Google EMD question - is it really a penalty?

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  • SEO
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Hi. I am interested in purchasing an EMD (Exact Match Domain). My understanding is that last year, Google made a change to how they factor in the ranking for EMDs. I have a few questions about the EMD Google change:

1) If your site does not use blackhat techniques, Google does not penalize EMDs. Rather, Google no longer gives a "bonus" to EMDs in keyword searches that they did before (this is much different than a EMD penalty). The removal of this bonus means your EMD has no advantage over other sites who have a weaker domain to keyword match. However, it doesn't mean Google applies any additional penalty on your EMD either.

2) If your site uses blackhat techniques in conjunction with an EMD, Google may then factor in the EMD and penalize you even further and penalize you harsher.

Are my assumptions above correct? Does anybody have any experience or thoughts on this?
#emd #google #penalty #question
  • Profile picture of the author micksss
    That's my understanding and experience as well. There is no advantage to having an EMD anymore but there is no penalty for having them. You just have to be careful with how you do your anchor text e.g., don't use whatever your EMD keyword is as your anchor as much.
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  • Profile picture of the author run
    No matter what your domain names are, if you use dirty, scrappy and foolish SEO techniques, and Google detects unnatural of the sites, they will be punished.

    As my understanding, nature's is better than artificial.

    Don't care too much about domain but the visitors!
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
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    Google EMD question - is it really a penalty?
    Lack of SEO isn't a penalty.
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  • Profile picture of the author GyuMan82
    EMD on their own does not cause a "penalty", it is just not weighted as heavy as before towards search engine rankings.
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  • Profile picture of the author smodha
    EMDs still rank but their strength has been reduced by the recent Google updates.

    If you're building EMDs with SEO best practices then you have nothing to worry about (EMD or non EMD).
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    I Sell What People Want. The Money Is A Bonus..
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  • Profile picture of the author himanuzo
    The EMD way is still working for keywords which have low competition.
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    • Profile picture of the author alphabanter
      Thanks everyone! Sounds like buying EMDs are still worth it, as long as I don't use Blackhat techniques. From the feedback, it doesn't sound like EMDs received a penalty at all. Rather, EMDs used to get a bonus from Google but as of last year, they no longer receive this bonus anymore. Cheers.
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  • Profile picture of the author smodha
    Blackhat techniques will get your site canned eventually - EMD or no-EMD.
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  • Profile picture of the author rjames
    EMDs were not penalized in any shape form or fashion...huge misconception out there about that...EMDs always have and always will be fine...its the other things you do to get your site slapped...Google literally doesn't care what your domain name is...
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  • Profile picture of the author PerformanceMan
    Without the 'bonus' the EMD option no longer seems attractive to me. Brandable domains are worth more in the long run.
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  • Profile picture of the author nik0
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    I think the EMD bonus is still there.

    The so-called EMD update was imo only about 2 things:

    1: Thin affiliate sites, the typical micro niche site with 4 pages and all full of Ads
    2: Over optimizing for the main keyword

    When you want to rank an EMD you just have to practice decent link building, my site that I launched 2 months ago is ranking for a quite competitive EMD keyword and I only used that anchor text twice in the back links that I build.

    That's what many people also don't get, they think they need more and more links with the same anchor text to keep improving rankings for that specific keyword while in fact you only need more link juice pointed at the site and if you build sites well, then the internal linking structure of the site takes care of the rest.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cobaki
    There are situations that EMDs are useful. I don't think it will cause you trouble if you use them just as long you apply great SEO strategies. If it comes to a point that they didn't add any bonus, it doesn't mean you will have problems with Google. I think getting EMDs is worth the try if you really want to.
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