When investing in a pre-owned domain, it’s crucial to conduct a domain background check to ensure it’s a wise investment. In a recent discussion, SEO experts Jim Boykin and Ann Smarty invited Bill Hartzer, an experienced blogger, SEO, and marketer, to shed light on this topic. Hartzer emphasizes the importance of investigating a domain’s history, looking for any signs of a burnt domain, suspicious backlinks, or traffic dips that could indicate a manual penalty. Utilizing tools like Google, SEMrush, Whoisology, Domain Tools, and Domain IQ, one can gather valuable information on a domain’s ownership and associated sites. Additionally, Google’s own records, such as their domain registrar role or access to Google Analytics and Search Console accounts, can reveal insights about a domain’s owner. With tools like Public WWW, one can also identify sites linked to specific codes, like Google Analytics code. By performing a thorough domain background check, potential investors can make informed decisions about their domain investment.
How (and Why) to Do Domain Background Check with Bill Hartzer
When investing in a pre-owned domain, it is essential to perform a domain background check to ensure that it is a worthwhile investment. This article will discuss the importance of domain background checks and provide insights from expert Bill Hartzer on how to conduct a thorough investigation. By following these steps, you can make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.
Discussing domain name background check
Performing a domain background check is crucial before investing in a pre-owned domain. By examining the history of a domain, you can gather valuable information about its past ownership, potential risks, and overall value. This thorough investigation ensures that you are making an informed decision and avoids any unwanted surprises down the line.
To shed more light on the subject, Bill Hartzer, a renowned blogger, SEO expert, and marketer with extensive experience, joins us as a guest speaker. His expertise in the domain industry will provide valuable insights into the process and explain why a domain background check is essential.
Investigating a pre-owned domain
When diving into a pre-owned domain, several key steps need to be taken to ensure a thorough investigation. By following these steps, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of the domain’s history, potential risks, and value.
The first step is to search for the domain name in Google. This allows you to identify any publicly available information about the domain and its previous activities. By examining search results, you can gauge the domain’s popularity, visibility, and potential reputation.
Next, utilize archive.org, a valuable resource that enables you to view previous content on the domain. This tool provides insights into how the domain has evolved over time and what kind of content was previously associated with it.
Analyzing backlinks is another crucial step in the domain background check process. By examining backlinks, you can identify potentially dangerous patterns or spammy links that could harm the domain’s reputation. This analysis ensures that you are not inheriting any toxic backlinks that may have a detrimental impact on your website’s performance.
Checking for traffic dips through SEMrush is another important aspect of the domain investigation. By analyzing traffic patterns, you can identify any significant drops that may indicate a manual penalty or past issues with the domain. This step is essential to determine the domain’s overall health and its potential for future success.
To further investigate the domain’s ownership history, utilize domain ownership history tools such as Whoisology, Domain Tools, and Domain IQ. These tools provide valuable information on past and current domain owners, as well as other sites associated with them. By studying this data, you can gain insights into the domain’s credibility and potentially identify any red flags.
How much of that can be known to Google?
Google, as a domain registrar, possesses in-depth records of domains registered through its platform. If a domain is registered with Google, they have access to comprehensive information about its ownership and history. However, if a domain utilizes privacy protection services, Google’s knowledge of the owner is limited. In such cases, they rely on alternative means such as Google Analytics or Search Console accounts to gather information.
Public WWW is an invaluable tool that enables you to identify all the sites associated with a specific code, such as Google Analytics code. By utilizing this tool, you can research domain and site ownership more extensively and potentially uncover networks or relationships that may be relevant to your investigation.
In conclusion, conducting a domain background check is crucial before investing in a pre-owned domain. By following the steps outlined above and utilizing the expertise of Bill Hartzer, you can ensure that you make informed decisions and avoid potential risks. Taking the time to investigate a domain’s history and potential dangers is an essential part of building a successful online presence.
