In the past ten years, search engine optimization (SEO) has changed a lot. It used to be just about building links, but now it's a complex strategy that involves many different things like improving the technical aspects of a website, creating good content, analyzing data, and building links based on that data. This has created a great opportunity for online entrepreneurs who are good at SEO to make money through business models like affiliate marketing, lead generation, and display advertising.
But there's one approach that is very profitable but not well-known. It's called the "rank and rent" model, and it was started by digital entrepreneurs like James Dooley. James has over 850 clients who rent websites from him, and these websites rank on the first page of search results for important local and informational search terms. He has created one of the biggest and most successful portfolios of digital real estate in the world which consists of websites in 650 different niches.
But his journey to becoming a true pioneer in the rank and rent model started humbly over 14 years ago in the offline construction industry. In this article, we will share with you his journey on how he transitioned from construction to digital entrepreneurship and everything you need to know about how to build a rank and rent business.
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James Dooley
Getting started
It all began in 2008 when James stumbled into internet marketing, although he didn't intend to at the time. He owned a construction company in the UK that specialized in building playgrounds, tennis courts, and sports pitches. Business was slow, and James needed more inquiries to keep the company going. So, he decided to invest in a basic website to attract more jobs.
However, James soon realized that simply having a website wasn't enough. He needed a way to generate leads and drive traffic to his site. That's when he discovered search engine optimization (SEO). As a newcomer to the digital world, James immersed himself in learning the fundamentals of on-page optimization, internal linking, and building high-quality backlinks. Despite not fully understanding the algorithms behind it, he could see that it was working.
Within a few months, started seeing positive results from his SEO efforts. The increased visibility led to more phone calls and conversions for his business. But then, he had an epiphany. If optimizing his own company's website could bring in more business, why not apply the same strategy to partner companies in related trades? This realization planted the seeds for his new company PromoSEO, which would later become a thriving rank-and-rent business.
Growing naturally through partnerships and referrals
James began reaching out to architects, designers, and other partners in the construction industry, offering his SEO expertise to optimize their websites. On the surface, it seemed like a generous gesture, but James had an ulterior motive. By indirectly bringing more leads and jobs to his partners, he knew that it would eventually circulate back to benefit his own company.
"It was like a domino effect," James recalls. As referrals and return business started to pour in, he was able to expand his team and scale up his operations. The key to his success was a combination of strong content, technical SEO best practices like internal linking, and a targeted link building strategy.
By applying the same blueprint across an expanding network of partner sites, James witnessed exponential growth, not just in the digital realm but also in the physical world of construction. The demand for his services surpassed what he could handle on his own. That's when he made a crucial decision to transform his SEO efforts into a dedicated digital agency, laying the foundation for his digital empire.
Lessons from early challenges shaping James' unique approach
In the early days of the agency, James focused on providing SEO services to clients using the same successful formula he used for his construction partners. This involved creating quality content, optimizing technical elements, building high-quality backlinks, and driving phone calls. However, he soon encountered several frustrations that led him to pivot towards a new business model.
Firstly, James realized that many clients had reservations and needed more trust in SEO due to past experiences with dishonest operators who promised quick results. Managing multiple client projects became a logistical nightmare, with constant changes in scope and demands for reports, instead of empowering clients to run their own businesses.
Most importantly, James found himself being a demanding client himself, seeking better quality control when investing significant amounts per month. He wanted to have more control and be able to innovate and iterate strategies in-house rather than relying on outsourcing. This led him to partially acquire a large agency he had worked with, granting him more oversight and control.
These early experiences highlighted the flaws with a pure client services model and propelled James towards a new concept: becoming a "digital landlord," which we now know as his rank and rent empire. By owning the websites himself and renting access to leads and inquiries, James was able to eliminate trust issues, reduce oversight challenges, and maintain full autonomy over technical execution.
Building the foundation for success: Ranking first, then renting
Once James had the idea of rank and rent in mind, he devoted his agency to mastering search engine optimization (SEO) before thinking about making money. He divided the SEO process into repeatable steps. First, he created informative content focused on research and targeted low-competition keywords to drive free traffic.
To optimize the technical aspects of websites, James used tools like SurferSEO and MarketMuse, as well as competitor analysis. He made sure to include relevant information and internal links on pages. James saw link building as an art form and crafted diverse profiles using private blog networks (PBNs), tiered guest posting, and self-hosted social profiles to strengthen his brand.
He also utilized local directories, citations, and forums to create foundational diversity, while avoiding toxic links through a testing team that carefully selected relevant partners. With high-quality content promoting his construction playground site, it quickly reached the top ranking nationally within a few months.
Only after achieving a strong ranking did James focus on monetization. He started featuring ads on the pages and partnered with plumbers, offering them free lead generation in exchange for referring business through finder's fees. The top earners soon requested dedicated niche sites, pioneering James' rent-for-leads approach that is still used today across various industries worldwide.
Focusing on maximum revenue potential
While initial broad success shaped James' journey, he realized that maximizing revenue required narrowing the focus on specific keywords within verticals, rather than targeting everything at once. This involved conducting deeper keyword research and understanding the specific needs of each client, rather than creating random pages.
For plumbing partners interested in wet room installations, James concentrated on research-backed long-tail keywords related to that specific subdomain, such as "disabled wet room Sarasota," and structured them across key local areas served. He also included informational entities related to different design options and regulations.
This approach helped build dedicated authority while avoiding spreading efforts too thin. By combining on-page optimization best practices with relevant linking, James drove qualified leads that were valuable to his clients. Whether monetizing through ads or renting pages, every click held value compared to random home repair traffic.
Narrowing the scope also accelerated rankings by avoiding negative SEO factors. Content became seamlessly interlinked, rather than scattered. Clients who were generating significant monthly revenue through targeted specialty leads were eager to pay higher rents to have dedicated sites focused solely on their most profitable service lines.
Maintaining control through in-house scaling
As the number of sites multiplied to serve clients globally, technical challenges grew exponentially. To maintain control over quality and innovation, James needed to scale up while avoiding common outsourcing pitfalls. He developed a unique in-house agency structure that he still meticulously oversees today.
Instead of relying on content farms, James cultivated highly skilled generalists by offering competitive salaries and shares in client revenue. A rigorous training and mentoring program ensured consistency and timely project delivery. Specializations emerged, including programmers, traffic engineers, niche analysts, and dedicated link builders.
Project management was divided into small, focused teams that cross-trained new hires and continuously innovated processes. Specialized account managers handled client relationships, freeing up SEOs from distractions. A rigorous auditing department examined all work before client delivery to prevent issues.
Investments in proprietary content, link, and search engine marketing (SEM) management systems removed bottlenecks. Advanced data and analytics tools provided real-time performance oversight for the extensive portfolio. Constant testing refined strategies and allowed James to stay ahead of algorithm shifts. The in-house expertise became a profit center, even advising external agencies.
By owning and controlling the entire technical value chain, from site building to ranking to client services, James ensured quality control at a massive scale that couldn't be replicated with freelancers. This tight integration and focus on process excellence enabled effortless expansion of the portfolio to thousands of niche authority sites, generating millions in annual revenue.
Expanding monetization: Diversifying revenue through testing
While James was already earning a steady income from renting out top-ranked websites and generating qualified leads, he didn't want to stop there. He constantly looked for new ways to make more money without losing focus on his main strategies. By using the websites he had already built, he discovered organic opportunities for additional revenue.
For websites that covered everyday household needs and weren't specialized, James immediately turned to large-scale affiliate marketing. He carefully selected and optimized promotions for products like vacuums and insurance, earning commissions on the sales that were generated with minimal effort.
On websites that focused on complex issues like HVAC or plumbing, James experimented with lead generation through display ads and well-crafted opt-in forms. He only connected visitors with pre-approved contractors who had demonstrated expertise in their field, earning higher referral fees for qualified leads.
In addition to the core Rank and Rent model, James found other ways to expand his business. He acquired entire industrial categories to cater to specialized promotional needs, generating millions in one-time fees. By extending his clients into related services, he eliminated middlemen and increased the overall value.
As his visibility grew, James started selling brand mentions and social metrics to large corporations. Renting out Facebook pixels to track customer behavior and generate sales became a significant income source. He also offered consulting services, applying his successful methodology to help external companies achieve their goals. This vertical alone generated millions of dollars in revenue.
James constantly tracked the return on investment for all his efforts and adjusted his resources accordingly. This allowed him to continually test new ideas and diversify his income streams, ensuring that his business could withstand disruptions in any particular area.
Sharing knowledge
Despite achieving great success and wealth, James never stopped sharing his knowledge. He believed in the power of education and how it can benefit both individuals and the industry as a whole. He actively participated in speaking engagements, training sessions, and created educational content to break down advanced technical and business practices.
Thousands of YouTube videos hosted on James' website explained his rank and rent strategies in easy-to-understand modules. Instead of keeping his methods proprietary, he taught students to emulate the procedures, analyze failures, and develop their own unique approaches. He also developed a comprehensive training curriculum for his agency to pass on their institutional knowledge to the next generation.
As new services emerged in adjacent industries, James integrated his website building expertise through partnerships rather than competition. Strategic acquisitions allowed him to share best practices across industries, expanding his network effect.
Through podcasts, forums, and conferences, James provided troubleshooting advice and refined the efforts of others in real-world situations. By openly discussing both successes and failures, he multiplied knowledge for the benefit of everyone involved.
The Rank and Rent business model explained
In this section, we'll go through everything you need to know about the rank and rent SEO business model as explained by James Dooley. We'll look closely at every part of his approach, including how to choose domain names, do keyword research, create content, build links, find clients and make sales.
What is Rank and Rent?
Rank and rent is a business model where an SEO professional or agency ranks websites for local businesses and services, and then rents those websites out to the companies in that industry who can then generate leads and clients from the website rankings.
Here are the key aspects of the rank and rent model:
- The SEO professional picks a local niche or service, like plumbers, electricians, lawyers, etc.
- They build a comprehensive website focused on that industry, optimizing it on-page with excellent content and internally linking relevant pages.
- Off-page SEO is done through link building, citations, local directories to help the site rank highly for local keywords.
- Once ranked, individual companies within that niche are contacted and the already-ranking website is "rented out" to them.
- The business pays a monthly fee to the SEO, usually a percentage of any leads or sales converted from the website.
- The SEO continues maintaining and optimizing the site to keep rankings and lead generation performing well.
- Additional niche services can be rented out to existing clients or new clients can be acquired over time.
How to build a rank and rent empire:
Finding the right domain and keyword research
The first step in creating a successful rank and rent website is to choose the right domain name and niche. James focuses on two main priorities during the initial research phase: finding highly searched keywords that can generate money and determining if a niche is viable for long-term lead generation and monetization.
To find potential money keywords, James uses tools like Google Keyword Planner, AnswerThePublic, and SEMrush. These tools help him analyze search volumes, trends in cost-per-click (CPC), and related keyword opportunities. Search volume is crucial because James aims for keywords that receive thousands of searches per month. This ensures that the rentable site can remain profitable in the long run.
In addition to search volumes, James also evaluates the commercial viability of keywords. He considers who would be willing to pay for leads generated from these keywords and how much they could potentially earn. This helps him identify profitable niches where clients are willing and able to rent optimized sites.
For instance, when examining the plumbing niche, James sees potential in high-paying sub-niches such as shower installation, where bath fitters can make a profit of £1,500 per job. Understanding the profit margins of clients is crucial when negotiating sustainable rent prices.
Lastly, choosing a broad domain name like "plumbing.co.uk" allows James to target a wide range of specific keywords within one site. This flexibility enables him to expand and focus on topics that perform well over time while maintaining a large search base.
Content
The content you put on your website is really important for both SEO (search engine optimization) and making money. James knows this, so he focuses on creating pages that are optimized for search engines and provide value to his clients.
He starts by organizing topics and grouping related keywords together. For example, if he's writing about plumbing repairs, he'll group keywords related to fixing sinks. And if he's writing about shower installations, he'll group keywords related to different types of showers. This helps him plan out his pages and make sure they're organized in a logical way.
James uses tools like Surfer SEO to figure out which keywords are the most valuable. Then he makes sure each page targets 2-3 of those high-value keywords. He also makes sure each page has at least 800 words. Throughout the content, he includes the important keywords and related keywords, as well as information about the services he offers. But he's careful not to overuse the keywords because that can hurt the page's ranking in search engines.
James also looks for ways to make more money by offering additional services. For example, if he's writing about shower installations, he might include information about the costs and how people can do it themselves. This can encourage readers to hire professionals instead, which can bring in more money.
He also includes things like photos of installations, testimonials from happy clients, tutorials on how to do installations, and pictures of himself or his team. These things help build trust and show that James knows what he's talking about.
By creating pages that are focused on helping clients and providing valuable information, James shows that he's really good at SEO and knows how to make money from his website.
Localization of content
Having great content is important, but for the rand and rent business, the key to success is making each website specific to a particular city. He creates pages that target different suburbs and locations where tradespeople offer their services. This can mean creating a lot of pages, sometimes up to 150-200 for each main keyword.
All these pages have a similar format, but the city names are inserted dynamically throughout the content. The goal is to include keywords like "Chicago plumber" or "Atlanta shower installation" by mentioning the specific location. James also focuses on getting citations from local sources, buying media ads, and running targeted promotions. These efforts help establish his website's authority in each specific location over time.
This strategy has three important benefits. First, it increases the chances of ranking high in search results because James is targeting specific long-tail variations related to each city, instead of trying to compete for more general terms. Second, the localized pages directly meet the needs of customers who are searching for local tradespeople in their area.
Finally, these location-specific pages become a strong selling point when James reaches out to potential customers. For example, if someone is looking for a plumber in Atlanta, they are more likely to choose James's website, atlantaplumber.com, because it specifically caters to their local area and brings them relevant job opportunities. With hundreds of location pages, the potential for making money from the website grows significantly.
Building topical authority structures to withstand algorithm changes
Once you have compelling content that addresses the queries your target audience is searching for, it's important to establish authority structures that boost your website's rankings. But for James, quality is more important than quantity. He takes a balanced approach that can adapt to changes in search engine algorithms over time.
To lay a strong foundation, James optimizes over 500 high-quality listings on merchant citation websites. These listings include important business information like the address, phone number, and services offered. By doing this, James improves the visibility of his business in local search results without risking any penalties from search engine algorithms.
Next, James creates profiles on popular social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. These profiles help establish his brand's authority and increase its recognition. By strategically building links from these profiles, James sends strong signals to search engines that reinforce the credibility of his brand.
James also targets authoritative blogs and industry directories, carefully selecting 10-15 of them. He writes guest posts or gets his business listed in these places to showcase his expertise. This not only helps with getting external links back to his website but also boosts the relevance of his content. Additionally, James connects these external assets to his website through internal links, creating a cohesive network of information.
To further strengthen his website's authority, James acquires powerful links from 10 carefully chosen private blog networks (PBNs). He considers factors like how relevant the content is, how safe the brand is, and how well it aligns with the topic. James believes that a diverse range of link profiles is important, as it shows transparency rather than trying to manipulate search engine rankings solely based on domain authority.
Finally, James uses monitoring tools to ensure the stability of his website's performance. He gradually tests new strategies, starting with less important pages, to refine his approach over time. By doing so, James future-proofs his optimization efforts as search engines increasingly focus on signals that align with human behavior.
The importance of ranking is secondary to rentability
For James, the ultimate goal is not just achieving top rankings, but building a sustainable revenue stream through profitable client relationships. He focuses on long-term lead generation and monetization, rather than solely chasing short-term leaderboard positions.
One key strategy James uses is local pay-per-click (PPC) ads. He selectively bids on keywords in different cities to test the demand before investing significant efforts in creating content. If the click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates show that there is commercial viability, James proceeds with developing full pages targeted to those specific areas.
Data analysis also inspires James to provide value-added services that enhance client partnerships. For example, when he identified the service areas of plumbers, he saw an opportunity to introduce emergency dispatch software that integrates live job alerts. This not only improved the capabilities of his clients but also increased their reliance on optimized websites as a distribution channel.
Lastly, James finds that selling leads is a more effective way to demonstrate the success of his optimization efforts compared to relying solely on rankings. By adopting a mindset focused on real business metrics and revenue generation, he proves the return on investment (ROI) to his clients. This approach allows him to command higher prices for renting out his optimized websites, as he can demonstrate the tangible value they provide.
Finding clients and building partnerships
With his vast industry knowledge gained from developing 650 specialized websites in different fields, James becomes a valuable resource for connecting with strategic partners. This allows him to expand his services without putting too much pressure on his limited team.
To establish his credibility, James shares case studies that highlight his clients' success with established trade groups and associations. This helps solidify his authority in the industry. He also takes advantage of speaking opportunities to share his methods with other entrepreneurs, inspiring innovation among like-minded individuals.
James strategically enters into partnerships that contribute to the growth of his services. For example, he forms alliances with dispatch software providers or specialized search engine marketing (SEM) agencies, allowing him to sell high-intent pay-per-click leads. This mutually beneficial arrangement streamlines growth and revenue sharing.
In addition, James employs acquisition strategies where he trades equity for underperforming "rank for rent" sites. Using his unique approach, he transforms these sites into profitable ventures. By selling these redesigned sites at a higher price, he generates funds for future investments.
Through strategic networking and collaborative partnerships, James achieves exponential growth while maintaining a focus on delivering quality services rather than simply chasing quantity. By openly sharing best practices, he not only drives success for his clients but also contributes to the success of his partners and collaborators.
Client relationships
While technical SEO is important for driving profits, James believes that forming honest and transparent relationships with clients is what brings long-term success. He knows that educating clients openly is the key to building successful partnerships.
When James starts working with a new client, he carefully examines their specific needs, business metrics, and existing marketing strategies. He provides customized reports that show the return on investment (ROI) to help clients understand the value he brings. Proving the worth of his services is crucial.
Regular check-ins with clients involve sharing practical insights derived from data analysis. For example, James might discover seasonal trends that can be used for targeted campaigns or suggest creating specialized content based on new services. He believes in being transparent and conducting A/B testing to inspire client innovation and create more opportunities for making money.
James also looks for ways to expand his services to existing clients. This could involve promoting their business on related websites, creating more location-specific pages, or offering additional services to enhance their capabilities. By increasing the perceived value and profit margins, he can gradually raise the prices for renting his optimized websites in a sustainable manner.
Above all, James puts his clients first. He refuses to take on work that goes against their best interests or charge prices that are unreasonable and could harm the partnership. He understands that renewals depend on both parties being profitable and benefiting from the partnership.
By building lasting relationships based on honest communication and education, James turns his clients into partners. His expertise in SEO becomes a trusted role where he advises them on generating revenue and fueling their continued growth. Taking care of his clients is his top priority for long-term success.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Although the "rank and rent" model can be really profitable when done right, even experienced practitioners can stumble if they overlook some common mistakes. So, for those of you who are starting out as entrepreneurs, it's crucial to recognize and avoid these stumbling blocks to ensure long-lasting success.
- Weak technical optimization: One common mistake is weak technical optimization. This means not paying enough attention to things like on-page best practices, internal linking, and building authority in a structured way. Without a strong technical foundation, it's difficult to achieve top positions in search results, no matter how much effort you put into creating content or building links.
- Poor keyword research: Insufficient keyword research is another pitfall to watch out for. It's important to focus on keywords that have a high search volume and commercial potential. Building websites without a clear niche relevance can drain your resources without giving you much in return. You want to make sure your efforts are focused on keywords that will bring you a good return on investment.
- Ignoring local targeting: Don't forget about local targeting either. Creating specific pages that cater to the local audience is essential for generating leads that are relevant to the people in that area. Take the time to investigate and understand the local market so you can provide what the customers there are actually looking for.
- Toxic link profiles: Having a toxic link profile can harm your website. If you engage in poor link-building practices, it can damage your site's reputation, and if you waste your budget on ineffective links, it won't help you improve your search rankings. It's important to build a balanced and relevant link profile to achieve success.
- Short-term thinking: Don't get too caught up in short-term thinking Focusing too much on vanity metrics and constantly micromanaging can hinder your organic growth. Instead, aim for consistent improvement over time. Remember, it's a long game, and the key to success lies in maintaining a steady and progressive approach.
- Not taking care of your clients: Make sure you take good care of your clients. Building transparent partnerships based on mutual education and profit is crucial. Your clients should see the value in what you offer, and it's important to foster positive relationships rather than adversarial ones.
By focusing on technical excellence, targeting profitable niches, and establishing strong commercial partnerships based on your expertise and enthusiasm, you can avoid these common mistakes and achieve long-term organic and commercial success.
Conclusion
Despite having achieved an impressive portfolio of online properties, James never settled for complacency. He continued to explore new service verticals and applied his core competencies in innovative ways. Advanced technical developments, such as integrating AI signals, hinted at even greater achievements in the future.
While James was earning millions, his motivation went beyond profits. He found personal fulfillment in helping others achieve their dreams, just as his construction business had launched his own remarkable journey. By empowering his clients with proven strategies, James improved their lives in a way that no amount of money could replicate.
Constantly refining methodologies, expanding toolsets, and improving processes ensured that this influential ecosystem would thrive sustainably for generations to come. Even offline, James' construction firm flourished with modern marketing techniques driving physical growth that directly benefited local economies.
For James, the future was full of untapped opportunities across industries and continents, coupled with boundless innovation. He was guaranteed exponential expansion. Throughout it all, his commitment to lifting others up and providing guidance remained strong. In an unpredictable digital age, James' wisdom and generosity served as a beacon of hope.
