Buying Tip: Look at the “News” Section of a Website

I want to share a bit of a domain name buying tip that has been helpful to me over the years. When visiting a developed domain name that is an acquisition target, look at the section with company news to see how recently and regularly updated it is.

I, like others, tend to pass on submitting an unsolicited offer to buy a domain name if I see a business uses it. There is not much sense in interrupting someone’s day to ask about the viability of acquiring a domain name that is used by a business every day. For most companies, changing a domain name can be a big risk, and there are other costs to consider (business cards, signage, marketing materials…etc). Put simply, unless I am going to absolutely blow away a domain name owner with an extraordinary offer, it doesn’t typically make sense to try and buy a developed domain name that is being used.

That being said, I like to look around a website to see if I can tell if the website is used regularly. One potential giveaway about its usage is in the section about company news or press. If a business has this section on the website, they likely update it somewhat regularly. Even annual updates shows there is some life. If I visit a website and the news section has not had an addition in a few years, it could be an indicator that the business has wound down or the website is not being used.

If I am interested in buying a domain name, and I see the website is not regularly updated, it could be a good acquisition target. It’s very possible – and even likely – that the domain name is still not available, but it is one indicator I use to gauge the possibility of buying the domain name. More often than not, a developed domain name is not available for sale unless the offer is extraordinarily good. Looking at the news section of a website can help identify whether the website is still actively being used, and if it is not, it could be available for sale for the right offer.