The Marketing Strategies of Websites on Flippa

I would lookout for any sites that use paid traffic to generate an initial income for them to use to help make the site appear more "genuine". There is absolutely nothing wrong with paid traffic; however, if you run into someone selling a site that claims "passive income" when you can clearly see an odd spike in traffic/earnings from the get-go, I would highly recommend staying away from it.

Just make sure when you're bidding on auctions that you do your research and due diligence. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

I've seen these too and think that they are highly suspect. I would not buy one. You are buying the product blind. They will not tell you how it made money until you've given them your money.

Would you buy a car blind ... or anything else for that matter?

I have seen a few of those up on Flippa for sale also that are based around selling services such as Facebook likes and getting Twitter followers and promise to reveal their traffic sources once you buy the site.

Seems like they pretty much flip the same type of site over and over again and make the same promises about the traffic on each.

It all seems a little vague and lacks proof.

Here is a perfect example of what I mean. They claim it made $1357 in 10 days and the site was created on February 19th 2012.

https://flippa.com/2707450-1-357-in-...work-from-home

It baffles me too. I only hope that they are all fake bids and no real buyers are suckered into paying hundreds or thousands for a site that won't earn them a single penny.

I wanted to get into flipping sites business, but really it seems to me the more lies you are willing to tell the more money you will make. So I quit as I don't like scamming people.

Well here is what I do, so I can generate sales before I put my site up for auction:

If you are building a Twitter Follower Out Sourcing site
Step 1). Create a website offering Free Twitter Followers using WordPress.

Step 2). This step you can use aWeber or free wordpress plugins, but this is where you will build your email list. Make sure you add the plugin to your homepage, explaining to visitors that they will have to subscribe, to get free twitter followers.

You can also use a simple WordPress contact form, and also make sure they include their email, name, and twitter username.

Step 3). When someone subscribes, of course you will have to send them the Followers, I usually send 100 free followers. You can probably get someone on Fiverr who will send 500 followers, just ask that person to send 100 followers to five accounts. Sometimes you will find someone on Fiverr that will send 1000+ followers, just ask them if they can send to different accounts. Or you don't have to send your clients any followers at all, but I usually do.

Step 4). Promote and advertise, you will need serious SEO, and advertising. I would suggest going to forums, and also creating a campaign in adwords and Facebook. Now you may be out of $50-$100 dollars but you will gain a list of potential clients.

Step 5). This step, is very important for me... When I feel like I got a good list, and I feel like my Twitter Follower website/s is ready to start earning some money. I simply, send out a email to all of my subscribers explaining this new websites that I have found that offers cheap Twitter Followers.

In the email, the best thing to do is to follow a simple method I use, "Sell, Buy and Sell." This is where in the beginning of the email you will Sell the website products, then you will explain how fast the service was when you bought the product, and then you will sell the product one last time.

Step 6). Once you get some sales, go to Flippa and sell the website. I wouldn't sell the website where you get the emails from, because then you will have to do all of the work over again, and also that is a huge privacy issue. What you should do is tell potential buyers that send you a message about the email list, and also tell them that you will show them how to create their own.

Step 7). Do it all over again, but this time you already have the list and the website that is continuing to generate more names and emails. You can also send two websites at once in your email, all you have to do is explain both websites. Most of the time it is good to also explain that you are reviewing these sites.
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Well that is what I do, and it generates good traffic and sales. It is not rare for the site to generate a few thousands but it can take a lot of work.

Also, if you are selling different sites like Facebook Fans, and Twitter Followers, Google Pluses, then you will need a email list for each, which mean you will need 3 different websites to pull these emails.
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Anyway,
You got to be careful when buying websites. Also one thing that sellers do not do, is tell the buyers that they have to continue to promote and advertise, to generate traffic and sales. Many buyers, buys these websites and believe that by doing nothing will generate them revenue.

Some websites are autopilot and I understand that, but when it comes to new websites making sells, it maybe their little secret.

A new website can make hundreds of dollars if you know what you are doing.

I have had the same problem as the original poster of this thread. I did buy one POS site. I didn't due my due diligence on it, all the signs were there. I even was emailing back and forth with the seller. The URL was different than the product that was to be sold on the site. So all I can say is do your due diligence on everything you do on the net. Unfortunately there way to many scammers out there!

Is it possible for a very new website to really generate traffic and revenue in such a short period? Sure it is. But any potential buyers should approach the figures with a healthy dose of skepticism and personally confirm the claims themselves - don't value the claims if the seller is evasive on the details.

We removed the ability for sellers to claim revenue on new sites a few months back. The main reason for this is that, even if it were true, a short or one-off history of revenue should not typically impact the value of a website.

While they may outline revenue records in their descriptions, buyers should readily discount this as part of their valuation unless they have a rock solid understanding of where these sales are coming from - this would highlight the unsustainability of the sorts of revenue streams that @clintin outlined above (a few good lessons there for everyone).

A lot of this is covered in our Pro Website Buyers guide which is available for free from https://flippa.com/deals Highly recommended reading for ANYONE buying a website.

I think you have hit the nail on the head!

It goes back to the good ol' saying:

"If something appears to good to be true it normally is!"

I think they are actually selling due to the promise of the "secret marketing strategy" but as a rule of thumb with new sites they can be good in terms of content and a start in a niche.

However to expect a brand new site to make you $xxxx a day - you have to ask if that WERE the case would it not be more profitable to keep the sites?

Just my 2 pence.

Chris

I also have noticed that.As far I know they use paid traffic sources like adwords and after some sales they sell it in Flippa.But If I had to buy a site in flippa,i would prefer to buy one with at least 6 month old and would make sure It was never punished by Google.

Watch out on Flippa, 9 out of 10 sites are scams. There are a lot of people trying to trick people there.

Yes, it is possible to create a web site and let it make money almost immediately.

But: If the seller does not show the sales and the traffic in his auction and only promises to give it to you later I would stay away.

I read on here about many scam people doing charge backs with PayPal down the track with genuine sites bought on Flippa.

Do you have tips on how to "document" the whole transfer and stuff, so in the case of a theft attempt via a charge back, you have perfect evidence for PayPal?

Many buyers on Flippa seek a website that can give them much money without working, but it is impossible.
No Traffic = No Money, and traffic can't come alone, traffic only come with working for first.

I am a website flipper. I always include marketing tutorial and maintenance guide for my buyers, I also offer live time support to them so they can make their first sale but they don't use my offer. So, not all of seller on Flippa are scammer, but among of buyers on Flippa are to lazy running their business even it requires minimum effort.

I hope no people that all sellers on Flippa are scammer. We have our own business model.


Imam Hariyanto

I hope there is one who can create a flippa discussion forum as a thread, how to sell and how to buy a website on flippa in right way for each other..

A Sucker is Born Everyday. Pretty much sums this up.

Thanks for this topic I also wanted to discuss that! Got too many help.

thanks

That explains alot, this info will go in my ebook!
Thanks guys