Domain names in google

[hoppingmad]

Does any one find it frustrating that google will place businesses higher that have keywords in their domain name that reflect the search. I mean how can some dodgy company throw in a few keywords and get a higher ranking than some company that is legitimate.....i see this all the time. I think it is unfair and does throw up on google some odd search results.

Cheers

Steve

hopping mad website design sydney

 

[joe]

nope

 

[enjoi]

What Joe said

 

[hoppingmad]

i think google can be biased

OK i hear what you guys are saying but why can i register a company URL with the keywords I want to be indexed, do a bit of SEO and then boom Im up on page 1 of google - where as other companies with a correct business name take a lot longer to get a better ranking...it just seems a bit odd

Cheers

Steven
hopping mad website design sydney

 

[James]

What you are referring to is exact match domains within SERP's I have written a bit about it over here -

http://jamesnorquay.com/the-exact-match-domain-debate-for-seo/

Yet then SEOmoz has gone further with research into the debate with research -

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/exact-match-domains-are-far-too-powerful-is-their-time-limited

I think in the near future we may see a shift to more brandable domains ranking for specific exact match terms over domains which are keyword heavy. From my work in the US market currently you see this trend slowly happening, yet currently exact match domains still work quite well hence why business will pay large dollars for the right one not only for branding but also for type in traffic and SEO.

Hope this helps.

 

[DavidL]

Keywords in the domain name will always be a huge relevance factor for Google.

Google's algo knows that a developed WebsiteDesignSydney.com.au will more than likely offer information relating to website design in Sydney. It can't tell that just from looking at the domain HoppingMad.com.au

Also as a secondary effect, anchor text on backlinks (both natural and SEO'd) is likely to be more KW rich than a brandable domain. A link using http://www.websitedesignsydney.com.au already has the KW's in it

 

[FirstPageResults]

I get what you are saying, but you won't find many complaints here

 

[James]

Keywords in the domain name will always be a huge relevance factor for Google.

Google's algo knows that a developed WebsiteDesignSydney.com.au will more than likely offer information relating to website design in Sydney. It can't tell that just from looking at the domain HoppingMad.com.au

Also as a secondary effect, anchor text on backlinks (both natural and SEO'd) is likely to be more KW rich than a brandable domain. A link using http://www.websitedesignsydney.com.au already has the KW's in it

Very true, exact match domains have been working well for the last 10+ years in Google.

What Google is trying to crack down on is affiliates and others using them to a negative effect, hence why all the recent index updates have been trying to do this. In the end of the day Google is really trying to push social elements into the ranking space too so if users like Hopping Mad over Website Design Sydney the social elements will back it up.

Another factor which I reckon Google will target too with SEO's and web designers in the near future is Footer links for companies, ive already seen Google make a few changes with this for websites which have been ranking in number one for like 5 years for specific terms.

 

[Shane]

Yeah I find it very frustrating too, but only for terms where I don't already own the exact match domain!

 

[shags38]

Panda is sorting this issue out to a large degree with more emphasis in content - so an exact match domain name may get up there for a short period until the googlebots have figured out that there is little content or what it regards as poor content (still to figure out how mathematical formulae can determine the "quality" of written content - it is a real head shaker). Also age of a domain will also work against a new domain with exact match albeit that is likely an oxymoron as it is not likely that exact match domains are still available for established searches. For new search terms for new products or phenomenon then yes exact terms will be available because the popular search term(s) has yet to be determined

 

[Chris.C]

Yeah I find it very frustrating too, but only for terms where I don't already own the exact match domain!

Ditto.

Panda is sorting this issue out to a large degree...

I don't know if panda has sorted out the EM issue yet - but Panda is certainly shaking things up. In the end the big winner at the end of Panda will not be domainers, bloggers, small business, brand owners, content farms, affiliate site, e-commerce sites - it will be Google.

 

[shags38]

Ditto.



I don't know if panda has sorted out the EM issue yet - but Panda is certainly shaking things up. In the end the big winner at the end of Panda will not be domainers, bloggers, small business, brand owners, content farms, affiliate site, e-commerce sites - it will be Google.

Panda is sorting this issue out to a large degree with more emphasis in content - so an exact match domain name may get up there for a short period until the googlebots have figured out that there is little content or what it regards as poor content (still to figure out how mathematical formulae can determine the "quality" of written content - it is a real head shaker)

Another observation about Panda and the "quality of content" purge - many parking sites that rely on articles for content and advertisers for revenue are feeling the pinch - so much is crappy ill written content on most sites however many sites use Yahoo advertising, or even Bing and others in lieu of Google ads - some of those sites are hurting real bad, real bad...... and yet some of Googles known ads farmers also using the same crappy content are doing OK - you need to ASK.com yourself the question, is this about quality results for searchers or sticking it up your competitors?

Scenario: 3 evenly matched sites, same product/service with the same quality factors, both have well written "original" content, both use only whitehat SEO - very evenly matched indeed ....... except in the SERPS. Site A that sits atop the rankings uses Google Adwords regularly, site B that sits below site A doesn't use paid advertisements and site C uses Yahoo advertisements. Which site gives Google the better income stream? (whilst satisfying its ethos of producing quality search results )

George Orwell