old domains & google

I want to buy a domain that was registered in 2002.
I think there was never a website and was never promoted. It is true that old domain names are performing well in searches if the content is good?

 

look for one that has links and still ranks well.

 

IMO old domains are pretty useless if zero backlinks.

 

i will build the backlinks

 

If there was never a website, there was no content. And no backlinks as well. I guess it doesn't have any PR. So probably it is absolutely worthless. I wouldn't pay more than I would have to pay for registering a totally new domain.

 

Old domains always rank better then new one.

 

I am not sure if the old domain name does better idea is an urban myth.
If i drive traffic to a 1 hr old new domain, sometimes i get better results....

Neil

 

you should double check for shady history for that domain as well.

 

I'll warn you though, I've been having a problem with old domains not being picked up in Googles index lately. Maybe its a phenomenon that has only effected me, but I've registered a couple of domains that have been unregistered for at least a few years, but when I point several PR5 sites towards them and wait they never get indexed in Google. MSN & Yahoo pick them up but not Google. I had to email support after 3 months to finally get one of them indexed and I'm waiting on the other. They still aren't fully indexed even though they should have a PR of about 4 by now. Now the completely fresh domains I've registered have absolutely no problem at all, and are souring along just fine.

I'm not sure if your planning on buying a domain that hasn't expired yet or not, but your probably better off buying a new domain unless you buy the website before it expires. Hopefully Google will fix this, or maybe this phenomenon is only effecting me, but I thought I'd mention it to you.

 

Will an old (undeveloped) domain skip the sandbox?

 

IMO, its not just age of the domain, but age of the BACKLINKS you've to reckon with.

 

Well technically the sandbox doesn't exist, so yes. But to be more precise, are you talking about purchasing the domain before it expires, or purchasing a domain that has expired but used to have content.

Google seems to be more forgiving if you purchase the domain prior to its expiration. Of course it's only going to rank for whatever keywords it currently is set to rank for. I imagine you will bypass some spam time delays of a new domain but will still suffer time delays on new keywords, just as any other domain.

 

In other words, no one knows and it changes all the time anyhow. So pick the domain which will work best at attracting and retaining visitors

 

Ascensions, I am in the same position as you. Bought a name that had been preowned and had expired (I didn't know), took months to get the home page indexed and still can't get any other pages indexed (despite the help from others here on these forums).
Plenty of emails from google about guidelines, backlinks and so on, none of which apply to my site. They just aren't indexing or caching the site. Glad it's not just me.
I would not buy a pre-owned name again.
Still I'm top in MSN and Yahoo for the main keyword

 

i think real old domains help. but 1 -2 years doesnt make a difference

 

If it has old links, then it makes a difference. I also think it has to be over a couple years old to matter.

 

No question that an old domain alone does hardly nothing.... but an old domain with old links...now that's a different story.

 

A domain so old probably is worthless now. Maybe it's got some links but I am guessing it has lost most of them after all that time.
Its value should be no more than a new domain