Sometimes businesses will choose to buy used domain name in order to capitalize on the name recognition of a business that once owned the domain or more often that not to use it to build their own brand online. What some companies don't understand though is that buying used domain names can pose a number of problems. SEO Web Design Tips urges you to know what you're getting yourself into!
Metaphorically speaking, when you purchase a used car, any mechanical issues that are wrong with the car you're purchasing then become your problem. In the same manner, if you buy an expired domain name, any problems or issues with that domain's history are now entirely the problem of the purchasing company. Certainly there is potential to capitalize on instant popularity or traffic when purchasing a reputable expired domain name, but more often than not buying a used domain name carries several risks.
The most glaring problem that companies may encounter when buying used domain names is that the domain may have been cited for being in violation of Google’s strict policies, or outrightly banned by Google. If you'd like to see if a domain name that you're considering purchasing comes with “baggage,” you can check in a few places:
- you can access the WHOIS database to find out when a domain name was first registered. Keep in mind that Google tends to give more weight to domain names that have been around for several years.
- in your Google search bar you can type in "cache:yourdomainname.com", which you view any pages that have been indexed by Google. It is likely that Google has blocked the domain name if there aren't any cached pages.
- take a look at who is linking to the domain name and make sure the links that are pointing to the domain are relevant to the domain's purpose.