Should I Buy An Aged Domain Or Start From Scratch?
Should I Buy An Aged Domain Or Start From Scratch?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not clear-cut as both methods will work. It really depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to pay a reasonable price, have a free and clear title (new url address), and are ready to build your first brand new business then start from scratch. If you are more experienced, have capital, and want to get a leg up then an aged domain can be the best way.
CAUTION: You need to do your research on the domain to make sure it was not using black hat methods or being used for something of the adult nature. You also need to know if the authority is still active so that you actually benefit from buying an aged domain.
What Does “Domain Age” Mean?
Definition: a metric of time online for a website. In other words, the length of time the site has been registered and maintained online.
Does Age Of Domain Matter?
Yes but as part of other website ranking factors. Along with hundreds of other ranking factors, domain age is taken into account. The idea being the older the website the more authority it must have and that the website creators must be doing something right to still be in business.
When a website is new your site can suffer from what internet marketers call the sandbox. Whether the sandbox is a real thing is a matter of debate but many new websites are seemingly overlooked for up to 6 months. A website having little to no rankings in the first 6 months is very normal but whether that is website age or human error we don’t know.
What we mean is it can take 6 months just to learn internet marketing so the fact that a website would or could start out with bad content as one makes mistakes when learning could also be responsible. That said there are sites that do great right out the gate. We don’t want to scare anyone its just that the reality is this business takes time.
Are Older Domains Better? Should I Buy An Aged Domain?
Depending on your situation, and the previous site’s content, and if it is still an active url, older domain names can be a better option. Aged domains under the right set of circumstances can get you backlinks and through the sandbox, but you still need to have great helpful content and practice good SEO to make this method work for you. Our suggestion is still not to buy an older domain unless
- You have done the research on the domain.
- You have the capital.
- You know what you are doing in terms of building a business and a brand.
- You have lots of prewritten content.
- You plan to publish every day.
Do Aged Domains Work?
Sometimes. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish and if you have experience. We do stress caution when trying to buy an aged domain as every case is different. They do have great potential for startups looking to get started quickly but this is not always the case.
Would An Aged Domain Prevent The Sandbox And How Much Would You Spend On One?
Possibly. It depends on how recently the site was active. If it was parked for a year or more the authority could have decayed and the website time has started over.
No more than $1,000 and only if it meets certain criteria.
How Do I Know If A Domain Is Aged?
There are a couple of free tools that can be used to verify domain age like DupliChecker’s Domain Age Checker.
- Small SEO Tools (Domain Age Checker)
- Way Back Machine
- Website SEO Checker (Domain Age Checker)
There are also sites dedicated to selling aged domains like Odys Global.
Is Domain Age Important For SEO?
Yes but how important it is has been a matter of debate. It is only 1 of hundreds of ranking factors, but it can and does make a difference, however, the success of a website is not dependent on that fact.
Aged Domain Case Study – Video1 Purchasing a domain from ODYS
Conclusion
It can be a boost to a new startup using an aged domain but you need to know what you are doing before you invest in one. Starting a business is not easy and it may take you a six-month waiting period to get the hang of just writing etc. Whether you buy an aged domain or not you should base the decision on what your personal goals are and based on your current level of experience.
