This is the beginning of a series I am starting called “sold for $30K.” I will make it into its own category so you can reference it easily in the future. I am revealing alot of stuff in this vid as an overview of the detailed posts that are to come.
Most of you are going to ask me “where is the site you sold?” … “can we see it?” …and the answer is that I will never tell. I don’t think it is right for me to flood the site with traffic from here as that is not why the buyer purchased it. They bought it for targeted search engine traffic. And don’t go trying to find it either because it never had my name on it and was privately registered in someone else’s Godaddy account from the beginning (yeah, Vic taught me well on keeping things private). I actually bought the domain about 26 months ago and put the site on line about 19 months ago.. so you can see that it was not very old.
Now many of you are gonna also wonder if I did anything to make the site “black hat” and the answer is “heck no!” In fact, the site was so squeeky clean that Baby Jesus Darren Rowse himself would be proud. And I am gonna show and tell you everything I did, why and how. I will share with you the traffic stats and how I got that traffic, the right way. You see, there is a very common misconception that people who follow Vic and Griz do things shady, and that IS NOT true. We just know how to write very good, long content that uses keywords properly.. Content Is King dontcha know?
SO here is a tip for you already: when building a niche site…, long, infrequent posts (1,000+ words) with lots of good pictures and other media, are more valuable than 10 short blasts in a week. That’s right guys, if you can post only a couple times per month, but those 2 articles are full of keyword rich, helpful, loving content, you will do much better in the long run… the search engine spiders will love to hang around and take shits all over your pages! …And the human visitors will also benefit (more on this later)… and the money will also roll in.
We also know how to make friends online and work with them… just like those who make friends thru Twitter… we do the same, but do it thru emails instead of 140 characters. There area lot of other things we do that are nothing new and spectacular and are straight up white hat… we are just smarter than most of the other MMO cocksuckers out there, and that is why we get criticized. (sorry, rant there)
The site also did well on it’s own and made me money consistently. In fact, it accounted for about $900 per month of my online income. So, yes, I have dropped below the $5K per month now that the site is gone, but I am not upset for obvious reasons.
In this video blog post I also mention that the site never saw Twitter or other social sites, and that is true. You can’t make money on Twitter with niche sites like this. Anyone who tells you that is a flat out LIAR! Yes, you can make money with Twitter in the tech niche, the internet marketing niche, the MMO niche and you can even sell Twitter software from a niche site using PPC… but to have a real site in the real world without a brick and mortar business behind it, you are just WASTING YOUR TIME ON TWITTER!
This is not to say Twitter sucks. I have met some good folks like the Info Dude and Don the Business Development Dude on Twitter. but… Again, if you have a brick and mortar cabinet shop behind your Twitter account, then yes, you can get some business from that. But for niche bloggers/internet marketers building sites OUTSIDE of MMO and TECH, Twitter is a time sucker…blah blah blah, I am rambling. If you want to know how to make money on Twitter, then go see Josh at his marketing site.
You also will need to understand Wordpress if you want to follow along here. I am not structuring this video series for complete beginners, so if that is you, go get some help for your Wordpress issues. You can also get a free Wordpress blog setup for you from my good buddy Steve.
Congrats on the sale, Allyn!!
Hee- I can’t believe you just GAVE Steve such free material for his Allyn Hane documentary– you say you’re not really going to say F…etc any more and then mere seconds later ya do. ROTFL!!!!!!!!
Comedic timing– ya gotta love it.
By the way, Allyn, I appreciated seeing the mention of Grizzle and He the Unleashed in your text.
People seem to like to throw stones at them from afar (perhaps thinking that we are all so illiterate and lemming-like that we don’t read deep and intelligent blogs of thought-leaders like John Battelle. Hee.)
In the comments of Mr. Battelle’s blog, Robert Angelo wrote:
“…If you have ever read these “MMO” gurus like Victor Franqui or …Brears, they head up a vicious cult whose followers believe that “dishonest” is “honesty.” The distorted reality in there is scary.
Google needs to strike these people who pollute, abuse, steal, and add zero value (at best) now. They cannot afford to wait to try to figure it out algorithmically….”
V & G head up a vicious cult??? Oh pa-leeze!!
Hi, Robert, I’m hoping that you have your name on Google search, so that you can stop by for a chat.
Happy New Year, everyone. I’m stepping down from my soapbox now (it’s cute, AL. I ‘DIY’ painted it myself.) LOL!
@ Palm, thanks you! it has been a long time coming with this thing. I started it back when I first came in contact with the likes of Vic and Griz. I read everything they talked about and applied much of it to my own knowledge. They are good dudes and people who criticize them are usually just bitter or envious.
BTW– if this thing fires up a controversy, you are to blame! LOL
Man this is an awesome video, even though you mentioned the social stuff at the end I WILL be tweeting the mother f out of it! lol great job brother!
@Info Dude– yeah bro, it’s ok to Tweet this because this site is social. I often am afraid that when I rip ass on social media that people don’t quite understand where I am coming from. It’s great that you Tweet this post, especially since I gave you some link juice in it, but more importantly because I don’t use this site to make money, but more as an outlet to help out my friends… so feel free to Tweet away buddy! The info here is all free and meant to add good, honest content to the blogosphere! (I just threw up in my mouth alittle as I typed this fluff
)
AL
testing the comment luv plugin I just installed
Yeah brother have a word with yourself, go and kick a puppy or something! I can see you starting to lose your hair and become a peace loving problogger!! FYI tweeting again now love you hugs and kisses! lol
Allyn wrote: “BTW– if this thing fires up a controversy, you are to blame! LOL
”
Hee. Maybe laughable, but hardly anything controversial. (Yawn!)
(By the way, my quote does not represent the whole comment on the blog mentioned. I had written snips to indicate that at the beginning and end of my excerpt, but they got disappeared when the ink hit your blog.)
I don’t see the check I best it never happened and Allyn is just pulling our chain, what a phoney. I bet he comes out with a ebook series about how to suck up to a-list aholes for $47…
Ha JK
Congrats on the major sell that is a pretty cool experience. I can see just where this is leading and if people have the ear to hear let them. It will serve them well.
I remember hearing about how people make 4-5k a week online and couldn’t fathom it at the time and doubted how it was possible. Then I discovered that the secret is watching what people do not only what they say. There is a rhyme and reason for everything and people cant help but tell you how it is done even if it is totally subconscious.
After figuring out that all that matters is giving people what they truly want in a simple yet meaningful way you’ll score. Connection people by information and providing solutions is the name of the game. It can be just about anything along those lines. I cant wait to see/learn more about how to flip websites like homes.
Dang! Yea, no F Bombs or C Bombs in that post! I like these “clean” videos. Keep em coming.
You didn’t mention why you sold. You got 33X your monthly income but still….I’m not selling anything I have. I’m keeping all my assets and that is because I am in it for the long haul. I mean the till I die long haul hopefully.
@Josh, yeah man, I did think about it for a while. I mean, with this sale, I could write a helluvan ebook, but it is just not my thing. I knew you’d “get it”
@Jessie- I sold for a number of reasons and you’ll have to watch the whole series to understand it! I am in it for the long haul too my friend, but sometimes, you get an “offer you can’t refuse” ROFL
Hey Josh,
Long time listener, first time caller.
To date, Twitter has brought me $5.00 is sales in the past nine months. I think you could be onto something about looking for customers on social media may not be the best use of time.
BTW, have you tried Steinlager beer from New Zealand. If so, what did you think? It’s our only export beer.
Al,
I will be all ears over the next few weeks . exactly what I need as I fumble and stumble around the blogsphere . I’m a believer also in good content rather than posting chaff every day just to show activity.
Fire away brotha….!!!!
Allyn if this is going to be a fucking zillion part mini-series even if its FREE I’m coming on over to Chicago and confiscating all your weak-as piss Yank beer!
Yeah, the thing with not dropping F-bombs isn’t going to work out, is it?
But I couldn’t do without them, anyway.
Congrats on selling that website, by the way! Looking forward to learning the ins and outs of how you did it.
Cheers,
Shane
@Gordie– thanks for coming out of the lurches and leaving a comment! Five bucks on Twitter eh? , well that is alot more than I ever made with it. Peronsally, I still think the money is in organic search engine traffic… always has been , always will be.
I have not heard of any beers imported hear from NZ. I am sure our friend Lissie has tried it. Is is a dark, malty beer, or more hopped and lite?
@Chris– hey man, got you email, will send you a reply today. In fact, it is a good idea to post long on a blog like yours. I am gonna show you guys how I monetized my site here in the next little while. But long story short (and I learned this from Griz) your search engine visitors will do one of two things:
1) click on the ads at the very top and leave
2) stay engaged in your long, good content and buy something based on trust down near the bottom
Either way, you win! I will give many more details on this later, but if you want to see it in action in an MMO setting, go study the layout of the ads over at http://makemoneyforbeginners.blogspot.com/
@Lissie– hey now, I finally and going to put out good content here and now it’s too much? Sheesh!
I love mini-series posts. I learned that from baby Jesus blogger Darren Rowse!
Steinlarger I like so it is neither dark nor malty – for that you would be looking for a Monteith’s Dark or similar. Steinlager is very drinkable lager – which I do drink when its hot – ie normally when I am in australia – its exported there too! Geordie are stuff like Monteiths, Macs, Tuatara not exported – they are more craft than Steinlager – but maybe thats why?
Congrats on the sale Allyn! And thanks for sharing this series on how you did it. I sold a site in May 2009 for $48,000 and have another one right now that I want to get at least $30,000 for some time within the next few months. So this series is something I am very interested in!
@Trent, damn man, I should have you do some guest posting too eh? Actually, if you wouldn’t mind, as I go throughout and do the posts if you have something to add, or maybe a different perspective, please be sure to add it in or like I said, write a guest post and send it to me. Sounds like us (all of us here) could really learn a lot from what you have done as well!
AL
@Allyn – I’d be more than happy to add anything extra that I can to any of the posts in the series. I’ve sold (and bought) several sites so I know quite a bit about it. However, the $48,000 sale was by far my biggest to date. I’ll see if I can come up with some good information for a guest post to send ya.
Trent Brownrigg´s last blog ..How to Find Internet Marketing Success Much Faster
Hey Allyn…stop calling us names you son of a bee sting…
… do you always get this violent when you drink?
Thanks for sharing man, really looking forward to listening to your wise words…karma will reward you im sure.
Hope your christmas was pleasant and your new year surpasses all those previous.
@justin, LOL, yeah, when I get buzzed I get “loose” ROFL
but I am harmless, really.
This will series of posts will be fun for me to do, looking forward to getting them out there.
best of 2010 to you too my friend,
AL
@Allyn
Steinlager beer is more malty and light. I think it’s pretty smooth. I’ve tried to get into dark beer, but can’t handle more than a pint at a time.
Gordie´s last blog ..Look, Mom! My Blog’s Sprouting Pubes!
@Lissie – LOL too freaking funny!
@Allyn – Cheers! I have no beer in the house and as I started watching the video I thought, I really hate him right now because that looks delicious, but I got over it. Sort of.
Now, I wish I knew how many people just purchased a home improvement website because of your video Lol
I have a home improvement type site because I love construction, but I’ve also been in construction for about 8 yrs (office side). Anyway, stoked to see the rest of this “real” content. Love the eff bombs, keep em coming!
@JL, I’ll be selling “Best of Allyn Hane” video part II later this year and I’ll do a series of how I made $30K from Ally Hane. It’s gonna be great.
Great video brudda, you never cease to amaze me.
Sounds like a winner, Steve.
Hey Allyn!
Found this post – not through a link but by other people talking about it on Twitter. A good example of how Twitter can bring you good “organic” traffic.
Thanks a lot for the shout out and linkluv too buddy!
- Don
Don Power´s last blog ..The Secret to a Successful Blog? Write and Promote. Repeat. [Guest Post]
Good man. You are doing the right thing and it will come back to you. I’m with you in thinking the good you do comes back to you.
Say how did you make the sign appear that just now appeared and said something like “Hook up with me on Facebook”? By the way, I think I am hooked up with you on Facebook.
Cheers!
Lawrence Miller´s last blog ..Morning Prayers of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of the East
Lemme tell you, after a long boring day of writing crap and trying to get links, I sure wish I could come here and see a new video every day. Watching you blow off steam is therapy for me. Please quit that “corporate” job so you can make more of these.
Mr. Allyn Hane,
Been a long time man, but i’m back in the game and just catching up on your vids…it’s good to see your still the same guy, i love it.
1. Congrats on the sale, must of been a lot of hard work to make a sale like that. looking forward to the upcoming videos.
b. just wondering how many sites you have up and running now?? im on 25, but most are not ranking…YET.
3. BUILD SITES, ADD CONTENT, GET LINKS…haven’t heard it in a while-but its all i think about man.
Thanks for everything.
Hey Eric, I wondered where you went man. Nice to see you back.
I am at 211 sites right now, have dumped a bunch and bought new ones too.
You def should follow along on this little series here, good stuff coming down the road.
AL
[...] Allyn Hane: Master Of My Own Domain « I Sold A WebSite For $30,000 [...]
Hi,
I’m almost afraid to ask for fear of getting my neat little behind kicked back to newbie school but can you clarify something in your comment about Twitter being a waste of time for non-concrete business? We’re working on making heavy use of the web for donations. We have a bricks and mortar project that we’re supporting but fund-raising is almost exclusively online. Does that count as tech enough to give us any chance of success?!
I’d be interested to hear what you think.
Thanks for your time,
Eleanor
Eleanor Edwards´s last blog ..Do Paypal really like good causes?
@Eleanor, don’t be afraid, I am a nice dude, i only play a jerk on TV LOL
You can do well with Twitter if you have a brick and mortar business behind it.. IOW– NOT an internet marketing or make money online website scheme. So, yes, you should do fairly well with your cause, Good luck!
Maybe I’ve missed something here.
$30k is only 3 times your annual income from the site. Did you let it go too cheap?
@matthew, you have missed nothing. I got just under 3 years worth of income when I sold it. how is that puzzling to you?
[...] skeptical of the claimed figures but I do know my mate Allyn over at bloggerillustrated.net sold a website for $30,000 and that it was a DIY type site as well, though knowing Allyn I doubt that AdSense was his [...]
[...] Question Long Tails (my favorite for $30K websites) [...]
[...] Just to summarize Darren’s excellent (I am serious about that) article, he basically talks about going back to certain older posts (keep in mind that a ‘post’ is actually a ‘page’ that is indexed by engines) and cleaning them up based on the results they are or are not getting. There are on-page factors to consider that will effect the traffic and rankings. In my little world, I call this “content pruning” and it is based on John Chapter 15 of the Bible believe it or not. I will do a full posting on this in the future as it is very important when you want to build and sell a site for $30,000. [...]
That was fucking awesome. I watched the whole video and enjoyed all the sips of beer you did.
Bob Schmuck´s last blog ..Personally Apologizing
@Allyn – Why are so so fucking shy?
Jim´s last blog ..Content Theft – When Imitation is Not the Sincerest Form of Flattery
[...] am a blogger first, and internet marketer second. That has served me well. The site I sold for $30K was a pure blog when I started it, but was also well marketed the way I was taught by Vic and [...]
Congrats on the $30K sale. That’s a very good return in less than 2 years.
In regards to contents, I’ve certainly noticed on some of my sites that when I’ve posted some short (ie: <200 words) posts, it appears to negative affect my rankings, although they generally bounce back again thankfully.
Peter´s last blog ..Inside the Mind of Gary Gregory and MOBS