Domain Names – Brandable v Keyword-Rich?

Great artilce! Something to think about if we decide to break away from Wordpress’s site and get our own domain. Thanks again!

Caroline , hindsight is always 20/20, I’m smiling at myself because I actually chose my domain in about a minute, no research, no nothing, just ignorance. As you said, its mine now and i have learned to live with it, but if I had a do over…..I would go with something else, I have 9 other domains in my stable now and all of them are better than my main. at least I think so

Making Sales Making Money’s last blog post..Following the Leaders, Reaping the Rewards

On the search results page, Google will bold keywords in the domain name just as it does in the headline or content snippet, which is a small benefit. I wouldn’t be surprised if it plays a small role in search rankings, but I sure can’t offer any proof.

You have a good point about Google being fickle. Even if keyword-rich domain names help with the rankings, that might not be true tomorrow. I think a better reason for having keywords in the domain name is so people can tell what it’s about and remember it better. Like if someone’s thinking “What was the name of that site I was on the other day that teaches you how to be a pro blogger? Oh yeah–ProBlogger!”

Hunter Nuttall’s last blog post..Happy Singles Awareness Day

Hi Caroline – thanks for all your advice before. I think I’m going to have to search your blog to prevent future stumbleupon cock ups.

I also believe branding is more important than a keyword stuffed domain. Like you, I use my own name for the domain and that is preferable to something like – smallbusinessadviceblog.com

CatherineL’s last blog post..Are Your Customers Reading Your Message?

External links are indeed more important but having the keyword in the domain name does help. For more information on what is and isn’t important I recommend this great article from SEOMoz:

Search Engine Ranking Factors

Will’s last blog post..How to use Toon Boom to Create an Animated Gif

I agree, sometime we tend to emphasize small details too much!

If we create contents worth the rank, with some basic s.e.o, we shouldn’t bother choosing brand-damaging, keyword-rich domain. After all keyword-rich domains are abundant, with some differences here and there.

You’re absolutely right, people recognize brand better than keywords..Unless you’re the pioneer in your niche.

Black Zedd’s last blog post..5 Important Gadgets for Executives

I agree that having a brandable domain would be much better then having keyword rich domain because then it is a lot more unique. There are too many keyword domains but if you can come up with something unique then you can roll with it.

-Scott

Scott’s last blog post..Power of Article Directory Submissions

“things like domain name are a relatively minor factor compared with more difficult factors such as link popularity”. Often true I imagine, but for really niche sites a keyword domain, decent content, and time can get you to #1 :)

I’m glad you wrote about this, I am always more inclined to register a name that is meaningful and brandable, I also look at dropped names with traffic history, but often the names are something awful, random letters and numbers crunched together in some cases. I also stay away from typos.

I am on the side where a brandable domain is preferred (of course one of the reasons is that I am using one myself).

I have to agree with you that there are too many keyword rich domains out there nowadays and even on a niche site, we need a brandable domain which is short, sweet and have a keyword in it if possible.

With niche sites, we might not just want to make the money via Google AdSense. Niche sites aiming for affiliate profits might need a domain that can be easily remembered so that a reader can return and purchase a product via the banner on the site.

Brandable 1-0 Keyword-Rich

Wayne Liew’s last blog post..SEO Meter: Unveil Google Bot Crawl Rate

I think brandable domains are always better. Yes, you’ll certainly benefit more by selecting a keyword rich domain. But think about it: all the benefit will go down the toilet if some search engine decides to ban you or change their algorithm all of a sudden. With a brandable domain, you always retain your brand, no matter what…

Ruchir Chawdhry’s last blog post..Leo Babuta Gone Crazy: Zen Habits Now Opensource!

“I think brandable domains are always better”

“Always” seems a little simplistic.

Visit http://www.waterheaterinstallation.info and tell me it would do better as a brandable :)

Interesting, I was just focusing today on getting a surname domain name first. I made a list of what is left of all US surnames (5000 left of about 100,000) and this will be depleted soon.

Vladimir’s last blog post..Did you reserve your family name domain already?

I agree a brandable name is better than keyword names only. But if you can make key words your brand then the better I feel.

Cornelius’s last blog post..Language learning for life opportunities – part 2

Hi Caroline, I just registered 2 domain names for some new projects I’m working on.

I specifically researched & chose the new domains specifically with SEO & Google in mind.

If done with a little thought & planning, you can have the best of both worlds… a well branded, easy to remember and keyword rich domain.

@Paul, one point about your water heater site is that there probably aren’t all that many competing sites out there (I haven’t checked so I’m guessing) which means that a keyword rich domain stands out better. The branding becomes more important as the niche gets more competitive.

I have bought alot of domain names. Unfortunately, it was when I thought Wordtracker was the God of the internet. Therefore, I have a lot of keyword rich domains, which don’t really sound too good.

Tejvan Pettinger’s last blog post..The Real Meaning of Words

This a great question and a classic one that will forever generate as many opinions as there are people to debate it. I’ve been on both sides and can make a case for either.

At the end of the day though, just forget about the domain name as it simply won’t matter in the long run. You can brand pretty much anything.

Domain names are a lot like store or company names. If they succeed, you remenber them, otherwise not.

Just look at Walmart or even Ronco. Sam Walton and Ron Popeil just used part of their name.

Their names hardly made them successful. The difference was Walton figured out mass merchandizing, and Popeil, how to sell nearly anything with an infomercial.

I’ve got domains with and without keywords as well as domains that used to be about one thing and now target something quite different.

It really doesn’t seem to matter. Real success will come with building a successful brand and presence.

j2watches’s last blog post..Movado Two-Tone Luno Mens Watch

The Keywords in domain don’t play any Rolle. First – you can put only one or max 2 Keywords in a domain name. I my domain name menas in english: “everything will go ok – alles gelingt – (here in Germany) But my site is optimated for others keywords.

there ist only one thing about keyword in a doman. If you will add your site to directorys. most of the directory webmasters take than a domain name and put with this keyword a link to your site.
(sorry for bad english)

I totally choose brandable domain. Using a keywords domain sometimes can get you lost in its result. Sometimes you get a different result than you intend to find. Once i almost blow my head off tried to pick a good keyword domain until one of my blogmaster friends told me to use a brandable domain and it turns out great for me.

I have been thinking about having a domain name for a project but have yet got it as I am still thinking. It is difficult to think of the name. Sometimes, the names you want are not available as they already taken.

wow…i never knew domain name play this important part! seems i still not too late for reading your post. thanks anyway!

I agree with u Caroline. I prefer brandable domain names as well. Keywords can still be incorporated in many other places like in the post using tags

I am debating this and it’s difficult. I agree with the brandable mentality but there are two concerns of mine:

1. People frequently cite Google, Yahoo, Amazon, etc. to say how successful these brandable domain names are, but these are huge players that created amazing sites. If you are an individual making a site that is, in the grand scheme of things, mediocre, how well do those examples carry over to your situation?

2. Yes a keyword domain can get lost in the sea of other keyword domains in the SERPs, but they also provide a valuable function to users and that is to let them know exactly what the site they are clicking on is going to be about. If you’re searching for water heaters and one of the sites is named “google.com” (imagine Google didn’t already exist) are you really going to click on a site called google to find out about water heaters? Do water heaters play a big enough role in your life that you need to associate a brand to them?

Name choice has been holding me back from building and your article puts things into perpective. Ready to move on!