How to Find Expired Domains with Backlinks: The Ultimate Guide for 2024

Finding expired domains with backlinks can give your website a major boost in terms of authority, traffic, and search engine rankings. Expired domains, especially those that already have a solid backlink profile, can serve as valuable assets for building private blog networks (PBNs), redirecting traffic to your main site, or starting a new project from a position of strength.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover how to find expired domains with backlinks, the tools you need, and the strategies to ensure you’re investing in a domain that brings long-term SEO benefits.

Whether you’re an SEO expert or just starting your journey, this guide will show you how to maximize your chances of finding high-quality expired domains that can elevate your website performance.

Why Expired Domains with Backlinks Are Important

An expired domain is a domain name that has been previously registered and used by someone else but is no longer active because the owner didn’t renew the registration. Many of these domains have pre-existing backlinks, which can be a goldmine for SEO if leveraged correctly.

Here is why finding expired domains with backlinks is beneficial:

1. Instant Authority: Domains with established backlinks from reputable sources can pass link equity to your main site, boosting its authority.
2. Pre-Built Traffic: Some expired domains may still attract residual traffic, which you can redirect to your website.
3. SEO Boost: By acquiring expired domains with strong backlinks, you can gain a head start on SEO efforts without having to build backlinks from scratch.
4. Cost-Effective: Building a strong backlink profile through outreach can be expensive and time-consuming. Expired domains with quality backlinks can offer a shortcut.
5. PBN Potential: Expired domains with quality backlinks are commonly used for building Private Blog Networks (PBNs), which can enhance your link-building strategy.

What to Look for in an Expired Domain

Before diving into tools and techniques, it’s important to know what makes an expired domain valuable. Not all expired domains are created equal, and some can even harm your SEO efforts if they’re not chosen carefully.

1. Quality Backlinks

Backlinks are the primary reason for purchasing an expired domain, so it’s crucial to analyze the quality of these links. Look for domains that have backlinks from reputable, high-authority websites rather than spammy or irrelevant sources.

2. Clean History

Check the domain history to ensure it hasn’t been penalized by search engines or used for spammy purposes. Tools like Wayback Machine or Google Search Console can help reveal the domain past content.

3. Domain Authority

Domain authority (DA) is a metric that predicts how well a website will rank on search engines. While it’s not the only factor, a higher DA can give you an edge. Tools like Moz and Ahrefs provide DA or similar scores like Domain Rating (DR).

4. Relevance

Ideally, the domain should be relevant to your industry or niche. Search engines value relevancy, and the more relevant the domain is to your current website or project, the more beneficial it will be.

5. Traffic Potential

Check if the domain still attracts organic traffic. Even if it’s expired, some domains continue to get search traffic, which can be redirected to your site or monetized in other ways.

Tools for Finding Expired Domains with Backlinks

There are several tools available for finding and analyzing expired domains. These tools help you locate domains, evaluate their backlink profiles, and make informed decisions.

1. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is one of the most popular SEO tools, known for its in-depth backlink analysis. You can use Ahrefs to check the backlink profile of expired domains and assess the quality of referring domains.

Key Features:

• Backlink analysis
• Domain Rating (DR) metric
• Organic traffic data
• Historical data of referring domains

Why Use Ahrefs: Ahrefs is invaluable for evaluating the quality of a domain backlinks, which is crucial when deciding to purchase an expired domain.

2. SEMrush

SEMrush offers comprehensive domain analysis tools, including a backlink checker and SEO audit features. You can also track historical data to see the domain traffic trends and backlink acquisition over time.

Key Features:

• Backlink analytics
• Organic traffic and keyword data
• Domain Authority (DA) and Spam Score metrics
• Historical domain performance data

Why Use SEMrush: SEMrush is excellent for getting an overview of both backlink quality and the domain SEO performance, helping you avoid domains with bad histories.

3. SpamZilla

SpamZilla is a specialized tool designed specifically for finding expired domains with backlinks. It provides detailed metrics on backlinks, domain history, and SEO potential.

Key Features:

• Filters for expired domains with high-quality backlinks
• Spam score analysis
• Domain history checker (including archive data)
• Integration with services like GoDaddy Auctions and Namecheap

Why Use SpamZilla: If your main focus is finding expired domains with clean histories and powerful backlinks, SpamZilla is one of the best tools for this purpose.

4. Domain Hunter Gatherer

Domain Hunter Gatherer is a powerful tool for finding both expired and auctioned domains. It allows you to filter domains by backlinks, domain authority, and other important metrics.

Key Features:

• Finds expired and auctioned domains
• Analyzes backlink profiles
• Domain authority and page authority metrics
• Built-in auction tools

Why Use Domain Hunter Gatherer: This tool offers a comprehensive solution for finding expired domains based on SEO metrics, making it easy to find domains with valuable backlinks.

5. ExpiredDomains.net

ExpiredDomains.net is a free tool that allows you to search through a massive database of expired domains. You can filter domains based on metrics such as backlinks, traffic, domain authority, and more.

Key Features:

• Free access to expired domain database
• Filters for backlinks, traffic, and SEO metrics
• Integration with auction platforms
• Historical data and archive snapshots

Why Use ExpiredDomains.net: It’s a great free option for beginners who want to explore the world of expired domains and find domains with backlink potential.

Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Expired Domains with Backlinks

Now that you know the tools to use, here is a step-by-step guide to finding expired domains with backlinks.

Step 1: Set Up Your Tools

Choose your preferred tools based on your budget and needs. Ahrefs, SEMrush, and SpamZilla are excellent for in-depth backlink analysis, while ExpiredDomains.net is perfect for beginners.

Step 2: Search for Expired Domains

Using tools like ExpiredDomains.net or Domain Hunter Gatherer, filter for domains with the following criteria:

• High Domain Rating (DR) or Domain Authority (DA)
• Relevant backlink profile
• Organic traffic or previous SEO performance
• Expiration status (make sure the domain is available)

Step 3: Analyze the Backlink Profile

Using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush, analyze the backlink profile of the domain. Look for:

• High-quality backlinks from authoritative sources
• A healthy mix of dofollow and nofollow links
• Anchor text relevance (avoid domains with spammy anchor text)
• Referring domains from related industries

Step 4: Check Domain History

Use Wayback Machine to check the domain previous content and make sure it wasn’t used for spamming or black-hat SEO techniques. Also, look at tools like SpamZilla to assess the domain spam score.

Step 5: Evaluate SEO Metrics

Look at key SEO metrics such as:

• Domain Authority (DA)
• Page Authority (PA)
• Trust Flow (TF)
• Citation Flow (CF)

These metrics help you determine the domain overall strength and potential for SEO benefits.

Evaluating the Quality of Backlinks on an Expired Domain

Not all backlinks are created equal. Here is how to ensure you’re acquiring a domain with valuable backlinks:

1. Check the Referring Domains: The more high-quality referring domains, the better. Links from authoritative websites (like educational or government sites) carry more weight than low-quality blogs or directories.
2. Look for Natural Link Profiles: Backlinks should come from a variety of sources, with natural anchor text. Avoid domains with unnatural or spammy anchor text (e.g., “cheap viagra”).
3. Check the Follow vs. Nofollow Ratio: A healthy backlink profile has a good mix of dofollow and nofollow links. Too many nofollow links can reduce the value of the domain for SEO purposes.
4. Examine Anchor Text Diversity: Ensure the domain anchor text is diverse and relevant to the content. Avoid domains with overly optimized or spammy anchor texts.

How to Buy Expired Domains

Once you’ve found a domain, the next step is acquiring it. There are several ways to buy expired domains:

1. Domain Auctions: Platforms like GoDaddy Auctions and NameJet allow you to bid on expired domains. Keep an eye on the auction to secure your desired domain.
2. Buy Now Options: Some expired domains are available for immediate purchase on platforms like Sedo or Flippa. If you see a domain that fits your criteria, act quickly before someone else snatches it up.
3. Backordering: If a domain is about to expire, you can use a backordering service (like SnapNames) to try and claim it the moment it becomes available.

Best Practices for Using Expired Domains

After purchasing an expired domain, here is how to make the most of it:

1. 301 Redirect: Redirect the expired domain to your main website to pass on the link equity from existing backlinks.
2. Rebuild the Site: Recreate the previous site content, ensuring it’s relevant to the niche. This maintains the integrity of the backlinks.
3. Create a PBN (Private Blog Network): Use the expired domain as part of a PBN to link back to your main website and boost its authority.
4. Sell the Domain: If the domain has a valuable backlink profile, you can sell it for a profit on domain marketplaces.

FAQs About Expired Domains with Backlinks

1. Is it safe to use expired domains for SEO purposes?

Yes, if you carefully evaluate the domain history and backlink profile, using expired domains can be safe and beneficial for SEO.

2. What is the difference between an expired domain and an auction domain?

An expired domain is no longer registered, while an auction domain is being sold before its registration expires. Auction domains often have higher value because they can still retain their SEO benefits.

3. How much should I pay for an expired domain with backlinks?

The price varies depending on the domain backlink profile, authority, and industry relevance. High-quality expired domains can range from $50 to several thousand dollars.

4. Can I use expired domains to create a PBN?

Yes, expired domains are commonly used to build PBN for SEO purposes, but be cautious and ensure the domains are not penalized by search engines.

5. How can I prevent buying a spammy expired domain?

Always check the domain history using tools like Wayback Machine and its backlink profile with tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to ensure it wasn’t involved in spammy or black-hat SEO practices.