Should Your Client Consider a New Domain for Their Upcoming Launch?
As your client prepares to unveil their exciting new website, it’s essential to evaluate their decision on the domain they’ve acquired. With a Digital Authority score of 21/100 on Moz and a concerning 10% Spam Score, the question arises: Is it wise to stick with this domain, or should they opt for a new one?
The Current Situation
Your client has secured a domain that they plan to rebrand entirely for a major content-driven site focused on longevity. They haven’t implemented any SEO strategies on this existing domain yet, which could present a challenge, especially in a competitive niche like longevity that demands strong Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness (EAT).
The current domain has 108 linking domains associated with it. Here’s a quick breakdown of the spam scores for these links:
– 58 domains exhibit a low spam score (1-10%)
– 7 domains are classified as moderate (41-50%)
– 5 domains fall into the high-risk category (61-90%)
Despite the existing spam score, the brand behind this website has considerable value. They are renowned documentary producers with millions of followers across social media platforms like Instagram. Furthermore, they plan to feature prominent figures in the longevity space, ensuring a strong promotional push with numerous influencers sharing their content.
Weighing the Options
Given the launch strategy includes generating traffic and backlinks from reputable sources, it’s crucial to consider the potential impact of the current domain’s spam score. A 10% Spam Score, while not excessively high, can still raise red flags for search engines when combined with the presence of links with higher spam rankings. This could hinder their visibility in search results, making it more challenging to establish authority in their niche.
Conclusion: New Domain or Stick With the Current One?
In assessing whether to continue with the existing domain or choose a fresh one, consider the following:
– Brand Reputation: The client’s strong offsite brand and influencer network can help mitigate some of the risks associated with the current domain’s score.
– SEO Potential: A new domain could offer a cleaner slate, potentially increasing the brand’s EAT signals from the ground up.
– Strategic Focus: Evaluate the long-term goals for the site and whether the existing domain can support those ambitions effectively.
Ultimately, the decision should align with your client’s goals and their willingness to invest in SEO and potential branding challenges. It could be beneficial to consult with an seo expert to analyze the possibilities and make an informed choice.
2 responses to “Should you advise your client to get a new domain?”
Deciding whether to advise a client to purchase a new domain or to rebrand an existing one with a relatively low Domain Authority (DA) and a notable spam score is complex and requires careful consideration of several factors. Let’s break it down:
Assessing the Current Situation
Domain Authority and Spam Score: A DA of 21 isn’t impressive, especially if strong E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) signals are crucial for the longevity niche. A 10% spam score could be an indicator of potential red flags for search engines, which might impact rankings negatively. However, spam scores aren’t absolute measures; context is essential. You might want to investigate the profiles of the linking domains more deeply to understand the sources of these scores.
Strong Offsite Branding: Your client’s offsite brand presence is a significant asset. If they have a well-established reputation and millions of followers, leveraging this brand recognition can mitigate some of the risks associated with the existing domain. Content shared by influencers in the longevity space can provide tremendous exposure and boost perceived authority.
Rebranding Strategy: If the rebranding includes a complete overhaul of the content and an intentional SEO strategy, it’s feasible to reposition the existing site to some extent. However, the initial perception based on the spam score may still linger for a while.
The Case for a New Domain
Risk of Inheritance: By keeping the current domain, you risk inheriting its history, including any past penalties or poor reputation tied to the spam score. If the former content or the domains linking to it contributed to spaminess, it could undermine the new content strategy focused on building authority in the longevity niche.
Credibility and Trust: In the health and longevity sector, trust is crucial. Starting fresh with a new domain can allow your client to build a new reputation from the ground up, free from any baggage associated with the existing domain’s history.
SEO Considerations: While you can mitigate some of the existing domain’s shortcomings through high-quality content and strong backlinking strategies, starting anew with a clean slate can simplify your SEO strategy in the initial phases, focusing solely on the new brand narrative.
The Case for Keeping the Existing Domain
Established Links: The existing domain has 108 linking domains; this existing backlink profile can be leveraged, especially if you can disavow low-quality links and focus your efforts on acquiring new, high-quality backlinks.
Redirect Strategy: If your client decides to keep the existing domain but opts for a name change, a well-executed 301 redirect from the old domain to the new could preserve some of the existing traffic and link equity while signaling to search engines that it’s a brand new effort.
Practical Recommendations
Conduct a Thorough Audit: Before making a decision, perform a comprehensive seo audit on the existing domain. This should include a deep dive into backlink quality, historical performance, and a competitive analysis within the longevity niche.
Consult with an seo Expert: Given the nuances between domains and seo, consider engaging with an SEO specialist who can provide insights tailored to your client’s unique situation and goals.
Content Strategy: If the existing domain is retained, develop a content strategy focused explicitly on enhancing E-A-T signals. Publish high-quality, authoritative content, and engage directly with longevity influencers to authenticate the brand’s expertise.
Branding Consistency: Regardless of whether they keep the current domain or start fresh, ensure that all branding elements are consistent across the website and social channels. This will help establish a unified presence that their audience can trust.
Conclusion
In summary, whether to keep the existing domain or obtain a new one ultimately depends on a careful evaluation of the potential benefits and risks associated with each option. Given the importance of E-A-T in their niche, if there are concerns about the legacy of the current domain, it may be prudent to recommend starting fresh. However, leveraging their established brand could allow them to rapidly build a new and reputable online presence, regardless of the decision. Engage with quality SEO practices and focus on a robust content strategy to ensure a successful launch, whichever route they choose.
This is a very insightful post that raises some crucial points about domain strategy, especially in the context of branding and SEO. I completely agree that the client’s strong offsite presence and their influencer relationships can provide a buffer against the current domain’s spam score. However, it’s vital to carefully assess how the existing backlinks can impact future SEO efforts, given that the longevity niche relies heavily on credibility and trust.
One additional factor to consider is the potential impact on the user experience and branding. A new domain might offer a fresh start, but it could also mean losing any residual traffic, brand recognition, or SEO equity that the current domain might still offer. If the existing brand is already recognized in their space, completely switching domains could dissipate that recognition.
I would suggest conducting a thorough analysis of the current domain’s backlink profile and search performance before making a final decision. Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can be essential in understanding which backlinks are beneficial and which could be toxic. If the analysis shows that the toxic links can be disavowed or mitigated, it may be worth holding onto the domain, especially if the client is willing to invest in a robust seo strategy to rebuild their authority.
Ultimately, the decision should align with a well-thought-out strategy that balances the immediate needs with long-term goals, considering not just seo but overall brand perception and user trust. Consulting with an experienced seo professional, as you mentioned, could provide invaluable insights tailored to the specifics of this situation. This type of comprehensive analysis