Discover how this savvy couple turned a bargain buy into a profitable digital asset—doubling their income in just four months!
Want to learn how to buy a highly valuable website for a fraction of its price?
Heidi and Mariano did just that. They purchased a website worth $130,000 for just $30,000.
Today, we’ll break down how they did it including how they found the deal, negotiated the price, and what’s happened to the site since.
You’ll also hear how they quadrupled their website traffic in just 4 months and doubled their revenue while managing two full-time jobs and raising teenagers!
Watch the interview below to learn:
- The due diligence process that secured the deal
- The strategy behind making a low offer in a tough market
- How their $30,000 investment is already on track to pay off within a year
- Why they transitioned from real estate to digital assets
Matt: I’m sure, like any investor, we all love the idea of doubling or tripling our money in investment or buying a highly valuable asset at a bargain price.
Today, you’re going to meet a couple who have done exactly that. They bought a website that was selling for $130,000 for $30,000. So, we’re going to unpack this whole deal and what has happened to that website since.
Heidi and Mariano, thank you so much for coming to share your story with us.
Heidi: Thanks for having us, Matt.
Matt: It’s great to have you both here, and this is a really exciting time.
The surprising way Mariano & Heidi found their bargain website deal for only $30,000
…just by following simple steps taught by eBusiness Institute
Matt: Let’s jump into the whole story. How long ago did you buy this website?
Mariano: We bought the site in May this year.
I did some due diligence before, just keeping an eye on it before someone else grabbed it. I kept in touch with Quiet Light, who was the broker, and got more information from the ex-owners, making sure it was a really good website as part of that due diligence
They understood the value of the site by following the Due Diligence process…
Matt: It was originally advertised for $130,000. How did you manage to get it for $30,000?
Mariano: Well, it had already been advertised for a few months, but with the Google issues and panic happening, it didn’t go anywhere. The seller wanted $130,000, but I don’t think they were getting any offers.
That’s when Matt & Liz Raad came along. We showed you the site, saying, “Hey, we are interested in this, what do you think?” That’s when you coached us through the site.
Heidi: Mariano was already considering offering a lower number. But with your coaching advice, we decided to put in a much lower offer than we initially thought.
Matt: What were you initially thinking of offering, Heidi?
Heidi: You’d have to ask Mariano! He never disclosed his initial thoughts to me.
Matt: Mariano, what did you feel the site was worth at that time?
Mariano: Well, the seller said it made $130,000 the previous year. But it was declining and probably worth around $70,000 or $50,000. I didn’t have enough experience to fully understand the numbers then.
Matt: Well, good on you because that’s what coaching is all about.
…Which allowed them to make a strategic offer in a very challenging market
Matt: I suggested that Heidi and Mariano make an offer because, in my opinion, it wasn’t about making a low-ball offer. The offer of $30,000 was fair because they are taking a risk, especially since the site had been hit hard by the Google update.
What I love about what Heidi and Mariano did is that they did a lot of due diligence. And because he followed that process, he knew he had found a good website. That’s when they came to me and said, “We found a really good site. What do we do?”
The site had been affected by a Google update, and you need to be aware of what to do in these situations. This was one of those times when everyone was panicking about content sites being affected. But Heidi & Mariano kept their heads and did the due diligence.
Like you both said to me on that call, “Hey, this is a good site. There are a lot of positives.” So, how much was it made before you bought it?
Mariano: Last year, it made $130,000. The previous year, it did $240,000, and slightly more the year before.
Heidi: At its prime, it was making over $45,000 per month.
Matt: So, this is what we call a “diamond in the rough” or a “fallen angel.” This site was well-built, and the original owners did an excellent job. At its peak, it made $45,000 a month and between $100,000 to $200,000 a year. Yes, you bought it for only $30,000.
A simple content site that offers real, hands-on reviews
Matt: What’s the name of the website and how does it work?
Mariano: The website is called MassageGunAdvice.com. It reviews massage guns and offers medical articles to help people understand muscle recovery machines.
The site has around 170 articles, and over 70 massage guns have been reviewed. The reviews are real, hands-on reviews, and these include detailed measurements, noise levels, amplitude, and more.
Heidi: Mariano loves playing with the engineering aspects of it! He’s very curious about this topic.
Matt: That’s great, you’re showing passion in the topic.
If you’re new to this environment of buying and selling content websites, the site is called Massage Gun Advice. And as Mariano mentioned, it reviews massage guns. That means the guys here in Australia don’t have to stock or sell massage guns themselves. They just get affiliate commissions. If someone clicks on their affiliate link and buys a massage gun, they get a commission.
The biggest challenges Mariano faced with managing his new content site
Matt: Since you’ve owned it, have you found it to be a lot of work?
Mariano: Because it’s my first time buying a large content site, there has been a lot to take in.
I’ve spent a significant amount of time getting familiar with WordPress, the plugins, and affiliate links, as well as understanding how everything works behind the scenes, like resizing images, etc. I’ve also been learning Photoshop from Heidi to optimise image sizes.
My evenings and weekends have been dedicated to this (reps, reps, reps!), consistently putting in the effort to follow the process. We’re committed because we want to improve and secure a better future for ourselves.
They juggle operating their new website around work and raising 2 teenagers
Matt: Since you are new to this Mariano, what’s your usual occupation?
Mariano: I’m an engineer.
Matt: That’s why Heidi is teasing you about liking these massage guns, being an engineer and all.
Heidi, what is it that you do?
Heidi: I write for a minister in a federal government department. I work as a senior executive within a federal government department. I handle a variety of writing tasks, including briefs, submissions, and letters. It involves a broad range of different writing styles.
Matt: So, you are parents of two teenagers and you’re both working from home part time?
Heidi: Yes, I work from home four days a week.
Mariano: And I’m at home two days a week and in the office for three.
They’re motivated to work on the site in all their spare time because they see huge potential in it
Matt: Okay, and you’re working on your new website in the evenings and weekends, outside of your regular work hours?
Mariano: Yes, exactly. Every spare minute.
After doing thorough due diligence on about 15 sites, I found this website and thought there was potential. At that time, back in April and May, it was making just under $1,000 USD when I bought it.
Google updates had affected the site. So, even if it stayed like that, it would still be a great training site for me. It’s well established, and a lot of good work has already been done. There’s so much we can learn from it, and eventually, it will pay off in both money and knowledge. It’s all about learning and pushing forward.
Matt: That’s great. So, while you’re learning, it’s a big commitment—especially since you’re working full-time as well. You’re learning a whole new skill, plus working a full time job.
You bought this site at three times multiple. At the time of the offer, the site was only making $1,000 a month net, so your $30,000 offer was spot on. How long have you owned it now?
Mariano: Four months now.
Matt: Awesome. This is the moment we wanted to capture.
Heidi & Mariano are on-track to pay off their website investment within the first year
Within 4 months of purchasing, the site has more than 4 x its traffic and doubled its income!
Matt: It’s been four months since you bought the site, and it was making $1,000 then. What’s changed over these four months? How much is it making now, just in the past month?
Mariano: The first three months were steady with no significant traffic. After the last Google update, impressions increased tenfold. Traffic went from 3,800 to almost 12,000.
Heidi: Yes, that’s right. At the time of purchase, we were only ranking for one or two keywords in the top position. But in the last four weeks, we’ve increased to 80 keywords in the number one spot, with another hundred or so in positions two and three.
I believe we now have around 12 featured snippets and a few images appearing in Google’s image gallery when it chooses to show images instead of just website links.
Matt: Great! So, Google is responding well to the changes you’ve made.
How has that affected your income? Many people in our community enjoy renovating websites, but I should clarify that SEO usually takes around 12 months. In your case, it’s gone from $1,000 a month to where it is now in just four months.
Mariano: It’s doubled. We expect 2.5 times or more, especially now with Q4, Cyber Monday, Black Friday, and Christmas approaching.
Matt: This is great news for you both. Also, because this is a fitness site, people will be setting their New Year’s resolutions soon, which is also good for your site.
Heidi: Our last affiliate payout only captured two weeks of improved rankings. With higher user rates, we hope to see even better results.
Matt: Yes, so you’ve already doubled the income. At $2,000 per month, you’re looking at around $24,000 – $25,000 a year. That’s a good return on your money.
Why they shifted from investing in Real Estate to Digital Assets
Matt: You were traditionally real estate investors. How does this compare to real estate?
Mariano: I can’t really speak about the current state of real estate because I stopped keeping track of it, but I can tell you where we stood before.
I was looking at a few houses, took part in some coaching and training courses on the Gold Coast, focusing on mindset as well. That was all great.
But we shifted to commercial properties, and when we tried to secure a second commercial property, we noticed interest rates were about to rise. That prompted us to question whether to move forward or back out. We decided to let it go.
It was a good deal, but we felt that paying the increasing interest in the coming months would be a challenge, and we wanted something else. The website was a lower-risk investment.
They saw website investing as a lower risk option for their available capital…
Heidi: We didn’t have enough capital for the property, and taking equity from our home made it even riskier. Interest rates were eating into cash flow. So, we decided to explore other avenues.
Mariano: I looked into various options, like rooming accommodation, boarding, NDIS, and joint ventures for developments. Heidi then suggested taking a look at the Champions program to learn how to earn recurring income from website assets.
Heidi: You know what I had to do? I had to show him Flippa. I explained that instead of putting that amount of money into a joint venture, he could invest that same amount of money into a website.
I said, “If you understand how this works, this is how much you’ll earn each month. That’s all there is to it—you just need to own the website. I simplified it a little bit to try and sales pitch him!
Mariano: I think that’s what happened. I was planning to invest more in digital. $30,000 is still a significant amount, but it wasn’t as much as the $150,000 or $200,000 I was considering investing for real estate.
Also, whilst this strategy is semi-active, it has been entirely engaging for me as I’m still learning. It’s like real estate; I didn’t want to make decisions without a solid foundation of knowledge and research. That’s what it’s all about.
Matt: In your final accountability, you mentioned that you’re only risking $30,000 compared to the hundreds of thousands required for commercial property, which has its own risks like interest rates. Now, the site has gone from making $1,000 a month to $2,000 a month, with no additional expenses.
You’ve likely doubled your money and could even triple it, especially as traffic increases over Christmas. You’ve gained a valuable skill, and with a young family, you’ve got nothing to lose by backing yourself with what you’ve done buying some websites.
Practising their digital skills has increased their confidence to invest in more established websites
Matt: Mariano, are you now confident about buying more websites?
Mariano: Yes, we simply follow your process—due diligence, filling up the pages, and using the recommended tools.
Before buying this one, I found a smaller site and told Heidi about it. We paid US$400, and it was good practice for me to experiment with things like Astra and website transfers. It helped me prepare for something bigger later, just 15 days before we bought the massage gun site.
Matt: Yes, exactly. Mariano and Heidi had already done a lot of due diligence before making their purchase. They didn’t just buy what seemed like a bargain website; they started with a smaller site to learn first.
I must say, you’ve purchased a great website with solid foundational elements. The content and structure are well set up, and it’s clear you’ve done an excellent job. And I know it’s not in your wheelhouse to do this yet, but I would recommend considering a YouTube channel to enhance the website’s visibility. It might feel challenging at first, but it can significantly secure the site’s future.
This is a highly competitive niche, as you both know from your keyword research. Often, the best way to break into such a niche is by buying an established website like you’ve done. It saves a lot of time and effort that would otherwise go into building and ranking a site from scratch.
…and they’re learning the skills for how to grow their current site even more
Matt: By the way, how old is the website?
Mariano: Almost four years. The site had a previous owner, and when the last buyers took over, they already had the domain name. They knew how to handle Amazon affiliates, so they quickly grew the site.
Matt: Well, that’s the advantage of when you want to get into these big competitive, lucrative niches. And what’s also interesting, you can tell it’s a lucrative niche because there are lots of advertisers in that space which means there’s enough money there.
There’s an arbitrage there, too, to even start using paid traffic potentially with your affiliate site. Now that’s next level stuff. You just need to know what you’re doing if you’re going to do that. You need to be careful on the numbers, but when you get that dialled in, you’re absolutely laughing as well. So, that could be another nice renovation technique for you guys.
But I look at you both and think of you both as a fit young couple. You’re the ideal customer avatars for this YouTube channel. It’s a no brainer. So, Heidi, you’re going to be a fitness influencer!
Heidi: No, but I’ll be the face of Massage Gun Advice!
Matt: That’s great!
Heidi & Mariano are now exploring new ways to grow and monetise the site
Matt: So here you are, working for a government department under a minister. It’s interesting how life turns out—you purchase these websites, and you also see the stories of some other people in our community of where their journey takes them.
It’s funny how buying a $30,000 website can lead to so many different opportunities for the both of you.
They now get sent free products to try and review!
Matt: Mariano, you mentioned to me that you’ve already come across other opportunities to monetise it.
Mariano: Yes, that’s right. We’re starting to explore various devices, all focused on muscle recovery.
One of the affiliate programs I came across had a range of products in the link they sent—neck massagers, foot massagers, and a belt offering ISA therapy, heat therapy, and red light treatment.
I was thinking we could expand into this. I’ll add these links to the deal page and see how things go in October when they have sales. Also, writing reviews and articles will benefit both us and them.
Matt: And you were telling me earlier, you now get sent samples. What freebies are you receiving? Are you actually getting massage guns for free to try?
Heidi: Oh, don’t get him started!
Mariano: Yes, just recently I got sent this big massage gun with all the attachments. So, I get to use them, get to understand how they work, etc.
Now, with some of them, we do get to try them in the shop and then return them. Otherwise, we pay for it and keep it, etc.
Matt: Great! So, then you get to review them.
And they’re expanding their articles with a professional content writer
Matt: So, Heidi, you’re a writer, but the site already had a writer in place, right? Is that how you’ve been managing the content creation?
Heidi: Yes, so I’ve written a few of the articles myself. We thought we’ll give that a go before we reach out to the writer.
Mariano: But the writer actually got in touch recently, about two or three weeks ago. He mentioned, “By the way, I used to work with the previous owners, so if you need anything…”
That got me thinking that we should expand in this area. Perhaps he could write something or even double-check the content we’re creating.
Matt: That’s fantastic!
How Heidi uses her professional content writing skills to help build their online business
Matt: So, Heidi, as a writer, what else have you been focusing on? Mariano took the lead on the Massage Gun project. But what have you been working on?
Heidi: I’ve been focusing on travel blogging, and I really ramped things up when I joined Champions. I’ve published around 50 articles and added about 10 more pages of content to that channel.
Matt: As a professional writer, your experience is quite unique in our community. It’s rare to have someone with a full writing career. What kind of writing do you do for the government? Is it a completely different style compared to travel blogging?
Heidi: Yes, as I mentioned earlier, I usually prepare submissions for ministerial briefings and letters to clients, which requires a very different style. While I do consider my writing for the department to be creative, it’s a different kind of creativity.
I really enjoy writing for the travel blog, as it allows me to express my creativity in writing, graphics, and photography.
Mariano: Absolutely! She really enjoys that. Her skills in web design are impressive too.
She learned how to combine her new digital skills with her existing professional writing skills to create meaningful content for their websites…
Matt: You both create fantastic sites. So, as a professional writer, have you had to shift your approach significantly? Heidi, has it been easy to learn on-page SEO and adapt your writing to that style?
Heidi: I would say it’s been a gradual process. Initially, I thought it would be straightforward since I’m a writer; I assumed I could just integrate keywords, and it would sound great. But that wasn’t the case. Looking back at the articles I wrote about 18 months ago; I realise many need reworking. I’ve started revising some of those older pieces to update them and enhance their usefulness.
Matt: To ensure it ranks well.
…And learned how to outsource to other writers so she doesn’t have to do all the work herself
Matt: So, for anyone reading this who isn’t a writer—like most of us involved with these sites—considering you’ve hired writers and so on, Heidi, do you think hiring outsourced writers from platforms like Upwork is worthwhile?
Heidi: Definitely! I now mostly edit the content that I’ve outsourced. I began outsourcing for the travel blog some time ago, and we’re starting to do the same with the MGA. Now, I focus on reviewing the content from an editing perspective rather than writing everything myself.
Matt: This serves as a lesson for everyone reading this. Even Heidi, a professional writer with extensive training and experience, now outsources articles. Despite having written around 50 articles herself, she has reached a point where she, too, sees the value in outsourcing. Platforms like Upwork or Fiverr offer great value for this.
Heidi: I’m a competent writer, but there are definitely writers out there who are much better than I am. So for just $50, I can have them write it for me.
Matt: That’s wonderful! It’s a valuable lesson for everyone to hear, especially since you both have immersed yourselves in this world over the past year—buying and building sites.
As you mentioned, Heidi, the creative aspects, including photography and site design, play a significant role.
Heidi & Mariano are now focusing on the Digital Agency strategy to provide cash flow
Matt: Additionally, we teach digital agency strategies here, and since you’ve spent a year with us, I’d love to hear your thoughts on that.
I see that you both have followed everything we teach, primarily focusing on buying and renovating websites and portfolio sites. You have the travel blog and Massage Gun Advice, and you’ve purchased several sites while conducting thorough due diligence.
However, what are your thoughts on the digital agency strategy, particularly in terms of building websites for local businesses?
Heidi: There’s a well-known saying in the champions community: “Matt is always right.” So, we’ve established a solid portfolio and foundation of digital skills, but now we’re eager to focus on generating cash flow.
We’re launching our digital agency and are still in the process of building the site. We’re heading to Japan in November, and our goal is to have everything in place by then. After we return from Japan, we plan to dive fully into that strategy.
Why this strategy is so well suited for their existing experience…
Matt: You both are in an excellent position to pursue this. Heidi, when you think about on-page strategies, it’s essential to grasp how the online business landscape operates. Once you do, many opportunities unfold, allowing you to leverage your strengths and previous training.
Mariano, as an engineer, it’s amusing how you get to tinker with massage devices now with a whole collection at your disposal.
For you, Heidi, with a digital agency strategy, you can also develop a content agency focused on producing high-level content for larger businesses, utilising your impressive CV. Companies like BHP and various mining firms here will require professionally written content that’s also optimised for SEO.
There are numerous avenues to explore; a digital agency doesn’t have to cater solely to small businesses. With your corporate backgrounds, you both have a compelling narrative that could shape a high-end content agency.
While it’s vital to start somewhere, I do want to highlight how commendable Heidi and Mariano have been. They committed themselves, set aside Netflix for a year, managed to raise two kids, and held full-time jobs while absorbing all this new information.
The opportunities for their online future are endless…
Matt: Mariano, you’ve navigated the online space from scratch and conducted thorough due diligence. While Heidi, even as a seasoned writer, you’ve adapted and refined your writing approach.
The world truly is your oyster now, presenting a plethora of opportunities after just a year. You both serve as fantastic inspirational examples for our community, showcasing the potential outcomes of this journey. It’s genuinely exciting to watch.
Heidi: Well, we couldn’t have achieved this without Champions; it was truly a life-changing decision to enrol in the course. I vividly recall the day I finished the Digital Investors Summit—I was literally running to the bedroom, and when I mentioned it to Mariano, he was like, “Alright, cool, I’ll support you.” Then, just two or three weeks later, I had managed to get him involved as well!
Matt: That’s right.
What Heidi & Mariano recommend for newbies starting their online journey
Matt: Mariano, do you have any final pieces of advice for those who are just starting out? What would you suggest to our readers who are considering buying websites?
Mariano: You must learn first. Don’t just blindly buy a website because it looks nice and shiny, thinking ”Oh yes, I can do better.” You’ve got to put in the work.
I followed the process and gathered information on promising websites, which led me to acquire two sites. Starting with a smaller one boosted my confidence and helped me transfer content, allowing me to pursue a larger site.
Also, if you’re considering a hobby, ensure it can generate income. My former coach often emphasised that, whether it’s real estate or something like that.
Matt: That’s a good point and a cool thing. I look at both of you, your hobbies, and your making money, and that’s what you’re out of this by being online in this space.
Any advice for aspiring writers, Heidi?
Heidi: For anyone looking to pursue a passion project, the key is to stick with it. As they say in Champions, you won’t see immediate results. SEO can take time.
It took 18 months for my travel blog to rank on the first page for a few keywords, but it’s finally there. So, be persistent and consistent—stay the course, and you’ll succeed.
Matt: That’s fantastic! A huge thank you to both of you for joining us today to share your experiences and capturing this moment. Congratulations on successfully turning around the website and doubling your efforts—that’s truly impressive!
I also want to commend you both for everything you’ve accomplished and for the exciting projects ahead. Stay tuned for those reading this; we’ll bring you back in a year for more updates, especially as you embark on your digital agency journey. There’s so much to come!
Mariano: It’s an exciting journey, and we’re all in!
Matt: That’s awesome!
Want to know more about how to buy and renovate websites for profit?
Matt: If you’re new to our community and interested in starting out, check out our free masterclass, where we cover how to buy and renovate websites. This is where Heidi & Mariano both began, and it’s the perfect starting point.
As Mariano mentioned, start out small, start out safe, go and listen to our masterclass. It’s all about gaining that knowledge. So, go and listen to our Masterclass.
Yes, there’s a bit to learn, but it’s very exciting and worth the journey. Get the knowledge, dive in, and have fun!
