Http://Orange-County-SEO.com Answers: Should You Have Your KW in Your Domain Name?
At http://orange-county-SEO.com, a common question from clients is whether or not it matters at all to have one’s keyword or keyword phrase is one’s domain name. The simple answer is yes: it can matter, although it may not necessarily ensure you a good spot on SERPs (search engine results pages). Getting ranked in the top results for your keyword involves a great deal of work, after all, above and beyond simply obtaining a domain that holds your keyword phrase in it.
Research indicates that search engines do consider domain names and the presence of relevant keywords in them during their algorithms, however. As in other places where text is involved, though, a degree of planning has to enter the picture: competition is relevant. Let us take an example and say that a company that sells leather shoes is trying to build a website and establish a solid presence online. If part of its SEO strategy is to get a domain name that actually holds a keyword relevant to its trade or niche within it, it might seem fairly logical at first for the company to go after a domain name like leathershoes.com—but in reality, that would not be too smart an idea, as far as search engine optimization is concerned. After all, the keyword “leather shoes” actually has a great deal of competition on the web already: simply obtaining a domain name for it without further refining or narrowing the “subject” will not do a lot for the website holding said domain name.
Selecting domain names requires serious thought, and not simply in the process of figuring out what keyword to try to get a domain for, it must be remembered. Domain names are generally chosen with a view to being permanent—at least for the duration of the company’s or website’s operation. Shifting domains can be disadvantageous in several ways, not least being in the way it tends to diminish link values that are boosting your site’s popularity. Whether or not you do get the keyword you want in the domain name you are purchasing, you should try to commit to the domain name you have chosen once it is already picked.
