new vs old domain

[jaybrn5]

Is it worth buying an older domain will you see much of a boost vs starting a new domain?

[Dan Grossman]

Google is an accredited registrar; they have direct access to the WHOIS database. They will know that the domain changed hands and isn't, in fact, "old".

[felgall]

The only time an old domain provides better value for SEO is where it has been displaying content on the same subject for the entire time. To get any value from the old domain name over and above what you'd get from a new one you need to buy the site with the domain.

[Hyena]

Might be worth it if the old domain has backlinks that still exist, then you might get some traffic from those.

[felgall]

Might be worth it if the old domain has backlinks that still exist, then you might get some traffic from those.

for a few weeks until the sites realise that their links no longer point to the site they set them up to point to

[Hyena]

for a few weeks until the sites realise that their links no longer point to the site they set them up to point to

Well yes there is a risk of that if you are being dodgy about it and buying a domain purely to capture traffic with a short-term outlook. But if you are buying a related domain to set up a site related to the same topic/product then ppl are more likely to leave the links in place.

Better still if you have the time to email webmasters who link to the domain and let them know.