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I had a website with 2 domains like these: firstdomain.com and first-domain.com.

The main domain was first-domain.com and the other one was 301 redirected to first one. The main domain got a Google Penguin penalty some months ago. I uploaded the site on an new domain and removed Google index of old domain by using the remove URL tool in Webmaster Tools. Now, I want to use firstdomain.com (which was redirected to the penalized domain) for a new and fresh website with new and perfect content.

Is it probable that history of this domain affects the new website and harms its ranking?

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  • Just to clarify, firstdomain.com was redirected to first-domain.com but first-domain.com was the one that got slapped? Jul 24, 2013 at 20:05
  • yes, exactly! firstdomain.com was 301 redirected to first-domain.com but first-domain.com was penalized. An another point is firstdomain.com (which was redirected) has same page rank as first-domain.com. Jul 24, 2013 at 20:12

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I would see what links are pointing to firstdomain.com. If you got a Google Penguin adjustment because of bad links pointing to first-domain.com then that wont affect firstdomain.com, unless the same links also point there too. If firstdomain.com is free of links because it was never marketed then you would be pretty safe from Penguin .

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  • Thanks a lot, but an important point is that in Webmaster Tools panel, there is no any external link reported pointing to firstdomain.com, even just one link, but firstdomain.com has same Google pagerank (PR 4) as first-domain.com! Its what I'm worried about! Jul 25, 2013 at 10:05
  • Maybe you see the pagerank 4 when it is pointed at the other domain, if so - you could be seeing first-domain.com page rank.
    – user29671
    Jul 25, 2013 at 10:10
  • Yeah, the point was logical if firstdomain.com was redirected to first-domain.com yet, but now, it is not redirected and has a same pagerank! Jul 25, 2013 at 10:12
  • Do any other tools show links pointing to the site ? If you really cant find any bad links, especially not in Webmaster Tools then Penguin is not really a worry.
    – user29671
    Jul 25, 2013 at 10:17

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