When starting a new blog, the first step is usually to choose a domain name, which comes before conducting technical audits and creating content. Many people experience regret when it comes to choosing a domain, highlighting the difficulty of finding the perfect one. This article will outline the methods and tools Rank Market used to choose expired domains for blogs.
There are three approaches you might adopt when initiating the process of constructing a new website:
- Initiate the establishment of your blog on a new and unused domain.
This is the most frequently taken path, providing a pristine place of departure.
- Obtain a pre-existing domain.
This choice has the potential to be financially advantageous, especially if it includes a pre-existing website, but it may also be quite expensive.
- Acquire a lapsed or removed domain in a secure manner.
This is my favored approach, in which I have achieved favorable outcomes. Acquiring an aged domain can be a cost-effective strategy that offers SEO benefits. As the domain matures and acquires credibility with Google, the existing backlinks from the previous owner can contribute to improving your search engine rankings.
What is an Expired Domain?
An expired domain is a domain that has not been renewed by the website owner, resulting in the termination of its registration fees. As a result, the domain becomes inactive and is then categorized as “dropped” or “deleted” by the domain host. Normally, website owners are informed in advance about the upcoming expiration of their domain.
During a redemption grace time, domain owners are given the chance to renew their expired domains. If the renewal does not take place within this specified period, the domain may be put up for auction for domain names. If there is no interest in the domain, it will finally be added to a list of deleted domains.
I authored a blog entry discussing the concept of sales funnels. Although the search term has an approximate monthly search volume of 8,000, it is evident that anybody seeking to sell products will require a sales funnel.
In order to investigate possible domain choices, I accessed ExpiredDomains.net. I recommend registering for a complimentary account in order to unlock further functionalities. The website does not impose any fees and generates income by means of affiliate links when users sign up for new domain names. Upon logging in, I inputted the keyword “funnel” and applied a filter to see the results specifically for “Deleted domains.” Next, I arranged the list based on the “DP” metric, which represents domain popularity, or alternatively by “BL,” which signifies the number of backlinks per Majestic.
While these values may not be completely precise, they offer a useful initial reference. Here is a visual representation of the screen’s appearance:
Here’s a suggestion: You can modify the Column Manager settings to customize the visibility of the metrics that you find relevant. To access explanations and references to key domain marketplaces, simply move your mouse over the statistics to view tooltips. This feature enables you to ascertain information such as the duration of the domain, the availability status of specific extensions, and other relevant details.
These are the essential measurements to consider while assessing a domain:
LE: The number of characters in the domain name.
BL: The quantity of hyperlinks pointing to a particular webpage.
DP stands for Domain Popularity.
ABY: The date that the domain was first mentioned in Archives.org.
CF/TF: Majestic measures, including Citation Flow and Trust Flow, are comparable to Moz’s Domain Authority and Page Authority.
SEO professionals often look for old expired domains that have a high domain authority and a large number of referring websites. Nevertheless, the mere age of a domain does not ensure quick high ranks on Google. It is crucial to verify the presence of spam backlinks and confirm that the domain has not been used to create a Private Blog Network (PBN), which may reroute the flow of link authority to another website. Examining the web archive might offer valuable information about the historical content of the site. Furthermore, it is important to confirm whether the domain has not been blacklisted by Google AdSense, as previous sanctions from Google could impede the ranking potential of your website on that domain.
When choosing a domain name for your website, follow these recommended guidelines:
– Ensure that it is convenient to input with a keyboard or other input device.
– Ensure the domain name is succinct.
– Refrain from using numerical digits and hyphens.
– Choose distinctive names that are in harmony with your brand.
– Select the suitable top-level domain (TLD), especially when aiming for a specific geographic area.
The availability of a domain that has expired will vary based on the keyword used. Certain keywords may lead to expired sites containing high-quality backlinks, while others may result in domains with spam links. However, it is highly probable to discover a domain that possesses a powerful name and a little number of sturdy backlinks.
Once you have chosen a domain, proceed to evaluate it using SEO SpyGlass. If you receive a notice indicating that the tool is unable to locate the webpage, select “Yes” to continue. This is the anticipated response for expired domains that are not visible in Google search results.
Here is the initial result of my research:
By utilizing SEO SpyGlass, I have discovered the specific information regarding the backlinks associated with the expired domain
FunnelXpert.com is a website.This domain has a distinctive name that may be easily associated with a brand. It also has a total of 304 backlinks, which come from 74 different referring domains. It seems to be a favorable option.
Subsequently, I performed a manual examination by scrutinizing the web archive using the Wayback Machine. The website’s recorded history, which goes back to 2012, shows that it used to be an internet marketing company that operated in Australia and India.
After purchasing the domain for $8.99, I proceeded to create a meticulously designed blog on it. I devoted my endeavors to writing thorough blogs, such as one that elucidates the procedure of developing an online course within WordPress on your personal blog.
The events that followed clearly demonstrated the complete worthiness of my investment. After recently initiating the release of my personal online course on the platform. Here is another example of choosing a domain that has expired:
Let’s examine a practical illustration utilizing the keyword “Paleo diet” in real-time. I have selected the initial domain, “PaleoDiet411.com,” which has a notable 150 external backlinks originating from 26 referring domains. Afterwards, I proceed to evaluate the domain using SEO SpyGlass and explore the Linking Domains tab:
After careful examination, the link profile seems acceptable, and there is an additional advantage of having a .edu backlink. Links originating from Chinese or Arabic domains may indicate spam.
Now let’s proceed to the Linked Pages tab:
Here, we can see that the links lead to different pages, suggesting a well-balanced link structure. If I choose to use this domain, I will have to replicate these pages on the new blog in order to preserve the quality and value of the incoming links.
Websites that contain content unrelated to the issue, such as pages featuring iPhone or other branded content, would make the domain inappropriate.
Ultimately, it is crucial to verify the contents on Archive.org:
This step verifies that the domain has not been redirected or manipulated with spam strategies.
Here is another helpful application of SEO SpyGlass that is similar to the broken link development technique:
- Start by inputting a domain that has recently expired within your specific field or one that is now available for bidding.
- Analyze the inbound links pointing to this domain.
- Examine the backlinks that you might be able to obtain…
- Contact the proprietors of the referring domains that are linked to this expired domain, notifying them about the link to an expired domain and proposing that they redirect the link to your resource instead.
Jason Acidre has generously offered a free outreach template below, which you can modify to suit your link building endeavors:
Subject: Discovered a Defective Hyperlink on [Site Name]
Greetings, [First Name],
While browsing, I encountered a non-functional hyperlink that directs to [Site Name with 404 page], indicating that the website is no longer operational:
[Please provide the URL of the broken link]
I saw the presence of this information in the area of your resource page that provides useful connections related to [subject of their resource page].
The URL of their resources page is [insert URL].
In addition, I am of the opinion that the content provided by [Your Site] would be an appropriate inclusion in your list of resources. [Further explanation on why your content deserves to be included on their list]. I am certain that your visitors will perceive it as really beneficial:
Please provide the URL of your page.
Kindly inform me if there are any further matters I can aid you with.
When examining different backlinks, you may come across some undesirable ones, but this approach has been shown to be an efficient way to start your link building efforts.
Rank Market offers a group buy SEO PowerSuite, comprising vital tools such as Rank Tracker, WebSite Auditor, SEO SpyGlass, and LinkAssistant. This comprehensive bundle provides customers with crucial tools to optimize their SEO strategy and improve website performance.
Sum Up
To summarize, utilizing expired domains for acquiring backlinks offers a strategic option similar to the practice of broken link development. By employing SEO SpyGlass, anyone can examine backlinks pointing to recently expired domains and then contact the proprietors of the referring domains to redirect the connections to their own resources. While it may involve the task of sifting through less desirable backlinks, this method has been demonstrated to be a reliable and efficient way to initiate link building operations.
