SEM agency capitalized on the potential of aged domains

From account manager to marketing agency founder

Jamie Irwin used to work as an account manager at a marketing agency. During the pandemic, he decided to start a new chapter in his professional life and started Straight Up Search, a search marketing firm based in the UK, currently employing 6 and serving 15 clients.

During his time at an agency, he worked on a wide range of search, social, and content campaigns for businesses in all kinds of industries. As a result, he developed a special interest in eCommerce SEO, which he focuses on now. His background is primarily digital marketing, so it made sense to start a business that could provide that type of service. But everyone does digital marketing today, so Jamie wanted to hyper-focus on SEO and organic growth strategies because it’s his ultimate passion.

Thus, he founded Straight Up Search, a marketing agency that is particularly popular among eCommerce-based small and mid-size businesses (SMEs) and SaaS companies.

Getting started with Odys Global

Jamie first learned about Odys Global through a colleague at an SEO conference, BrightonSEO. He has heard good things about the process and the team, so he decided to check it out. 

The good news is that Jamie already had some experience building niche websites (buying existing ones) and understood how aged domains work. Seeing the quality of the domains in our marketplace, he wanted to test them out. That was one of the reasons he decided to purchase an aged domain from Odys.

Advantages of an aged domain over a newly registered one

The reason for his interest in an aged domain was that it would allow him to test the strength of his company and its services. Since they are a new company, they wanted to show that their work isn’t just words – he bridges the gap between SEO and content marketing every day so it would be great to see those results on a website.

Jamie has built websites from scratch before and it was extremely time-consuming. He simply does not have the luxury of time at the moment. Now that he has two children (he had his second last week!), he needs to make good use of his time.

Jamie had high expectations regarding the process and the quality of the aged domains since he had heard feedback from others within his niche. The quality of our inventory also made him check the domain lists daily until he found something he liked that he could work with, despite the fact that he has used other sites like Odys in the past.

One Marketplace – Endless Opportunities

Jamie had checked out a few sites, but none of them had such a strong list of domains. The sites he was regularly checking were GoDaddy Auctions, SEODN, Flippa, Empire Flippers, and Investors Club. He was open to acquiring any brandable website that he could use to enhance his business, but he was willing to pay a premium for anything he felt he could market.

The most appealing aspect of Odys had to be the quality and variety of domains on offer. Having the option to filter domains according to certain criteria is also a great feature, especially if you’re into SEO like Jamie. With some platforms, he had difficulty determining and evaluating aged domains, but not with Odys. He’s delighted with his new domain and sees the value for both parties.

Another thing Jamie liked was the ease of purchasing a domain – it was much easier than other platforms he had used previously. Based on Jamie’s perspective, the price he paid is quite reasonable, considering that this domain can make his company’s name as well as generate leads and sales.

After purchasing the domain, Jamie did make an announcement on his prior brand and domain regarding the transition to Straight Up Search. He was able to manage the transition amazingly well and his company’s clients had no issue with us changing domains whatsoever.

Next, he started laying out what the site would look like, how it would function, and what content we could put on it. Jamie spent most of his time writing articles for other websites, so this part wasn’t too difficult.

In order to promote it and take things to the next level, he began a Digital PR campaign – you can see the results on his company’s press page. Search Engine Optimisation was the first thing on Jamie’s mind since he understood that it would be the most fruitful way of attracting potential businesses. SEO is what brought him to Odys Global in the first place, so he feels that it’s all “meant to be.” Running various campaigns for Straight Up Search and building links has been a truly amazing experience.

Insights along the Way

“I’ve come to realize that there are some truly amazing aged domains available online. The age doesn’t always reflect the true value of a domain, especially when it comes to established brands with their history. I’m also very happy with the way Odys does its business and runs things – you guys make a great team and provide an awesome service I’ve come to value.”

Jamie Irwin, StraightUp Search founder


In Jamie’s words, “Some domains are inherently winners and some are duds – only Google can determine whether a domain is a winner or a dud and we can only try to influence that.”

Here Are Some Numbers

StraightUp Search is doing very well with the site so far, especially considering the fact that it’s brand new and running alongside their old domain, which is still popular with clients. According to Google Analytics, they receive between 75-100 unique visitors per day along with about 3-5 leads per week. Prior to 2022, Jamie was primarily focused on other affiliate-based domains and his client portfolio. Therefore, the development of Straight Up Search hasn’t been a top priority for him. Nevertheless, he has built 100 fairly good backlinks in the past year.

Jamie’s only got three clients on this domain so far, although he has 6 other clients in the pipeline. The company has always been focusing on white hat SEO, so acquiring new clients takes time. However, things are moving along nicely and he’s been able to get his first two clients through Straight Up Search, which is great. Most leads are generated by referrals from friends, colleagues, and clients. In general, clients that refer to Jamie’s agency indicate that they are satisfied with the results. He wants Straight Up Search to become “his best possible salesman” – in the end, that’s what a lead generation site should be. 

Does Google Really Favor Aged Domains?

Jamie strongly believes that this is a pretty strong case for building an SEO-driven site on an aged domain. The domain is treated very favorably by Google, even in its early days. But he hasn’t been creating enough content or doing any serious SEO with it yet. A well-established site is an essential part of protecting brand equity, especially in the SEM industry.

Future Plans and Thoughts Regarding Aged Domains

For now, Jamie is basically trying to push the site as far as he can and get it ranked properly for the targeted keywords. He’s really looking forward to building out the client base and developing a strong portfolio of sites. Jamie hopes to build more marketing niche sites, such as Straight Up Search with Odys Global, in the future. At the moment, he already has one that’s been extremely successful (home/lifestyle niche).

“Aged domains are extremely valuable assets for an entrepreneur. It’s very tempting to jump straight in and build the next Uber on a high-value, brand new domain name – but this is risky. You really need to think about longevity with any business idea you have. If you’re determined to succeed, then aged domains give your site much more weighting and authority with Google – you’re basically skipping a step.”

Jamie Irwin, StraightUp Search founder


An Odys Fan for Life

Jamie has been a big fan of Odys Global from the very beginning. When it comes to customer service and overall buying/selling experience, no other provider can compare to Odys Global. For this reason alone, he believes it’s worth paying a little more for an aged domain.

Jamie’s key piece of advice is to look at the niche you’re in and what your competitors are targeting, then think outside the box. It’s always better if you can find an industry where no one has gone before, but it can be challenging. 

It’s also important to do your research properly and treat each purchase as an investment. You should always think about longevity with every website/domain you purchase. Don’t just look at the backlinks/keywords, but rather think about what might potentially go wrong in six-months time and what you can do to protect your investment.

Digital Marketing Manager, Odys Global

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