Matt Cutts, Google webmaster anti-spam guru, did a very worthwhile online video on domain names.

Matt talks about using a more ‘brandable’ domain name versus using a keyword-rich domain name.

Ok, before I talk about ‘DeJuicing’, allow me to explain the main difference between a brand domain name and a keyword-rich web address…

A ‘brand’ domain name could be, for example, Facebook.com. The phrase ‘Facebook’ is a ‘made up’ name, if you will, that has no particular meaning, other than the company it represents. Facebook’s business is a Social Networking website, though the domain name clearly does not have the words ‘social network’ in it.

So whenever the query what is a blog and how does it work are posed in relationship to internet domain names, it needs to be pointed out there is simply no distinction. Blogs are just an alternative kind of web site and the domain name scoring is identical.

Conversely, a keyword-rich domain name is really as the name indicates. It’s a domain made up of search phrases that you may or may not rank for in the major search engines. An illustration could be buycellphones.net, where the keyphrases ‘cell phones’ and ‘buy cell phones’ are obviously part of the domain name.

It has been basically well-known inside the SEO (search engine optimization) world that search phrases inside the domain name will get a positions boost from Google.

For that reason in the previously mentioned example of ‘buycellphones.net’, in the event that all other ranking aspects ended up being equal (they seldom are of course) then I would have a search rankings benefit for the search term ‘buy cell phones’ due to the fact that particular keyword phrase is in my domain name.

Now it seems that this will likely change. Near the end of the video Matt Cutts reveals that Google may perhaps decrease the ranking advantage of keyword-rich domains by ‘adjusting the mix’, as Cutts puts it.

What’s fascinating is Cutts doesn’t mention they want to take away the ranking benefit. He suggests that they could modify it a bit.

Just what exactly can this mean for website owners as well as SEO’s?

As is invariably the situation with Google, who knows for certain??

Google has made a few modifications on their ranking algorithm in recent months to fight spam, low quality pages and enhance the overall search experience for its users.

At least one recognizable benefit for reducing the keyword domain benefit is it should prevent small-scale, cruddy websites from attempting to capture the # 1 search spot for a keyword/keyphrase by way of placing said phrase within the domain name. Inside of my blog building program, I deal with how to set up a blog for the search engines simply because they can last long-term if done properly.

Google seems to have made strides over the past several years with regard to this area however I’ve still found instances of small lousy sites being ranked highly by just putting the key word in the domain name and generating a few pages to the site. I ought to note that this normally takes place when dealing with a keyword that has little levels of competition, especially backlinks-wise.

Precisely What Is The Next Step? Use a Keyword Domain Name or a Brandable Domain?

There’s no one set answer here. If you’re constructing a web site for the long-haul and want to build branding then I wouldn’t care about utilizing a key word in the domain address.

Having said that, if in case you have a vital keyword phrase that represents and/or increases your business’ identity and you can incorporate that keyword into your brand then go ahead and consider it. Look at it like a bonus. You were able to make the keyword a part of the brand and that can certainly help.

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