Does an Exact Match Domain give you an SEO advantage?

 

What is an Exact Match Domain? Why was this useful in SEO? 

Exact Match Domain (EMD) are domain names that contain the keywords of the main query on which a company seeks to position its site. For example digitalmarketinglahore.com

EMDs were widely exploited for SEO between 2000 and 2012 because they allowed sites using an EMD to benefit from a “natural” advantage to position themselves more easily on the targeted keyword.
At that time, Google's algorithm was much less advanced than today and the technique of stuffing keywords into the content of a site (also called keyword stuffing) was in full swing, including in domain names.

Google's official position on EMD

Faced with the abuse of this practice considered as an attempt to manipulate its algorithm, Google began deploying filters in 2010 to minimize their inclusion in the SERPs.

The update called “Exact-Match Domain” of September 2012 sealed the fate of this SEO “technique” by declassifying sites that exploited an EMD without however containing quality content for it. Internet user.

In its official guide available on the Google Search Central site, Google explains that, as soon as a site works with an EMD, its algorithm will be much more critical in judging the quality of its content. He does not say that he is penalizing EMDs, but simply that he no longer grants them credit.

 

The reality on the ground

Google's efforts to discourage this practice have yet to completely curb the use of Exact-Match Domains by natural SEO agencies and independent SEO consultants in the SEO strategies that they advise their clients.

EMD is far from having said its last word: companies operating a site with an EMD manage to position themselves particularly well on their target query, and above all to stay at the top of the SERPs!

Let’s take the example of the query “SEO Agency”. We find no less than three EMDs on the first page of Google results, in 2nd position, 3rd and 4th position!

1. seomyagency.com = EMD
2. seoagencyland.pk
3. seo.com.pk = EMD

 

The use of an EMD seems today to have the capacity to bring a slight SEO advantage compared to competing sites that do not use them. There are still a few conditions to take advantage of it:

• The site must offer quality content, relevant to the search intent linked to the keyword. If the content is not relevant enough, there will be no miracle: even with an EMD, the site will not be able to position itself well.  
• Old EMDs are more effective than recent EMDs, in particular, because of the history of backlinks from which the domain can benefit. Creating your site with a brand new EMD is almost from scratch. But by using it well over time, it may be able to make the difference when it begins to position itself in the TOP10. 
• This works better in niche markets where there is less competition.