What are old domain names? What should you pay attention to when buying an old domain name?

An old domain name refers to a domain name registered in the early years. The domain name's registration year can be found using webmaster tools or WHOIS lookup tools. Generally, there are two types of old domain names: those registered early but never used as a website, and those registered early but already used as a website.

The difference between two old domain names lies in the following: if the domain name has been used as a website, such as a corporate or non-profit site, its authority is usually better than a website without content. However, websites with content like spam, fraud, or pornography generally perform worse than old domain names without content.

Are old domain names better than new domain names?

When using a new domain name for the first time, search engines usually have an observation period. If the website experiences abnormal external growth or problematic content updates during this period, the search engine may consider the website to be engaging in cheating. In severe cases, this can lead to the site being penalized (de-listed), a phenomenon known as the hourglass effect. Relatively speaking, this problem doesn't occur with websites built using old domain names. As long as backlinks grow normally, they are generally not suspected of cheating, which is an advantage of old domain names. Furthermore, old domain names inherit the authority of the original website. The rights accumulated by an old domain name in the past will not completely disappear due to the website's suspension of operation, but will gradually decrease. If you use an old domain name to build a website at this time, some of the authority will be inherited, which is very beneficial for the new website. Furthermore, the previous links will not completely disappear; some can even be recovered, essentially giving you a head start compared to other new websites.

What issues should you pay attention to when buying an old domain name?

The most important thing to pay attention to is whether the old domain name has a history of being penalized (K) by search engines. An old domain name with a bad record is detrimental to SEO optimization. On the contrary, it will have a negative impact on the website. Specific issues to pay attention to:

1. You should know whether the old domain name has a history of being penalized (K) by search engines. If it has, especially in the near future, try not to use it;

2. To understand the history of the old domain name, it's best to avoid deviating from the theme you are buying and participating in;

3. In the history of the old domain name, you must know whether it has been involved in inappropriate or borderline content. If so, try not to choose it.

There are some advantages compared to new domain names, but these advantages are not absolute. Not all old domain names have higher authority than new domain names. Old domain names have varying degrees of authority, and some even have the right to be demoted. If you're using an old domain that has the authority to delete it, it's best to use a new domain. Domains with the authority to delete are difficult to restore in terms of authority, especially domains that have been used for illegal websites.

Finally, the authority of an old, unused domain will decrease. The longer it remains unused, the lower its authority will become, until it is degraded.