I'm building a coupon site targeting the US audience and I've come across information that the age of a domain impacts its search engine ranking. However, if I were to purchase an already registered domain name, wouldn't the age reset since there's a new owner and hosting involved? Or has this metric become irrelevant for SEO these days?

The alteration of hosting doesn't impact a domain's age, which only matters if it has a track record of being used. Age alone isn't valuable if the domain has been dormant all these years.

As for changing ownership, I'm not sure myself and would love to learn more about it.

It's worth noting that the impact of a domain's age on its search rankings is relatively minimal. Additionally, new websites often enjoy favorable positions in search results for a period of time. Therefore, instead of attempting to deceive search engines, the focus should be on developing a quality website that users will find appealing. If the site is well-received, good search positions should follow naturally.

While it's understandable to consider optimization for a landing page, it's not necessary to fuss over domain age and other such factors for larger projects. Unless you're an SEO professional who's being paid specifically for that, it would be counterproductive to deceive with irrelevant tactics.

Many people wonder if purchasing a reputable domain can provide a shortcut to achieving a high ranking on search engines, given the significant impact of age on that ranking. Unfortunately, this is not the case. A website's age is just one of many factors considered in its ranking.

Both Bing and Google reevaluate purchased domains, resulting in reindexing. The age of the site seems to decrease with every change due to differing content, new topics or business directions, and varying presentation and quality of materials. Consequently, the old page is viewed as if it were a new one, rendering the advantages of an old domain negligible. This leaves two courses of action: creating a brand new site and gradually building it up, or creating an updated copy of the old site and investing resources toward its development.

The age of a domain can sometimes play a role in search engine rankings, as older domains can be seen as more trustworthy and authoritative. When you purchase an already registered domain name, the age of the domain itself does not reset. Search engines typically consider the age of the domain from its initial registration date.

However, it's important to note that domain age is just one among many factors that search engines use to determine rankings. While it may have some impact, its significance has decreased over time. Search engines today focus more on content relevance, quality, backlinks, user experience, and various other factors.

Ultimately, the success of your coupon site will depend on multiple aspects, such as the content you provide, how well you optimize it for search engines, your marketing strategy, and user engagement. So, while domain age may have some influence, it should not be the sole focus of your SEO efforts.

Here are some additional points to consider when it comes to domain age and SEO:

1. Domain History: Apart from the age of a domain, search engines also consider the historical reputation and backlink profile of a domain. If a domain has a problematic history (e.g., spammy content, penalties), it could have a negative impact on its rankings.

2. Content Quality: Search engines prioritize high-quality, relevant content that provides value to users. Focus on creating informative and engaging content related to coupons and deals to attract and retain visitors.

3. Backlinks: Backlinks from reputable and relevant websites play a significant role in SEO. While purchasing an aged domain may come with some pre-existing backlinks, it's important to evaluate their quality and relevance. Building new, high-quality backlinks will also be crucial for your site's authority.

4. Site Structure and User Experience: Ensure your website is well-structured, easy to navigate, and optimized for mobile devices. User experience is a key factor in search engine rankings, so focus on providing a fast and user-friendly site.

5. Keyword Optimization: Research and use relevant keywords in your content, meta tags, and URLs. However, avoid "keyword stuffing" as it can negatively impact your ranking.

6. Social Media Presence: Build a strong social media presence to increase brand visibility and drive traffic to your site. Social signals can indirectly influence search engine rankings.

7. Regular Updates: Keep your website updated with fresh content, offers, and deals. Regularly reviewing and updating older content can also have a positive impact.