Everything You Should Know About a GoDaddy Domain Appraisal

If you’re looking to sell your website for top dollar, getting a Godaddy domain appraisal should be your first stop.

Not only can you get detailed information about your site, but you’ll also tap into arguably the biggest domain registrar. More than 21 million people have registered domains on their website. Chances are, one of them could be interested in buying yours.

Why Would I Need a Domain Valuation?

Unless you’re planning on holding your domain forever, it’s important to know just how much your domain is worth. 

A lot of people just allow their domains to expire when they’re done with their site. Unbeknownst to them, those same domains that they saw as worthless could pull thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in an online auction.

Or, in some cases, even millions.

The vast majority of people buy domains for business purposes: pointing to other domains and rebranding, among others. 

Others buy them as investment vehicles in the same way the rest of us buy stocks. If you can spot a burgeoning trend and buy a relevant domain on the cheap, it should almost certainly appreciate in value. 

A domain name is a piece of digital real estate, after all. It only makes sense that the market treats them as such.

How Does a Godaddy Domain Appraisal Work?

A domain valuation on Godaddy takes place the same way as other appraisal sites. They look at a few key factors in addition to machine learning to produce a final number.

What Godaddy looks at when they evaluate a domain is the SLD and TLD.

SLD, or “second-level domain,” refers to the main identifiable part of a website. In the case of this website, the SLD would be Nichepursuits.

TLD stands for “top-level domain.” It’s the .com, .net, .edu, or any other .something domain extension that trails the SLD in the URL.

It’s also worth pointing out that Godaddy does not appraise websites — it appraises domain names.

The amount of content on a site or how well it’s designed doesn’t factor in as much as the technical stats listed below.

What Elements of My Site Does Godaddy Evaluate?

• Organic Traffic: Many people think Google ranks a website by its age, but that’s not as clear-cut as it may seem. Google doesn’t care about age as much as it does its organic traffic. The reason is simple: The more traffic a site receives, the more money its owner can make so work on increasing organic traffic. Whether that means they plan to redirect the traffic to another URL or set up an affiliate site, a site with sizable traffic is worth its weight in gold. 
• Comparable Domains: Just like in real estate and other auctions, appraisals take into consideration relevant domains. If your domain is the pet food niche, for instance, a  Godaddy appraisal will consider what people paid for other pet food websites. In the Comparable Domains Sold section, GoDaddy provides a detailed list of similar domains along with their respective sale prices. If your website is in a niche that’s not in very high demand, the final amount will suffer.
• Reputation: Here’s a fun fact: The term “google” used to refer to a number that started with 1 and was trailed by 100 zeroes. In 1995, you could buy the domain “Google.com" for a few dollars, at most. Today, its domain name's value is in the millions. The reason is because of branding. The same principle applies to your website. The more recognizable your website’s branding is, the better price you can fetch at its domain sale.
• Keywords: For you to have a valuable domain, it needs to be short, spelled right, and loaded with a high-value keyword. Even though a URL is a minor ranking factor, one with a recognizable keyword will still generate traffic.

How Accurate is Godaddy’s Appraisal?

No appraisal site will be 100% accurate all the time. In the end, an appraisal value is only worthwhile if it represents the market’s demand for a product.

A domain is no different. In the end, a domain name is only worth what people will pay for it.

Godaddy has received its fair share of complaints that stem from the automated appraisal process. If you were to buy a domain for $10 from their site, Godaddy will usually give you the option to list it on their marketplace for a few hundred. 

Anecdotal evidence — from myself and others — seems to show Godaddy offers a fairly bloated price for smaller domains.

As a test, I compared a local plumber’s site here in Texas (www.fountainplumbinginc.com) on three different evaluator sites: Godaddy, Estibot and Valuator (both listed below). Two of them returned a domain value of less than $100 for the site, while Godaddy’s listed it as nearly $800.

Larger sites list even wilder prices. Apple.com, for instance, gets valuations of $6.5 million and $135 million on the two non-Godaddy sites. Godaddy didn’t even try; they just said it “wasn’t able to be searched.”

One of the main reasons people use Godaddy’s domain appraisal service is because it’s free. Most of the other appraisal sites — especially those that appraise domains in bulk — charge a fee. 

Will My Site Actually Sell on Godaddy’s Marketplace?

As a premier name in domains, Godaddy boasts one of the largest audiences for website auctions. That doesn’t always translate to sales, though. More than one person has put up their domain on the website hoping for a big sale only to be left holding the bag.

Once the appraisal tool has done its bit and you have your Godaddy appraisal value, you’ll have the option to list it on their aftermarket. There’s no guarantee it’ll sell here, but if you receive an offer, you’ll have the option to counter offer.

If you want it to sell quicker, you can list your domain in a Godaddy auction. Here, sellers can list their domain for seven days, and have a few other options to improve their domain’s visibility.

How Do I Increase My Site’s Valuation?

Even if your site has remained dormant for a while, you can still rejuvenate it right before a sale. There are a few tips to follow if you want to receive top dollar for your domain name.

• Build a Website. This assumes you don’t have one to begin with and have just parked it. If that’s the case, create a simple website on WordPress using a fast, lightweight theme like GeneratePress or Kadence and add some content optimized for search engines. Within a few months, you should start to see some traffic that will increase your estimated value.
• Develop Social Media. Most website valuations won’t take into account social media, but it can still provide an excellent source of traffic and backlinks. Plus, it helps with brand authority — another valuation metric. Learn more about building a social media following here.
• Secure and Optimize. Aside from developing content, you should also try to use a CDN for improved deliverability. Make sure you have an SSL certificate on your site, optimize it for mobile, and generate as many backlinks as you can.

Godaddy Domain Appraisal Alternatives

If the Godaddy appraisal tool isn’t right for you, there are still several appraisal tools you can choose from. Below are a few free alternatives for you to try.

Free Valuator

You can get a free domain name appraisal in seconds. All you need to do is head to FreeValuator.com. On the home screen is a spot where you can input a domain name. Once you do, you’ll get an estimated dollar amount down to the penny.

Want more opinions? FreeValuator also offers a professional appraisal and crowd domain name appraisals, so you can see what the market thinks. Both are added fees but can provide more clarity.

Estibot

Estibot claims to evaluate more than two million domains every day with their free domain valuation tool. They analyze millions more automatically to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and keep pricing relevant.

Not only will they give you a free evaluation, but Estibot will also help you manage your portfolio. With a built-in lead generator and advertising tools, you have all the resources you need to get the best price at your sale.

Sedo

Sedo is one of the largest marketplaces for domains online, but its main strength is in analyzing bulk domains. Many of the free options have daily limits; on Sedo, you can evaluate your whole portfolio.

There’s a cost to use some of their more advanced features, but if you’re looking for a professional evaluation, Sedo is one of the best (see Sedo vs Flippa here for more info).

Am I Ready for a Godaddy Domain Appraisal?

It never hurts to see how much your site is worth on Godaddy. If the offer is high enough and you’re ready to sell, you may be able to turn a quick buck.

If the price is lower than you anticipated, take the necessary steps to get it up to snuff. Either way, more information will only help you make the most of your online presence.

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