Google works in mysterious ways. The search engine giant’s algorithm for determining page rankings has long been the subject of debate, conjecture, and analysis among professionals with an interest in digital marketing. After all, figuring out what makes one website appear on a search page above another is an extremely valuable bit of knowledge. The truth is though, there is no single determining factor in regard to page rankings. Indeed, Google itself has announced that it uses over 200 factors to rank websites. Still, that hasn’t stopped progressive business owners from looking for any edge they can get when it comes to search engine optimization. One such purported “edge” is domain age. For some years now, people have debated about the importance of domain age in SEO rankings. However, just how critical domain age remains a hot topic for many digital marketers. Today, we’ll look to dispel some of the myths around domain age and offer as much clarity as possible on the subject.
Does Domain Age Matter at All?
Short answer: yes. It’s one of the many factors Google uses to determine page rank, but typically Google employees have downplayed its importance. However, it’s wrong to say that your website’s age has no effect at all on your online visibility; that much simply isn’t true. Additionally, it can be difficult to isolate the impact domain age has on a website. Sure, a page that’s ten years old might hold a high-ranking position on certain Google search pages. But likely because a site that’s ten years old will also have years of sound content and referral links backing it up as well.
Domain Age: Precise Definitions
One might not expect much confusion regarding how old a website is. However, the year a domain name was registered and the first time Google “indexed” it can be two different times. Consider this scenario then: if you purchased and registered a domain ten years ago, but never did anything with it (built pages, created content, etc.) and no one ever shared a link from your site, then odds are Google never bothered with it either. In this instance, the “ten-year-old” domain is as old in Google’s eyes as a brand new one. Again, this lends credence to the idea that while domain age might hold some significance within search-engine algorithms, it’s probably not a vital aspect.
Creating a Domain vs Purchasing an Old One
Again, this practice was more in vogue some time ago, but there are still entrepreneurs who’d rather buy an “established” domain for their business than work to build up a new one from scratch. There are a few problems with this strategy. To begin, if your business has nothing in common with the domain you purchased, you’ll have to change virtually everything about the site anyway (including perhaps the site’s domain name). Otherwise, despite a supposed visibility advantage, you would likely struggle to get anyone (let alone leads or customers) to click on your site. What’s more, just because a page has existed for some time, it doesn’t mean that it holds an impressive domain authority or online presence. So while it can be difficult to get pages to rank for a website that just started (within the first two-to-three months of existence) most experts agree that after a brief period domain age ceases to hold great value. Rather, other SEO practices that are within your control are more worthy of exploration than attempting to exploit a loophole in Google’s algorithm.
Contact the Pros
Search engine optimization isn’t something that can be addressed with one action. Instead, companies that value their online presence and visibility need to prioritize all aspects of proper SEO implementation. Don’t know how to get started optimizing your website? Then contact the professionals at Agile & Co. today! We’ve got the skills, resources, and experience to make a difference for your business. Plus, to learn how you can implement SEO tactics in your inbound marketing strategy, download our free eBook here:
