Loading ...The domain name your site operates from has a huge impact on your SEO. It is well known that the search engines begin their assessment of your site at the URL level. If there is something at that level to put them off, all of the search engine optimisation efforts you have put forth on your pages will be for nought.
When choosing a domain name, you have a number of options. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of them:
1. An exact keyword match. This is the absolute best option for a domain name, although for most businesses it isn’t an option. Exact match domain names are extremely popular, and most keyword domains are already owned. Because an exact match domain can be expected to attract plenty of traffic without any internet marketing whatsoever, many basic keyword domains have been bought up in bulk by companies that use them to park low-quality advertising content. These companies can be persuaded to part with the exact match domain for a fee, but you can count on it being a rather large fee.
If you can buy an exact match domain for your industry, you may well find it is worth it. Exact match domains have emerged as prime real estate of the net, and as more and more domain names get bought up over time, the value of exact matches increases. This is entirely aside from the search engine optimisation benefits you can count on by making your keyword the root of your site address.
2. A rough match keyword domain. This is the second-best option for a domain choice, and a far more accessible one. It’s still possible to work up a decent domain with plenty of keywords to make your SEO consultant happy. You can discuss your options with us at SEO Consult Australia.
3. A catchy-but-long domain. Some sites can thank a witty, lengthy domain for their popularity. Sites like www.icanhascheezburger.com make use of humour to be memorable, and as an internet marketing strategy, it works well. As an SEO strategy, it works less well.
4. A new term. Crafting your brand from scratch is tricky, but can be done. Just look at ‘Google’, which is now a commonly used verb as well as a search engine. Again, this isn’t as valuable in SEO terms.
5. Your business name. This is the option that a lot of companies take, before they become aware of the needs of search engine optimisation. If you want your site to act as a kind of online business card, by all means stick with www.yourbusiness.com. If, however, you actually want to attract some search engine traffic from searches on your industry, then you may need to have a rethink.
It is a worthwhile exercise purchasing your business domain name as a way of protecting your brand. It is a better idea, however, to host your main site on a domain that has more value to your search engine optimisation, and redirecting traffic from your business domain. Talk to our consultants at SEO Consult Australia about redirects and SEO.
Related posts:
- The ideal domain
- How Your Domain Affects Your Ranking
- The 5 elements of a good domain
- Are aged domains really worth it?
- Content options for retail sites
Tags: content, Keywords, Search Engine Optimisation, SEO, SEO Consult
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