What to check before you buy a content site

Most bad purchases fail one of six checks. Do them in this order; each one is cheaper than the next, so you stop early when something fails.

1. Ownership

Ask the seller to show they control the domain at the registrar, the hosting account and the analytics property. A screenshot is weak evidence. Better: they add you as a user, or place a file or DNS record you name. If the seller will not do this, stop.

2. Traffic you can see yourself

Ask for read-only access to Google Search Console and your choice of analytics. Search Console shows clicks and impressions straight from Google. Look at the whole history, not the best three months. A sharp drop that matches a date is a lead worth chasing; Google's list of core updates gives dates to compare.

3. Income that reaches a bank

For ad or affiliate income, ask for the network's own payment statements and match them to deposits. Revenue that a seller types into a spreadsheet is a claim. Revenue from a connected account or statement is evidence. Price the claim lower.

4. The content itself

• Read twenty pages, including the top earners. Is the writing original? Search a distinctive sentence in quotes.
• Check images and fonts for licences. An unlicensed image is a liability you inherit.
• Check who wrote it. Contract writers may keep rights unless there is an assignment.

5. Risk

Open the Search Console Manual actions and Security issues reports; with no problems, Google shows a green tick. Search the site's own name plus words like "casino", "pills" or "loans" to find injected pages. Read this guide to hidden gambling links if the site runs WordPress.

6. The handover

Agree in writing what transfers: domain, hosting, code, content, social accounts, email list, passwords, and the seller's help for a set period. Decide who pays for what before money moves. Our transfer walkthrough covers the domain step.