Buying WordPress Domains: What to Look For

Introduction

Purchasing a WordPress domain with an established website offers significant advantages over starting from scratch: existing traffic, established content, search engine history, and potential revenue streams. However, not all WordPress sites are created equal. This guide helps you evaluate WordPress domains effectively, understand what makes them valuable, and avoid costly mistakes in your acquisition.

Why Buy WordPress Domains?

Advantages Over Starting Fresh

Time Savings:

• Skip months of content creation
• Avoid waiting for Google indexing
• Bypass the "sandbox" period
• Inherit established backlinks

Proven Performance:

• Verified traffic metrics
• Established search rankings
• Known revenue history
• Real audience engagement

Immediate Monetization:

• Existing ad placements
• Affiliate relationships
• Email subscriber lists
• Social media followings

Lower Risk:

• Historical data reduces uncertainty
• Track record shows potential
• Easier to project ROI
• Known issues are identifiable

The WordPress Advantage

WordPress powers 43% of the web because:

• Easy content management
• Extensive customization options
• Strong SEO capabilities
• Vast plugin ecosystem
• Large support community

This makes WordPress sites particularly attractive acquisitions.

What to Evaluate Before Buying

1. Traffic Quality and Sources

Traffic Volume:

• Monthly unique visitors
• Pageviews
• Session duration
• Pages per session

Traffic Sources:

• Organic search (most valuable)
• Direct traffic
• Social media
• Referral links
• Paid traffic (needs to continue)

Questions to Ask:

• What percentage is organic search traffic?
• Are traffic trends stable, growing, or declining?
• Which countries does traffic come from?
• Is traffic seasonal or consistent?

Red Flags:

• Traffic heavily dependent on paid ads
• Sudden traffic spikes (possibly fake)
• Single source dependency
• High bounce rates (>80%)

2. Revenue Verification

Revenue Types:

• Display advertising (AdSense, Mediavine)
• Affiliate commissions
• Digital product sales
• Sponsored content
• Lead generation

Verification Requirements:

• Screenshots from ad networks
• Affiliate platform reports
• Payment history
• Bank statements (anonymized)

Key Metrics:

• Monthly revenue average (12 months)
• Revenue per visitor (RPM)
• Revenue trends
• Seasonality patterns

Red Flags:

• Revenue screenshots without dates
• Unwillingness to verify claims
• Revenue far above industry norms
• Single revenue source dependency

3. SEO Health

Domain Authority:

• DA/DR scores (Moz, Ahrefs)
• Compare to competitors
• Historical progression

Backlink Profile:

• Total backlinks
• Referring domains
• Link quality (editorial vs spam)
• Anchor text distribution

Rankings:

• Keywords ranking in top 10
• Featured snippets
• Ranking trends
• Competitor comparison

Technical SEO:

• Site speed scores
• Mobile responsiveness
• Core Web Vitals
• Indexation status

Red Flags:

• Sudden backlink spikes (PBN risk)
• Exact match anchor text dominance
• Manual penalties in Search Console
• Deindexed pages

4. Content Quality

Content Assessment:

• Original vs copied content
• Depth and comprehensiveness
• Accuracy and currency
• Writing quality

Content Volume:

• Total posts/pages
• Publishing frequency
• Content freshness
• Evergreen vs dated content

Questions to Ask:

• Was content written in-house or outsourced?
• Are there content licenses to transfer?
• What's the content update schedule?
• Are there unpublished drafts?

Red Flags:

• Thin content (under 500 words)
• Obvious AI content without editing
• Duplicate content from other sites
• Outdated information (especially YMYL topics)

5. WordPress Technical Health

WordPress Version:

• Is it current?
• Update history
• Compatibility issues

Theme Evaluation:

• Theme name and version
• Premium or free
• License transferability
• Customization level

Plugin Assessment:

• List of active plugins
• Premium plugin licenses
• Plugin update status
• Potential conflicts

Database Health:

• Size and optimization
• Spam comments
• Post revisions
• Transients cleanup needed

Security:

• Past malware incidents
• Current security measures
• User accounts and roles
• File permissions

6. Hosting and Technical Setup

Current Hosting:

• Provider and plan
• Server location
• Performance specs
• Transfer requirements

Technical Configuration:

• SSL certificate status
• CDN setup
• Caching configuration
• Email setup

Domain Details:

• Registrar information
• Expiration date
• Privacy protection
• Transfer lock status

WordPress-Specific Considerations

Theme Transferability

Premium Themes:

• Verify license type (GPL vs restricted)
• Check if license transfers with domain
• Identify any subscription themes
• Plan for theme updates

Common Issues:

• Expired theme licenses
• Themes from membership sites (Elegant Themes, etc.)
• Heavily customized themes requiring developer knowledge
• Theme dependencies on specific plugins

Plugin Licenses

Premium Plugins to Check:

• Elementor Pro
• WPBakery
• ACF Pro
• WooCommerce extensions
• SEO plugins (Yoast, RankMath)
• Security plugins
• Backup services

License Questions:

• Which plugins are premium vs free?
• Do licenses transfer with the sale?
• When do licenses expire?
• What's the annual renewal cost?

Content Ownership

Verify Original Content:

• Run plagiarism checks
• Verify image licenses
• Check stock photo accounts
• Review video content rights

Legal Considerations:

• Copyright registration
• Guest post agreements
• Contributor contracts
• Image usage rights

Email and Subscriber Lists

Email Configuration:

• Professional email setup
• Email service provider
• List size and health
• Subscriber acquisition methods

List Transferability:

• ESP account transfer
• Subscriber consent status
• GDPR/CAN-SPAM compliance
• List cleaning status

Due Diligence Checklist

Before Making an Offer

• Review Google Analytics (12+ months)
• Check Google Search Console data
• Run SEO audit (Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz)
• Verify revenue with documentation
• Check Wayback Machine history
• Search for brand mentions
• Review social media accounts
• Check for legal issues (trademarks)

Technical Verification

• Test site speed (GTmetrix, PageSpeed)
• Verify mobile responsiveness
• Check SSL certificate status
• Review WordPress version
• List all plugins and statuses
• Identify theme and license
• Scan for malware
• Check database size

Content Review

• Sample content for quality
• Check for plagiarism
• Verify content freshness
• Review comment quality
• Assess content gaps
• Evaluate competitors

Business Verification

• Confirm revenue claims
• Verify traffic sources
• Check affiliate relationships
• Review expense history
• Understand time requirements
• Identify growth opportunities

Valuation Factors

What Determines WordPress Site Value?

Revenue Multiples:

• Common range: 24-48x monthly profit
• Higher for stable, growing sites
• Lower for declining or risky sites

Traffic Value:

• Quality of organic traffic
• Traffic trends
• Geographic distribution
• Monetization potential

Content Assets:

• Original, high-quality content
• Evergreen vs time-sensitive
• Content update requirements

Technical Quality:

• Clean code and setup
• Performance metrics
• Security history

Growth Potential:

• Untapped monetization
• Content expansion opportunities
• Market trends

Pricing Guidelines

Questions to Ask Sellers

About the Site

1. Why are you selling?
2. How did you acquire/build the site?
3. What's your time investment weekly?
4. What growth strategies have you tried?
5. What hasn't worked?

About Revenue

1. Can you provide 12 months of revenue data?
2. What's the revenue breakdown by source?
3. Are there any revenue dependencies at risk?
4. What expenses are required to maintain revenue?

About Traffic

1. Can you provide Google Analytics access?
2. What content drives the most traffic?
3. Have there been any traffic penalties?
4. What's the organic vs paid traffic split?

About Technical Details

1. What hosting setup do you use?
2. Are all plugin licenses transferable?
3. What technical maintenance is required?
4. Are there any known issues?

About the Transfer

1. What's included in the sale?
2. What support will you provide post-sale?
3. Are you available for training?
4. Will you sign a non-compete?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Skipping Due Diligence

Never trust unverified claims. Always:

• Request account access to verify data
• Use third-party tools to validate
• Ask for multiple forms of verification

2. Ignoring Seasonality

A site's best months don't represent annual performance:

• Request full year data
• Understand seasonal patterns
• Factor seasonality into valuation

3. Overvaluing Traffic

Traffic without monetization is vanity:

• Focus on revenue, not just visits
• Understand traffic quality
• Consider monetization potential

4. Underestimating Maintenance

WordPress sites require ongoing work:

• Updates and security
• Content freshness
• Technical maintenance
• Factor this into ROI calculations

5. Missing Hidden Costs

Account for ongoing expenses:

• Hosting costs
• Plugin renewals
• Content creation
• Marketing expenses

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I verify a site isn't using fake traffic?

Check multiple sources:

• Google Analytics user flow
• Search Console impressions
• Social engagement metrics
• Use tools like SimilarWeb
• Look for suspicious patterns (exact same numbers daily)

What if premium plugins don't transfer?

Budget for replacements:

• Most plugins have alternatives
• GPL licenses are transferable
• Factor renewal costs into offer
• Negotiate license transfers in sale

Should I hire someone to evaluate the site?

For significant purchases ($10K+), consider:

• Professional site brokers
• Technical auditors
• SEO specialists
• The cost is often worth the protection

How long should I review a site?

Take adequate time:

• Minimum 2 weeks for thorough review
• 30 days if possible
• Don't rush under artificial pressure

What makes GrabURL domains different?

Sites on GrabURL are:

• Pre-verified with accurate metrics
• Fully configured WordPress installations
• Transferred with all content and plugins
• Supported with transfer assistance

Key Takeaways

• Traffic quality matters more than quantity
• Verify all claims with documentation
• Evaluate WordPress-specific elements (theme, plugins, licenses)
• Consider ongoing maintenance requirements
• Factor all costs into ROI calculations
• Take time for thorough due diligence
• When in doubt, walk away

Next Steps

Ready to find your next WordPress acquisition? Browse our marketplace for verified domains with complete WordPress installations, proven traffic, and transparent metrics.

Meta Description: Learn what to look for when buying WordPress domains. This guide covers traffic verification, SEO health, technical evaluation, and due diligence for smart acquisitions.

Keywords: buying wordpress domains, wordpress site evaluation, domain due diligence, website acquisition, investing in wordpress sites