Expired competitors domain

[TheSlackers]

Hi guys,

A question regarding what I should do with a competitors domain which will be expired in the next few months. Firstly I'd like to make sure I can secure the domain as it was ranked well before the site was taken down. Secondly I'd like to 301 it to another page or if possible do something more useful with it?

It's not something I've done before so any help would be appriciated

Slacker

[TheSlackers]

Nobody got any thoughts on this one?

[Andy Walpole]

Well if it is a competitors can't you 301 to your site? What are the backlinks like?

[awebapart.com]

It's not always easy getting expired domains, you don't normally get them straight on expiry date (there is a grace period after the expiry date), and what's to say that other companies aren't trying to get that domain too.

Some domain registrars provide domain watcher services which will automatically try to get the domain when it is available, but then again there is no guarantee on this, and if it is important to get the domain I would still check manually too.

Once you have the domain, you will have to sort out hosting so you can apply the necessary 301 redirects. Check the backlinks and the pages indexed and provide redirects on a per page basis. You can also inform Google via webmaster tools of the move.

[TheSlackers]

It's not always easy getting expired domains, you don't normally get them straight on expiry date (there is a grace period after the expiry date), and what's to say that other companies aren't trying to get that domain too.

Well exactly, that's my worry! I want to make sure I get it!


Some domain registrars provide domain watcher services which will automatically try to get the domain when it is available, but then again there is no guarantee on this, and if it is important to get the domain I would still check manually too.


I'll look into this one, I'll try to find a "watcher" but also have the date in my outlook!


Once you have the domain, you will have to sort out hosting so you can apply the necessary 301 redirects. Check the backlinks and the pages indexed and provide redirects on a per page basis. You can also inform Google via webmaster tools of the move.

Unfortunately google is dropping the indexed pages like they're out of fashion as the site is now completely gone from the domain. You just get an error when trying to access it. What's the best hosting for doing 301s?

[awebapart.com]

Unfortunately google is dropping the indexed pages like they're out of fashion as the site is now completely gone from the domain. You just get an error when trying to access it. What's the best hosting for doing 301s?
The site might be gone, but I'm assuming there are still backlinks (to the domain/home page and perhaps deeper links too), and that's why you are interested in the site.

Any hosting that provides .htaccess file access with "Redirect permanent" support is quite an easy way of performing the redirects. That's just one of many ways.

[Clinton]

Try pool.com. For $60 they'll grab the domain for you when it becomes available. Note, though, that this is never guaranteed. And if there are other interested parties it will go to auction.

My advice would be to not 301. I'd make a note of his main pages, have content ready for those pages and put it up as an operational site for a while. Even better if you could replace all the original content it had (i.e. get copyright permissions) and all the original WHOIS settings (except for the contact email address). Leave it to simmer and get reindexed. Build a few links to it. Let the SE algos get the impression that the domain lapse was accidental and that the site has now been restored.

Then put in any plan to capitalise on the IBLs and reputation the site built up.

[VeryMark]

Without knowing what the domain is, even if it expires there could still be trade mark/passing off rights in the name - unless of course it's wholly descriptive/generic.