Search Engine Optimization And Marketing Domain Names

What's in a name? Everything.
Make no mistake, as far as search engine optimization is concerned, your domain name is important and will make a difference in your search engine rankings. While some business owners may chafe at the idea of excluding the company name and substituting keywords in the domain, I can tell you that unless your brand is a household name, it is generally a very good idea.

Keyword-laden domain names
There are however, search engine optimization "experts," who maintain that domain names play a negligible role in the Google algorithm. They contend that keyword-laden domains do not increase a Web site's keyword relevancy for the terms employed. Further, some claim that unless you use hyphens to separate the keywords in a domain name, Google cannot distinguish where one word ends and the next word begins, nullifying any possible keyword relevancy benefit. I am amazed that any serious student of search engine optimization, particularly as it applies to Google, could argue such nonsense. While keyword relevancy is only one of many factors that determine Google's search results, it is one of the most critical factors.

As you know, conducting a Google search for a keyword term will produce one or more result pages in which the keyword(s) searched for (or stemmed versions of the keyword(s) searched for) are displayed in bold type. This applies not only to the Google's natural results, but to the AdWords results as well. A search for the term "classic baby store" presently produces 62,800,000 results. It is a highly competitive term. I don't believe that it is coincidental that the #1 result for such a search (as of this writing) is www.theclassicbabystore.com. Further, even though the domain does not employ hyphens to separate the keywords, "classic," "baby" and "store," Google displays the keywords within the domain name in bold type (www.theclassicbabystore.com), proving two things: 1. Google can interpret "classicbabystore" as "classic baby store," and 2. The domain name is relevant to the search as it has been highlighted in bold.

Domain names and link relevancy
Finally and perhaps most importantly, the keyword-laden domain name will increase your "link relevancy." As the vast majority of links pointing to your site will consist only of your url (which of course includes your domain name), most of the links pointing at your site will be optimized for your primary keyword phrase. This allows you to conduct a completely "whitehat" "Google bombing" campaign by simply accumulating links into your site.

Primary Keyword Phrase Domain Names
The domain name, TomDickAndHarry.com may impress Tom's mom and maybe even his mother-in-law, but it means little to Google, unless of course, someone is searching for, "Tom Dick and Harry." Assuming for a moment that Tom, Dick and Harry are attorneys specializing in medical malpractice cases, a far better domain name would be: MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.com.

Why not "MedicalMalpracticeLawyers.com?" While such a domain name would be beneficial in the search engine rankings, we know from our keyword phrase research that "Medical Malpractice Attorney" is presently the most popular keyword phrase for this type of law practice.

Should you have an established Web site that is already listed in the major directories and search engines, and currently enjoy the benefit of numerous inbound links, you can probably afford to keep your current domain name. But, should you be building a new site, or own a site that suffers from anemic Google rankings, the keyword-laden domain name is clearly the way to go. And please do not assume that all of the "good" domain names are taken.

Alternative top-level domains and domain names
As Google treats top-level domains (.com, .net, .org, .cc, etc.) equally, for the purposes of search engine optimization, the ever-popular .com and the not-so-popular .cc are equals.

So if MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.com is taken, try:

MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.net
MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.org
MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.cc
MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.tv
MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.us
MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.info
MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.biz
MedicalMalpracticeAttorney.name

If those are taken, try

Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.com
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.net
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.org
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.cc
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.tv
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.us
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.info
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.biz
Medical-Malpractice-Attorney.name

As far as search engine optimization is concerned, all of the above are better than: TomDickAndHarry.com.

Now we all know that attorneys are generally not shy when it comes to marketing efforts, nor would the relatively low cost of domain registration present much of an obstacle, but as of this writing, a number of the domains listed above are still available. So, rather than assume that all of the "good" domain names are taken, I would strongly suggest that you take a trip over to Register.com or GoDaddy.com to see for yourself. You may be pleasantly surprised at what is actually available.

A word to the wise regarding primary keyword term domain names
Even if you have no current intention of changing your domain name, future events may cause you to reconsider. And, as domains are currently available for approximately $10 per year, it makes sense to warehouse them for future use or resale. So, if you do find a domain name that works for your business, please buy it immediately. It may well be gone tomorrow.

Regional domain names
Like many business models, law firms are generally regional businesses. Therefore, their search engine traffic would likely be improved by the addition of a geographic region to the domain name, i.e.: PhoenixMedicalMalpracticeAttorney.com. Or if the firm maintains a number of offices throughout the state: ArizonaMedicalMalpracticeAttorney.com. In addition to bringing more targeted traffic, the inclusion of a geographical region also improves the likelihood that the domain name will be available.

Smart searchers use multiple-word keyword phrases and know that the addition of a geographic region to a search will significantly improve the relevancy of their results. Additionally, studies have shown that the greater the number of words employed in the search, the more likely that person is ready to make an immediate purchase. So, if someone is searching for "used cars," they are likely out "kicking tires," while someone searching for "used cars 1973 Plymouth Fury III excellent condition," is probably looking to buy now.

Further, using a regional domain will significantly decrease your competition in Google's result pages, thereby markedly increasing your chances of landing a top-ten Google ranking. For instance: a Google search for "medical malpractice attorney" produces a result set of 19,600,000 competing Web pages. I consider that competitive. A Google search for "arizona medical malpractice attorney" produces a smaller but still competitive result set of 7,050,000 competing Web pages. However, a Google search for "phoenix medical malpractice attorney" produces a result set of only 3,730,000 competing Web pages. I consider that moderately competitive. In this instance, employing a regional domain name will give you an advantage over the competition in Google's results pages.

However, if your business model is non-regional, for instance: your Web site sells digital cameras or mobile phones, the addition of a geographical region to your domain name could prove to be detrimental, as the searcher may assume that you only service that particular region.

There are exceptions to the above. Assume for a moment that you are a online retailer selling mobile phone ringtones on a predominantly national scale. As ringtones are a highly competitive commodity on the Web, it is possible that all of the primary keyword top-level domains (ringtones.com, ringtones.net, ringtones.org, ringtones.biz, etc.) have already been taken. In such an instance, the addition of an appropriate geographic entity will significantly increase the likelihood that a top-level domain is available.

Examples include:

RingtoneUSA.com
USARingtone
RingtoneUS.com
USRingtone.com
RingtoneAmerica.com
AmericanRingtone.com
RingtoneNation.com
NationalRingtone.com
RingtoneNorthAmerica.com
NorthAmericanRingtone.com
RingtoneInternational.com
InternationalRingtone.com
RingtoneWorld.com
WorldRingtone.com
RingtoneUniverse.com
UniversalRingtone.com

The above list can be greatly expanded by making use of the other top-level domains (.net, .org, .biz, etc.) or by substituting "Ringtones" for "Ringtone." All of these examples allow Google to assign keyword relevance to the domain name.

Business name domains
For reasons that are beyond my comprehension, some business owners insist on using the actual business name for the domain. Unless your business happens to be a household name, this practice is ill advised and will likely cost you money. However, there are exceptions. Should your business name already incorporate one or more of your primary keyword terms (i.e., Ringtones By Joey, Inc.), employing it as a domain (i.e., RingtonesByJoey.com or JoeysRingtones.com) will produce better Google rankings for that keyword term.

X-factor domain names
Another way to include one or more of your primary keyword terms in your domain name is by employing what I refer to as an "x-factor domain name." These are domains which include any of a multitude of words or even numbers in combination with a primary keyword term to produce a domain name that is more likely to be available than the domain name consisting solely of the keyword term. Using our previous ringtone retailer example, possible domain names would include:

e-Ringtones.com
RingtonesOnline.com
OnlineRingtones.com
4Ringtones.com
Ringtones4U.com
DownloadRingtones.com
BestRingtones.com
FirstRingtones.com
1stRingtones.com
CheapRingtones.com
CoolRingtones.com
NewRingtones.com
RingtoneHeaven.com
RingtoneSupply.com
TheRingtone.com
YourRingtone.com
RingtoneShack.com
RingtoneDepot.com
RingtoneWarehouse.com
TheRingtoneStore.com
TheRingtoneShop.com
RingtoneCentral.com
RingtoneMall.com
HouseOfRingtones.com
RingtoneHeadquarters.com
RingtoneHQ.com
RingtoneZone.com
TheRingtoneZone.com
RingtonesUnlimited.com

Once again the above list may be expanded by making use of the other top-level domains (.net, .org, .biz, etc.).

Niche keyword phrase domain names
In the event that the domain names for your primary keyword terms are unavailable, the next best solution may be to employ one of your niche keyword phrases. Such domain names are superior to business name domains and x-factor domains in that all of the words contained within the domain name are at least part of common searches for that type of business. For instance, OnlineAutomobileInsuranceRates.com is superior to JoeysAutomobileInsurance.com as 100% of the words employed in the former domain name are related to auto insurance, while only 67% of the words are related to auto insurance in the latter domain. "Joeys" is a throw-away word and obviously not helpful in auto insurance related searches.

How long is too long?
While some might feel that "OnlineAutomobileInsuranceRates.com" (30 characters) is too long for a domain name, you should know that using up to 63 characters is currently possible. While the keyword-laden "CarAndAutoInsuranceCompanyGivingFreeOnlineAutomobileRateQuotes.com" (62 characters) is a valid domain nameand available as of this writingit is reasonable to question whether the value of improved Google rankings will outweigh the negatives of employing such an unwieldy name.

While I have never employed a sixty-plus-character domain name, but I can only assume the it would be beneficial to the site's Google rankings. And while it is unlikely that anyone would remember such a domain name word-for-word, the novelty of its length might cause people to take notice and perhaps even pass it on to their friends. In a world of look-alike sites and jaded seen-it-all surfers, such a distinct name could be cause for a viral marketing campaign. And even without great word of mouth, prominent "bookmark this page now because you will forget the domain name" links could insure return visitors. While I am not necessarily advocating that you "try this at home," I would not discourage the extended domain name tactic. The more adventurous amongst you may be well rewarded for your efforts. After all, you can pack a lot of keywords into 63 characters.

Repetitive keyword domain namesor Tora! Tora! Tora! syndrome
Another domain nomenclature tactic worth exploring is the repetitive keyword domain name. If all the top-level domains for your main keyword have already been registered, you might wish to consider the repetitive approach. Our ringtone retailer would be well-served by a domain name like RingtoneRingtone.com or even RingtoneRingtoneRingtone.com. A slightly riskier tactic would be to combine both the singular and plural formsthereby producing an exact match for the keyword without stemming (i.e. RingtoneRingtones.com), but keep in mind that this would be more difficult for Web site visitors to remember than the keyword repeated exactly.

Intentionally misspelled domain names
As most single word .com domain names have already been registered, another naming tactic we have all seen is the intentionally misspelled domain name. Akin to brilliant parents who decide to use variations of common names for their children (How would you like to be the poor kid who has to explain every ten minutes, "No it's "J-e-f-f-r-e-e," not "J-e-f-f-r-e-y," because my mom is a moron and she thought it was cute."), this is a risky tactic that will yield little or no benefit. A few examples of ill-advised misspelling would be, Attorneez.com, Docters.com, Shooz.com, Tickits.com, Joolry.com, Muzic.com, and CeeDees.com. Although short, these domains are generally more difficult to recall than their correctly spelled counterparts. Further, Google cannot discern the topic of, nor assign keyword relevance for words it cannot make sense of. There are however, exceptions.

Of the intentionally misspelled domain names that I have seen, the only ones that make any sense to me are those that substitute "z" for "s" when the plural of the word is formed by adding "s." For instance, our ringtone retailer would benefit from a domain name like Ringtonez.com because Google will interpret it as "RingtoneZ.com" and assign keyword relevance to the domain. Other possibilities include: Carz.com, Phonez.com, Ticketz.com, Zitz.com, Cameraz.com, Flowerz.com, Cookiez.com, Mp3z.com, etc. You get the idea.

Goofy-ass made-up business and domain names
From the standpoint of search engine optimization, probably the worst domain name possible is a heretofore unknown word that gives no clue as to the type of business. Unless you plan to roll out a multi-million dollar branding campaign, avoid these types of domain names at all costs. It is worth noting that the Web holds so much potential for business that domain name availability is now a factor in choosing a new business name. Like the people who name drugs, businesses and/or their ad agencies have begun making up their own words. Without the benefit and expense of advertising, would anyone be able to figure out what type of business is conducted at Accenture, Aviva, or Experian?

Hyphenated domain names
Although I don't like the idea of using consecutive hyphensat a certain point Google begins to smell a rat, and consecutive hyphens may well be that pointthe following domain name is possible:
Medical--Malpractice--Attorney.com

Also possible:
Medical---Malpractice---Attorney.com

A good rule of thumb for employing hyphens in domain names is: a maximum of three per domain name (but not consecutively) and avoid them if possible. Also be aware that a domain name cannot begin or end with a hyphen.

The Google patent application yields more clues about its algorithm
One of the more interesting tidbits gleaned from Google's recent patent application is that it may consider the length of domain name registration when calculating search results. Google reasons that longer domain registrations are indicative of sites that are committed to providing value to users over time, and not here-today-gone-tomorrow con sites. Therefore, I would recommend that you register your domains for a period of not less than three years.

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