<p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-9331" alt="" src="https://medusamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/images-5.jpg" width="259" height="194" />I had a call from a client today who was asking about the benefit of utilising an exact match domain of their main keyphrase which they had the opportunity to purchase! Now we aren&#8217;t talking a localised it low volume keyphrase here but a considerably high volume national keyphrase. The question which I was asked was, &#8216;if we buy the domain, will it benefit us?&#8217;</p>
<p>Of course; there&#8217;s no straight answer on this but if I&#8217;ve been asked the question; there&#8217;s bound to be others who also want the answers!</p>
<p>What has to be remembered here is that the client in question is a brand! They&#8217;re not just a company with a domain name; they&#8217;re a brand within their industry. As such; I was a little shocked to initially hear their suggested desire to move they site onto this exact match domain name. Now, don&#8217;t get me wrong, exact match domain names have always and continue to work well for some businesses; however I would never suggest that a brand trades their branded domain name for an EMD. At the end of the day; they were simply asking the question and hopefully I will be able to answer that with my opinions for more than just them!</p>
<p>Anyway; back to the original question which was whether or not purchasing this domain would benefit them as a company. The short answer to this is &#8216;it depends how it is used,&#8217; and, as such; lets take a look at the potential options available for using the domain:</p>
<ul>
<li>301 redirect the EMD to the main brand site</li>
<li>Move the main site onto the EMD and 301 the brand domain over</li>
<li>Put a new site on the EMD in addition to the main site</li>
</ul>
<p>I&#8217;ve already ruled out moving the site onto the EMD above; for the simple fact that absolutely nothing can take away brand influence if a strong brand has been built up. Why anyone would want to sacrifice a strong brand presence for an EMD I&#8217;m not sure; even given the potential benefits. A strong brand is a valuable asset and, as such, that needs to be help onto at any cost.</p>
<p>That leaves two options; to 301 the EMD to the main site or launch a brand new site on the EMD.</p>
<p>Unless the EMD was previously that of a big brand which is likely to receive considerable levels of type in direct traffic; 301 redirecting the EMD to the main site is likely to have very little impact at all. Google cannot index a domain which simply redirects purely because of the fact that no site exists on that domain. That leaves, then, the option of launching a brand new site on the EMD.</p>
<p>As is always the case, buying an EMD can be a tough decision to make, especially when they&#8217;re often offered for sale at a small fortune, however in the right circumstance, it makes sense to utilise them with a fresh site, however if they&#8217;re being purchased simply to use as a forward to your existing site, it&#8217;s rarely of any significant benefit!</p>
<p><em>This guest post was brought to you courtesy of Glenn at SpeedySEO.com, one of the leading agencies offering a range of services including SEO in Essex.</em></p>

Can You Still Benefit From An Exact Match Domain?
