When it comes to finding a profitable side hustle, many people are turning to domain flipping. Not only is this a great way to make some extra money, but it’s also very easy to do as well. You don’t need a master’s degree to figure out how to make money in the domain flipping business. Many people are making anywhere from $50 to $100 in profit per domain they sell.

How is this business profitable? Many people buy a domain, but either grow tired of it or don’t have the money to continue hosting it. After a domain expires, the owner has 30 days to renew it. If they choose not to renew it, the domain will go into a domain registrar where people can bid on it.

The bidding normally takes place for 7 days and goes to the highest bidder. When you place high bids, it’s very easy to buy expired domains. This allows people to grab many good domains, some have even been around for over a decade.

What To Do With Expired Domains

When you own a domain, there are many interesting things you can do. Many people have had success making a profit with the following methods:

• 301 Redirect: With this option, you can backlink to another website you are currently hosting. This is such an easy way to improve the rankings on your main website.
• Building On To That Domain: If the domain you have purchased is already getting backlinks from high-traffic websites, you can build on the domain. Many people have had better luck with their articles ranking on Google with this method. They have also seen an improvement in their income.
• Private Blog Networks: Those who are familiar with SEO often build their own blogs that will backlink to their main website. If the expired domain has been backlinked on other high-traffic websites, this will give you something good to work with.

What You Should Know Before Buying An Expired Domain

Before you make the decision to buy an expired domain, there are a few things you should know. The problem many new buyers aren’t aware of is that many marketplaces will only show you the good points and keep the important stuff hidden. These are some things you should know ahead of time:

Check The Expired Domain’s DA / PA

Every day there are nearly thousands of different expired domains that go up for bidding. It is important to always check the domain authority (DA) and the page authority (PA) to get a good idea of the website’s quality. There are many different domain authority checkers that will be able to check the stats of any expired domain you’re interested in bidding on.
Most people who are successful in the expired domain business will recommend not to purchase any domains with a DA rating lower than 25.

Use Google Banned Checker

Even a sky-high DA and PA score can’t save a domain that has been blocked by Google. If the previous owner went against Google guidelines, the domain could be blocked and that would be of no use to you. However, if the domain seems like a perfect fit for you then you may be able to file a Google Reconsideration Request to have the ban lifted.

Also, Take A Look At Google AdSense Ban

The main reason people buy a domain is to make money. If a domain is banned from Google AdSense then it won’t serve that purpose. There is a tool called the AdSense Sandbox Checker, and it can be used to help you find out if a domain is banned. When entering the domain address into the checker, if the results display ads then the domain isn’t banned.

Don’t Forget The Website’s Archive

It’s always a good idea to see what the expired domain looked like in the past. When you use a tool called Archive, it will allow you to view screenshots of the website from a previous date. It will display a calendar from when the website was active, and you can click on a circled date to see what it looked like.

Backlink Spam

When a website expires, it often gets filled with Chinese backlinks. There is a tool called aHrefs that will allow you to view all the spam and backlinks. If you notice that there are many Chinese backlinks it is best to avoid the domain.

What Are The Best Marketplaces For Buying High-Quality Expired Domains

There are so many different marketplaces out there for purchasing expired domains. With that being said, not all of them are legitimate. If you want high-quality domains that have a better chance of helping you bring in a profit, these are the marketplaces to trust:

• Domain Coasters
• Dynadot
• DomCop
• Moonsy
• ExpiredDomains
• GoDaddy Auction
• NameJet
• FreshDrop
• Flippa
• SnapNames
• Domain Hunter Gatherer
• NameCheap

Final Thoughts

When you know what to look for, buying expired domains can be a great way to make a profit. Once you get in the right habits, this can be a great way to get more traffic to your main page.