Longer Domain Registration Can Increase Search Engine Listings

Google recently filed United States Patent Application 20050071741. As part of that patent application, Google made apparent its efforts to wipe out search engine spam, stating:

'Valuable (legitimate) domains are often paid for several years in advance, while doorway (illegitimate) domains rarely are used for more than a year. Therefore, the date when a domain expires in the future can be used as a factor in predicting the legitimacy of a domain and, thus, the documents associated therewith."

Herein lies another opportunity for you to reach search engine supremacy. Domains registered for longer periods give the indication, true or not, that their owners are legitimate. Google uses a domain's length of registration when indexing and ranking a Web site for inclusion in their organic search results. To prove to everyone that your site is here to stay, register your domain names(s) for more than one year and increase your chances of boosting your search ranking on Google.

If you are a company, why would you want to deal with renewing your domain every year? Not to mention that you often get a discount for purchasing a domain for a longer term. Google has just given you another reason to look long term.

In addition to Google, other major search engines also consider the term of a domain registration as a small part of their algorithm, which is used to determine organic rankings of a Web site in their search engine.

The search engine business model provides the most relevant, valuable, and useful Web sites to their visitors. Web site owners who have a long-term business plan and domain registration usually fit this mold.

Some Web site visitors also check how long a domain is registered as part of their own due diligence to determine the legitimacy of a business or company by doing a look-up on http://www.whois.net to find out if your domain expires in less than a year.

Registering a domain name for a few extra years is a sound investment.
Inspired by this insight myself, I just added five additional years of registration to my domain http://www.visionefx.net now set to expire in the year 2011. I plan to be around until then and hopefully much longer. What about you?

About the Author
Ricardo Vidallon is company owner and creative designer for http://www.visionefx.net