Domain age
What is domain age?
Domain age refers to how long a website's domain name has been registered and active on the internet. It's calculated from the date when the domain was first registered with a domain registrar, not when the website itself was launched or last updated. For example, a domain registered in 2010 would be 14 years old in 2024, regardless of whether the website content was created yesterday or years ago. Domain age is essentially the digital equivalent of a business's establishment date, creating a timeline of the domain's existence on the web.
Does domain age affect SEO?
Domain age has a nuanced relationship with SEO. Google has officially stated that domain age isn't a significant ranking factor, with John Mueller (Google's Search Advocate) clarifying that "just the age of a domain isn't something that we would use." However, older domains often perform better in search results because they've had more time to build authority, content, and backlinks. This correlation between age and performance is often misinterpreted as direct causation. What truly matters is what happens during that time – the trust signals, content quality, and user engagement patterns that develop over years. A new domain with exceptional content and strong relevance can outrank older domains that haven't maintained quality standards.
How can you check a domain's age?
You can verify a domain's age through several reliable methods. The most straightforward approach is using WHOIS lookup tools, which reveal when a domain was first registered along with other registration details. Popular WHOIS services include whois.icann.org, whois.domaintools.com, and who.is. Domain analysis tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush also provide domain age information alongside other SEO metrics. For a more technical approach, you can use the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine to see the earliest captured versions of a website, though this shows when the site was first archived rather than when the domain was registered.
Should you buy an older domain for SEO benefits?
Purchasing an older domain primarily for its age offers minimal direct SEO advantages. The potential benefits come from the domain's existing history – established backlinks, indexed content, and industry recognition. However, these inherited assets can become liabilities if the domain has a problematic past involving spam, penalties, or irrelevant content. When considering an aged domain, thoroughly investigate its backlink profile, previous content, and reputation before purchasing. In most cases, investing in a new, relevant domain with a focused content strategy will yield better long-term results than buying an older domain with no connection to your business. The exception might be acquiring an established domain directly related to your industry with a clean history and genuine authority.
How does domain age compare to other ranking factors?
Domain age carries significantly less weight than other critical ranking factors. Content relevance, comprehensive coverage of topics, backlink quality, user experience metrics, and mobile-friendliness all substantially outweigh the impact of simply having an older domain. Search engines prioritize delivering value to users, meaning a six-month-old domain with exceptional, user-focused content will typically outperform a 15-year-old domain with outdated or thin content. Rather than fixating on domain age, focus on creating authoritative content that addresses user needs, building quality backlinks, optimizing site performance, and ensuring your website provides an excellent user experience across all devices. These factors collectively have a much stronger influence on rankings than domain age alone.