Every web surfer is familiar with exact-match domains. They’re those oh-so-handy domain names that contain a basic key term, helping generate a certain volume of traffic when used in that industry. It’s easy to see that these domain names are valuable, but a little murkier is why they work so well.

An exact-match domain name is exactly what it sounds like: the business operating the site exactly matches the keyword in the name. An example of this is sex.com, which sold for $US14 million.

These names are valuable for a number of reasons. The first is the obvious one. Exact-match domains make it easy for your viewers to know exactly what you are about. A second benefit comes from the prestige associated with ‘owning’ the term for the product you deal in. The exclusivity of the situation confers a certain sense of authority on a psychological level. If you own the name, viewers associate this with being a leader in the industry and instinctively trust your business.

Exact-match domains also generate traffic from those who simply type in the address. A significant number of internet users still look for information by typing directly into the address bar. Owning the exact-match domain means they land on your site.

The next benefits are associated with search engine optimisation. Exact-match domains are essentially keywords. Featuring a keyword every time your domain name is mentioned is great for your ranking. Exact-match domains also create keyword-rich anchor text every time someone links back to your site. Many webmasters have noticed that Google tends to trust exact-match domains more than other sites, and exact-match domains usually feature higher in SERPs.

Of course, an exact-match domain name is useless if you have not properly focussed your keyword list. If, for example, your company specialises in search engine marketing, owning seo.net has limited value. Most businesses avoid such an obvious blunder, but it is important to fine-tune your SEO strategy before selecting a domain name. Talk to us at SEO Consult about your options before you buy your domain.

One last major benefit of an exact-match domain name is its sell-on value. The high demand for exact-match domains means that they are very likely to increase in value the longer you own them. Exact-match domains are assets within themselves, which is worth keeping in mind should the focus of your business alter.

As you will probably have experienced, exact matches are incredibly difficult to get. The internet is an incredibly volatile world, and previously occupied domains come up all the time. Much like real estate, a good domain is not impossible to get, even if it is taken right now. There are rare occasions when holders of exact-match domain names are willing to hand them over for a price. More commonly, a business will fold and the domain is once again on the market. Like anything on the net, it is worthwhile keeping an eye out for such changes, and be ready to take full advantage of them for your business.

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