Domain name acquisition is like buying a new phone number – you can get a completely new sequence of numbers, or you can get a number that someone else has already used before you. Checking the aged domain names takes time and effort, but you may end up finding something of value.

With domains, the situation is the same: most of the interesting domain names have already been registered at some time, and some of them are then released, and you can use them. We will talk about the pros and cons of using such domains with a history in this article.

Old domain name acquisition

There are two ways to get a domain with a history: you either wait until the desired domain name becomes free or arrange a deal with the current owner of this address. Often a domain can be bought along with the site that is located on it.

Most often, old domains are bought simply because the domain name has a simple and project-appropriate spelling that is easy for users to remember.

But this is not the only advantage of domains that have already been registered before – they perform well in terms of search engines and, according to some experts, they are easier to promote.

In addition, you can simply buy an old domain and set it aside until better times, and then create your own project on it or resell it to someone else.

Advantages of aged domain names

The main advantage of acquiring an old domain is its beauty and harmony. You can choose exactly the domain you want, without adding additional words, changing the domain zone, and other tricks. Such a simple domain name will be easy for users to type and remember.

The old domain is a good option in terms of promotion in search engines. A site that was previously on this domain may have a good site quality index, it may have a link mass, which will positively affect the promotion of a new site in search engines.

Search results are built in such a way that the addresses on which sites have been working for several years are higher. So, by buying a domain with a history, you already get a certain advantage. You get it even if your chosen domain includes keywords, as this will also help promote the site in search engines.

Finally, the old domain can be registered in order to sell it later (which is often done with new domain names). In this case, buying a domain with a history can become a kind of investment, a contribution to making a profit in the future.

Cons of aged domain names

Buying domains with a history has a downside as well

Let’s start with the fact that the previous site on this domain could be subject to sanctions from search engines. If so, then your new site may also fall under them. And then a situation arises when you buy an old domain, host a site on it – and the site is moving poorly or not moving at all. Domain expert know that getting a site out of sanctions is not always easy. So if you doubt the good reputation of a domain, it’s better to think twice before registering it.

Sometimes there is a situation when a previously used address is indexed more slowly than new domains. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.

The second point is financial. If you repurchase a domain, then its cost may well be several thousand rubles or dollars. Such spending will not be affordable for everyone.

Domain name monitoring

Checking the history of the address you are about to register is a mandatory procedure that can save a lot of time and nerves in the future. It is especially important to do this in those situations when you buy a domain “from hand”. There are several ways to check a domain name. Is it old? What was on it before? There are resources online to help you find out. In this article, you can take a look at using Wayback Machine, a site for domain name monitoring. 

Checking domain registration history

You can start searching for information about a domain from a specialized service that displays registration data. If you are lucky, you will be able to contact the owner of the address and ask him for details. However, if the owner is interested in selling the domain, then he may not tell the most truthful information.

Aged domain names. Checking the content of a resource

You can see what kind of site was on the domain before you bought it on a special site, where more than 343 billion pages are saved. You simply paste the domain name you are interested in into the search field and see which site was previously located at this address.

It will also be useful to check the address in the search engines – see what information they have about the site. This will give at least a general understanding of how the domain has been used (and whether it is worth buying now).

It is especially important to ensure that there is no content on the domain that is contrary to the law – you are unlikely to want to host your site on a domain name with a dubious reputation.

Is it worth the old domain name acquisition?

There is no single answer to the question of which domain is better to buy, new or old. There are many different factors to consider when choosing a domain name, so your situation will be different from that of your friend or acquaintance.

However, the general advice that can be given is this: if you are good at promotion, work with search engines, and can easily track the history of a domain name, choose a domain with history; if you are a novice webmaster, then it is better to choose a new domain or contact more experienced colleagues.

Of course, a lot depends on the domain itself: if it is beautiful, easy to remember, and ideal for your project, then these points may well compensate for the hypothetical difficulties that you may encounter. But if you want to minimize the problems associated with the site address as much as possible, then it is better to choose a domain without a history.

After registering an address, you should take care of its protection – this is described in detail in the article “How to protect your domain name?”.

Finally, the final step is choosing a host for your site. At first, virtual hosting is perfect for you. And in the future, when the site traffic increases, it will be possible to switch to more powerful tariffs. In this article, you can read why you need a great hosting server.