Question

Topic: SEO/SEM

Can A Domain Name Gain Transferable Credibility?

Posted by Anonymous on 9/23/2008 at 4:11 PM ET 250 Points
A very nice domain name has been offered to me as part of a deal. My current one is also a good domain (not superb or anything, but good). What would I be gaining from using this new one that has been around for a long time and is in the top echelon of my category? Does it carry credibility or clout just because of duration on the web or the fact that its a great name?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 9/23/2008 at 4:24 PM Member
    The fact that a domain name has been around for 1 year or 10 years makes little difference.

    What is a "great name"? If the domain name is more memorable, or more descriptive of what you do, as compared to your current domain name, it could be useful to have.

    If there are currently a lot of hits at that domain, you will get an initial surge of hits (though whether those hits continue, or are just one time as the people find out that the old web site is no longer and it is now your web site, is a more difficult question).
  • Posted by excellira on 9/23/2008 at 4:24 PM Accepted
    Are you purchasing the domain name and the site or just the domain name? Is the web site on the domain you are acquiring still up and active or has it been down for a period of time? If down, how long?

    What is the PageRank and number of backlinks (go to Yahoo.com and query: linkdomain:domainname.com -site:domainname.com. On the right you'll see the number of backlinks. Check both sites (yours and the new one). You will also want to examine traffic and traffic profiles to determine the value that each domain brings to the table.

    How relevant is the new site to your subject matter? Is it more or less focused on your ideal prospects or visitors?

    Sorry, you asked a question and you're getting many in return. ;-) The issue is that there are countless variables which need to be examined in order to be in a position to provide a helpful (rather than harmful) recommendation.

    Best,

    Greg Hill
    Trinity Search Engine Marketing
  • Posted by Mikee on 9/23/2008 at 4:25 PM Member
    The value is in the name. If it is somehting that it is easy to remember and people will look for than it is valuable.

    The search ranking in google/yahoo/etc. has more to do with the site and less to do with the name. If you buy the name and assign it to you site, the search engine rankings will quickly change to reflect your content and links instead of that from the previous site that used the name.

    You should only buy the domain name if it will make it easier for people to find you and remember your domain name. How much are they askiing for the domain name?

    Hope this helps,
    Mike
  • Posted by excellira on 9/23/2008 at 4:33 PM Member
    More thoughts:

    Domain age does factor into rankings to some degree though I am not certain that this would weigh heavily on the decision if both domains are more than 2 years old.

    Branding comes into play as well. If you have considerable traction with one domain you may be doing your business more harm long-term than any benefit from a short-term bump in traffic will provide.




  • Posted by Pepper Blue on 9/23/2008 at 4:54 PM Accepted
    Hi Claire,

    Purchasing/obtaining a domain name that was previously owned is not a bad idea.

    This is because one of the many factors in Google's search engine algorithm is the age of a domain name.

    Although the effect in ranking edge this will give you is small, the age of a domain does give the appearance of longevity and therefore a higher relevancy score in Google and the other search engines.

    It can also help you avoid the sandbox effect of a new website.

    Two things that are considered in the age of a domain name are:

    1) The age of the website itself
    2) The length of time a domain has been registered

    Also, the length of time a domain is registered into the future can have added benefits, so if the name expires in the next year or so you might want to consider renewing it for a 10 year period - this applies to all your domain names.

    Lastly, all the above is relevant to organic search engine marketing, however, you mention that it is also a "great name" which for branding is a good thing.

    Sounds like you a got good deal, those 2 attributes don't always happen and when they do they can cost a great deal of money.

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/23/2008 at 7:10 PM Member
    While it's nice to have a good ranking, what you really want are customers who trusted the business/domain and who've produced positive comments ("buzz") online. If the site has good "buzz" and a great segmented customer database, it'll give you a big boost (if your offerings continue in the same vein to the same target audience).
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