Nick Eubanks, Semrush
Strategic Site Acquisition is The Biggest SEO Opportunity in 2025
For any given search query, there’s a finite number of clicks to be had.
This creates a zero-sum game in search where every click your competitors get is a click you don’t.
Research shows a predictable pattern: the majority of people click the #1 result, and each subsequent top-three position captures roughly half the clicks of the spot above it.
For example, the keyword “SEO agency” gets 19,000 searches per month.
Position one gets about 40% of the clicks, or 7600.
Ranking in position two will get you about 20% of the clicks, or 3800.
And position three will see about 10% of the clicks, or 1900.
Positions 4-10 fight over the remaining ~30% of clicks—and that’s assuming there aren’t ads or featured snippets pushing organic results even further down the page.
This isn’t just about ranking—it’s about market dominance. When you control multiple positions in these results, you’re not just improving SEO metrics. You’re stealing clicks directly from your competitors, amplifying your brand’s digital authority.
Why this matters:
Most SEO strategies focus on ranking a single site for key terms, but this ignores a powerful reality: when you control multiple brands ranking for the same search, you don’t just gain more traffic—you dominate market presence while suppressing your competitors’ share of voice.
Understanding Clickshare
You know what market share is. Think of this as clickshare: the percentage of available clicks your brands capture from the search results page.
When you own +50% of the clicks for your most important keywords, you’re not just ranking well, you’re owning the category.
This dominance compounds over time. Each additional position you control:
- Captures clicks directly from competitors
- Strengthens your brand’s overall authority
- Creates multiple paths to conversion
- Builds a moat around your business
You know what market share is. Think of this as clickshare: the percentage of available clicks your brands capture from the SERPs (search engine results page).
When you own +50% of the clicks for your most important keywords, you’re not just ranking well, you’re owning the category.
And this dominance compounds over time. Each additional position you control:
- Captures clicks directly from competitors
- Strengthens your brand’s overall authority
- Creates multiple paths to conversions
- Builds a moat around your business
The math is simple: more position = more clicks = more revenue
Using Acquisition SEO To Get A Majority of the Clickshare
Let’s see how this works in practice with our “SEO agency” keyword (19,000 monthly searches):
Scenario 1: Dominating with #1
- Position 1 (39.8%): 7,562 clicks
Total Clickshare: 39.8% (7,562 clicks per month)
Scenario 2: The Middle
- Position 2 (18.7%): 3,553 clicks
- Position 3 (10.2%): 1,938 clicks
Total Clickshare: 28.9% (5,491 clicks per month)
Scenario 3: The Spread
- Position 2 (18.7%): 3,553 clicks
- Position 5 (5.1%): 969 clicks
- Position 6 (4.4%): 836 clicks
Total Clickshare: 28.2% (5,358 clicks per month)
The key insight?
There are multiple paths to achieving market dominance through Clickshare. While ranking #1 gives you the highest single position value, controlling multiple positions creates a stronger overall market presence—even without the top spot.
Turn Theory Into Action
After years of successfully acquiring and selling digital assets, I’ve developed a proven system for identifying, acquiring, and maximizing digital properties. The key questions I help businesses answer are:
- Which acquisitions will drive meaningful growth?
- How do we identify and approach the right sellers?
- What’s the optimal acquisition price?
- How do we maximize ROI post-acquisition?
- What’s the best integration strategy?
This expertise enables your company to expand beyond traditional SEO limitations through strategic acquisitions that deliver measurable results.
Here’s What Working Together Looks Like
- Weekly Target Identification
• Custom-filtered opportunities based on authority metrics
• Niche-specific selections aligned with your market
• Keyword-driven targeting in your industry
• Mix of aged domains and active sites based on your strategy - Streamlined Selection Process
• Review curated opportunities
• Provide quick feedback
• Receive increasingly targeted recommendations - Strategic Acquisition Support
• Expert outreach to property owners
• Negotiation guidance and valuation support
• Seamless handoff to your team - Implementation & Growth
• Strategic integration planning
• Optimization for maximum ROI
• Ongoing consultation for sustainable growth
The result:
A portfolio of digital properties that extends your market reach, strengthens your competitive position, and creates new revenue opportunities.
Interested in chatting further?
Book A Free Intro Call Here:
Kyle Morley, Semrush
How To Execute Acquisition SEO Successfully
Let’s break down the process into actionable steps that protect your investment and maximize returns.
Step 1: Define Your Acquisition Strategy
The most powerful approach is acquiring established sites already ranking for thousands of keywords that align with your monetization strategy. These sites give you immediate authority to:
- Create high-converting comparison content (“Your Product vs. Competitor”)
- Target bottom-funnel keywords (“how to solve [problem your product fixes]”)
- Own “best of” listings where you can feature your solution
- Capture related keywords your main site might struggle to rank for
While this approach works best with a substantial budget, there are strategic options for smaller investments:
- Acquiring aged domains with existing authority
- Taking over abandoned but still-indexed sites
- Reviving dormant properties with strong backlink profiles
Step 2: Set Clear Acquisition Criteria
Success depends on having clear parameters for what makes a good acquisition target:
- Minimum referring domain thresholds
- Traffic requirements
- Current revenue status
- Content quality standards
- Niche alignment
- Technical health indicators
While the exact metrics vary by business case, having clear criteria prevents costly mistakes.
Step 3: Master the Art of Outreach
This is often the most challenging step. While most business owners are open to acquisition discussions, getting their attention requires:
- Identifying the right decision-maker
- Crafting compelling outreach that cuts through inbox noise
- Building trust quickly
- Maintaining momentum through negotiations
Step 4: Execute a Clean Transition
A successful acquisition requires careful planning around:
- echnical migration strategy
- SEO value preservation
- Customer data handling
- Email and documentation transfer
- Content preservation
- Authority signals maintenance
Step 5: Strategic Integration
This is where investment turns into revenue. Key decisions include:
- Content strategy alignment
- Internal linking architecture
- Cross-promotion opportunities
- Audience migration planning
- Brand positioning
- Revenue optimization
Why Work With Me?
While the concept is straightforward, execution requires expertise to avoid costly mistakes. I handle the entire process:
- Target identification and validation
- Outreach and negotiation
- Transition planning
- Integration strategy
- Ongoing optimization
The result? A powerful moat around your business without the risks of learning through trial and error.
Ready to Expand Your Digital Empire?
âžś Apply below to work together. I’ll review your application and let you know if we’re a good fit.
âžś Book a call if you’d like to discuss your specific situation first.
Interested in working together? Apply here:
I’ll let you know if I think we’d be a good fit to work together on acquisition SEO, and I’ll respond to you either way
Other Things You May Want To Know:
How much does this service cost?
$6k/mo flat fee, no contract, but asking for at least a 3-month commitment.
Can you integrate with my current SEO team?
Absolutely, this is 100% a supplemental service and I can work with your current SEO/marketing team to make everything go as smoothly as possible.
Are there any niches you WON’T work with?
The only restriction here is the SEO industry. I have a client in this industry and I’m only taking one per. Everything else is on the table.
Does this work well with eCommerce/product/services/Saas/etc?
Yes. If you’ve got something to sell or a way to monetize traffic, this can work for you. If getting MORE traffic and getting MORE spots in the SERPs this will work for you. If you’re unsure reach out.
Can this work if I have a portfolio of affiliate sites?
Wow, you’re still going? That’s great for you lol, HOW? But seriously, yes, this can work–especially if you have a way to increase conversions/better affiliate terms than other people have access to. Then you can buy something based on the value THEY have access to, and then monetize it with your upgraded terms.
Any other questions not covered here? Book a call or reach out here.