Video · short explainer

How to Choose the Right Domain Name for SEO (And Avoid Big Mistakes)

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How to Choose the Right Domain Name for SEO (And Avoid Big Mistakes)

If you would rather watch than read, this is a clear, no-hype walkthrough of how a name and SEO actually interact, covering which domain choices can hurt you and why keyword-in-domain is no longer the win it once was. It is a good starting point for a founder weighing a brandable name against a keyword-heavy one before locking in a domain.

  • Keyword-in-domain is no longer a meaningful ranking signal, so pick for brand, not for search terms.
  • Short, memorable, brandable names help recall and repeat visits more than a stuffed keyword name.
  • Some domain choices (hyphens, keyword stuffing, a spammy history) can actively hurt you, so check before you buy.
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The question it answers

  1. Does my startup name matter for SEO, or is that overrated?

Read with it

  1. This is a grounded look at what your name actually does in search: it explains that ranking for your own brand name is mostly a... Search Engine Land Article · ~12 min read Branded search and SEO: What you need to know Dan Taylor
  2. This piece directly debunks the old belief that putting a keyword in your domain buys you rankings, quoting Google's own people... Search Engine Journal Essay · ~10 min read Is Domain Name a Google Ranking Factor? Miranda Miller
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