Website Due Diligence | Bryan O'Neil - Website Acquisitions Entrepreneur and Consultant

Experts’ Guide to Website Due Diligence – Part 1

November 21, 2016 87 Comments

In this series of articles, I’ll be covering the whole process of website due diligence, from start to finish. The guide is intended to prove a useful resource for those about to purchase a website or an online business, to make sure you won’t get scammed out of your money or buying a business that carries a significant risk of failure or loss of revenue.

In Part 1 of this guide, we’ll look at website due diligence in general, what it consists of, how the process works, and how it differs from business model to business model.

6 Strategies for Maximising Your Website’s Market Value

July 26, 2016 99 Comments

Many of us have websites that generate some kind of revenue month to month. These sites are often worth a significant amount and selling may be the perfect option to fuel your new business or help you invest elsewhere.

But it’s not all fun and games – there are some important things that one needs to consider before rushing into selling off a potentially very valuable asset. Some of these things can significantly affect how your site will be valued at, and in some cases whether it will even be bought at all!

Guide to Live Revenue Verification on a Website Purchase

May 5, 2016 5 Comments

So what is live revenue verification and what’s all the fuss about?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – NEVER trust a screenshot or a video walkthrough, unless the purchase price doesn’t exceed what you’d spend on a dinner. There should be absolutely no exceptions to this rule, ever.

This guide walks you through the whole process of Live Revenue Verification and shows you the red flags to look for in your next online business acquisition.

4 Website Due Diligence Mistakes That Burn Buyers Daily

December 14, 2015 113 Comments

Due diligence is a tricky subject and one that can’t be very easily taught or learned, making many buyers choose to leave it to professionals instead. But there are a number of simple but crucial things that everyone who’s thinking of buying a website or an online business is better off knowing themselves. In this article, I’ll cover the 5 arguably most common mistakes that are often made by buyers new to the industry and some experienced buyers alike.

4 Things You Didn’t Know About Running an Online Business

November 9, 2015 120 Comments

More people than ever before jump on the bandwagon to buy an online business. Some do it for the cash flow, others for the ‘lifestyle benefits’, and a few because that’s what they’re good at.

Even though the process of buying an online business has gotten very simple, and brokers would like you to believe that so is owning an operating one, there are some things that a lot of people who are new to the industry don’t account with or discover until it’s too late.

How to Generate 150% ROI Buying an Online Business

March 18, 2015

Most established web businesses tend to sell for anywhere between 2x and 4x of their yearly cash flow, but for many buyers having to wait 4 years to recoup their investment seems long, especially if there are significant risks involved.

Here are 6 “rules” from my own acquisition strategy, along with some case studies, showing you how I look beyond the “profit multiple” when completing acquisitions and usually achieve a far better ROI.

Passive Online Businesses – Biggest Myth in the Industry

February 21, 2015 135 Comments

“Absentee owner”, “Completely Passive”, “Sit back and count the money” are terms often used by both sellers and unfortunately many brokers. But do passive opportunities really exist, and if they do – how should one go about identifying them?

The #1 Rule When Buying an Online Business

January 8, 2015 87 Comments

Buying online businesses often involves a significant learning curve, especially when dealing with more complicated businesses that come with a lot of moving parts. You need to know what’s the fair price to pay, how to complete proper due diligence, how to organise the handover of the business, what to do with the business after you’ve bought it and much more.

But there’s one rule that’s the most important of all – and not following this will quickly lead you to a financial disaster.

Meet me in Las Vegas or San Francisco!

November 13, 2014 64 Comments

Fancy meeting up in the US over the next few weeks? Let me know!

I’ll also be speaking at the Ungagged Convention (17th November) and Flippa’s One Day Masterclass (23rd November)

On both events I’ll be covering various aspects of web business due diligence, from the technical side of it to the overall logic and business model vetting mechanics.

How Traffic Sources Affect Website’s Value and Longevity

November 5, 2014 107 Comments

Inspired by a recent post that I read, I’m sharing my insights on how a website’s traffic sources directly influence its market value and longevity. Whether you’re buying, building or selling web businesses, it’s incredibly important to understand traffic sources and their effect on the site.