discuss Domains and Searches

[Bob Hawkes]

While over the years NPs has had many threads on SEO and related topics, and aspects of search have been discussed frequently in other threads, I think this might be an opportune time to reconsider the topic. My hope is that we will share information from multiple viewpoints. Wherever possible I would ask those contributing to the thread to provide links (to other posts on NPs or elsewhere) to provide evidence and further information.

Here are some of the questions I see as important (this is definitely not an exclusive list so additions welcome!)

1. Google says that gTLD does not matter for search. Do we really believe them?
2. Some have claimed mechanisms by which a match in TLD can enhance search placement. Is that really so?
3. Using a country code (not generic ones) helps search in that country but harms it outside the region. Is this a reason some should move from country code to global TLDs, or in fact an argument the other way? Implications for domain investors in country codes?
4. What is the current list of which country code extensions are considered general as opposed to country specific?
5. Do we think Google may in future give advantage to their own secure space TLDs?
6. If there are lots of Google search results for a term, does that matter much?
7. What about specifics of search - e.g. order in multiple word, use of quotation marks, etc.? What can they teach us about how desired a domain name might be?
8. What are the best tools for evaluating search aspects of a domain worth?
9. If one was considering new extensions, is there an advantage to using an extension that corresponds to a commonly searched term? Or does (1) mean it doesn't matter much?
10. We all accept that voice searches, already important, will become more so (Alexa, Siri, etc.). What are the implications for domains?
11. We have seen how even a single change in Google search can have a huge impact on search (and monetization). What possible changes to do we see on the horizon?
12. Most of us talk about search as if it was only Google. Of course there is Bing and also other options. Do we see Google becoming even more dominant, or will new players take a bit of the market.
13. Are there changes in AI which drive search that may also influence domain names.
14. A few have developed formulae to justify the value of a domain name to a business based on search, CPC, CTR, etc. Are there new items we should know about in this area.

While the topics obviously have implications for SEO, my hope is that the thread will mainly deal with ithe topics from the viewpoint of domain investment, and not primarily around issues of how those of us who also develop sites can optimize them for search.

I look forward to learning from you!

Bob

 

[Bob Hawkes]

Most of us talk about search as if it was only Google. Of course there is Bing and also other options. Do we see Google becoming even more dominant, or will new players take a bit of the market

Most who voted in the poll so far see Google dominance continuing.
Can someone tell me is Google as dominant in other regions, like Asia, as it is in North America?
Also, does someone have a reliable source for information on how the percentage of search that is Google, vs Bing, etc. has varied in recent years? Thanks.
Bob

 

[Bob Hawkes]

If there are lots of Google search results for a term, does that matter much?

Would love to hear some discussion about this point.

While I by no means a substitute for a more refined look at possible end users and the competitive advantage they might obtain from a given domain name, I personally do use it as a metric on how widely used a term is, and therefore, potentially, some relation (not linear) to the size of the pool of possible uses.

I think that it is important though to not only see the number of Google results, but also scroll through a significant number (say 10 pages) of those results. This will give an idea of the types of sites that are using related content, and often I will get ideas of uses I never thought about before.

I also find the + and - sign in Google search helpful when looking at compound domain names.

I do with domain phrases use the quotation marks to see exact precise matches for a term, but for many domain names I think that does not matter.

I also look at Google search for closely related words (like with and without hyphen, plural and singular, English vs American spelling, etc.).

I generally don't bother to set a VPN so the search corresponds to different geographical regions, but wonder if I should be? Do others do that?

I also only use Google. Do others also look at Bing and other alternatives?

Bob

 

[Bob Hawkes]

While perhaps only peripherally related, @Bernard Wright in this post draws attention to a possible backlash against Google with respect to privacy concerns (it is a very long article in the Canadian publication TheWalrus and covers a lot more). Anyway, I thought I would mention it in this thread so people will not miss the discussion in the other thread. I have put a few quotes from the original article below.
Bob

"The data-driven economy, Balsillie warned, was developing faster than the ability of policy makers to reckon with its consequences."

"... a world where Big Tech piles up astronomical profits by distilling our everyday experiences into data to monetize."

"Silicon Valley’s main business model is founded on the exhaustive monitoring of human behaviour."

"Given that Google fields around 90 percent of internet searches worldwide, the company’s search algorithm represents a source of power with few historical precedents. In an age of fake news, cyberwarfare, and toxic online culture, it would seem reckless not to be concerned that such power is accountable to shareholders rather than elected officials."​

 

[Eric Lyon]

If cost is an issue and you don’t need EV or OV, there’s Let’s Encrypt. It’s free, easy to install, has good browser support, and a lot of hosts offer it.

Just to add to the one @enlytend posted, here are two more free SSL options that some developers also like to use.

• Free CloudFlare SSL
• SSL For Free

General comment on Free Vs. Paid SSL:
Paid SSL service users would probably debate the actual security protocol reliability of a free version vs. a paid version and advise that one upgrade to paid. However, for the sake of SEM and all the SEO components within it, a free SSL certificate could be the extra nudge to help a site retain some index value and provide a little leverage over competitors that still haven't added SSL..