Extending my Domain Name Expiration Date

[killua]

I have a domain name (with whois privacy) created on 2004-08-12 and I've been renewing it for every 3 years and at moment it will expire on 2014-08-12.

I read recently that a domain name with longer expiration will benefit in SEO.

Now here's my question.

1. Will it benefit me in terms of search engine ranking IF i renew it again right now for another 7 years making it 10 years more? Or is every 3 years just fine and 10 years will not matter at all since my site is now 7 years old?

2. Is it also SEO-beneficial to renew the domain name a year before the expiration date? Because I'm used to renewing just a month before the expiration date month.

Thanks.

[buckworks]

I have no idea whether there's truth to that rumour, but even if true it would only be a tiny factor among many other much larger ones. So don't expect any measurable SEO benefits if you extended your registration.

That said, there's no logical reason to expect it would hurt, and there are practical business reasons why it's a good idea to keep your domains renewed well into the future.

I keep most of my domains registered at least two years into the future, and the important domains are the full ten years.

I make a lot of decisions on the basis of "It can't hurt!" and that's one of them.

One of my other mantras is, "Never pass up an easy chance to do something better than the other guy."

[Sage17]

There is no relationship between SEO and the expiry date of a domain name. Search engine bots don't look into these things. Quality and unique content is the key to SEO.

[Webwork]

There is no relationship between SEO and the expiry date of a domain name.

Unless you code (endlessly) any SE's ranking alorithm - OR you have datasets the size of the NSA - it's rare than anyone can (or should) say with certainty that any given variable has no role in ranking. There's ranking algos, spam filters and heaven knows what else that come into play.

I believe, not so long ago, that extended periods of registration were considered one "slight" indication/variable/signal of a website's non-spammy intention, i.e., a small signal that a website's operator "was in it for the long haul". Was there ever an "official" statement that such was the case? Not that I recall. Were there "hints"? I kinda recall overhearing comments suggesting length of registration might play some small role - maybe in initial sandboxing, maybe in triggering spam filters, . . . Maybe, maybe, maybe. Usually from people with the knowledge to say "yes" or "no".

I wouldn't extend a registration for a decade if my sole motivation was SEO . . . unless, perhaps, I was in an uber competitive space. I would extend it, however, as a defense against an inadvertant drop, to beat a price hike, etc.

[Sage17]

Unless you code (endlessly) any SE's ranking alorithm - OR you have datasets the size of the NSA - it's rare than anyone can (or should) say with certainty that any given variable has no role in ranking. There's ranking algos, spam filters and heaven knows what else that come into play.

I agree there are certain things that you will never know unless you work in the development team of SEs. However, in order to make an opinion, you don’t need to work in every field. There are certain guidelines made available by the SEs; a webmaster needs to follow them. Those who have followed them have achieved success. In other words, experience has told us what is and what is not relevant to the SEO of a site.

The so-called SEO experts will tell you funny things and give you far-fetched ideas as to how to improve the ranking of a site. They don’t code for the SEs either. They have to make their business viable; hence such ideas. Such claims cannot be accepted merely due to the argument that ‘nothing can be ruled out’ imho.

PS. I am not denying the importance of backlinks at all. They are the backbone for the optimisation of any site.

[buckworks]

However, in order to make an opinion, you don’t need to work in every field

That is why responsible writers take great care not to present their opinions as facts.

[jecasc]

Well... if domain information had an impact on Search ranking algorithm, I would bet that your "private whois" would take any positive impact a long expiration date might have away. Tenfold.

Personally I do not think it has any impact on rankings.

If I had to improve a website for search engines the domain expiration date would probably number 13,945 on my to do list.

[Yulia from DNP]

Personally i agree with the last post,the only benefit that i thought of from renewing your domain was, well, not worrying about forgetting to renewing it. Really, if you going to be bothered about it anyway, just renew it. Any other case- don't see any benefits from it