Google Algorithm Changes for Exact Match Domains

[Robbie]

Google has announced that it is making changes for Exact Match Domains - How are you going to find it affecting your business and domain buying / selling.

You can read an article about it on RobbiesBlog.com

What are you going to do?

Sell your exact match domains?

Develop them all?

Focus on one or two that you know can be built into a strong website... more than just a minisite...

 

[Jawed]

This new move by Google is basically crackdown on the undeveloped sites. Park domains, poor quality content and MFA sites will be affected. The properly developed generic domain names will get further boost, in my opinion.

 

[surprise]

...

 

[lothos]

no, exact match domains are not dead.

Low quality sites that happen to rank in Google because of their EMD are being hit.

 

[enlytend]

Buying EMD's to put up MFA's, scraped/spun content or thin affiliate sites is dead.

Low quality sites that happen to rank in Google because of their EMD are being hit.

More accurately: Sites that hit some trigger or combination of triggers which Google has decided to declare "low quality" indicators are being hit. Along with the usual collateral damage.

I've seen some total crap EMD sites still out there since this update which SHOULD have been hit but weren't. Google never gets it right on the first try. If you have a decent site that was hit, hang tight - it will bounce back next iteration. If you have a lame site that survived, don't get over confident.

 

[alien51]

it's still an algo. so that means, it can be defeated.

 

[David564]

Thanks for the important info robfer.

 

[GeoFan]

Things are not as bad as they seem.

Quality sites with EMD are still ranking #1, but it depends on competition. Junky micro sites.... not so well.

I have seen examples. Good and bad.

See also:

EMD (exact match domain) Update ... 2 weeks later.


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---------- Post added at 10:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:26 AM ----------

The value is still there in EMDs especially if there is good BRANDING and VANITY appeal.

Domain name == Branding == Identity == good Marketing principles!

Bad names and micro sites ... not so much...

"A domain name is worth whatever you can get.. You just need to find the right person and create the desire to own it." — GeoFan

 

[ArielT]

Who could answer me this: Is there any problem using the keyword in domain as a keyword in the site or would be overoptimized?

 

[HappyDay]

Who could answer me this: Is there any problem using the keyword in domain as a keyword in the site or would be overoptimized?

Well, my domain name is captcha and of course I will write about captchas. What else ? Maybe I will write about cookies too.


So, there is no problem.
You just should not use your exact keyword in any link and of course don´t use keyword stuffing.

 

[GeoFan]

Who could answer me this: Is there any problem using the keyword in domain as a keyword in the site or would be overoptimized?

As long as it all looks natural and not over optimized, there should be no problem. PM me with some specifics if you want more info.

You just should not use your exact keyword in any link and of course don´t use keyword stuffing.

Link anchor text should also look random and natural. Do not over optimize link anchor text. Variety is good. Keywords are okay. URLs are okay. Mixture of follow and NOFOLLOW is okay. Diversity is key for anchor text.

 

[ArielT]

Well, my domain name is captcha and of course I will write about captchas. What else ? Maybe I will write about cookies too.


So, there is no problem.
You just should not use your exact keyword in any link and of course don´t use keyword stuffing.

But then never use the site URL as link due it has the keyword?

As long as it all looks natural and not over optimized, there should be no problem. PM me with some specifics if you want more info.

Thanks GeoFan for the help offered, right now I have these general doubts, in some months I'll decide what domain to use

Link anchor text should also look random and natural. Do not over optimize link anchor text. Variety is good. Keywords are okay. URLs are okay. Mixture of follow and NOFOLLOW is okay. Diversity is key for anchor text.

ok, thanks