Buying and selling websites can create a lot of admin. If you’re not prepared for it, then it’s going to slow down the migration process.
We’ve done hundreds of migrations as part of our “full service” offering and took care of things like:
- Domains
- Site’s files, databases
- Hosting accounts
- Affiliate, social, and other accounts
- Swapping affiliate IDs and ad codes
- Other assets included in the sale, eg. SOPs, email lists, etc
Whether you are migrating a website yourself, or have someone do it for you, there are 4 things you can do to make this process quicker and easier.
4 Tips for an Easy Site Migration
1. Create a new owner cheat sheet
Sellers can help the migration process by providing an accurate estimate of how long it will take the new owner to get acquainted with the site.
In addition, identifying any potential problems they might come across and providing a list of need-to-knows will cut down on any potential teething problems.
We typically ask that sellers are available to offer advice for 30 days post-sale, but by providing an FAQ cheat sheet upfront, you’ll cut down your need for assistance.
2. Check your contracts
If your site currently works with freelance writers and designers, or you’ve negotiated deals on hosting, etc, check to see if these contracts will carry over.
Buying a site that boasts limited upkeep and then finding out that all the time-saving hacks have left with the previous owner is going to result in one very unhappy buyer.
3. Draw up a list of target keywords
Another way you can help make the site migration easier is to draw up a list of targeted keywords (either in-use or identified) to help the new owner hit the ground running.
Any gesture of goodwill during a sale could see you end up with a higher selling price, and the potential for a repeat customer if you decide to list another site in the future.
4. Prep your Google Analytics
One of the great features of Google Analytics for those with portfolios of sites is the ability to link multiple sites to one account. However, when it comes to selling, you’re going to need to separate them.
For sellers with more than one site linked to their GA account, you’ll need to go through a pre-migration migration!
There’s a help article from Google to walk you through the process here, but essentially you’re going to need to create a new account, migrate the site and then give admin access to the new buyer.
When it comes to selling your site, make life easier and sell with Investors Club.
Try out our free valuation tool to see how much your site could be worth today, or find out more about selling your online business at Investors Club.
Hannah Beazley
Hannah is a content marketing specialist at Investors Club and a freelance copywriter. When she's not busy behind the keyboard, you'll find her baking her signature salted caramel brownies or trying to sink that elusive hole-in-one.