Retrieving the history of a domain name
Many a domain name on the market is still original in most cases and is registered brand new. However, nowadays it is more and more common that a domain name has already been registered once, as the market is getting bigger and bigger. This history can mean something positive, but also something negative. This topic is still shrouded in many assessments, personal opinions and different ways of thinking. In this blog, we'll look at how you can find out the history of a domain name and what you should consider before registering a domain name or buying one.
The Whois information
The first place you can check the history and current status of a domain is by querying the WHOIS information. This is best done through the party that ultimately manages the domain name. For example, ICANN for .com, SIDN for .nl, EURID for .eu, and DNSBelgium for .be. These parties all provide different information standards. For .com domain names, ICANN is often the best source of information.
You can at least see if it has been registered before and exactly where the domain is currently hosted.
To check the history of a domain name, you can query the WHOIS information and see if the domain name has been registered before. This can also be done through the general whois.domaintools.com website.
The WayBackMachine from archive.org
A good website to check what exactly was on a website when it was registered by another party is archive.org's WayBackMachine. Here you can see when that domain was registered and exactly what it contained. And it is also possible to see what was on it for each time period.
A good website to check what exactly was on a website when it was registered by another party is archive.org's WayBackMachine. Here you can see when that domain was registered and exactly what it contained. And it is also possible to see what was on it for each period.
Such situations are not only seen with an already registered domain name, the damage is often in the mention of the domain name on other websites. Reviews are also often left on websites, which can also damage the reputation of the new business or website. So always be mindful and do your homework when adopting a domain name.
Googling the domain or company name.
The only company names you can find out more about through the previous steps or other information are the ones you type into the largest search engine in the world. Google. Here you can find out everything about the domain name and the company name by doing a good search. You can use a number of clever tricks in Google search to get better results. For example, you can search only for listings without the domain name. Or make sure you only search for exact matches with quotes. If you search for that, you can quickly find a whole list of characters that will help you find exactly what you're looking for about the domain name you're already using.
With the Google search results, you can then investigate further what happened to the domain name, and you may find some positive things. With an intact backlink profile, you can give your new project with the domain name a powerful boost.
Why history is often desirable
The older a domain name is, the more valuable it usually is. Indeed, a domain name with a history of 20 years can be a strong player for a particular search term or appearance in a search engine. Such domains and their associated websites can often be worth several thousand dollars. Especially if they are still listed on a number of websites.
Older domains, as they are known in English, are therefore a valuable asset, especially with the recent Google updates where it is becoming increasingly difficult for a new domain name to appear earlier in search results. Can an existing domain name be used to rank faster with a website?
Always be careful when buying an existing domain name. And always check if your domain name has been registered before.
