Using expired domains for link-building isn’t a cutting-edge method by any means, but it’s incredibly powerful, and yet, often overlooked. With countless domains expiring every single day, some have incredibly powerful backlink profiles that you can’t let go to waste.
Here’s how you can make the most out of expired domains and the best practices for a strong link-building strategy.
The Benefits of Using Expired Domains
We all know that building links, albeit important, can be very time-consuming and expensive. That’s why using expired domains is an effective strategy to get high-quality backlinks and increase a website’s authority.
The three main ways to use expired domains to your advantage are:
- 301 redirecting the domain
- Stealing the domain’s links
- Setting up a private blog network (PBN)
Today, we’re going to focus on the 301 redirects and how they can help you accomplish your SEO goals.
How to Use a 301 Redirect to Your Advantage
A 301 redirect from an expired domain is an invaluable SEO tool for various purposes, including site migration, domain management, and consolidating multiple pages. Here are just a few ways you can use a 301 redirect from an expired domain to your advantage.
#1 Redirecting to Your HTML Sitemap
By redirecting the expired domain to your HTML sitemap, you’ll effectively ensure that visitors easily find a comprehensive overview of your site’s structure. That one small action can do wonders for your user experience, as well as help search engine crawlers better index your content. The practice of redirecting to your HTML sitemap will also help with link equity and improve your overall SEO strategy.
#2 Redirecting to Your Post on Redirecting
One easy method is to create a dedicated blog post or page on your site where you’d explain the redirect from the expired domain. By doing so, both users and search engines will perceive your brand to be transparent and help them understand the purpose of the redirection. An additional benefit of creating a blog or page is that it can help create the narrative around the acquisition, which might help engage your users.
#3 Redirecting to Your Subdomain and Linking to Your Homepage
This particular strategy can help you preserve link equity that the expired domain has accumulated over time. That factor alone helps contribute to the overall authority of your site.
Not only that but by redirecting your subdomain and linking to your page, you can enhance user experience and create a strategic and cohesive content organization. What’s more, if the expired domain is thematically relevant to your site, it will allow you to maintain a thematic connection and relevance.
To reap the benefits of this approach, you’ll need to utilize a subdomain to redirect traffic from the expired domain. Then, you can link this subdomain to your homepage or relevant landing page, and ensure a seamless transition for users.
#4 Redirecting to a Guest Post
If the expired domain has a history of guest posts, by redirecting to a page that features those posts, you can provide useful and valuable content to your audience. Not only that but featuring guest posts can also help you attract new and relevant traffic to your site.
#5 Redirecting to the Previous Website
In certain scenarios, redirecting to a previous site could be the most beneficial approach, but it’s also the most complex one. By rebuilding the former site, you’ll be able to maintain its original context and relevance, as well as ensure user familiarity and ease their transition.
One way to do this is by first using a canonical tag, which would signal to search engines the preferred version of the content. Once search engines recognize the new setup, you’ll be effectively transferring the SEO value of the old site to the new one by switching to a 301 redirect.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to leveraging expired domains for SEO, 301 redirects emerge as a powerful strategy. Redirecting to a subdomain and strategically linking to the homepage, preserves link equity, maintains relevance, and enhances user experience.
Thoughtful implementation aligns content seamlessly, aids in precise analytics, and fosters transparency. In the realm of SEO, harnessing the potential of expired domains through redirects is a dynamic approach for elevating site authority and optimizing content strategy.
If you want to know more about redirecting from expired domains or any other SEO strategies that can help boost your visibility and improve your traffic – get in touch with Guru SEO today!
