An expired domain is one the owner has not renewed after the contract expires, and it becomes available for repurchase.
While they can be valuable assets in your SEO work, not all expired domains hold the same value. That’s why it’s crucial to know how to evaluate their worth.
Expired domains are evaluated using different factors and criteria depending on what you plan to use them for.
In this article, we’ll share our processes for evaluating expired domains to help you make an informed decision before buying one.
Key Takeaways
- Analyzing the domain’s history can provide helpful insights into its past owners, reputation, and potential risks.
- When checking the backlink profile, you should look for links from sites in the domain’s niche, “seed” sites (sites that Google recognizes as reputable and high-quality content), major media, Wikipedia, government sites, and other authoritative sources.
- The most important metrics that you should check when evaluating a domain are Domain Authority (DA), Domain Rating (DR), Trust Flow (TF), and Citation Flow (CF).
- Other factors you should consider when evaluating a domain are checking historical traffic and ranking, the domain name, and always running a manual check in addition to using metrics.
Analyzing Domain History
Analyzing the domain’s history is an important step in evaluating its value. It can provide helpful insights into its past owners, reputation, and potential risks.
We use a Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) to see how a domain was used in the past and choose only the ones with a clean history.
We avoid expired domains that:
- has been used in PBNs
- has been redirected
- has changed its content/theme
- has changed its niche
- has changed its language
We may compromise these criteria only if we are going to use the domain for PBNs. For a new money site in which we will invest a lot of time and resources, looking for a clean domain is crucial.
Checking the Backlink Profile
Checking the backlink profile is the next essential step for evaluating an expired domain because it gives an idea of how it has been used.
Domain backlinks are links from other websites that direct to a particular domain. They play a crucial role in SEO because they signal to search engines that the content on the linked domain is valuable and pertinent, as other websites are referencing it.
In our work, we check the backlink profile with Ahrefs and look for links from sites in the domain’s niche, “seed” sites (sites that Google recognizes as reputable and high-quality content), major media, Wikipedia, government sites, and other authoritative sources.
We avoid expired domains that:
- have mostly web 2.0 links
- have many links from a few sites
- have shady redirects
- have many exact match anchor texts, like best, buy, etc.
Checking the Domain’s Metrics
Domain metrics play a crucial role in evaluating a domain’s value and performance. The most important metrics that we always check when evaluating a domain are:
Domain Authority (DA)
DA is a search engine ranking score that shows how likely a website is to rank in search engine result pages (SERPs). A higher domain authority score indicates a higher chance of ranking higher in search results.
Domain Rating (DR)
Domain Rating (DR) shows the strength of a website’s backlink profile. A higher DR score indicates a stronger backlink profile and potentially better search engine performance.
Trust Flow (TF) / Citation Flow (CF)
TF and CF are metrics that measure the quality and quantity of backlinks, respectively. TF represents the trustworthiness of a website’s backlink profile, while CF represents its overall link equity. The best ratio between the two (CF:TF) is around 2:1.
Other Factors to Consider
There are some other factors that you should consider when evaluating a domain:
Check historical traffic/ranking
Analyzing historical data can help you identify any potential issues with the domain, such as a sudden drop in traffic or a penalty from search engines. It can provide insights into the quality and relevance of the domain’s backlink profile.
In our work, using various tools and techniques, we check whether the domain has been ranked and on what topic. We also monitor traffic and watch for spikes and drops, which could be a sign of a problem (not relevant if we’re going to use the domain for a PBN).
If the domain has been ranked and has natural traffic, that means that it is healthy. If not – it may be a signal for a more thorough inspection.
Domain name
Even though the domain name is not a main factor when choosing an expired domain, a good name can increase domain value.
Desirable domain names are typically short, memorable words. Moreover, names incorporating high-value and profitable keywords can enhance the domain’s worth.
The domain name is important mostly for new sites and less for PBNs and redirects. However, a good domain name can raise the domain price if we decide to sell it in the future.
Why We Prefer Manual Evaluation
While metrics like Domain Authority (DA), Domain Rating (DR), and Trust Flow (TF) can provide valuable insights, relying only on these metrics can be a mistake.
By running a manual check in addition to using metrics, you can get a wider understanding of the expired domain’s quality, potential, and relevance to your specific needs.
Also, you can use tools like GoDaddy’s Domain Name Appraisal to evaluate domains. Read our article to learn more: GoDaddy Domain Appraisal: Everything You Need To Know
Conclusion
Evaluating the value of an expired domain is a critical step in your SEO and online marketing strategy. With the right domain, you can save time and effort while reaping the benefits of an established online presence. By considering factors such as domain history, backlink profile and dome helpful metrics, you can make an informed decision about whether to invest in an expired domain.
Remember that the right domain can be a valuable asset, so choose wisely.
