What is domain age?

What is domain age

A lot of webmasters and SEOs are using the domain age checker tool nowadays. Some of them think that the older the age of a domain is the better it will rank on search engines. On the other hand, there are some members of the same community that don’t agree with this theory.

Let’s explore this debate a bit further and decide whether the domain age matters in ranking by search engines.

Why domain age matters?

·         Bigger link profile

The reason why aged domains are performing better in search engines ranking is that they have got some quality backlinks. Search engines examine backlinks of a website, and if the links are with sites that have authority and dominance, they are ranked better. The SEO work done in the past to create good quality backlinks is a big plus point for the website.

·         Established Reputation

Some domains have established a good reputation in their market segment. It is a huge plus point, as establishing a new domain name and getting a good reputation takes time and effort. If you are lucky enough to buy a domain with an established reputation which is ranking well with search engines, you are off to a flying start. Some companies are spending heavily in establishing their reputation and trust in the internet market.

·         Traffic

A well aged and established domain will be getting a fair amount of traffic. Getting regular traffic means the previous owner spent time and money on getting heavy traffic to the website. So if you were to invest in buying that domain, you wouldn't have to worry about getting traffic, as that will already be there. Yes, as the new owner you will have to worry about maintaining that level of traffic and increasing it.

·         Search Engine Ranking

What worries SEOs the most is getting a top ranking for their websites by search engines. If an aged domain has a good search engine ranking, it will save a lot of time and SEO effort. Remember it's not easy to set up a new website and expects to get a top ranking. Top ranking requires a lot of SEO effort, money and time. Getting a top ranking domain means immediate visibility and profit. Also, you are saving on a lot of SEO work.

Major flaws in domain age

We have discussed the benefits of buying a domain which is aged and is established and reputable. But before buying an aged domain, some flaws might exist in an aged domain which needs to be checked.

·         Black hat SEO Techniques

Black hat techniques could have been employed by the previous website master or SEO in attempts to improve the ranking of the domain. It would take some time and effort to establish whether the previous owner had used any illegal tactics on the domain. If these flaws are not removed, the future of the domain could be at stake.

·         Bad Reputation

It is another flaw that can exist in an aged domain. Some users may have blocked the website or tagged it as spam or malware. This bad or flawed reputation will damage your brand and the reputation of your business.

Note

We have discussed both, the positive and negative points of aged domains. Now you can see that both sides of the argument have some valid points. Therefore it’s advisable to check out an aged domain thoroughly before deciding to purchase it.