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How To Buy Digital Real Estate: 5 Ways To Build Online Wealth

August 11, 2023

Digital real estate is a lot like owning physical property. So just like traditional real estate, you can invest and make money in virtual assets. The bonus is that it costs less. And it can solicit higher profit margins. But the key is to create value. So how can virtual property be used? And how do you buy digital real estate?

In this article, we share the inside track on how to invest in digital real estate. We'll also take a closer look at why online assets are valuable. Plus, how you can profit from them. And why local lead generation is the best digital real estate investment option if you want to make money online.

What Is Digital Real Estate?

Digital real estate is a property found on the internet. It's not tangible, but it does exist. And because it's easily accessible, anyone can buy it. Digital real estate is also appreciable, and digital real estate is legit. But you need to create a virtual asset that has value.

One that you own that can drive a steady stream of online traffic. Consider that there is limited space at the top of the SERPs. But if you know how to leverage Google. Or have the skills to get your virtual real estate investment in front of eyeballs. Then you hold the reins to consistent cash flow. 

What Are The Advantages Of Buying Digital Real Estate?

Digital real estate is a chance to make some real money online. But there are a few of the top advantages of investing in virtual property include things like:

  • Low startup costs and faster appreciation than physical real estate investing
  • Global supply and a chance to diversify income streams
  • A forward-thinking and futuristic investment option that gives you full control over your assets

  • Has the potential to generate a steady cash flow or even a passive income

How To Invest In Digital Real Estate

The internet is constantly evolving. So there's no shortage of options if you want to make money online and invest in digital real estate. From buying land in the Metaverse or purchasing crypto. To flipping domains and building a social media account. You just need to decide on what kind of virtual land you want to own and how much you want to spend. But you don't need $50K for a down payment like you would if you wanted to invest in real estate property in the real world. 

So you don't need to worry about bank loans or dealing with tenants. But you do need a plan of attack. And the secret lies in developing an online real estate property that provides value. Like starting a lead gen business where your websites generate leads for small business owners that you then sell for profits. So if you know how to get your digital assets in front of an audience, you will find the money. 

How Can Digital Real Estate Be Used? What’s The Best Choice For You?

There are a ton of ways to use digital real estate to make money online. For example, you can improve your assets and sell them for a profit. Or you can rent your digital entity. (Like you would do with a physical rental property in the real world where you have paying tenants). Plus, because you own the virtual asset, you can rent it to a business or brand that pays you a price.

You're like a digital landlord that collects payments on autopilot. (This is the idea behind the local lead generation business model). You develop and rank generic websites and get leads for local business owners. And if you create an empire, you can build online wealth. 

But first, you need to decide what digital real estate investment option is right for you. And what your goals are. So you need to consider things like:

  • Are you a copywriting master? Or do you prefer video content?

  • Do you want an online asset you can improve upon over time? Or a quick turnaround?

  • What do you want to do with your virtual property once it's valuable? Rent it or sell it?

  • Do you enjoy interacting with an audience? Or do you prefer to be behind the scenes?
  • Are you an expert on a topic? Or do you have a software/tech background?

You can create your strategy when you know what online real estate investment best aligns with your skillset and long-term goals. Then, you can decide how to develop your digital asset to create value and online wealth.

Five Digital Real Estate Opportunities To Buy In 2024

Web 3.0 is a digital world full of investment opportunities. You can take advantage of things like buying Metaverse real estate or investing in blockchain technology. But if you're not ready to embark on this new virtual world. Or you prefer the stability of Web 2.0. There are still ways to generate an income online.

So we've done some of the heavy lifting for you. And have created a complete guide on five digital real estate opportunities, including where to buy your digital asset. How much you should plan to spend. And how each one makes money in the digital world. Popular ways you can make money investing in digital real estate in 2024 include: 

1. Websites

Websites offer a scalable and low-cost way to buy digital real estate. But if you know how to publish compelling copy. And can leverage Google with SEO tactics and drive traffic to your site. Then, you can generate high ROIs.

For example, you can purchase a website domain name from platforms like GoDaddy or Namecheap for around $10-$20/year. And purchase hosting on sites like HostGator or Bluehost for about $2.95 – $16.99 per month. But there are over 1.9 billion websites online. So if you want to build a valuable online entity, you need to commit to doing some hard work at the beginning with things like:

  • Consistently publish high-quality and UGC copy 
  • Harness the power of brand storytelling
  • Provide a solution or solve a problem

But if you can attract a target audience and drive a steady flow of organic traffic to your site. You will experience insane growth

Then you can monetize your website with things like:

  • Affiliate Marketing Offers
  • eCommerce Store
  • Display & Paid Ads
  • Lead Generation
  • Sponsorships & Brand Partnerships

Building a website that ranks in the top spots takes a long time. So if you want to expedite the process, consider buying an existing site. One that has been optimized and has a clean backlink profile. You can use sites like SEMRush or ahrefs to conduct a site audit. And a third-party tool like Spamzilla to check the history and backlink profile. 

And you should look for the answers to questions like:

Questions To Ask Before You Buy:

  • Where is the traffic coming from? Paid ads, social media, or organic?

  • What's the niche? Can it be improved on for better results?

  • What is the overall trajectory of the traffic? Is it climbing or going down?

Of course, optimized websites will be significantly more expensive. And you might need to pay a commission fee. So plan on a budget of a few thousand dollars. And be sure to vet the site and do your research.

Where To Buy Established Websites

You can connect with a broker or marketplace on platforms like FE International. Or you can purchase optimized sites on platforms like:

Flippa-listing fees start at $29 and add a 15% success fee (low-budget buyers)

Motion Invest-a 'Dutch auction-style site', the set price decreases by $275 every second day until the listing is sold (mid-range budget buyers)

Empire Flippers-no listing fees and commission rates are based on the value of the business (high-end budget buyers)

If you choose to purchase an established website, use an escrow service. (So you don't get ripped off). But if you want to make money with websites you need to have a plan before you start. And be sure to perform your due diligence so you don't get taken for a ride. 

2. Domains & URLs

Domain names or URLs are like the street your website or landing page lives on. And flipping domains is a highly profitable digital real estate investment. But the key to profitability is to pick names that will only increase in value. You can use platforms like Ubersuggest or Keywords Everywhere to determine how often certain words or phrases are being searched. 

But if you can get ahead of the curve. And become an expert at trend data with software like domainers. co. Then you can make some real money. But buying and selling domains isn't a get-rich-quick-scheme. And not all URLs are worth their salt. So before you buy, you need to consider things like:

  • Length & Search Friendly (use sites like Google Trends)
  • Brandable & Popular Extension (.com or .gg)
  • Not Blacklisted (use sites like LinksThatRank) & Link Profile (use a third-party tool like Moz)

Plus, if you hold and sell when the time is right. Then you can earn substantial profits. (The most expensive domain name ever sold was cars.com, which sold for $872 million). But it can take years to connect with the perfect buyer.

So you need patience if you want to reap the rewards. You also need to purchase your domain name for as little upfront capital as possible (free is even better). So take advantage of sites like Hostinger or Sedo. Or you can purchase domain names on sites like BlueHost for as low as $10/year. And don't rush to sell your URL. But pick a winner, and you could make a pretty sweet profit.

3. Social Media Accounts & YouTube Channels

The best thing about investing in a social media account or YouTube channel is that it won't cost you any money. You can build an online asset in the virtual world and grow an audience without spending a dime. But you need to trade time for money. Plus, creating a profitable channel takes a ton of hard work and effort.

So you need to be consistent and publish high-quality content. In addition, you need to provide value and information that people are interested in consuming. So your content should deliver on at least one of these three things: 

  • Entertains
  • Educates
  • Solves a problem in someone's life

Your goal is to build trust with your audience. So you need to create a reason why people want to come to your platform.

Then, engage with your audience, so they keep coming back. But you need a unique angle and a way for your account to stand out from the competition. Plus, it can take years to build a following that you can monetize. So if you want a head start, you can buy existing accounts on sites like UseViral or FameSwap. Plan on a budget of $100-$1000+. And you need to have a clear content marketing strategy before your purchase. So consider things like the following:

  • Can you make money without being salesy? 

  • What monetization strategies will you implement?

  • How will you build brand awareness?

Once you have a following, you can leverage your platform. Then you can make money with things like:

If you lead with value, have a reason for people to check out your site, and build a brand. Then there's no limit to how much money you can make with this digital real estate investment.

4. Mobile Apps

The mobile app industry is worth an estimated $206.73 billion. And there are currently over 3.5 million apps in the App Store. But if you can build a mobile app that solves a problem or fills a gap in the market. You can make serious cash.

But only 0.5% of apps are ever successful. So if you want to make money, your app needs to offer value and a reason why people will buy and use it. So you need to consider a few things before you launch your idea like:

App Idea Checklist:

  • User-friendly & Business-centric

  • Outstanding performance & Stellar customer experience

  • Helpful customer service & Mobile compatibility

The key is to beat the noise and dominate the market. But you can build an app for minimal costs on sites like App Builder and Apphive. Or if you're not so techie, you can outsource on platforms like Clutch or Dribble. But then you should bank on spending around $5000-$25,000+. Plus, plan to devote around 7-12+ months to developing, testing, and launching your app. And you will need to either continue to improve it and add features. Or sell it as is and try to make a profit.

cartoon of hands holding devices showing apps

But there are ways to monetize your app. And you can take advantage of bankable tactics like:

  • In-App Ads with platforms like AdMob
  • Subscriptions & Purchases
  • Crowdfunding & Affiliate Links from Clickbank

Design an app that offers tangible benefits or things people can't access on a website. Then individuals will want to use it and be willing to pay for the experience.

5. Digital Products

Digital products are anything online that you can sell. Think of things like eBooks and online courses or stock images and font downloads. Most are free to develop if you're willing to invest some time. But once you have a product, you can sell it repeatedly for profit.

The secret is to diversify your audience. But you can make a steady income selling digital products even if you sell smaller ones ($50 or less). So do your research and determine what type of digital products will sell and sell well. Then develop marketing strategies that elicit an emotional response and get people to buy what you're selling. 

  • Help People Or Solves A Problem
  • Have A No-Brainer Offer
  • Value & Perceived Value Needs to Be High (But Your Price Point Needs To Be Low)

You need to make your digital product easy to buy (even for a cold audience).

You need to make your digital product easy to buy (even for a cold audience). This will increase your conversion rates and create more sales. Of course, you also need to decide where you want to sell your offer. But you have a couple of options like:

  • Build a website on platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce
  • Use third-party platforms like Sellfy or Etsy

You can also take advantage of automation software like FastSpring or SendOwl. Or create a sales funnel and landing page with tools like Instapage and Leadpages to grow your audience. But the digital products industry is competitive. So you need to have a unique angle and an irresistible offer. Plus, you need to promote a product that meets at least one or more of the following criteria:

Profitable Digital Product Criteria:

  • Does your product improve a person's life or solve a problem?

  • Is this a product people are searching for? Is there a gap in the market?

  • Are you an expert on a specific topic? Will people perceive you as an authority on the subject?

  • Are you selling a product that isn't sold elsewhere?

But if you can provide value and hook your target audience by tapping into pain points to leverage customer psychology. Then you will create online wealth. 

Why Is Digital Real Estate Valuable?

Digital real estate is valuable because people want it. And if you own a virtual asset at the top of the search engines, you're sitting on prime real estate. Consider that digital real estate is booming, with internet use increasing by 1,355% from 2000-2022. And you know where the people are going. But there are still only so many spots at the top.

So if you can create a digital property that will drive traffic. One that is front and center of an identified target audience, then you own a valuable asset or online business. And brands will happily pay to get a piece of the action. 

How To Profit From Digital Real Estate? 

You can choose to improve your digital property and sell it for a profit. Or you can monetize it with things like:

  • Affiliate Links & Brand Ambassadors
  • Display Advertising & Sponsored Posts
  • Rank And Rent Websites & Selling Products Or Services
  • eCommerce & Influencers

But you need a marketing strategy and a clear end goal. For example:

  • How will you develop an online entity that can make you money?
  • How will you make it valuable?
  • What will make people want to go there?
  • What resources will you use to learn how to buy digital real estate?

Digital real estate investing offers higher returns for often meager investment costs.

Plus, you can create hefty payouts if you opt to sell your online assets. Or, if you're willing to invest the time, you can capitalize on your investment and use it as a rental property. Then, your digital real estate can result in a recurring cash flow. Like people who own a lead generation business and have local business owners pay for their leads every month and make money on autopilot. 

Why Lead Generation Is Our Number One Digital Real Estate Investment Recommendation In 2024

You don't need to take significant risks to make some real money with digital real estate. But you need to choose a smart investment option. Or a proven concept like lead generation if you want to build online wealth. But by building and ranking simple websites, you provide value. Plus, once your site is at the top of the SERPs. You can bet that all kinds of small business owners will want to do business with you. And because startup costs are low, you don't need a ton of capital to be successful with the lead gen business model.

Tree Care Lead Gen Site

Plus, natural barriers keep the competition low. And lead generation is a specific skill set. So you're not dealing with market saturation. (Like a lot of other online business models). Take this website above. I built this site in 2015 in around 15 hours. The total costs were about $500 over six months. But this site has been making me $2000/month for the last six years. And this digital land is only one of over 80 sites I own and get mailbox money from every month. 

Conclusion

You have options when it comes to how to buy digital real estate. So you need to decide what type of investment is best for you. Then create a strategy and a plan on how you will leverage your online asset. For example, what monetization techniques will you use? Is your goal to sell your virtual property? Or will you rent your assets like the local lead generation model? It's up to you. But if you can create a valuable piece of digital real estate. Then you hold the ticket to profits. And if you do it right. You can earn a passive income. 

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Ippei Kanehara
Founder/CEO

$52K per month providing lead generation services to small businesses

Ippei.com is for digital hustlers, industry leaders and online business owners.

His #1 online business recommendation in 2024, is to build your own lead generation business.

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  1. Thanks for explaining digital real estate Ippei. I think it's important to own a piece of "landscape" on the internet because you get so much control over it. The monetization options are numerous, and the income potential is high depending on how and if you market it.

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