How long a domain has been registered and active, historically considered a minor trust factor in search ranking algorithms.
Domain age refers to how long a domain name has been registered and actively maintained, typically measured from the initial registration date to the present. While Google has consistently downplayed domain age as a direct ranking factor, it remains a metric that SEO practitioners monitor as part of broader trust and authority signals.
The relationship between domain age and search performance is nuanced. Older domains often correlate with higher rankings not because of age itself, but because they've had more time to accumulate quality backlinks, build brand recognition, and establish topical authority. A 15-year-old domain that has consistently published relevant content and earned natural links will typically outperform a brand-new domain, but this advantage stems from accumulated equity rather than age alone.
Why It Matters for AI SEO
AI-powered search systems like Google's RankBrain and modern language models can better evaluate content quality and user intent, potentially reducing the historical advantage that domain age provided. However, domain age still matters in the AI era because it correlates with data richness that these systems value—extensive content histories, user behavior patterns, and established entity relationships. Modern AI algorithms excel at pattern recognition, and older domains provide more data points for these systems to evaluate. A domain with five years of consistent publishing, user engagement, and citation patterns gives AI models substantial context for understanding the site's expertise and trustworthiness compared to a new domain with limited historical signals.
How It Works
Domain age is measured from the WHOIS registration date, though search engines may also consider factors like when the domain first appeared in their index and how consistently it has maintained active content. Tools like Ahrefs, Moz Pro, and Majestic can show domain registration dates and historical metrics that help contextualize age within broader authority signals. The practical impact of domain age is most noticeable during the "Google Sandbox" effect, where new domains may experience delayed ranking improvements regardless of content quality. While not officially confirmed, many SEO practitioners observe that domains under 6-12 months old face additional scrutiny. Established domains can often rank new content faster and recover more quickly from algorithm updates due to their accumulated trust signals.
Common Mistakes
The biggest misconception is treating domain age as a silver bullet ranking factor. Simply purchasing an old domain won't automatically improve rankings—what matters is the domain's history of quality content, natural link acquisition, and user engagement. Some practitioners make the mistake of buying expired domains with questionable backlink profiles, thinking age alone will provide SEO benefits while ignoring potential penalties from the domain's past.