Guides for Owners of Dormant Websites
Everything an owner needs to know about a website they no longer run: what it is still worth, how buyers measure it, how to prepare it, and how sales, leases and expiry compare.
Start here: the pillar guides
Six long-form guides that cover the whole subject. Read the first one if you are new.
What Is a Dormant Website Still Worth?
A dormant website can keep real value after the business closes. See what holds that value, why no profit is not no value, and your three options.
9 min readPillar guideHow Website Value Is Measured: Traffic, Links, Age, Trust and Revenue History
How website value is measured, factor by factor. Traffic, links, age, trust and revenue history, how buyers check each, and where a closed business scores.
8 min readPillar guideSell, Lease or Let It Expire: Your Three Options for a Website You No Longer Run
Sell, lease or let your website expire? Compare costs, timelines and what you give up in each route, then use a simple rule to pick the one that fits.
8 min readPillar guideWhat a Lease-to-Own Website Deal Looks Like, Month by Month
How a lease-to-own website deal works from application to final payment, with monthly payments of roughly $300 to $500 and what to insist on in writing.
8 min readPillar guideHow to Prepare a Website for Sale or Lease (Step by Step)
How to prepare a website for sale or lease, step by step. Renew the domain, export Search Console data, list authority links and ready the transfer code.
8 min readPillar guideTaxes and Paperwork When You Sell or Lease a Website: US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia
Website sale taxes by region, from official sources. How the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia treat a sale or lease, lump sums, installments and paperwork.
9 min readBefore you decide
Know what you have and how it is judged.
How to Read Ahrefs Traffic, DR and Referring Domains If You Are Not an SEO
Ahrefs traffic, DR and referring domains explained for owners who are not SEOs: what each number means, where to check it free and what 500 visits means.
5 min readGuideWhat Counts as a Strong Authority Link, and Why Buyers Ask for Two or Three
What counts as a strong authority link, from press to universities and local government, how to find yours with free tools and why buyers want several.
6 min readGuideWhy a Brand That Still Ranks for Its Own Name Is Worth More
Why a brand that still ranks for its own name is worth more after closing, how to check branded search and knowledge panels, and what it tells a buyer.
5 min readGuide9 Mistakes Owners Make When Valuing an Old Website
Nine website valuation mistakes owners make with old sites, from profit multiples on a site with no profit to ignoring the renewal date. Check them first.
5 min readGuideHow to Prove Your Website's Traffic to a Buyer With Search Console
How to prove website traffic to a buyer with Search Console. Export 16 months of data, grant Restricted read-only access, then remove it after checks.
5 min readWhen a business closes
The first weeks after closing decide how much value survives.
What to Do With Your Website When You Close Your Business: A 10-Point Checklist
A closed business website checklist for the first 30 days, covering renewals, auto-renew, backups, Google profile status and a firm decision deadline.
5 min readGuideWhat Happens to a Website's Authority When the Domain Expires
What happens when a domain expires, day by day, from ICANN rules and grace periods to auctions, and why a dark site loses value every week offline.
6 min readGuideThe Real Cost of Keeping a Dead Website Online
The cost of keeping a dead website online is more than hosting. See the bills, security risks and expiry traps, and what the site could earn instead.
6 min readGuideYour Google Business Profile After You Close: What Stays Visible
What happens to your Google Business Profile after closing, what the permanently closed label means for your website and brand searches, and what to check.
5 min readGuideFormer News Sites in 2026: What Still Carries Value After Google News Changed
Former news sites still hold value in 2026, though Google News approval no longer exists. See what buyers check, from archives to earned links and brand.
5 min readGuideSelling a Website When the Company Is Insolvent or in Liquidation
Selling a website when the company is insolvent or in liquidation. Who has the right to sell, working with administrators, and why renewal dates matter.
5 min readSelling safely
How deals close, and how to spot a bad buyer.
How a Website Transfer Works: Domain, Hosting, Content and Escrow
How a website transfer works step by step, from the auth code and 60-day locks to hosting, content and escrow. Know each step before you sign.
6 min readGuide12 Red Flags in Website Buyers (and What a Fair Deal Looks Like)
Twelve website buyer red flags, from payment before transfer to refusing escrow and early login requests, plus what a fair deal looks like before you sign.
5 min readGuideWhy Flippa and Empire Flippers Won't Sell Most Dormant Websites
Why Flippa and Empire Flippers won't sell most dormant websites, with their published profit rules, fees and timelines, and where a no-profit site fits.
5 min readFind out what your website is worth before it expires.
Send us the site in about a minute. We check index status, organic traffic, authority links and history, then come back with a cash offer, a monthly lease-to-own option, or a plain no.
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