How to Sell Domain Names (In 5 Steps)

If you’re no longer interested in running your website, you might be looking to sell its domain name. This could help you make a decent amount of money, depending on the appeal of the name. However, you might not know how to sell domain names and what the process involves.

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide to help you get started. By learning how to evaluate your domain name and put it on the market, you should be able to find potential buyers without any issues.

In this post, we’ll discuss why you might sell a domain name. Then, we’ll show you how to sell domain names in five easy steps. Let’s dive right in!

Why You Might Sell a Domain Name

There are various reasons why site owners might want to know how to sell domains. 

For example, a professional blogger might decide to abandon their blog and start a new one on a completely different topic. If the domain name has established authority in a particular niche, it could be worth selling. 

Even businesses might consider selling domains. For instance, a company might undergo a complete rebranding process, changing its name entirely. Therefore, it might consider selling the domains with its old brand names. 

Note that selling domain names is not the same as flipping domains. The latter involves buying premium domains and selling them at a higher price. Some people might even flip domains for a living.

Meanwhile, selling a domain name is usually a one-off thing. As a blogger or business owner, you might want to move on to a new project and sell your old website. 

How to Sell Domain Names (In 5 Steps)

Now, let’s look at how to sell a domain name. We’ll be covering the entire process, from evaluating the domain to completing the sale safely and successfully.

#1. Evaluate Your Domain’s Value

The first step to selling a domain is evaluating its value. You can do this by conducting research on comparable domain sales. 

This involves analyzing the prices at which similar domains have been sold in the past. You can use a tool like NameBio to look at previous domain sales in your niche.

For example, if your domain contains the word “pilates”, you’ll want to enter this as the keyword. NameBio will then show you a list of sales for relevant domains:

This research will help you set a realistic price for your domain and understand the potential demand.

However, there are some other things to consider when evaluating your domain’s value. These include your Domain Authority (DA), which you can check with a tool like Moz:

A high DA will make your domain more valuable. Plus, it can help generate interest in the sale.

You’ll also want to consider the number of backlinks to the domain, and any popular industry keywords in the name. For example, words like “finance” and “invest” could make the domain very appealing to financial firms. 

#2. Clean Up Your Domain

Before listing your domain for sale, you’ll want to make sure that it’s in the best possible condition. This involves checking for any technical issues, ensuring that the domain is easily transferable, and confirming that it adheres to legal and trademark regulations. 

You can start by checking for any issues with the domain’s functionality, such as broken links or errors. A domain with a clean bill of technical health is more attractive to potential buyers.

You’ll also want to make sure that your domain is ready for a smooth transfer. You might need to communicate with your domain registrar to confirm that there aren’t any contractual issues that could complicate the sale.

Additionally, it’s important that your domain name doesn’t infringe on trademarks. This is something that you might have overlooked when you created your domain. If you’re based in the US, you can run a search on the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) database. 

Once you’ve cleared any issues with your domain, you’ll need to make your contact information public. You might have opted for WHOIS privacy when you registered your domain, which hides your contact information.

However, now that you’re ready to sell the domain, you’ll want your contact details to be available to potential buyers. To see if your details are public, you can run a WHOIS lookup:

That’s it – your domain name is now ready for the market. 

#3. Choose the Right Selling Platform

Now, it’s time to choose the platform where you’ll list your domain. 

Popular domain marketplaces like Sedo and Afternic provide a wide reach to buyers from across the globe:

Of course, there’s a lot of competition on such platforms. Additionally, some of them charge a commission fee on the sale. 

You might also consider GoDaddy auctions for your domain sale:

This enables interested buyers to bid on your domain names. If you’re struggling to decide on a fixed price for your domain, this option could be worth exploring.

Alternatively, you could use a domain name broker. For example, Grit Brokerage can help you find a buyer and it will handle the negotiation for you:

Each of these options offers a slightly different pricing model. Therefore, you’ll want to research the fees associated with each platform and choose the one that aligns with your budget.

Note that some platforms also offer additional services like escrow to facilitate secure transactions (we’ll talk more about this in a minute). 

#4. Create Your Domain Listing

The listing process will vary from one platform to another, but it should be quite straightforward. Typically, you’ll need to create an account and list your domain on the marketplace.

Many domain sellers will just upload the URL and hope for the best. However, you might want to take some time to craft a compelling listing. This can help you sell your domain more quickly.

For example, you can create a description, adding some key information about the domain. Here, you could mention traffic metrics, domain authority, and the number of backlinks. 

You might even talk about the search volume for associated keywords, and any revenue that comes through the domain (e.g. money made through Google Ads). 

These statistics could make your domain name more attractive. Plus, highlighting the value of the domain will help you justify the price. 

#5. Complete the Sale and Transfer

Once a buyer expresses interest in your domain and agrees to the price, you can initiate the transfer. However, you’ll need to make sure that you’re dealing with a genuine buyer. 

As we mentioned earlier, some domain marketplaces offer an escrow service. This acts as a middleman that holds the funds until all contractual obligations have been fulfilled. It is designed to protect both sellers and buyers from being scammed. 

If this service isn’t provided by the domain market you chose, you could use another third party like Escrow.com:

The process of selling and transferring the domain will vary, depending on the platform you’re using. Typically, you’ll need to obtain and submit an authorization code to initiate the transfer.

Once the domain transfer process is complete, the funds will be released from the escrow and sent to your account. 

Conclusion

There are various reasons why you might decide to sell your own domain names. For example, you might be abandoning your current site and starting a new one. Similarly, if you’re rebranding, it could be worth selling your old domain. 

To recap, here’s how to sell a domain name in five easy steps:

1. Evaluate your domain’s value based on factors like keywords, domain authority, and backlinks.
2. Clean up your domain by checking it for legal and technical issues.
3. Choose the right domain name marketplaces, auction sites, or domain brokers.
4. Create your domain listing and highlight key details like traffic volume.
5. Complete the sale and transfer, using an escrow service for a secure transaction.

Do you have any questions on domain selling? Let us know in the comments section below!