Wondering whether an exact match domain will help your site rank high on Google?
An exact match domain (EMD) is the domain that contains the name of the service that you provide or the product you sell.
EMD contains the keyword that the target audience might search and then the websites which contain that keyword in the domain name will appear in the SERP.
But the question is whether Domain name is a ranking factor or not.
In this article, we will understand whether the domain name actually affects the search engine ranking or not.
What does Google say?
The short answer is yes if you went back in time to the years before 2012. Using an exact match domain when creating your website was the finest thing you could do for its performance in search engine results.
However, when Matt Cutts addressed the controversy over whether domain names might affect Google ranking in a Webmaster Hangout, things started to shift. Cutts claims that Google came to the realization that the importance of keywords in domain names was being overemphasized.
He told that:
“Now if you’re still on the fence, let me just give you a bit of color, we have looked at the rankings and the weights that we give to keyword domains, and some people have complained that we’re giving a little too much weight for keywords in domains. And so we have been thinking about adjusting that mix a little bit and sort of turning the knob down within the algorithm, so that given two different domains it wouldn’t necessarily help you as much to have a domain with a bunch of keywords in it.”
Then in 2012, Matt Cutts tweeted that utilizing an exact match domain improperly will have a negative impact on rankings.
So according to Google, the answer is NO.
However, this does not imply that domain names are not significant. Simply put, they don’t directly affect rankings.
Why Domain Name is Important?
Company UX and public perception may be significantly impacted by the domain name you choose. Typically, the thing that people will remember most about your company is its domain name. Sometimes, that’s a specific brand or trademark, not your company name.
For various properties, you might want to think about using subdomains or even separate domains. This may make it easier for customers to find you if you sell things that distributors also sell.
In terms of search ranking, using keywords in your domain is useless; if done incorrectly, it may even degrade your SEO.
However, if your branding is strongly tied to a specific service or item, putting a keyword in the domain could make your brand’s message more obvious to visitors. A strategically placed term could also help draw in potential customers.
Although your domain name has a little direct effect on your Google ranking, it does give intelligent web marketers the chance to express their brand’s values and improve user experiences.
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Your domain name should be brief.
Good domain names are typically brief, with no more than two or three words. People are more likely to recall short, memorable domain names. This is one of the factors that may make exact-match domains ineffective for attracting repeat customers. Even though they typed “Digital Marketing” into the search engine, they find it simpler to remember jsdm.com than jaipurschoolofdigitalmarketing.com.
Although a domain name may appear ideal since it encapsulates all your brand represents, don’t be afraid to shorten it if it is too long.
The Domain Name You Use Should Reflect Your Brand
We’ve determined that having a domain name with an exact match may not affect your rankings, however, A good domain name may include a pertinent keyword that expresses the website’s brand, is associated with a certain niche, or even refers to the domain’s location.
For instance, the domain name digitalmarketing.com implies that the website is about digital marketing. Whether the domain name affects ranks in this scenario is irrelevant. What counts is if users will choose to interact with your website over a random xyz.com website.
Let Us Conclude:
The only factor that matters for ranking highly on search engines is not just keyword optimization. Spend more effort and money on additional SEO strategies to improve your rankings. I hope after reading this article you have got the answer to all your questions related to domain name and google ranking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Does a domain name have an impact on Google ranking?
It does, indeed. Though, bear in mind that other elements can affect your SEO ranking. Among other ranking variables, your website needs to load quickly, have high-quality content, and have backlinks. Your search engine rankings can be improved with a catchy domain name.
Q. Is domain rating used in rankings?
An indicator of how likely it is for a domain, subdomain, or page to appear in search engine result pages is called a domain rating (SERP). The score goes from 1 to 100 and is based on a logarithmic scale, with 1 representing the starting point for all new websites and going up from there.
Q. Can a domain name affect SEO?
Although domain names have an effect on SEO, they aren’t always a crucial component of your plan. In reality, a changing domain name could perplex other bots and search engines that are trying to crawl through your website, which would have a temporary but nonetheless detrimental effect on your SEO.
Q. Is purchasing a domain name from Google or GoDaddy preferable?
For the first year, GoDaddy is typically less expensive, but if you intend to keep the website for longer, Google Domains is typically a better option – particularly if you want additional protection. Additionally, Google Domains is considerably simpler to use and has open pricing and terms.