Expired Domains vs. New Domain

Forum Moderators: buckworks & webwork

Message Too Old, No Replies

Expired Domains vs. New Domain

Industry

8:52 pm on Jul 22, 2009 (gmt 0)

This may have been covered before but I can only find old posts.

If you buy a recently expired domain name, does Google discount the "age" of the domain and treat it as a newly registered domain?

Is there an advatage of buying an existing domain vs. going in the "sandbox" with a new domain?

Thanks for any input.

HuskyPup

1:45 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

going in the "sandbox" with a new domain?

Sandbox does not exist.

Industry

2:02 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

But isn't it true that the age of a domain is a factor in ranking? And if one was able to build solid inbound links, how much of a factor would the age of the domain have with all other elements being relatively equal?

chicagohh

2:45 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

Age of the domain does seem to have an impact - but I think it's quite minor for directly influencing the search results. I think domain age is a better indicator of authority/trust or quality rather than a SERP booster. I think many people are caught up in the age of the domain when it is likely the age of the incoming links that is making the difference in the SERPs.

When a domain is registered that is the beginning of it's "life" cycle. An expired domain that is recently registered is essentially a new domain.

Webwork

3:02 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

Age of domain may also correspond to aged inbound links, which is likely another factor. It has been said that IF a domain is truly expired and then re-registered Google will reset the value of those inbound links to "nil". That's not to say that the value of any inbound traffic from those links is worthless. THAT would depend on the quality and extent of those links.

Aging may also help build/aggregate evidence/weight of non-spam intent. In other words, "in the day" spammers were very aggressive about moving from domain registration -> exploitation -> profit. A fallow domain might be a bit less suspect.

Age is no doubt 1 of many variables and, standing alone, I wouldn't give it much weight if I was a search engineer. Some weight, but not much. May 1 percent up or down, . . depending.

Industry

3:22 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

Thanks for the input. I guess the strategy is the same old or new...quality links and content.( and patience)

HuskyPup

4:55 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

But isn't it true that the age of a domain is a factor in ranking?

Taking an existing "quality" site and improving it would make it even better, taking an old name and putting new, totally non-related information on it should basically re-set it back to a new domain.

I know this since I have changed several sites with names I have owned for years, 10+ in most cases, uploaded new stuff and you start all over again.

Fair enough in my opinion.

agerhart

5:00 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

Sandbox does not exist.

Disagree.

I know this since I have changed several sites with names I have owned for years, 10+ in most cases, uploaded new stuff and you start all over again.

We've seen the opposite.

Take an old domain, let's say from 96 to 99, slap a brand new site on it, and you're good to go.

Industry

5:36 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

When you say "take and old domain"...is this an old domain you had....or a domain that had lapsed or that you purchsed?

agerhart

5:38 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

We've had success when we:

1) Took a domain that we had sitting around and rebuilt it.

2) Bought a website (not a domain) from someone and completely rebuilt it.

I think I agree with others in this thread....a recently expired domain that you grab is essentially a new domain.

Industry

5:52 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

And you used the domain you had sitting around because of the "age" factor?

And how much difference would you pen on that as a factor as opposed to a new;y registered domain?

HuskyPup

6:10 pm on Jul 23, 2009 (gmt 0)

Take an old domain, let's say from 96 to 99, slap a brand new site on it, and you're good to go.

I didn't write they wouldn't work but what I have found in competitive areas is not to expect them to have a head start over a brand new domain name registration.

I've done this both for genuine businesses and as an experimentation for myself just to see what happened, there is no discernible advantage from what I have experienced.

Sandbox does not exist.

Disagree.

All through the supposed sandbox era I was launching new sites with absolutely no problem whatsoever and I know many others who did the same. I've read about it, I've partaken in many discussions about it yet I've never experienced it therefore I concluded that it had to be something else.

Now the -950 was another thing altogether, that did create me a problem on one old and very established site.