How is a Domain Name Like a Good Wine?

Age matters.  Buying developed and expired domain names is a way of potentially also buying links, perceived reliability and PageRank.  Since so many affiliate and Adsense websites have sprung up over the past several years the age of a domain name has become an even more important factor in the rankings of  pages than it was previously. This is so much the case that people are willing to pay well for a name that has "aged well" and is showing up in the index of one or more of the major search engines.

Another aspect to the importance of domain name aging is the agreement amongst search engine optimizers that Google places new domain names in what is called the "sandbox". An editorial on the website Buzzle.com describes this factor well.  "The Google Sandbox is is an algorithmic filter designed by Google and implemented around March 2004 with the purpose of weeding out spam sites by placing all new websites under quarantine for a period of assessment." How long this process lasts depends to some measure in how competitive the area or subject of your website is considered to be. 

The simple fact that a domain name has been registered for many years does not mean nearly as much if there has been no actual website at that domain.  Once there is a real site with actual content then other websites may decide that content is of enough value to warrant a link.  And in the Google algorithm links are of great importance.  And the right links from the right sites are invaluable to the ranking of a smaller website. Link popularity as a topic in itself is covered in another article on this site.

So, if you think you have a good idea for a domain name you can go to a site like Register.com or GoDaddy.com and check if it's available.  If it is go ahead and register it right away.  Registering a domain name is very inexpensive. If you're not ready to plunge into creating a whole website right away just get some content up there.  This way the domain can begin its aging process.  Then, when you get ready to really get something going with that site your domain name will be out of any "sandbox" and ready to climb up the rankings.

Obviously if you want your domain name to be the same as the already registered and developed name of your business then any other considerations about domain names are unimportant.  Just register the domain (preferably get the .com unless you are a non-profit organization) and start building the online part of your business.

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