The 2023 Guide to Expired Domains

Often the domain you want is difficult to get because every idea you come up with has already been registered by someone else. This can be a frustrating experience, but you can still secure a great domain by keeping an eye on expired domains and purchasing one of those.

The Life Cycle of a Domain Name

A domain that hasn’t been renewed on time must pass through a few cycles before it gets deleted. The four stages below represent the entire lifecycle of a domain.

• The Registration Period – This starts when the domain is registered and continues each time the domain gets renewed. The length of the registration depends on the option chosen with the domain registrar and is typically between 1-10 years.
• The Grace Period – If a domain isn’t renewed on time, the owner has a grace period in which they can renew it without penalty. This period typically lasts between 30-45 days. During this time, the domain will be inactive and can’t be used to host a site or send emails.
• The Redemption Period – After the grace period is over, the domain enters a redemption period. During this period, which can last 34-65 days, the domain cannot be transferred or unlocked. The owner will only have the option to pay the redemption fee if they wish to renew the domain name.

The Pending Delete Period – This is a five-day period after the redemption period has ended. Once a domain enters this stage of its life, it cannot be restored. After the five days are up, it will be deleted and become available for anyone to register.

Benefits of Expired Domains

There are many reasons a domain may expire, but when they do they open up an opportunity for those in the market for a new domain. 

• Cost Savings – Registering an available new name is fairly cheap. But many of the names you want may be taken. Buying a registered domain name from its owner can be very expensive. By keeping an eye out for expired domains, you may find one that fits your needs perfectly that you can acquire at a much lower cost.
• Established Authority and Traffic – An expired domain still has backlinks and bookmarks that point to it and people who trust the information it contains. Taking over a trusted domain gives you access to that authority and traffic.

Boost in SEO Ranking – At one time, the domain authority for an expired domain carried over to the new owner in search engines as well as in humans. Some believe it still does. However, there is some controversy as to whether or not that’s the case, with Google employees saying that the expiration of a domain resets its authority.

How to Find and Register Expired Domains

When a domain expires, it typically goes to auction. There are some tips to keep in mind when looking for an expired domain. The first thing you should do is find a reliable domain marketplace. There are many places that allow you to backorder a domain, but you want to be sure you’re dealing with a reputable company to avoid any hassles down the road.

After you’ve found a reliable marketplace, check back regularly to keep an eye on the domains that are becoming available. Many marketplaces have domains that have been put up for sale by the owner and those that have expired. If you choose to bid on one of these domains, be sure to check back even more frequently to ensure you aren’t outbid on a domain you wanted. When you win the domain and pay for it, ownership will be transferred to you.

Factors to Consider Before Buying Expired Domains

Buying an expired domain can be a great way to boost traffic to your website, but there are also ways it can damage your brand. Be mindful of these issues when searching for your next domain.

• Domain Age – A domain that expired after its first year of operation won’t have built up as many backlinks, bookmarks, and authority as one that’s been around longer.
• Backlink Profile – The backlinks to a website significantly impact SEO scores. You not only want a website that has a large backlink profile but one that gets its backlinks from other reputable sites.
• Previous Content – If the type of content you publish on your newly purchased expired domain is similar to that posted by the previous owners, you’re more likely to keep the search ranking benefits from the old site.

Search Engine Penalties – Some sites are penalized by search engines for spammy or otherwise unethical behavior. You don’t want to purchase a domain that will hit you with that penalty right from the start.

Best Practices for Buying Expired Domains

In addition to doing your due diligence regarding the impact of an expired domain on your website’s traffic and evaluating the potential risks it poses to your brand, it’s also important to keep some broader business goals in mind.

• Backorder a Domain – If you want a particular domain, but don’t want to check constantly to see if it’s expired, you can backorder the domain and get one of the first cracks at it before it even enters auction. 
• Avoiding Trademark Infringement  – A domain expiring doesn’t mean the previous owner doesn’t still own a trademark on the name. Be sure to check for the potential of trademark infringement before buying a domain you can’t use.

Building a Strategy for Domain Usage – Once you’ve purchased a domain, you need to do something with it. Will you put your own content on it? Try to resell it at a profit?

Conclusion

With so many domains unavailable for registration, the expired domain market is a big part of modern  business. Monitoring domain marketplaces for good domains that were previously unavailable is the best way to secure a domain that will help take your brand in the direction you want it to go.