How to Find High-Quality Expired Domains

Finding high-quality expired domains can give your affiliate project a real head start. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of finding these domains without having to pay expensive broker fees.

What is an Expired Domain?

An expired domain is a website that has existed in a previous life. In other words, it was a website in its own right, but the owner of that domain has allowed it to expire. If it does not get picked up at auction, it becomes what’s classed as a dropped domain. However, if you can pick up that domain at auction before it drops, the power, relevance, and backlinks are still there. They still carry weight, and that’s where you can get a real advantage when you’re starting a new affiliate project.

How to Use an Expired Domain

There are a few uses for expired domains. The main ones are that you can use it as a new website in its own right, or you can use it as a 301 redirect, passing that power from that site onto another website.

Finding Expired Domains

There are two main options when it comes to finding these expired domains: Spamzilla.io and Register Compass. Both are paid tools but work really well. Spamzilla.io is a bit cheaper and works better than Register Compass because it helps you to weed out some of the more spammy websites, saving you time.

Using Spamzilla.io

Spamzilla.io has an easy-to-use interface and allows you to use data from Ahrefs, Moz, Majestic, and other big ones. You can filter and look for exactly what you want. For example, you can set a date for when the auctions are ending for these domains, look for expired domains, and choose the TLD you want.

Spamzilla also has a SZ score, which is the Spamzilla score. The higher the score, the more chance that they’ve identified spam. So, you can filter out any domains that they see as being not ideal.

Using Register Compass

Register Compass is another tool that you can use to find expired domains. It’s a bit more expensive than Spamzilla.io, but it also provides a good service.

Valuing Expired Domains

One of the hardest things is to actually value and understand the true value of a domain. Here’s a simple way of how to value a domain:

1. Check the GoDaddy Value: This gives you an idea of the value of the actual domain name. You can take that and probably halve it.
2. Check the Backlinks: Look at the backlinks of a website. You’re really looking for links that are relevant and have traffic. If they are powerful as well, that’s a bonus.
3. Check the History: Use the Wayback Machine to check the history of the website.

By adding up the value of the domain name and the value of the backlinks, you can get a rough estimate of the value of the domain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is an expired domain?

An expired domain is a website that was once active but has been allowed to expire by its owner. If it does not get picked up at auction, it becomes what’s classed as a dropped domain.

Q: What is the difference between an expired domain and a dropped domain?

Expired Domain: When a domain name reaches the end of its registration period, the owner has a certain amount of time (typically about 30-45 days, depending on the registrar) to renew it. During this period, the domain is in what’s called the “grace period.” If the owner renews the domain during this time, it continues as normal. However, if the owner does not renew it, the domain becomes “expired.” The website associated with it may go offline, but the owner still has a chance to renew it, usually for an additional fee.

Dropped Domain: If the owner still does not renew the domain after it has expired, the domain then enters a “redemption period,” which lasts for about 30 days. During this time, the owner can still reclaim the domain, but the cost to do so is usually much higher. If the domain is not reclaimed during the redemption period, it then enters a “pending delete” period for about five days. After this, the domain is “dropped” and becomes available for anyone to register again.

Q: How can I use an expired domain?

You can use an expired domain in two main ways. You can use it as a new website in its own right, or you can use it as a 301 redirect, passing that power from that site onto another website.

Q: How can I find expired domains?

There are several tools available to find expired domains. Two of the most popular ones are Spamzilla.io and Register Compass. Both are paid tools but offer robust features to help you find high-quality expired domains.

Q: How can I value an expired domain?

Valuing an expired domain involves looking at the GoDaddy value of the domain name, checking the backlinks, and checking the history of the website using the Wayback Machine. By adding up the value of the domain name and the value of the backlinks, you can get a rough estimate of the value of the domain.

Q: What is a SZ score in Spamzilla.io?

The SZ score in Spamzilla.io is the Spamzilla score. The higher the score, the more chance that they’ve identified spam. So, you can filter out any domains that they see as being not ideal.

Q: What is the advantage of finding expired domains myself?

By finding these domains yourself, you’re going to have more to choose from because you’re picking them up before the brokers do, and you’re also going to save the fee that the brokers are then going to put on top.

Q: What is the Wayback Machine?

The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web. It allows you to see what a website looked like in the past, which can be useful when evaluating an expired domain.