Selling your blog is a very big decision that should not be taken lightly. Since the blog you have created has attracted readers that love the content you provide, selling your blog might have consequences that could make them stop coming. The biggest part about selling your blog is taking the time to prepare for it. Don’t assume that you will be able to sell it for thousands right away and rush the sale this isn’t going to turn out well
Prepare Your Readers
Long before the actual sale of the blog you should continue to keep your readers informed about what is going to happen. By doing this, your readers know what to expect after the eventual handover. Even though some people might disagree with the sale, most will appreciate your honesty and the opportunity to share what they think could happen once the sale is completed. This is also going to alleviate buyer’s apprehensions about the readership leaving once you leave. The perfect scenario would be that you have content writers in place that do the bulk of the work so that the website isn’t dependant on your input.
As a blogger, you should already know how to handle criticism and feedback, so don’t let some of the negative comments throw you away from selling the blog. If selling your blog is in your best interest, the best thing to do is continue to communicate with your audience and fully explain the reasoning behind your decision. The longer you have to convince the audience that the sale will not only benefit you, but them as well, the more of a chance that the blog will continue to be successful and the readers will continue to respect you as a blogger.
If a buyer wants to keep you hired and for you to continue being the main writer of the blog, then the transition shouldn’t be as hard. You still want to keep the readers informed of the sale, but since they are there for the content you provide, they shouldn’t be effected much. A great idea would be to introduce the buyer to your audience. Have them do a guest post about the purchase of the blog, or anything else that will allow your readers to connect with them on a personal level.
Have all the Information About the Blog Ready for your Potential Buyer
Like the sale of any business or website, the information regarding every aspect should be readily available. That includes any general information, marketing information, and all the legal & financial documentation. When looking to sell your blog, the first impression to your buyer is going to be one of the main determining factors if the transaction will be successful or not. The first part of information that is usually requested is the general information. Here is a easy list of things to make sure and have:
1) Summary of the blog including any highly important facts that can catch the buyer’s eye.
2) History of all the traffic that has been to your blog.
3) Index of every page and post in your blog.
4) Timeline that shows the increase and decrease of your visitors.
5) Security information, including any past situations and the current security measures being taken on your blog.
6) Other information that might be used to promote your blog within your specific niche.
7) Awards or mentions from other websites
Get your marketing info ready
The marketing information is going to be the next aspect of your blog that the buyer will most likely be interested in. This includes any information that can help prove why your blog has become so successful including your overall marketing strategy, your current visitors, and other information that will be useful. It is very important that all the information provided to your buyer is accurate and up to date. Here is the list:
1) Summary regarding your overall marketing strategies.
2) Statistics regarding your rankings 3) Visitor reports, including statistics and demographic information.
4) Keyword reports, that show which keywords are being focused and the statistics behind each of them.
5) Linking reports, that include where the links are from, what anchor texts are used, etc.
6) Any information that can be seen by the public, including advertisements press releases, your social network information, mentions from your competitors or others within your niche, and anything else that would be considered public.
7) Information regarding your competitors within your niche.
Have your legal sorted
The legal and financial documentation is usually the last information you provide to the buyer, once you know they are serious about the sale. If you keep good records regarding your blog, this will be the easiest information to provide. These documents will provide proof of your blog’s success and legality. Although the list I am going to provide is going to just include the main documentation, it’s important to always keep all of your legal documents safe and readily available. The list is:
1) Documentation that provides revenue information.
2) Expense reports.
3) Appraisals.
4) Expected future income reports.
5) Any other important legal or financial document that will help provide proof to your buyer.
6) Final sales contract for the blog.
Although there is a lot of different information that you should have ready, it is time well spent to make sure you have all the correct information to provide. By being able to provide all of this information, you will give the impression that you are reliable, professional, and are serious about the sale of your blog. You might even want to go one step further and get a formal valuation of your site.
Make Sure You are Ready to Sell
Taking some extra time to go over your blog and being prepared is going to be the key to a successful sale. If you try and rush things, you might end up selling it for a lot less that it’s worth, or you might regret selling it all together. Talk to your readers, gather your information, and then make your decision that includes all of your options. While selling the blog can be very profitable, it might be best for you to keep it for the time being.
