Domain Age: Why Age of a Domain Matters
There are many criteria that can determine the value of a domain name. One of which is the age of a domain name, as it can indicate several positive and negative features of the domain itself. In this article we will cover some reasons why you might be interested in domain age, along with how to check domain age, find domain creation dates, and determine website age for both your own sites and your competitors'.
What Is Domain Age?
Domain age is the time that has elapsed since a domain was first registered. The recorded first crawl of a website by Googlebot is considered its initial birthdate. While domain age is usually expressed in years, it is occasionally listed in days. Domain age is one of several factors used to determine the overall quality of a domain name, which brings us to our next point…
Why Check the Age of a Domain Name?
If you’re considering acquiring a domain name from an aftermarket, domain age can be an important signifier to determine the domains reputation and to understand a domains history. Here are some of the reasons why you should check the age of a domain name:
- Older domains are more likely to have a history of existing content and a backlink profile. Older domains tend to have more links pointing toward them, which is an important criterion for determining the quality of a domain.
- Older domains tend to have a previously established Domain Authority (DA). This metric indicates how a domain is perceived by search engines online (often a measurement to compare one site with other sites on the internet).
- The age of the domain isn't always an indicator of its quality but rather an indication that it may have been around long enough for users to engage with it over its history (leaving reviews, comments about the site online, having a reputation). This engagement may have a lingering effect on the domain name itself (which can be positive or negative)
How Is Domain Age Important When It Comes to SEO & Google Ranking?
A common misconception is that age of the website or domain does not affect search engine optimization. The truth, however, is that it has an indirect impact on your rankings.
Domain age in SEO is a contributing ranking factor. Domain Authority refers directly to how authoritative a page might be when content is being evaluated to be placed on search engine result pages (SERPs) compared against competing pages on similar topics. Any domain that has previously been used will have some authority.
This authority is determined by many factors which search engine crawlers use to determine value. This includes page content, referring domains/backlinks, and a site’s technical performance, which are all evaluated to gauge search engine placement. Older domains are likely to have some persisting backlinks and even can maintain some authority, which can make them valuable for SEO.
Does domain age affect SEO? The answer is yes, but indirectly. While Google has stated that domain age itself isn't a direct ranking factor, the characteristics that come with age—like established backlinks, content history, and user engagement—do impact your search rankings.
What Is a Whois Search?
“Whois Search” or “Whois lookup” (also known as “domain age checker” or ”domain name age checker”) is a tool that helps you find domain age, along with other important details such as registration date, expiry date, etc.
Using a domain age checker tool is one of the most reliable ways to check domain age online. These tools access the WHOIS database, which contains registration information for all domains.
How To Read a Whois Search to Get Domain Age Information?
A typical example of a Whois search/domain age checker report looks like this:
As you can see, there is useful information in your domain age checker report that you can utilize for your business, such as:
- Registry domain ID;
- Registrar WHOIS server;
- Registrar URL;
- Domain status;
- Registrar Abuse Contact;
- Registrant Name (Owner);
- Admin Name;
- Registry Tech ID;
- DNSSEC;
- URL of the ICANN Whois Inaccuracy Complaint Form;
The report will show the status of your website’s domain name, information if there are any issues with your site URL (such as possible abuse or phishing scams) and will also display some other useful information like when was a domain first registered with ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers).
To find the age of your domain name, you’re looking for ‘Creation Date’, which will list the date the domain name was first registered. This is also known as domain created date or the domain registration date. By comparing this date with the current date, you can check the domain age of a website.
Why Understanding Domain Age Matters When Analyzing Your Competitors
Knowing your competitor’s domain age can help you gauge one component of their level of competition, along with determining how old their backlinks are. This will help indicate how difficult it will be to rank your website on search engines compared to their content.
Things you can find out through age report about competitors:
- Level of competition - The first reason why you should check the age of your competitor domains is that it can help assess the difficulty of ranking certain content versus your competition.
- Age of your competitors - This means that if someone comes along with an identical or similar product as yours but has only just started their business recently: they might not be able to compete effectively against those who have had a long time on their side building up their authority through years of experience.
- Domain authority of your competitors (DA) - When competitors are not aware of your presence in the SERPs, you can take advantage of it by assessing gaps in content or discovering other opportunities.
- Backlink profile of your competitors, including links from authoritative sites. Getting quality backlinks the same as your strong competitors may lead to great success. This will increase your DA also!
- Overall security of their business – you can attain information about this business and any problems with phishing, scams, etc.
History of Domain Reputation and Its Importance
The importance of knowing domain history cannot be overstated: Having more information about the domain you wish to buy can only help make a better, more informed decision. It’s also helpful when trying to predict future problems of the business. Understanding past mistakes allow us to avoid them in the future.
When considering aged domain vs. new domain, many SEO professionals prefer aged domains for their established history and authority. An aged domain typically has a stronger foundation in search engines compared to brand new registrations.
FAQs
What does domain age refer to in SEO?
Search engines like Google often look at the age of your domain when deciding how trustworthy a website is. An older domain can signal reliability and authority, which can help improve your rankings. But hey, don’t confuse age with quality; a 10-year-old domain with junk content won’t perform well either!
Why does the age of your domain matter for SEO?
The age of your domain matters because it contributes to your site's trustworthiness and authority. Older domains tend to have more backlinks and a more established presence, which search engines love. Think of it this way: if two domains have similar content, the one that’s been around longer is likely to be favored in search results. It’s like getting a nod from your older sibling – a little extra respect for having been around longer!
Can a new domain ever compete with an older one?
Absolutely! While an established domain has its perks, a new domain can still climb the ranks if it focuses on quality content, effective SEO strategies, and building a solid backlink profile. It’s all about the effort you put in and how you present yourself. Just remember, it might take a little longer for a newbie to earn that trustworthiness compared to an older domain.
How does domain age affect email deliverability?
The age of your email domain can play a significant role in email deliverability. Older domains are generally seen as more reliable, which means they’re less likely to end up in the dreaded spam folder. If your domain has a positive reputation and a history of sending legitimate emails, ISPs are more likely to trust your messages and deliver them to the inbox. It’s like having a good neighborhood reputation – people are more willing to engage!
What happens if a domain was registered but never used?
If a domain was registered but never used, it’s like a car that’s just sitting in the garage – it’s there, but it’s not doing anything! Search engines may not see it as valuable since it lacks content, backlinks, and user engagement.