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I manage a fraternal website. The link was always at or near the top a Google. When the district merged with another district, we got ourselves a new domain name which encompassed both (almost identical - just a bit shorter). After a year, allowing the transition to sink in, I let the original domain expire - still at the top of Google searches.
Well - someone bought the old domain - and since I started it 14+ years ago it keeps the history (big deal for google ranking). So now, if one searches, they turn up on top: a Thai gambling site (in Thai). This not a redirection - but a coup d'etat.
Even worse - try as I might - I cannot even get my site to show on Google. Now way to contact Google, it seems, to get them to look into the matter. Even if I search explicitly for the site it returns the usurper. I contacted domain registrar said that, unfortunately, that's the way ICANN records the date. There are 'businesses' that look precisely for such sites to get visibility.
Basically, my site was legally hijacked.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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When you buy a domain name, you also buy its Google reputation with it, so that is why some are very expensive.
In your case, you just offered somebody a good Google-ranked domain name, by letting it go expired.
Google cannot really "do something about it", I think. I also believe that its Google ranking will sink soon, but you need to be a little patient.
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I certainly hope your right. Then, of course, how do I get the correct name back in the search listings? Once there, I can try to mobilize a mini-army to click through it and move it back to page one.
For now - I'd rather have neither of us (most users are local, for informational purposes, and don't need to look it up). It just seems like a flaw in the google ranking plan.
Thanks for a bit of hope.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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W∴ Balboos wrote: how do I get the correct name back in the search listings?
$$$
If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.
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W∴ Balboos wrote: I can try to mobilize a mini-army to click through it and move it back to page one
This is (really) one SEO measures, but not the best one. What helps first is get all websites that point on your old name to point on the new one, this helps a lot. For the rest, time is your friend : bringing it back to first page will need people to click and visit your page...
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Rage wrote: I also believe that its Google ranking will sink soon,
Exactly.
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As mentioned already you can get back on top with patience or $$$, or both.
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W∴ Balboos wrote: I let the original domain expire
That was the problem right there, as you found out.
You never let a domain you own expire--even if you only start using it to redirect elsewhere.
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dandy72 wrote: You never let a domain you own expire--even if you only start using it to redirect elsewhere.
I considered it and one can argue that Google's an accessory to a gentle blackmail that benefits the the Domain Registrars.
Once you have a domain, unless you drop its utility altogether you can never let it go - so they get to keep billing you. Now, the longer you 'protect' you asset (web presence and domain age), the more valuable it becomes (certainly with age) making it even more essential to keep paying for nothing. Fit's in nice with GoDaddy's low-ball startup price and not so competitive renewal pricing.
If a domain totally expires it should have the clock reset; unless, perhaps, it's the previous registered owner and the expiration was brief.
| Ravings en masse^ |
|---|
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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W∴ Balboos wrote: Now way to contact Google, it seems, to get them to look into the matter
If you get media attention (any form that causes it to blow up as a topic) that certainly seems to attract their attention.
W∴ Balboos wrote: Basically, my site was legally hijacked.
Yep. That is why companies continue to pay for the domain registration. Many put do nothing redirects in place as well to get it to go to new location.
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I think this is more akin to you donating a wallet to a second-hand store, not realizing you had hundreds of dollars in it.
Director of Transmogrification Services
Shinobi of Query Language
Master of Yoda Conditional
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I can't help you, but I do have a question. Before your old site expired, did you publish a "301 moved permanently" on it so that the search engines would know the site has moved?
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. . . Now you tell me ! . . .
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Well CRAP!
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Sounds like it taking a few years for children to realize that the new owners of the house hand out fun size bars at Halloween instead of the full sized ones the previous occupants did.
I agree with the others' thoughts that a site/domain's 'reputation' should absolutely be reset when it changes hands.
Hopefully the new owner's reputation falls faster than would in my Halloween example. Piggybacking on someone else's success like that isn't 'cool'. 
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My dad is back home after 2 weeks in the hospital, where he was being treated for a chest infection. While he was recovering, he had an ischemic event (transient blockage of blood into the heart, caused by coronary disease brought about by old age), which thankfully didn't cause anything more than a slight chest pain and tiredness. His ECG is back to normal (the blockage repaired itself) and he returned home today, just in time to celebrate his 98th birthday tomorrow.
Until he was 97, he was taking 4 international flights (20 hours each) from Bombay to Toronto a year on his own. His BP is 120/80 and he has no cholesterol or blood sugar problems. He's been exercising 6 days a week, never binges, and has a positive outlook on life and a wicked sense of humor.
We should all be so lucky. ![Rose | [Rose]](https://www.codeproject.com/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
/ravi
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Great news!
Ravi Bhavnani wrote: celebrate his 98th birthday tomorrow
That's freakin' awesome!  Hope he has a great birthday, and many more to come.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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That is good news and wow, that is impressive that he takes such good care of himself. Your Dad sounds like he's as fit as a 30 year old. Exercise is the fountain of youth. I see a stark contrast between people who exercise regularly and those who do not.
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Best news of the week!
Skipper: We'll fix it.
Alex: Fix it? How you gonna fix this?
Skipper: Grit, spit and a whole lotta duct tape.
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Cool news!
Ravi Bhavnani wrote: He's been exercising 6 days a week, never binges, and has a positive outlook on life and a wicked sense of humo
I do not know about your exercising, but for the rest this somewhat confirms genetic inheritance 
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Ravi, tell him I wish him a happy birthday will ya.
That's great news.
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Ravi Bhavnani wrote: and has a positive outlook on life and a wicked sense of humor
Personally, I find it hard to have both at the same time.
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Glad to hear he is doing well, hope I can do half that when I'm 98.
Someone's therapist knows all about you!
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Thank you for sharing a great story!
"Go forth into the source" - Neal Morse
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Quote: We should all be so lucky.
Indeed.
(See the first quote in my sig.  )
Cheers,
Mike Fidler
"I intend to live forever - so far, so good." Steven Wright
"I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met." Also Steven Wright
"I'm addicted to placebos. I could quit, but it wouldn't matter." Steven Wright yet again.
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