No credit for pre-existing links for expired domains?

Sites still appear to be gaining a lot of PR from old Y! and DMOZ links

[DVDBurning]

In this update thread, [webmasterworld.com...] GoogleGuy announced that "the authority for a domain will be reset when a domain expires, even though dangling links to the expired domain are still out on the web", and that reregistered domains "won't get credit for any pre-existing links".

It appears that some sites are benefiting handsomely from having registered expired domains. These domains are listed in Y! and the Open Directory, in some cases with multiple listings, and these listings are appearing as backlinks for the domain.

Can anyone confirm whether the appearance of a backlink does not necessarily mean that the backlink is passing PR? I know this was the case for a time with guestbooks. Or is this issue of credit from past backlinks (and directory listings) on expired domains still an issue?

While DMOZ supposedly has editors that can be contacted to notify about domains changing hands, Y! appears to have no information about who you would contact to report that a domain is no longer related to the old directory category.

[ThomasB]

I'd say it still works sometimes, but I wouldn't base a business on it.

[DVDBurning]

I certainly wouldn't either, but many less scrupulous web developers seem to be doing it.

I just happen to be in an industry that seems to attract more than its fair share of ripoff artists. The competition for key phrases is pretty intense, although I try not to worry about it directly, as I actually provide good content, and the junk affiliate scam sites don't. Providers of actual goods and services, or content tend to pick up backlinks naturally over time.

[Labyrinth]

Oh, it still works. I've got a competitor I was researching lately and couldn't figure out how the devil their newest site had such a high PR... checked their backlinks -- tons of links from edu sites, gov sites, and more -- links that made NO SENSE... until I re-evaluated the domain name itself and realized it was an expiry picked up by a marketing smartie.

It may not be a good basis for a longterm business strategy, but I can tell you they've picked up a handsome 5-figure profit with this puppy (if it lasts a few more months, it will be six figures).

It may not last, but I'm sure they think it was sure worth the investment. ;)

[johannamck]

Same thing observed here. In a quite-competitive field someone snatched up a domain that (I assume) expired by accident. He's been in the top 4 for almost two months now, outranking long-established authority sites.

The content of the website? "Free Stuff, Free Credit Report, Free Casino, Free Cell Phone, Free Credit Card, Free Satellite dish, Free Advertising ..."

Nothing related to the subject.

I don't understand, with Google's sophistication, why they can't easily implement the rule to check the content if the domain expires and is re-registered.

If the keyword density of the "main subject" drops suddenly to 0, and the new content is nothing but associates links and such, it should lose at least part of its backlink benefits.

[rfgdxm1]

>While DMOZ supposedly has editors that can be contacted to notify about domains changing hands, Y! appears to have no information about who you would contact to report that a domain is no longer related to the old directory category.

Try [e-mail]. They should be able to forward that to an editor. As to the OP, definitely Google's system of resetting a domain when it expires is buggy.

[steveb]

There is this underwear site beating me for #1 for a term that is nowhere near a priority for me so I haven't checked it out too much besides seeing that it is a basic hijacked domain. Looking around at it now I see it belongs to a web of hijacked domains, and while some of them have legacy ODP/Google/Yahoo directory links, I see that a part of the root of their PR comes from something joked about here all the time... links from some NASA pages! This is like hijacking two generations removed. NASA links to a widget site that used to be a science site, which links to a widget site that used to be an underwear site. It's number #1 for a (fairly minor) widget term due to anchor text links from NASA and underwear sites.

Whatever system is in place for expired domains doesn't work very well. Or, maybe it works great some of the time, but it works not at all other times.

[antrat]

While DMOZ supposedly has editors that can be contacted to notify about domains changing hands, Y! appears to have no information about who you would contact to report that a domain is no longer related to the old directory category.

I think you will find only a lucky few get satisfaction after contacting DMOZ 'so called' editors. As for yahoo, you will most likley get a verbatim reply which has zip do to with your enquiry.

Best of luck!

[julinho]

If you donīt hear from a dmoz editor, try one of the metas; they are much more willing to help, when it comes to delete ībad listingsī.

[victor]

The guys at the DMOZ forum are pretty efficient at processing hijack and abuse reports. The sites' DMOZ entries are usually dealt with within hours.

WMW terms of service do not permit me to tell you where the DMOZ forum is.

[DVDBurning]

antrat,
You were right... I got a reply from postmaster @yahoo that had nothing to do with my message to them about an expired directory listing. Talk about clueless customer service... that is terrible. The message said that the e-mail wasn't sent on their system, so they aren't responsible. What e-mail? I wasn't writing to them about SPAM.

You would think that they might have a system in place to purge listings for expired domains, but apparently they don't care whether their directory contains dead or erroneous links. It's like pulling teeth (or buying teeth) to get into their directory, and they are SO careful about what they list, where they list it, and how. After that, who cares?

Does anyone have the right address or place to contact Y! in order to inform them about directory listings that are no longer accurate?

[werty]

You may want to try url-support@ yahoo-inc.com (minus the space) or reportspam@ inktomi.com (minus the space)