SEO Are Exact Match Domain Names with SEO Value Worth More?

[Lonn Dugan]

This came up in another discussion...

Do exact match domain names (natural type in search phrase) still have SEO value that should be considered in domain pricing?

In a video posted today, Niel Patel, an acknowledged leader in SEO strategies and tactics, confirms that exact match domain names still have SEO / SERP Value.

"Now a lot of people say exact-match domain names don't work as well as they used to, and that's correct, but they still do. Now creating a domain that's a exact match to the service or product you're selling is a great way to get some traction in the SERPs. " Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=totiNw9Rypc&feature=emb_logo

What do you think? Are you willing to pay more for an exact match domain name?

#topics / tags: seo

 

[CodingTheDomain]

For 2 to 3 word long tail phrases we find EMDS still work well in low competition niches.

We set up a Squarespace site with 5 pages of content and a few backlinks: 1 twitter link, 1 youtube link and a homepage link on a site with moderate domain authority

Within a week site went straight to number 5 for the keyword phrase, a few months later it's still sitting there driving leads to the client's main site.

 

[Lonn Dugan]

FORWARDING a domain that never had content WILL NOT help rank your branded site at all. If Google has never indexed a site then forwarding that domain cannot pass any link juice because it never had any.

HOWEVER, creating a 5 to 10 page site with meaningful, keyword-rich, on-topic content that LINKS to your main site (especially using good anchor text) WILL DEFINITELY help your main site. These are called doorway sites or mini sites or landing page sites. They don't have to be pretty. No high style needed. Google will never "see" the site. The doorway sites don't even have to rank well as long as they are indexed by google. The facts of on topic content and keyword rich anchor text links will send positive search rank signals to Google for the main site.

Question here:

My brandable business website is: popvid.com

If I have "TorontoVideographer.com", "MontrealVideographer.com", NewYorkVideographer.com", etc and forward them to my brandable domain, so does this work? or not

 

[CodingTheDomain]

There's often the added bonus of improved Click through rates and conversion with EMDS not just in PPC but in organic search.

Google's algorithm often rewards higher CTR with higher rankings

Here's an old but interesting case study from Australia:

https://www.smartcompany.com.au/tec...ange-resulted-in-a-40-million-turnover-boost/

Shaun McGowan’s business, Beep.com.au, was turning over $60 million. Five months later the company has grown by 60%, now exceeding $100 million in turnover, through one simple change – the domain name.

McGowan purchased a new, premium domain name CarLoans.com.au in June and since then the business’s click throughs have increased, its marketing spend has reduced and turnover has increased by $40 million.

“We noticed the impact the very next day. The moment we launched CarLoans, we had a 35% drop in our AdWord spend the next day,” he says.

“A lot of our inquiries are driven through AdWords, but we’re now getting the same number of leads for much less. Our click-through rate went up and our conversion rate alone has increased by 30%.”

 

[CodingTheDomain]

Brandable names are great, but sometimes a multipronged online approach using a few different EMDs each with unique content flowing back to the main site and driving leads works well.

Bing and Duck Duck Go, make up 15-20 percent of the search market and they have different algorithms to Google

These engines are completely ignored by most digital experts

The site mentioned that's 5 on Google, is 2 on Bing

If you're selling a big ticket item like Platinum Bullion a few extra leads/sales soon add up

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I don't know, really, but from what I have read, it seems to me yes still some value, but probably less so than they did in the past. Clearly the actual content, and measures of reliability, have gone way up in importance. Also the way that search is now based on intentions, rather than on precise wording, makes a difference. And of course Google keep saying that the TLD does not matter. I suspect, as Google attempt to further emphasize reliable and secure and fast sites, and have cut off many new sites that used to be able to use Adsense, that there are implications both for SEO and for the nature of the web and the value of domain names.

It is a great discussion, and thank you to all who have commented.

Bob

 

[PayPKR]

I fully agree. The EMD on .com/.net/.org tld will rank organically quickly & easily as compared to a branded/Non-emd domain. Besides, EMD domains are easy to re-call by visitor when doing offline marketing.

 

[CodingTheDomain]

"Everybody can understand that everything move super fast and some "old school" ideas don't work anymore...."

Neil Patel is on the cutting edge of Digital Strategy and he and others believe EMDs still work very well in certain sectors

EMDs are not our main focus but after the Penguin update of 2012 we noticed many SEO experts stating they were now useless.

That was a false assumption, many companies missed opportunities to acquire golden generic domains that exactly matched their product or service, because their SEO expert said they no longer worked.

 

[Lonn Dugan]

Hi Pablohc86

Thanks for the reply. That's right. As you say, "branded sites might be more desirable."

However, nobody is searching for a brand before it is established at a high cost in advertising.

So it seems like EMD domains actually cost less to develop to the point of ranking at Google.

What do you think? Have you worked on monetizing both kinds of sites?

true exact match domain still have some SEO value...
however startups and online entities nowadays they prefer to have a branded website.
They could be interested in EMD if they have enough money to develop them.

 

[Lonn Dugan]

@Bob Hawkes Yes, it takes more work these days, and CONTENT is certainly king!

I know that putting the same content on a non EMD and doing the same on page and technical SEO work will prove out that the EMD name will rank sooner and higher!

 

[Lonn Dugan]

@mpls I agree with much of what you said. Yes, "You can rank any domain if you know what you are doing." And Yes, You will never dominate over saturated, highly competitive SERP with only an EMD.

To be clear, I am not proposing EMD's as an end all, be all, but as a great starting place on which to build. From experience, I myself and MANY Thought Leaders involved in SEO work, believe that a strong EMD makes all the other SEO work perform even better, easier and faster.

Don't really know why some members say EMD have SEO value.
This is a completely false statement.
EMD has NOT any SEO value in 2020.
To be honest are YEARS that EMDs don't work anymore.
You can rank a domain like fehdshfdiufd.cc for EVERY keyword if you know what you're doing.
High quality content, backlinks, social signals, and many other factors are important for SEO not EMD.
Many domainers love keyword rich domains like insurance, crypto, p*rn, but they completely ignore that those niches are impenetrable, extremely difficult and over saturated.
You'll never dominate (aka rank in 1st page on G) in those niches with an EMD domain.
Maybe in '96.

 

[Anne L.]

@Bob Hawkes Yes, it takes more work these days, and CONTENT is certainly king!

I know that putting the same content on a non EMD and doing the same on page and technical SEO work will prove out that the EMD name will rank sooner and higher!

Tried using a brandable domain and a PMD (Partial Match Domain) on a mini-site. Used the same content. Applied on-page optimization mainly to check what weight Google gives to on-page optimization and domain name.

To ensure there won't be any duplicate content, I did these:

Site #1: Brandable Domain name
1. I removed the files from my hosting folders.
2. I used Google Search Console's URL Removal Tool so the indexed pages would no longer appear on Google search
3. I waited for 2 to 3 months to ensure the pages were no longer indexed.

Site #2: Partial Match Domain

1. I uploaded the files I removed from site #1. Same content except for the logo and domain name mentions and a few minor tweaks on the meta tags to fit the domain name.
2. Used Google Search Console to let Google bots crawl my site
3. Monitored the stats

Impressions increased by more than a hundred percent. Ranking of targeted keywords and long tail keywords went up to the top 1-50. Both stats show that the SERPs (Search Engine Ranking Pages/Positions) increased.

Since it's just the domain name that was changed and the content was just transferred to the new domain, it's safe to say that it's the PMD that made a difference.

 

[pablohc86]

true exact match domain still have some SEO value...
however startups and online entities nowadays they prefer to have a branded website.
They could be interested in EMD if they have enough money to develop them.

 

[mpls]

For 2 to 3 word long tail phrases we find EMDS still work well in low competition niches.

We set up a Squarespace site with 5 pages of content and a few backlinks: 1 twitter link, 1 youtube link and a homepage link on a site with moderate domain authority

Within a week site went straight to number 5 for the keyword phrase, a few months later it's still sitting there driving leads to the client's main site.

Here it's the misconception.
You think that EMD work for low comp keyword.
And I agree with this, but: in low comp niches EVERY domain works, not only EMDs.
Your site ranks in 5th positions NOT for the EMD, but for tiwtter + youtube + HOMEPAGE links on high DA site (this is the main reason you rank 5th, homepage links are insanely powerful).
That's it

 

[Lonn Dugan]

@CodingTheDomain. Yes, exactly. After Penguin, Google and others put out misinformation to try to stop people from gaming the system. The so-called SEO experts who listen too much to the search engines cost their clients some great opportunities. Experience is the best teacher!

Neil Patel is on the cutting edge of Digital Strategy and he and others believe EMDs still work very well in certain sectors

EMDs are not our main focus but after the Penguin update of 2012 we noticed many SEO experts stating they were now useless.

That was a false assumption, many companies missed opportunities to acquire golden generic domains that exactly matched their product or service, because their SEO expert said they no longer worked.

 

[King]

A direct keyword does help the domain hit the first page maybe not the top 3 alone but the first page if developed & a .net .org or .com other tlds are harder to get up there on keyword alone. (From experience)

 

[Brian L.]

I find that an exact match domain still does help with SEO, but not nearly as much as it used to. I used to be able to rank on the first page of google within hours with a new exact match domain and just a couple links.

 

[karmaco]

@Bob Hawkes Yes, it takes more work these days, and CONTENT is certainly king!

I know that putting the same content on a non EMD and doing the same on page and technical SEO work will prove out that the EMD name will rank sooner and higher!

That may very well be true but most go the route of a cool memorable brandable for their business not an EMD. If they don’t want it —how valuable is it? Most companies are aware how they can rise in rank. With the huge shift to social media marketing, content and engagement Google is just one facet of success.

 

[Pay.My.id]

Its depend ... If we could build strong backlink on EMD as emotional brand, Google would love your sites based exact match domain , but if we make a mistake and create massive unnatural link , google would consider your sites as spam .

EMD still have seo value if we combine with proper strategy , using natural seo process really recommend when your site still new in search engine.

 

[lock]

I also rated a one word + gTLD on top and still see some value in direct phrases but they are typed few and far between.

 

[mpls]

...

Here's an old but interesting case study from Australia:

https://www.smartcompany.com.au/tec...ange-resulted-in-a-40-million-turnover-boost/

This article is from 2013.
We can not read SEO article from 2013.
Here, in the SEO world, many thinks change on weekly basis.
Google are releasing update EVERY week.
We can not use information released 1 month ago don't even imagine how many things are changed since 2013.
Here you are quick snapshot of serp volatility in the last 30 days.
https://www.semrush.com/sensor/?db=US&category=
Everybody can understand that everything move super fast and some "old school" ideas don't work anymore.
Even ideas created 1 month ago.

 

[Lonn Dugan]

@mpls I must respectfully disagree with the statement that Neil Patel is a fictional character with no authority in the SEO world.

It is a simple fact that some people don't like him, but nobody can deny that Neil Patel has deep penetration and accomplishment with actual SEO SERP Results to support what he says.

Talk is cheap but the proof is in results, right? For instance: The link below is from Google for a search of the term organic SEO techniques where neilpatel.com is the first organic link after snippets - beating backlinks, Ahrefs, and MOZ! That's some real world SEO chops!

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf...WVK80KHc3hBeAQ1QIoAXoECA8QAg&biw=1920&bih=875

But... I am willing to be wrong.... So... can you show me some so called Real experts who think Neil Patel has a fictional claim on expertise in the SEO Space? If so, please include proof of their actual ranking prowess and business accomplishments so a fair comparison can be made.

Neil Patel?
Ok, I stopped to read when I see Neil Patel.
I can understand that some people see him like a guru.
He's very good to advertise himself and appear like a guru.
Real experts do not consider Neil Patel.
Is like considering Dr. Gregory House (fictional character) a great doctor.

 

[golan]

Please define "Worth More". For whom?

For SEO's, affiliate marketers etc. - definitely.

For new startups and other businesses who are looking for brands - unlikely.

Two different markets.

 

[jideofor]

@golan

Thanks. Good point. Value is always subjective. I am seo guy first and foremost, who only recently decided to get serious about domain name investing. I kind of 'ass-u-me-d' that an EMD domain name would be worth more in the domain reselling market than a generic or brand type domain name.

From this conversation I have learned that much of the market in domain reselling is in brand name domains space.

Live and learn..

This is an interesting thread.

Now to buttress the emboldened, I can authoritatively tell you that a domain name with good SEO works on it to rank after building a site on it will sell easily in 8 times out of 10 than a domain name with no content which will likely be confined to one or two end users.

 

[Anne L.]

A year or so. Some keywords/keyword phrases have traded places during Google's updates (some went to first page, some dipped) but the impressions and the keywords on the SERPs have remained way, way higher than site #1's stats. Darts back and forth between 50 percent to more than a 100 percent of Site #1's stats - depending on the Google update.