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Aged domain with potential, need help please!

by ideallife
6 replies
Let me first say that I'm not really sure what I'm trying to ask but hopefully it will just come out in a coherent manner....

I won't go into my entire online history but I am asking for some help/suggestions about what to do with a domain I have own for a very long time. I've had it since 1998 and back then, it did really well promoting an offline work at home program in an online venue. In fact, it did really well for few years until 2001 and it all went downhill online.

Fast forward to the present time. I hardly mess with this domain but it's always been in the back of my thoughts of resurrecting it to something great. This site was my first domain, my baby if you will, that got me out of debt completely during those awful trying times. The site has changed directions throughout the 10 years in existence but the web has changed so much in that decade too and with marketing in general.

The site doesn't get many visitors these days but there is a particular search term that seem to be sending those dozen or so visitors per day to the site. For that term whether in quotes or broad search, my site is listed in 4th or 5th position on the first page. This is what I discovered today when I actually looked at my stats and then plugged that keyword phrase into google.

My question is...what would be the best approach to monetize this domain? I have some affiliate links on it and mostly it makes very little in adsense but probably enough to cover the cost of the domain renewal. I'm just now getting back into doing more internet marketing as I took some time away (about 5 years) to pursue another business that is more offline and artistic.

I'm getting an intuitive sense that maybe I've let thousands of dollars in affiliate commission slip through my hands by not properly monetizing this domain and its potential....but maybe it's just time to start making some serious cash with it too.

I've been a lurker here for a very long time and often just spend time reading through the posts trying to piece together the right formula for me. Now I'm asking for some much needed and much appreciated help. I've basically have gotten myself back into a lot of debt, living off of savings to build my offline business. I dread having to go back to a 9-5 again, that would be the last resort. Deep down, I really want to succeed online again.

What would you do in my situation? How would you monetize a very aged domain with possibly a good bit of potential? I'm hesitant to put up the url but if you want to offer some help/advice and would like to see it, just pm me. I've seen countless of amazing warriors helping others, and now I ask for your help too. Thanks in advance for any suggestions/advice you may have.

Jean
#aged #domain #potential
  • Profile picture of the author Monetize
    Have you thought about just selling it. It seems that you
    don't have the time or the interest to develop it properly.
    Depending on what it is, it may bring a nice lump sum.
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    • Profile picture of the author sparrow
      Sounds to me you need to look at the facts

      How much traffic and demand does the keywords for the site show and what are the possible monetization methods available

      or as suggested

      Sell it, some well aged and good domain names bring good money

      Either way you need to make a decision

      Seems you have some experience and you have the warrior forum as a reference as well as the new web many resource exist now that did not when you started that domain

      But don't sit trying to decide take some action

      Without knowing the actual niche you are in its hard to make specific suggestions

      But take action do your due diligence

      Ed
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      • Profile picture of the author ideallife
        Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not really looking to sell the domain but I do know I have to take some action, do something with it. It makes about $60-$70 a year in adsense so it isn't a total waste of renewing the domain. I started working on it the last few days, just isn't sure of the absolute direction I want to take it. I removed the adsense to see if maybe the visitors I do get will stay with the offers I list instead of clicking away. Then there's the...should I promote and focus on one really good program (which is another decision on) or should I leave it diversified.

        The domain name sort of deals with secrets of all kinds so I could take it in any direction but my original intent was to make it a site about secrets that will improve ones life, be it financially, health, love, etc. The problem I encounter was that it pulled me in many different directions and there are just TONS of programs of all kinds and lots of good material out there to draw from, my head was/is spinning. Then I thought I would create subdomains for each category and build upon that with the main url being a central link to all those sub categories.

        I think my dream is just bigger than I am able to handle all at one time so I'd get a bit overwhelmed and leave it alone. But I keep on revisiting it because that's ultimately the idea that doesn't seem to die.

        Anyway, thanks for the inputs, I'll keep on plugging away and be open to whatever that comes my way. Incidentally, someone left me a voice mail earlier about wanting to see if I'd promote their client's financial freedom program on my website. How or why they found me is anyone's guess. Maybe the universe sent them my way, who knows.


        Jean
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        • Profile picture of the author rondo
          I'd put an opt-in form on there and start collecting email addresses for a newsletter.


          Andrew
          Signature
          Online courses
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          • Profile picture of the author GailTrahd
            Or put a link to a survey on the main page and give them a freebie for taking the survey - find out what people are looking for when they come to the site for the keywords that are optimized. And of course first check out the keywords that are used to be sure there is sustainable traffic from SE. Use googles external keyword tool - free and now with numbers. Look at google trends to see if it's seasonal. do a bit of experimentation.

            Even if you do think about selling later having this information and the bare bones of a site will be more enticing to someone than just the domain name.
            Signature
            Content, Video, Infographics in the lucrative relationship market

            WSO LIST BUILDING WEIGHT LOSS CONTENT BUNDLE
            Accurate, Researched and REFERENCED
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            • Profile picture of the author Monetize
              OMG - "Secrets" is one of the number one biggest selling
              words in the universe. Secret recipes, secrets of making
              money, secrets the credit card companies don't want
              you to know.

              Since you didn't go for my first tip, I suggest you begin
              developing your site. Make a list of all the secrets you
              want to promote and work on the site 1-2 hours a day
              or however often your schedule permits. Your site will
              be fully developed within thirty days. Guaranteed :rolleyes:
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