Exact Match Domains Not The Favorite in Swamp Ass Search

There have been countless instances, where search engine marketers have seen an exact match domain name, out-perform a branded (non-keyword related) URL; in Google search results. When the search giant was questioned about the practice, they indicated that the influence that exact match domain names had, would (at some time) be eliminated by an algorithmic update. In the meantime, just how much weight does it carry and is the favoritism absolute, or can it be overcome with clever search engine marketing an optimization strategies?

In an International SEO competition currently underway, a majority of the participants believed that Google does favor exact match domains, and chose one or both of the competitive keywords; for their website's URL. Probably a wise choice. Why? Recently, the search engine has returned results for the term "ramadama dingdong", that clearly favors exact match domain names; in the search result pages.

So considering all of the mounting evidence, is there any stopping the power and influence of a domain name, that matches the search query exactly? I believe so. Thankfully, the Google search algorithm is far more advanced, than simple URL vs keyword recognition. The other factors that the search engine takes into consideration, can be exploited to gain a competitive advantage over exact match domains. In fact, only one website ranking in the top 10 for term swamp ass, has the keyword phrase in the primary domain (see below). This demonstrates that by utilizing the principles of good search engine marketing, like generating meaningful and relevant content and developing a credible linking strategy, search marketers can improve their odds; against an exact match domain.

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