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Google Rolls out Algo change to target Exact Match domains.

Rhythm

Top Contributor
Seems a bit silly given the change impacts existing, low quality sites on an EMD and not all EMDs in general.

If Google said they were making changes to EMD across the board, that would be a concern but an EMD is still probably a good signal to send albiet not as strong as it once was, you'd still want it regardless I would think.

^ This.
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
Why pay a premium for an EMD if that's the plan? From what I've seen from my own sites, it seems the only sort of EMD's that have been hit are the shitty 5 page pink4slicetoaster.com type sites (not including place holder type sites although this probably isn't a good idea now) which are typically available for hand reg anyway.

If Google said they were making changes to EMD across the board, that would be a concern but an EMD is still probably a good signal to send albiet not as strong as it once was, you'd still want it regardless I would think.

From what I can see of it is isn't that uncommon for domainers to buy exact match domain at a premium & then put low quality content on them.
 

DavidL

Top Contributor
Why pay a premium for an EMD if that's the plan? From what I've seen from my own sites, it seems the only sort of EMD's that have been hit are the shitty 5 page pink4slicetoaster.com type sites (not including place holder type sites although this probably isn't a good idea now) which are typically available for hand reg anyway.

If Google said they were making changes to EMD across the board, that would be a concern but an EMD is still probably a good signal to send albiet not as strong as it once was, you'd still want it regardless I would think.

Yeah I agree, in theory end-users shouldn't worry about it assuming they will put real time and effort into the domain. Most end-users don't even consider SEO anyway at the point of selecting a domain name anyway. they are more (probably rightly) concerned about the other domain factors - memorability, authority, brevity etc.

However it makes sense if buy-to-develop people (like myself sometimes) are reassessing. My old method used to be buy a half-decent EMD with decent search, bang on a minisite, get it ranking, assess the traffic and Adsense revenue then further develop if it looked worthwhile.

Not sure that's going to work as well now...
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
and who have we to thank for this? domainers, who parked crap pages on premium EMD!

Not sure what you mean, it is a bit like getting a speeding fine then saying it is the fault of all those people who speed that they give out fines.

The sites are low quality, google has pinged them, that is life, if it has effected my site it is my fault.
 

findtim

Top Contributor
My old method used to be buy a half-decent EMD with decent search, bang on a minisite, get it ranking, assess the traffic and Adsense revenue then further develop if it looked worthwhile.

Not sure that's going to work as well now...

content is still king, an EMD that gives good content won't be affected i think, maybe the " old method" just now needs more effort.

tim
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
content is still king, an EMD that gives good content won't be affected i think, maybe the " old method" just now needs more effort.

tim

MFA sites are the ones they are right to ping, which is what the "old method" was. It is just going to get harder if the model involves developing something just in the hope of adsense revenue, they'll keep tightening the screws in my view, no future in it.
 

payattention

Archived Member
It is the type of site that is going to be in the firing line at some point. Affiliate links, PPC, low quality & duplicate content.

None of the content is indexed anyway

AND

This EMD update they rolled out says a lot when Tim's content isn't even indexed yet it ranks #3 for the phrase, is above Google Places which lists legitimate optometrists in that area. Not that it's a difficult or highly searched keyword but it just goes to show that this EMD update is not as bad as some are making out. Tim is probably ranking on that alone, it isn't his content as the other pages are not indexed.
 
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snoopy

Top Contributor
None of the content is indexed anyway

AND

This EMD update they rolled out says a lot when Tim's content isn't even indexed yet it ranks #3 for the phrase, is above Google Places which lists legitimate optometrists in that area. Not that it's a difficult or highly searched keyword but it just goes to show that this EMD update is not as bad as some are making out. Tim is probably ranking on that alone, it isn't his content as the other pages are not indexed.

I don't think there is really anyone competing on the term, 0 search volume, I don't think the fact that it ranks is saying much about the update. How do we know it isn't getting ranked because it is the only site with a title "ballarat optometrist".
 

payattention

Archived Member
It's not the only one, there are 9 pages in total across 5 or so domains but that's practically 0 I guess - intitle:"ballarat optometrist"

It's difficult to know which is giving more weight to the ranking. Personally I think the EMD has more to do with it than the title tag due to it's position. It's obviously not the content Tim was talking up as it isn't indexed, just the root domain itself. Most people hit by the EMD update have gone back a few pages at least.

Were you ranked #1 before the update Tim?

The EyeQ result probably deserves to be ranked higher as they have a shop front in the area yet look at the result above it - they have a page for ballarat just to say they don't have a shop there.
 

snoopy

Top Contributor
It's not the only one, there are 9 pages in total across 5 or so domains but that's practically 0 I guess - intitle:"ballarat optometrist"

Was thinking more it is the only page with a title exactly the same as the search term "ballarat optometrist".
 

johno69

Top Contributor


Still there.
 

findtim

Top Contributor
Were you ranked #1 before the update Tim?

that site was created pre panda, i then updated it to a new look after penguin but not for that reason, it ranked number 1 withing 3 days of setting up and has stuck fast, which at a guess was @ 2 years ago? not sure.

i agree with all the comments and i have "no follows" i think on most content to prevent dup content hassles, i have about 40 of these with all the same story, then i have actual developed sites for real optom buinsesses and they all stick.

yes they are all low search volume but the success comes from that local optom traditionally promoting the site ( and you have heard it all before so i'll stop )

only 1 of these sites got hit by penguin, it was really weird out of so many , but i change a few little things like title tags using "all in one seo" and i see its now last first page organic, not bad as it went from number 1 to disapearing ! and now back to ten !

you guys are just gonna say "no way" ! but look at ballarat then click here

HTML:
http://www.campbelltownoptometrist.com.au/

i put it in html so to add no value, search the obvious EMD and see where it sits on your rankings.

the object is to move it on to a developed site, far more profitable for me.

tim
 
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payattention

Archived Member
If you don't want the dupe content indexed, I think you would be better to noindex those pages instead of nofollow. Although unlikely, someone else can still link to your pages and Google can follow them that way, noindex would solve that.
 

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