Other: Create A Web Site For A Sale?

[seasalt007]

Some day soon we will be putting our boat on the market and I would like to create a dedicated web site to sell it.

Can anyone recommend a good free or inexpensive web site host to use for this?

It would need a searchable title like "NordicTugAweigh.com" or similar in web speak so it would come up in a search for Nordic Tugs.

I don't need to receive email directly from the site but I would want to show specs and pictures without having to redirect to Dropbox or whatever.

 

[Tom.B]

Why not Facebook?

 

[Lou_tribal]

I would suggest to leverage google services, free for the basic usage you will need and you won't suffer any hassle of maintenance.

(no affiliation of any kind)
L

 

[O C Diver]

You can buy (lease) a domain name very inexpensively. Then set it up to point wherever your website is. I bought mine and had it point to my blog. Go Daddy hosts my charter boat website. Very reasonable and good tech support.

Ted

 

[Larry M]

You can buy (lease) a domain name very inexpensively. Then set it up to point wherever your website is. I bought mine and had it point to my blog. Go Daddy hosts my charter boat website. Very reasonable and good tech support.

Ted

When we sold our sailboat we created a website and bought the domain from GoDaddy. We were selling a Slocum 43 and were able to buy Slocum43.org. We then created a sale specific email address; Slocum43@......com. We used another hosting site but I agree with Ted that GoDaddy was easy to work with.

 

[SoWhat]

I used godaddy. inexpensive domain name, hosting, and easy to use web site building tool. I created ericson31.com and setup up email address. I put a link to the website in Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, etc. Made selling a lot easier.

 

[seasalt007]

Why not Facebook?

I am not a Facebook member but my wife is. I asked her if she has seen things for sale there and she said that she had not. How does this work?

 

[SoWhat]

google facebook marketplace

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/105653172802739

 

[Bacchus]

Try a search for "Bacchus boat" and see what comes up.
I have my boat site (not for sale) on a free WIX hosted site. Lots of templates to choise from don't recall a for sale but fairly easy to addapt.
I considered doing the same when I recently sold a motorhome but there are seversl free /low cost options available and was successful w that route.
Also... many brands have their own forums some w classified sections... another good place to list... Doesnt NT have a forum? Link your site there for ecposure.

Suggestions for success...
Remove all the clutter
Clean everything very well... even those places ypu haven't clean before
Stage it like HGTV does
Take lots of pics...sort...select...& retake if necessary. Include storage and engine room
Spend time on a good write up
And most important...do your research re price and price it right
I also have a Purchase Offet form drafted so any perspective buyers can easily put offers in writing. I spelk out my terms & conditions but leave room for buyer contingencies.

Above has worked welk for me w selling boats and MH.
Good luck w the sale.

 

[Larry M]

....Suggestions for success...
Remove all the clutter
Clean everything very well... even those places ypu haven't clean before
Stage it like HGTV does
Take lots of pics...sort...select...& retake if necessary. Include storage and engine room
Spend time on a good write up
And most important...do your research re price and price it right
I also have a Purchase Offet form drafted so any perspective buyers can easily put offers in writing. I spelk out my terms & conditions but leave room for buyer contingencies...

Spot on Don: Here’s a link to our website when we sold our sailboat. We had a deposit within 5 weeks and closed in another 4 weeks with no broker. We had a P&S agreement ahead of time and an attorney to collect the money and do the final distribution. It did take us about a month to put everything together including detailing the boat. I bet we took 300 pictures to get the final 20 or so. We had some help on the web site but we figure it was money well spent, >$750. This was 11 years ago and I have to beleave we could do the same or similar for free or for a lot less money today. Good luck.

presenting s/v Allons'y: a Semi-Custom Slocum 43

 

[seasalt007]

I guess someone needs to tell my why do a website for the sale of only one item?

I went to GoDaddy and learned the difference between a domain name and a web site. The possible domain names I have considered all start with Nordic Tug so it would need to be a searchable version of that.

Then I went to Google and searched on Nordic Tug, Nordic Tugs, Nordic Tugs For Sale, and Nordic Tugs For Sale By Owner. Then I started a search using Nordic Tug 42 and so on down the list.

In about eight pages of searching each variation I got only dealers, brokers, the factory, and Nordic Tug owner's forums...Sentoa.org, Nentoa.org and etc. No web sites of one of any size for sale by owner.

My question is: How is a domain name/website going to get me more exposure than posting a link to my spec sheet and photos in Dropbox in the owner's forums, Boat Trader and here?

 

[boathealer]

I guess someone needs to tell my why do a website for the sale of only one item?

I went to GoDaddy and learned the difference between a domain name and a web site. The possible domain names I have considered all start with Nordic Tug so it would need to be a searchable version of that.

Then I wen to Google and searched on Nordic Tug, Nordic Tugs, Nordic Tugs For Sale, and Nordic Tugs For Sale By Owner. Then I started a search using Nordic Tug 42 and so on down the list.

In about eight pages of searching each variation I got only dealers, brokers, the factory, and Nordic Tug owner's forums...Sentoa.org, Nentoa.org and etc. No web sites of one of any size for sale by owner.

My question is: How is a domain name/website going to get me more exposure than posting a link to my spec sheet and photos in Dropbox in the owner's forums, Boat Trader and here?

A domain name alone won't. A web site (regardless of name) will get more exposure, however, if a bunch of meta-data tags are included that relate to what you want, e.g., "tug," "Nordic", "trawler", "sale", etc. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_element)

I used Wix - it is pretty easy to use. I wasn't very concerned about the web address name (you can see how Wix does it - you get to pick the part after the slash), but I was attentive with meta tags included as part of the home page. I think it is still up at: https://boathealer.wixsite.com/americantugforsale

 

[CaptTom]

A domain name alone won't. A web site (regardless of name) will get more exposure

Not sure how. In this era of Search Engine Optimization, it's not easy to break into the top few pages of search results.

There are lots of tricks, but the two old-fashioned ways to climb the results are still important: (1) Have lots of other sites link to yours, and (2) be around for a long time.

Neither of those is going to happen with a new, one-off domain name. Sure, you can buy links, or pay someone to do SEO on your site. You can follow all the recommendations for tags, key words and page layout, but it means nothing if no-one links to the site.

I'd say it's far better to post your for-sale ad on a lot of well-established sites.

I don't think BoatTrader or YachtWorld allow "by owner" ads, but if so that would be the best (and probably most expensive) way to reach people.

 

[boathealer]

Not sure how. In this era of Search Engine Optimization, it's not easy to break into the top few pages of search results.

There are lots of tricks, but the two old-fashioned ways to climb the results are still important: (1) Have lots of other sites link to yours, and (2) be around for a long time.

Neither of those is going to happen with a new, one-off domain name. Sure, you can buy links, or pay someone to do SEO on your site. You can follow all the recommendations for tags, key words and page layout, but it means nothing if no-one links to the site.

I'd say it's far better to post your for-sale ad on a lot of well-established sites.

I don't think BoatTrader or YachtWorld allow "by owner" ads, but if so that would be the best (and probably most expensive) way to reach people.

I never said you'd get on THE TOP - you'd need a lot of work and money for that. I said the tags would work to improve it over just the web link name.

Agree that boat-specific sites and forums are the best bet.

BoatTrader will take private ads (albeit clumsily and with little traffic), Yachtworld no.

 

[Shrew]

Your domain name can be anything. The search results are returned based on keywords. This is how you do a search for 'Diesel Mechanic in <Town Name>' and 'Bill's Diesel Service' is returned. Otherwise, everyone's business name would need to be 'Diesel Mechanic'.

Think about how people are searching. They are probably not blindly searching the void through Google. They are more than likely going to Yachtworld.com and searching there. I doubt a specific website will get you the market penetration your looking for. Your return on investment will be low. You'd be better off using a broker.

 

[seasalt007]

I'd say it's far better to post your for-sale ad on a lot of well-established sites.

I don't think BoatTrader or YachtWorld allow "by owner" ads, but if so that would be the best (and probably most expensive) way to reach people.

Capt. Tom,

I tend to agree with you based upon the limited amount of research I have done so far because I am not looking to start a business...only sell one boat. And if listing it here and elsewhere doesn't work I have lots of broker friends.

Yachtworld is for brokers only but Boat Trader is for anyone. I have used it in the past. Most recently I placed a one year ad for my diesel pusher motorhome in a sister publication, RV Trader, thinking that it would take a while to sell like all my boats have.

Well, the RV Trader ad came out on a Monday and by Friday I watched it pull out with a new owner at the wheel.

But I digress. This is a boat.

In my search this morning Boat Trader came up on every one.

I am going to do a new post in the Classified section of this forum with a link the boat.

 

[BandB]

I'd recommend Godaddy. Dependable. Good tools for a site or a blog, whichever you prefer. Even some tools for SEO. Reasonable prices.

 

[Moonfish]

My friend owns a new site he’s been building for a couple years called Boater Base. I think it’s fully functional now (it’s been online for about a year while he’s been tweaking all the features). Anyway, you can list a boat for free:

https://www.boaterbase.com/

He’s one of those web site developers that builds in all the current SEO strategies, but Boater Base also has networking capabilities. Though I think that may be an upgrade. The free listing is worth a shot, though. The more places you can post your boat for sale - especially for sale by owner - the more opportunities people will have to discover it.

 

[Larry M]

When we sold the sailboat, we listed on ~12 different web sites and 4 print magazines that also had electronic editions. We spent about $500 setting them up and then an additional $250/month on renewals. Some of the electronic editions allowed hot links which directed a lot of traffic to our site. We were able to track traffic to our web site which we thought we’d use to refine how we spent our advertising dollars but we sold the boat quickly.

We had a lot of interest from brokers who wanted the listing. My response was we’d sign a co-brokering agreement giving them 5% on a sale if they brought in the buyer.

Selling a larger boat isn’t for everyone and takes a lot of effort including all the things Don listed plus the right pricing. We’ve sold 2 boats and bought Hobo with out a broker. When it’s time to sell Hobo we’ll do it again probably.

 

[Larry M]

A domain name alone won't. A web site (regardless of name) will get more exposure, however, if a bunch of meta-data tags are included that relate to what you want, e.g., "tug," "Nordic", "trawler", "sale", etc....

We were targeting a specific buyer group. We used off shore, passage maker, cruiser. We also bumped our web site to move it up on Google and Yahoo searches. The more traffic a site gets, the closer it gets to the top. If someone Googled Slocum 43, after the first week, our web site was within the top five.

We also found Yachtworld was our friend. It was a good site for comps and usually the brokers listings didn’t have as much detail or better quality pictures. We also priced Allons’y about 5% or $7,500 below the closest, comparable listing on YW. If someone was looking for a Slocum 43 on the internet, they found our site.

 

[Capt. Joe]

We have a trawler group on Facebook, you can post on it for free:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/trawlerlving/

 

[LaBomba]

We have a trawler group on Facebook, you can post on it for free:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/trawlerlving/

You have to have been an active member of the group for 6 months to be allowed to put a boat on for sale and like most Facebook posts it will quickly be down the list where no one is likely to see it. They do not have a For Sale section, and as such is not a likely place to sell a boat IMHO.

Great group though and I like reading others stories and adventures and looking at pictures of boats and places.