Does Domain Registration Length Impact SEO?
As with most SEO aspects, no one (apart from a select few in the Google HQ!) has a definite answer regarding how Google weight the period of time a domain is registered for when ranking websites in the result pages.
However, a quotation within a patent Google filled some years ago has added a lot of fuel to the fire on this point:
“Certain signals may be used to distinguish between illegitimate and legitimate domains. For example, domains can be renewed up to a period of 10 years. Valuable (legitimate) domains are often paid for several years in advance, while doorway (illegitimate) domains rarely are used for more than a year. Therefore, the date when a domain expires in the future can be used as a factor in predicting the legitimacy of a domain and, thus, the documents associated therewith.”
The argument against whether registering domains for an extended period has a positive affect is quite simple; a patent does not mean it will be actively enacted as part of the algorithm. A patent simply means it is a possible idea that they want to own.
There are numerous benefits to registering your domain name for long periods of time. These include cost savings (multiple year discounts) and control (reduces the risk of losing your domain name). Whether the length of the registration period benefits SEO rankings is highly debated.
However, if you are confident your website is going to be around for a long time then the cost saving and control benefits should be more than enough to be the incentive to extend your domain. If there is a SEO benefit from doing this also then it’s a bonus!
Do you think the length of the registration period of a domain has SEO benefits?
Please share your comments below.
3 Responses to “Does Domain Registration Length Impact SEO?”
George Says:
September 7th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Good post. I do believe that longer domain registration has benefits. As mentioned above in the Google patent, domains that are registered for longer are more likely to be legitimate business concerns.
Plus registering for longer periods sometimes brings discount, depending on who you buy from.
I should practice what I preach, really. I renew mine every 2 years…shocking really.
Rob Says:
September 10th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
It sounds like a .com thing. Is it me or can .co.uk / .org.uk domains only be registered for two years at a time anyway ?
Barry Says:
September 11th, 2009 at 11:08 am
One of the strong arguments against the theory is that not all domain extensions can be registered for the same period of time which would make it very difficult to add this to the overall algorithm. Saying that, it would be possible to compare like for like (e.g. a dotcom versus another dotcom).