Content Really is KaChing!

As you know, I\’ve been building websites since 1995. I\’ve always been a big fan of creating content-rich sites that bring value to others.

That\’s why I have always spoken against creating spammy sites designed to game the search engines. It\’s not a good model for building a long-term business.

I\’ve sold a number of my sites over the years. In 1998, Yahoo! purchased my multiplayer game site, ClassicGames.com. Today you know it as Yahoo! Games.

And I\’ve sold no fewer than five other sites in the years since then.

With so many people trying to figure out how to make money online, I believe going back to the basics is the best place to start. Build a content-rich site focused on one of your passions and work the site so it brings great value to your visitors.

It\’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. It takes dedication and hard work.

Does it pay off?

Allow me to go public with my latest transaction. Then you tell me if content is still a great way to go, fair enough?

In 1999, I launched DealofDay.com, a bargain-hunting site designed to provide discounts, coupons and community to online shoppers. Over the years, Deal of Day has been very good to me. We typically welcome a few million visits each year which generate substantial affiliate and advertising revenue.

As part of my initiative to move on to the next stage of my life, I decided to place DealofDay.com up for sale. I also noted that I would be fielding offers on a number of other properties, including WordSearchFun.com, FamilyFirst.com, iFart Mobile and TextCastLive.

It wasn\’t long after I blogged about this in February 2011 that a broker located the ideal suitor for my site.

I am now pleased to announce I\’ve concluded a seven-figure deal and that DealofDay.com is now under new ownership!

Below is a photo of me holding a bank check for the downpayment on my site. I have blurred out the name of the buyer and sensitive bank info in order to respect privacy.

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In case you can\’t see the number clearly, here is a close-up of the downpayment.

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I\’m very pleased with the new owners and excited to see where they take DealofDay.com next.

As an aside, I also sold WordSearchFun.com for five figures. Happy day. :-)

So does content pay off? There\’s no doubt about it.

I am still fielding offers on the following properties which have massive potential in the right hands:

iFart Mobile, the world-famous iPhone application. A part of iPhone history, this app remains in the top 100 of the Entertainment category in iTunes for 2 1/2 years running now.

GameDock games – Fleetmaster, Blast4 and Chess Online have hundreds of thousands of installs on iPhones, iPads and IPod Touch devices. If someone wants an entry point into the huge Apple Gamecenter marketplace, this is the way to do it.

TextCast Live – I have built a complete mobile marketing platform from the ground up. It\’s powerful and it is fully functional. I just don\’t have the time or inclination to build another business in this season of my life. If someone wanted to get into the mobile space, acquiring TextCast Live could save you countless dollars AND about a year of development time.

If you are interested in discussing any of these properties, leave a comment with an email address where I can contact you.

Be sure to check out DealofDay.com and say hi to the new owners.

My song doesn\’t change. Content is clearly KaChing. You can find out more about how you can do likewise in my book, KaChing: How to Run an Online Business that Pays and Pays, available at bookstores everywhere.

I\’m going to get busy building out my next content sites. I\’ve got some killer domains I\’ve been sitting on for too long.

How about you? Do you see value in content sites? Does this inspire you to work on your site? Please leave your comments and feedback below.

Content Really is KaChing!

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