I read a Google patent application that stated that they have an algorithm that will take domain reservation length into consideration. The idea is that most spammers and scrapers will only register a domain for one year, while serious information providers will register theirs for 10 years at a time. At this pint I don't know how much influence it has. To test, I extended the domain reservation on my blog, http://www.thorschrock.com to 10 years. Its a PR5 on the gateway page right now, so we'll see how it does in the next Google PR update.
Hm, my Traffic Blazer account (SEO gurus will forgive ) says: So i am kind of confused, on one hand i would believe it (the patent application etc.) but on the other hand, TrafficBlazer = GoDaddy and GoDaddy = selling domains... So i would appreciate a Google SEO expert opinion on this...
It does not appear to have been implemented yet, but in most of their future patent-work ( See http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...gle&FIELD1=ASNM&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PTXT ) they speak to it. It's coming. That and PAST length seems to be moving up in importance ( How long something has been registered , not only how long the content has been there )
Retrospective length of registration makes sense (i.e., how long has this site been around?). Prospective length of registration (how far into the future has the site been registered for?) makes absolutely no sense as a measure of whether a site is going to stick or is just another fly by night get rich quick operation. Do you really think a spammer/scammer/porn site operator is going to balk at spending $59.95 US for a 10 year domain registration if he thinks that will help him make a few thousand in a few months and then abandon the site? The whole notion of prospective registration length is just way too simpleminded and just plain dumb to be taken seriously. I'm not happy with Google at the moment but they have not made a habit of being either insane or just plain dumb so far. I don't believe this myth for a second.
The fact is, there are too many sites key optimized working their way to the top positions of google that they might not choose as first if they could do it by hand... they are just trying to find ways to filter and make their system follow common sense. As I see it, if a site will be just the image site of a ground company, it makes sense to register for as long as possible. If the site is an enterprise in its own, you need to give it a try and see how it works before compromising more. But of course I have nothing to do with google, so...
Well, let me give you a personal example of the flaw in that logic. When i started the original psychlinks.ca site back about 1998 or 1999 (it had existed before that under another name I could no longer use - partnership that ended), I think I only registered the domain for a year. This was because I was already starting again with a new domain name and I wasn't sure I liked "psychlinks.ca" enough to stick with it but wanted to get the site up and live under SOME new name as quickly as possible. At that time, Canadian domains (.ca) were relatively expensive, something like $70 a year if I recall correctly, and I didn't feel like spending the money for multi-year registration if I was going to change it again. However, it was never a question of whether the site would continue to exist - only a question of whether it would continue to exist under that name. Now that domain names (even .ca ones) are a lot cheaper, as I said earlier, it's nothing to buy a 10 year registration even if the plan is to dump it a year later and run.,
I've also heard of the age of a website is of importance. How long it has been online. I don't think the duration of domain registration should matter. Also, I've read that too long and spammy domains with a lot of hyphens are disliked by google.
I know web sites that are have very good rank under some keywords and their domains are more than 25 letters long.
mmm minstrel, as I see it, your example comfirms the logic. When you have a ground business, the name is not an issue (it was when you chose it, but then it is done). When you register the domain name, you have in general no doubts. For example, I just opened a company, the name is Movads, Inc., the domain movads.com is taken and I spent some time trying to contact the owner to buy it or trade it. If I can grab it, I will register it for as long as I can. On the other hand, when you have an idea for an online business, there are several variations you can use. That is the main reason for registering for one year at least at the begining, and apparently it was what happened to you. A friend came propposing a partnership for a pet related website. Well, we started the site under one name, but I have registered other variations and the related names to make it a set of sites. They are all in one year autorenew until I take a possition about it. Makes sense? Rossie, I heard something about it too. But, well, you never know. I think that to make sites with real info is the safer way to go.
No. If you think it does, you've misunderstood my post. The idea behind using prospective domain registration terms is that reputable businesses, online or offline (and mine is both), will purchase long registration terms while scammers, spammers, and fly-by-night get-rich-quick operations will not. I provided you with a personal example of why the former assumption is incorrect and a general scenario for why the second is incorrect. It doesn't support the myth of prospective registration period at all.
lol I think that maybe you missunderstood my post instead of me missunderestanding yours. I am not supporting prospective registration! you are hitting the wrong target. I don't agree with the idea of "short term->bull**t" anyway to put it clear. I think that it is normal for online business specially at the beginning to not be sure about the name, unless you find a great name. I thought that was clear... apparently not. Anyway it's Ok, not such a big deal (at least for me...).
OK, I see. I thought you were saying by "confirms the logic" that it supported the myth. Sorry 'bout that.
Hi folks, thanx for opinions. However, minstrel, does not this your quote beats itself while containing two different opinions? You say "makes no sense" but then "is spammer/scammer/porn site operator going to do this to promote his site" - in which you say it actually IS A PROOF??? Am i right? Well I thing SE taking this into account could be a kind of protection against spammers/scammers etc. because they usually use domain kitting and have the names registered just for a while. However, if you run a decent site, you might have no troubles registering it for few next years and let SE know you are not a spammer etc.
No. What I am saying is that trying to use how long a domain is registered for into the future as a measure of quality of a website or how serious the webmaster is about his business or how long the site is actually going to be around won't work. Some very good quality sites may be automatically renewed for one or two year terms at a time. Some very low quality sites, especially those whwere the webmaster thinks it may help get that low quality site a better Google ranking, will launch the site with a 10 year domain registration. The good short registration site is still a good site. The poor quality 10-year registration site is still a bag-o-crap. Registration term has nothing to do with quality or actual longevity.