{"id":1035,"date":"2013-05-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-12T21:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaoptions.com\/blog\/forget-google-why-exact-match-domains-are-still-king\/"},"modified":"2024-11-19T07:58:32","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T07:58:32","slug":"blog-forget-google-why-exact-match-domains-are-still-king","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaoptions.com\/blog\/forget-google-why-exact-match-domains-are-still-king\/","title":{"rendered":"Forget Google: Why Exact Match Domains Are Still King"},"content":{"rendered":"<section>\n<div class=\"blog-post__StyledBody-rvmjj0-5 opGdZ\">\n<p>There\u2019s been a lot of concern from people about Google\u2019s recent adjustment of how it handles sites created on exact match domains (EMD).\u00a0 Back in October, many domain blogs posted that owning an EMD\u2014a domain that contains the same keywords used on your site\u2014would no longer be advantageous and that sites will be banned from search engines. This statement, taken completely out of context, is also completely untrue. What <em>did<\/em> happen, according to Google Webmaster Help\u2019s Matt Cutts, was an adjustment in the algorithm so that EMDs would not have a preference over domains without keywords <strong>unless<\/strong> they earned their position by meeting the same relative positive engagement metrics that other sites used.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sites Rank Better When They Meet Positive Engagement Metrics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Positive engagement metrics include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Length of time on site (your visitors stay for a while to look around)<\/li>\n<li>Multiple page views (your visitors review more than one page on your site)<\/li>\n<li>Repeat visits (your visitors come back to see if there\u2019s new content or to purchase something)<\/li>\n<li>Low bounce rates (your visitors aren\u2019t accessing a page, and then immediately clicking a link way from your site)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>The Google Update Only Levels the Playing Field<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There was a multitude of microsites created by speculators that offered the visitor no valuable or relevant information related to the keywords. The old algorithm placed these low-quality sites higher in the organic search engine results than a non-EMD site with valuable content created for the user. Google decided that this wasn\u2019t a good experience for the user, so it changed its filters to assess sites with or without EMDs on a more even keel. Let\u2019s use an example:\u00a0 I purchase the domain name best-weight-loss-secrets.com and I publish low-end or duplicate content on a microsite.\u00a0 Before the Google update, my site could easily come up #1 in a search for \u201cbest weight loss secrets\u201d even if those keywords are not included in my content, simply because they are included in the domain name itself.<\/p>\n<p>Now if Tess puts up a site without those keywords in the domain, and she actually writes articles that discuss and demonstrate \u201cbest weight loss secrets,\u201d then Tess\u2019 site is offering a better value to the visitor since it\u2019s providing them content related to their search. If we consider the best user experience, it\u2019s obvious whose site should rank better.\u00a0 Tess\u2019 site offers content that the visitor wants, while my site only brought them to a page in anticipation that they will generate ad revenue for me.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Best of Both Worlds:\u00a0 Exact Match Domains that Meet Engagement Metrics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the world of domain names, Exact Match Domains are still King, if you follow the guidelines and meet the positive engagement metrics.\u00a0 If your site meets these metrics, AND you have keywords in your domain, the better off you are! \u00a0Even after last October\u2019s updates, when comparing your EMD site to a site with similar value and user experience, your EMD domain still has an advantage over a non-EMD domain in the search. In addition, you will benefit from higher conversion rates for click throughs on your sponsored ads since the EMD contains your keywords (extra bonus!). Finally, not only is a premium domain with exact match keywords usually more indicative of what your site is about, it benefits you in the Social Media arena too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Social Media Mentions can benefit your Exact Match Domain<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a world where search engines look for evidence that a site\u2019s content is in demand, we must not forget the value of Social Media in this mix.\u00a0 Every time someone mentions your site on Facebook, or pins an image in Pinterest, the search engines take notice.\u00a0 Having a one word domain in this case makes it much easier for mentions to translate into free advertising and possible increased rankings, as your domain name becomes the brand in itself.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Get Your Domain Name Broker Involved<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Talk to your domain broker about finding an EMD that demonstrates the intent of your business and make sure that you put some killer content on there.\u00a0 This way, you\u2019ve given yourself the best chance of landing at the top of the search results! As a domain name broker, we are often aware of premium domains which may not be publicly on the market. Consider us a resource in your quest for a domain that both brands and defines your business, while also providing you with every possible search engine advantage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There\u2019s been a lot of concern from people about Google\u2019s recent adjustment of how it handles sites created on exact match domains (EMD).\u00a0 Back in October, many domain blogs posted that owning an EMD\u2014a domain that contains the same keywords used on your site\u2014would no longer be advantageous and that sites will be banned from &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":3944,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1035","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - 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