It all starts with a keyword - but what domain to get?

[barryny]

Hi there.
I'm sitting on 10 different WSO's, written and video, that all have something to do with SEO, niche selection and keyword selection.
I'm seeing differing recommendations as to what domain to register.
Obviously, everyone advises getting directmatch.com - but that is usually taken.

After that the recommendations vary from:

1. sticking with the .com and then adding different iterations to the end of the keyword like:
adding the letter x.com
adding the word site, online, info, guide and tips.com

after exhausting this list then:
2. go on to a direct match for .net and then .org

What is the consensus from those that have done this?

Thanks.

[hurn]

1. check exact match domain for .com
2. find .net or .org
3. add extra word to end of the keyword
4. use - separators. Google will know those are separators

[MabusSubam]

Personally i would pick the exact match com/net/org before I added a word to keywords domain.

I think that hyphens just look spammy most of the time.

[SuccessForFree]

Originally Posted by MabusSubam

Personally i would pick the exact match com/net/org before I added a word to keywords domain.

I think that hyphens just look spammy most of the time.

I agree, exact match is what you want here. That being said, I believe hyphens are a great tool in domain names, especially since it's increasingly hard to find exact match com/net/org domains. As a searcher, I don't often look at the domain name, I look at the content. If Google and others know that a hyphen is simply a seperator, then what's the harm?

[JRCarson]

I think the trick to getting more options for exact match domains is using your head as well as using the Google Keyword Tool...

A lot of people will put in a keyword and just go along the lines of what the GKWT gives you.

EVERYONE does this, so ALL those keyword domain names are taken. The more ideas you can incorporate using your head, the more keywords you'll get back that aren't tapped yet...at least that seems to be the case in my experience.

[amenwolf]

Ok... here's a perspective from a newbie...

Get a domain name under the same niche you're targeting with a slight twist to it.
put up some content in there.

Then create a subdomain with any broad or long-tail keywords that you want.

(yah it be double the work.)
I've done that on 2 of my 'projects' and works like a charm.
But I haven't really tested out the full potential to go against domains that are just 'plain broad' keywords on it.

remember, these are words from a newbie.... so don't flame me.

[campers]

I would prefer an exact match with a .net or .org before going to .com variations, but I think the difference between it would be very little. The time taking deciding between it would better be spent building backlinks