[Guide] How to use Expired Domains effectively

[AngelSeo]

Hey, thank you so much for your brilliant guide! @fasttrak

Im having a question tho: Ideally, I would like to built a somewhat serious site from an old domain I found. Im working in a german niche, so the domain is also german which requires an imprint by law. I am somewhat hesitant to just copy the original creators content (I will create a new Wordpress instance, and maybe copy&paste everything) - did you have any legal issues? Is there a way around it? I mean the URL obv isn't branded, but I would still be royally fucked seeing that I can be traced down so easily via imprint...

I thought about "copying" the posts with the most backlinks, but rewriting them and optimize them for today's search queries. Also, if I try to make a PBN out of it, will there be a punishment by identical imprint among the different websites? (GSC will be on separate google accounts, hosting will be spread out - among 2 or 3 hosters -too)

One workaround for this is to have the info in image. So you abide to the law by having the owner clearly in the site info, but Google cannot really read it on the image, to make the connection with other PBNs of yours.

 

[fasttrak]

So I found a domain thanks using your method, only all the articles have been snatched by some unscrupulous black hatter lol.
Should I build pages with same type of content and create the exact same urls ? will that work ?

It was probably me searching for expired content

However I too come across this an awful lot and the solution is simple and effective. Just rebuild the content/domain as it was before and send some social signals or push the pages backlinks through an indexing service to give Google a reminder of its existence. The vast majority of the time Google favours content from the original domain and you are golden.

I have done this numerous times and the success rate is very high, to the point that if I find decent quality expired content nowadays I buy the old expired domain, resurrect the content using this method and then 301 it (assuming it is fairly clean).

Hey, thank you so much for your brilliant guide! @fasttrak

Im having a question tho: Ideally, I would like to built a somewhat serious site from an old domain I found. Im working in a german niche, so the domain is also german which requires an imprint by law. I am somewhat hesitant to just copy the original creators content (I will create a new Wordpress instance, and maybe copy&paste everything) - did you have any legal issues? Is there a way around it? I mean the URL obv isn't branded, but I would still be royally fucked seeing that I can be traced down so easily via imprint...

I thought about "copying" the posts with the most backlinks, but rewriting them and optimize them for today's search queries. Also, if I try to make a PBN out of it, will there be a punishment by identical imprint among the different websites? (GSC will be on separate google accounts, hosting will be spread out - among 2 or 3 hosters -too)

That is a tuff one for sure. When I have worked with domains which require local (in country) address and contact details, I have just used fake details. I use an email address I can control, so I can make changes later if needed, but that has always worked for me.

The only TLDs I avoid are ones which require proof of business entity. Otherwise I have had no issues from TLDs across every continent.

What exactly is required in the 'imprint'?

PS. I told you it was worth asking the question on the post as you would likely get answers from other members too Thanks @AngelSeo

 

[Flaunt7]

what about selling them as they become premium domains

 

[Ky0n']

That is a tuff one for sure. When I have worked with domains which require local (in country) address and contact details, I have just used fake details. I use an email address I can control, so I can make changes later if needed, but that has always worked for me.

The only TLDs I avoid are ones which require proof of business entity. Otherwise I have had no issues from TLDs across every continent.

What exactly is required in the 'imprint'?

PS. I told you it was worth asking the question on the post as you would likely get answers from other members too Thanks @AngelSeo

To make it even tougher: I would ideally make it like a high-quality money site, working partly as a PBN. So the plan is to build the website, let it age with some backlinks every now and then, and continue with another site in the meanwhile. When some sites are starting to develop, id ideally link between each of them to sort of get high quality free posts.

The imprint really depends on the purpose. I think my personal address and depending on the purpose also my VAT number...

 

[fasttrak]

To make it even tougher: I would ideally make it like a high-quality money site, working partly as a PBN. So the plan is to build the website, let it age with some backlinks every now and then, and continue with another site in the meanwhile. When some sites are starting to develop, id ideally link between each of them to sort of get high quality free posts.

The imprint really depends on the purpose. I think my personal address and depending on the purpose also my VAT number...

Unless you need to verify your personal address, you can use a fake address generator. VAT number is harder, but perhaps you can specify the purpose as personal, especially at this point in time.

>>I would ideally make it like a high-quality money site, working partly as a PBN...When some sites are starting to develop, id ideally link between each of them to sort of get high quality free posts.

Be very careful about interlinking between money sites, it is a recipe for doom. Google will easily see the interlinking and penalise your entire network vs one site. Personally I never link from one money site to another. I also build PBN sites to link to only one of my money sites, never more than one of my money sites.

Having one of my money sites hit in an update is OK, as I have the others to keep me going whilst I fix the hit site, having them all go down at the same time is a catastrophe.

Be very careful with how you proceed with interlinking.

 

[fasttrak]

@fasttrak thanks for the amazing guide.
Would you reject an expired domain that has had a 301 to a different domain for a period of time until the domain expired?

- Some people say it would have already passed all the link juice.
- Others say the link juice stops passing when the 301 is broken (because of domain expiration) and the domain would still be good to build on top of it.

What do you think?

I have managed to recover these previously, but when I rebuild the original domains I leave them to age for as long as needed. In other words, sometimes it takes 6-12 months for the original keywords to start ranking again, but once that happens I know that I am good to repurpose the expired domain.

Just reading your posts and implementing what I'm learning with some additional tweaks will keep me busy for weeks to come

Good to hear that they are keeping you out of trouble. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Speed23]

Lately, I stopped using expired domain as money site. No matter what I do they don't rank. Sometimes, when I build a link to the ones showing up, they bounce to 60-100 position and stays there. Expiring domain will be a lot better.

 

[Hamcos]

Thank you @fasttrak for this guide.
I've already been able to restore 2 sites on expired domains.
They quickly regained positions on a few keywords (weak/medium competition)
I will let them age for a while and update the content.

On the other hand, I am facing a difficulty on an expired domain I own :
- The old website had nearly 600 subdomains,
- Each subdomain has backlinks
- All the backlinks are on the 600 subdomains (about 4k RD for 300k backlinks).

I'm not sure how to get out of it.

Everyone, advice and good ideas are welcome.

 

[Hrhprince1]

This material is priceless! thanks man

 

[bhcg101]

Outstanding guide on this topic. Haven’t seen anyone provide so many details. I’ve always found restoring the authority tricky. Thanks for the explanation.

 

[hvy]

Really helpful guide, motivated me to make my first steps, I'll be reading thoroughly your guides.

Hope you have a wonderful day.

 

[White River]

what one should do if an expired domain been bought and immediately built with new content without following these instructions you mentioned

pages already got indexed

 

[adlernewbie]

Thank you @fasttrak it works but you knew that.

One comment though before jumping in the wagon and buying the domain - go to Wayback and check as many snapshots as you can - for my niche I found 2 re-used by Chinese porn, 1 with a mention like "Following judgment...", one was even re-used by a pump manufacturer in Indonesia... I even found one with over 8,000 spammy comments on each post.

Not sure how these would affect the newly imported site but we are not the only ones reusing some juice

I have the same doubts

 

[mobillica]

Great guide! I have a question.

As an example - I have an expired domain in the same niche as mine.

There are 5000 pages on the site, 100 articles have links from authority sites NYtimes, Washington Post etc.

However the articles with these links are now pretty obsolete with no real use. How do I make use of the link juice from the authority pages? Just keep them or 301 them to the homepage?

If I redirect 100 of these articles to the homepage would google see that as natural?

 

[RMX]

I greatly appreciate the time you've taken to share your knowledge with us!!

Warm Regards,
RMX

 

[Purush]

I got lot of question on using expire domain now most of them cleared now. Great guide.

 

[nice1]

Awesome material and it gave satisfying answers to the raised questions.

Thanks

 

[f0rest00]

Truly eager to gain knowledge from your guide.
Great share.
Keep on following you to learn more.

 

[WorkingNow]

Quick question, does the domain being used for a redirect in the recent past (last 2 years) mean its been burned? Looking at one now that hasn't been used as a pbn or spammed, but was used as a 301.

 

[AngelSeo]

Quick question, does the domain being used for a redirect in the recent past (last 2 years) mean its been burned? Looking at one now that hasn't been used as a pbn or spammed, but was used as a 301.

If the domain is used for legit redirect (as say example.co.uk to example.com, or example.co.uk to newbrand.com/example/) its fine. If is used for some nefarious purposes, not. Also I would use such domain for PBN or even money site, but not for another 301 redirect.