Search Engine Tip: Domain Name Registration Length

Posted by Laura Bergells

March 1, 2007

For improved search engine ranking, register your domain name for more than one year.

Why? According to SEO Chat, the Google patent reads,

“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.”

There is also another benefit: you are less likely to lose your domain because you “forgot” to renew one year! If you purchase 5 or 10 years in advance, you decrease your chances of losing your domain through oversight.

A 2 year plus domain name registration shows the search engines that you are in business for the long haul, not the short run. It is an indicator of a quality site that you will be investing in over the years.

Go ahead and renew for multiple years.