Best of : Exact Match Domains - good or bad?

SEO Is Not That Hard

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Are Exact Match Domains truly harmful to your SEO efforts? In this revealing episode, I tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in search engine optimization—whether having keywords in your domain name helps or hurts your rankings.
Drawing on my 20+ years of experience building and monetizing websites, I challenge the prevailing wisdom that Exact Match Domains (EMDs) are outdated relics of SEO past. The reality? Google's own documentation confirms they still consider domain keywords as ranking factors, just with dampeners to prevent over-optimization.
I share my firsthand success with domains like Broadband.co.uk and recent experiments with local "rank and rent" sites that are performing well despite minimal content and backlinks—largely thanks to their descriptive domain names. You'll discover how major brands like Hotels.com and Pimlico Plumbers leveraged keyword-rich domains to build recognizable businesses while maintaining strong search visibility.
For local business owners, this episode is particularly valuable as I explain why location-based descriptive domains can serve both as powerful branding tools and SEO assets. Even if you're skeptical about direct ranking benefits, I outline the indirect advantages EMDs provide through natural anchor text when others link to your site.
Don't make domain decisions based on oversimplified SEO myths. Listen now to get the nuanced perspective you need, backed by Google's actual statements and real-world results. Ready to challenge what you thought you knew about domain selection? This episode just might change your entire approach to launching new websites.

SEO Is Not That Hard is hosted by Edd Dawson and brought to you by KeywordsPeopleUse.com

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"Werq" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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Chapters

1. Introduction to Best of SEO Series (00:00:00)

2. Defining Exact Match Domains (00:02:23)

3. The EMD Update: History and Impact (00:04:17)

4. Google's Actual Stance on EMDs (00:06:50)

5. Building Brands with Keyword Domains (00:10:08)

6. Episode Wrap-up and Demo Offer (00:15:33)