommenced to keep that. Now what I would do is find out what is making it make money and strength that some how.

family checkout · #8 (**permalink**) 10-30-2009, 12:42 AM

just keep it. you just said it that the site is still earning even though you already ignore it. but if you think you could sell your site for an amount that your site couldn't achieve for a long period of time. then sell it.

ed7up · #9 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 05:48 AM

Am I gonna get flamed for saying 'sell' and use the money in the projects you're more interested in and can get a higher return?

That's what I did, and I don't regret it. I sold off a profitable website and plunged the proceeds into developing products, mini sites and setting money aside for Adwords. I honestly don't regret it.

What you need to ask your self is what the opportunity cost is. Sure, your website is profitable, but how much more profitable could other projects be in say, the next 12 months. The difference is your opportunity cost.

If you've got a steady earner, you can capitalize on it's potential future earnings by offloading it as a safe investment to someone else. That cash you've immediately generated can be used to accelarate your other projects.

Take a look at the numbers for all your ideas, and go from there.

</controversy>

sequencehosting · #10 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ed7up

Am I gonna get flamed for saying 'sell' and use the money in the projects you're more interested in and can get a higher return?

That's what I did, and I don't regret it. I sold off a profitable website and plunged the proceeds into developing products, mini sites and setting money aside for Adwords. I honestly don't regret it.

What you need to ask your self is what the opportunity cost is. Sure, your website is profitable, but how much more profitable could other projects be in say, the next 12 months. The difference is your opportunity cost.

If you've got a steady earner, you can capitalize on it's potential future earnings by offloading it as a safe investment to someone else. That cash you've immediately generated can be used to accelarate your other projects.

Take a look at the numbers for all your ideas, and go from there.

</controversy>

That is true and a great way of looking at it. I guess you could also add, how much maintenance is the site? If the site never needs to be updated (a proxy site for example) then keeping it may be a good idea. I do agree with you though because 99% of sites will need updating and if you have lost interest in the site it's not worth it.

SHFarms · #11 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 11:02 AM

You could possibly go in a partnership with someone interested in updating it and you two could share the profit or something. I wouldn't want to sell my first site though because of it being my first site and how many trials and errors you went through, its a good motivation tool for yourself. "I accomplished this, with lots of errors, so... I can do 'this' to!'

Jordy3738 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 12:06 PM

If it's making passive income and the numbers are over $2000 per year, I'd keep it. Isn't that the goal here, hands free money?

missyb · #13 (**permalink**) 11-01-2009, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Ed7up:What you need to ask your self is what the opportunity cost is. Sure, your website is profitable, but how much more profitable could other projects be in say, the next 12 months. The difference is your opportunity cost.

You summed up exactly why I asked this question. It is not so much the passive income as that I am not sure I have room in my brain!! With other things on the go any time thinking about it etc is at the cost of other projects.

And as I already said I already have a few much more profitable projects on the go. And thanks to the knowledge that my first site gave me - things are happening a lot faster.

I've just spent an embarrassingly small sum to get some new content which should keep it ticking...I might relook into the selling in a few months. That way I am at least $600 up + however much I sell for.

When I started out, I could not even imagine considering selling a profitable site, I think that I am having emotional attatchment issues as well. I am going to give it until Feb (want to get past the crazy holiday season).

It is $200 plus per month profit after expenses, hosting etc are taken out.

I did think about the partnership idea - but then I am not good at sharing...

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas.

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