Exact match domains + 301 redirects

9 replies
  • SEO
  • |
Has anyone done a study to see if purchasing an exact match domain, then 301 redirecting it to your main site impacts the rank of your main site for that particular keyword?

Just curious, something I thought about today at lunch. I'll have to do a test if I can't find anyone else who has done it.
#301 #domains #exact #match #redirects
  • Profile picture of the author Capitalist_Pig
    Well, no responses - so I'm running a test. We'll see how it turns out
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  • Profile picture of the author socialbookmark
    I don't think it helps you a lot. It should be tested. I myself have not tried it yet. Exact match domains are not working for some websites now i doubt about the effect on it with redirecting.
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  • Profile picture of the author Capitalist_Pig
    I'm not ranked for that keyword yet, but it's not been long enough to be indexed. I'll give it at least a couple of weeks.
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    • Profile picture of the author paulgl
      If it is a brand new domain, you need to build backlinks to the domain
      as a developed webpage.

      There is no advantage for anything like what you are proposing.

      The only place it would work well, is if you bought print ads and like
      the domain better for type-in appeal.

      What search engine do you think is going to find a never before
      developed website, let alone give it any love, when there is zip
      on it?

      Webpages are ranked and found. Not domains.

      No webpage, no ranking.

      You would have to develop some content on the index page of the
      domain. Build links and authority. Then 301 it.

      Even then, over time, the PR and ranking would be lost.

      What you are really doing is nothing more than a url forwarder from
      your host. And that, as stated, is nothing more than giving a user
      something cooler to type in, not find on a search engine.

      Spend time doing real, proven, basic SEO, not parlor tricks.

      Paul
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      If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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      • Profile picture of the author Capitalist_Pig
        Respectfully, real proven SEO because someone thought to test it.

        Experimenting is what makes this field so interesting.
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        • Profile picture of the author dburk
          Hi Capitalist_Pig,

          Since search engines don't index the intermediary pages that are 301 Redirects, the keyword domain is not a factor for the search engines. If it wasn't that way then many of my pages would rank well for bitly, googl or tinyurl.
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          • Profile picture of the author SalahStudios
            Capitalist...any updates? I'd love to hear your results.

            In respect to what PaulG said, I think if you were to build some content and links to the EMD and wait for it to rank before 301ing there would be benefit in the redirect. The benefit comes in a scenario where you don't have a lot of authority or age on your money site. All things being equal an EMD will rank faster and better than an inner page of a new PR0 site with the same content and links.

            If the EMD ranked better than your inner page my understanding is that once the 301 has ran its full course (a few weeks) the inner page of your money site would eventually replace the EMD after it is removed from the serps. I've tested this with a sub domain, not an EMD, and this is exactly what happened. I'm sure the sub domain and the inner page would have ranked equally had I threw the same amount of links at each, I was just testing if the 301 would pass on the serp postion.

            I'm about to test this with an EMD myself and a few guys over at the BackLinksForum as well. Makes perfect sense if your money page is new but I'll have to try it to find out.
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  • Profile picture of the author gburke1
    I think you would need to build something on the page first, but I could see how there could POSSIBLY benefit by simply informing Google the exact match domain exists then 301 it to your main page.

    It could make it seem your page is relevant to whatever keyword the exact match domain is using.

    It could also possibly have a bad effect too... but who knows til you try it.
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  • Profile picture of the author humbledmarket
    Banned
    Exact Domains are GREAT For SEO and can easily get to the first page but I think you still need some onsite optimization and some basic SEO especially if the niche has established sites in the mix. I've heard of some just setting up the theme and then getting to the second term without any content but in my personal experience some of my EMDS go no where until I add content and backlinks.
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