Google’s John Mueller Recommends Paying Attention To Keyword-Rich Domains

Keyword-rich domain names were once thought to be an effective way to increase a website’s visibility and improve search engine rankings.

However, there are several other factors that can heavily influence the success of a website.

John Mueller, a Google Search Advocate and public representative for Google, shared his opinion on domains with exact match keywords in a Reddit thread about domain names.

Mueller said that keyword-rich domains can be detrimental to your website’s success, especially if the keywords in your domain aren’t actually used on the page itself.

Mueller doesn’t elaborate further, but he states that a website with a keyword-rich domain name is associated with spam.

Spammers often use keyword-rich domain names to manipulate search results and attract unsuspecting website visitors.

Having a keyword-rich domain name may sound like a good thing, but in reality, it can harm your business. Search engines like Google are constantly changing their algorithm, meaning that your competition may be able to overtake you in search results by having a more relevant domain name that is more closely linked with their industry or product line. Domain names should be short and relevant to the brand of your business.

Lack of brand identity is detrimental

Search is the most common way for people to find your business. When customers search for a business by name, they’re more likely to find and remember it than if they search for a generic keyword like “kitchen table”.

A website that has a keyword-rich domain name without an established brand will have a hard time establishing a brand in the minds of its customers. A brand incorporates several aspects, including identity and personality, but most importantly it provides people with a sense of trust and reliability — something that you can’t get from just any website.

Without a proper brand name and identity, it will be significantly difficult to grow your audience or retain your current one.

Key takeaways:

• Google’s John Mueller suggests that keyword-rich domain names may be detrimental to a website’s long-term success. The main reason for this statement is due to the fact that some search engines (including Google) could use this as a signal of “keyword stuffing.
• Keyword-rich domain names, once seen as an effective way to increase a website’s visibility, are now often considered undesirable and even damaging. Far from being a badge of honour, they can harm the reputation of your business and hinder its long-term success.
• A keyword-rich domain name can be very powerful in helping you to rank well for your desired keywords, but it does not mean that it will win out over other websites with similar keywords. Keyword-rich domains can still be knocked off the first page of results if another website has more link juice coming to it than yours.
• A strong brand is a win for your business, and a domain name that matches it is key to building your brand identity. If you’re looking to build loyalty, entice new customers and increase sales, try creating a custom domain name for your business.