Domain & It’s Importance in SEO

Gary Illyes of Google offers advice on how to use Google's best practices to outrank your rivals. He'll give you pointers on SEO and all things Google Search Algorithm.

Introduction to domain:

What is a domain

Anatomy of a Domain Name

A domain name is the online version of a street address. Instead of using its internet protocol (IP) address, it makes it easier for users to find your website.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which manages accreditation programs for domain registrars, assigns IP addresses, and maintains a central database of all domain names and their IPs, is in charge of overseeing all domain name registrations.

Although domain names are frequently referred to as URLs (Universal Resource Locators) or web addresses, it’s crucial to remember that they are merely a portion of these terms. The domain name system, also referred to as DNS, converts any domain name entered into a browser into an IP address that a computer can understand.

A request is sent to DNS servers when a domain name is entered into a web browser. These servers then look for the name servers associated with that particular domain and send your request to those servers. The web hosting company is in charge of these name servers, and after identifying the pertinent IP address, they will deliver the request to the server storing the website files. To locate all files, the web server uses the IP.

Where to buy domains in Singapore

Best Domain Registrars

A domain’s availability can be checked at the Singapore Network Information Center, where the.SG domain is registered.

You can register a.sg domain name in Singapore using any of the registrars listed below that have been approved by the Singapore Network Information Center (SGNIC).

.SG domain registrars with a following include Vodien & Crazydomains and Webvision

Some well-known.COM registrars are Godaddy and Namecheap.

Choosing A Domain Name

Domain Names: How to Choose

How Do You Pick the Ideal Domain Name? Consider the following before selecting your top-level domain extension:

Include targeted keywords,

ensure that your domain name is simple to say and spell,

Avoid double letters and hyphens,

Choose a flexible domain name,

keep it short, and stay distinctive and on brand.

TYPES OF DOMAINS

What is root domain

Anatomy of Domain Types

The Root Domain, the top level of a website’s hierarchy, is distinguished from the Top Level Domain by a dot (for example, rootdomain.com).

Top Level Domain (TLD)

The final section of a domain name, or the part that comes just after the “. ” sign, is referred to as the top-level domain (TLD).

The most popular uses of generic top-level domains are for commercial websites (.com), organizations (.org), networks (.net), information platforms (.info), and enterprises (.biz).

Second level Domain (SLD)

Anatomy of Web Addres

The portion of the domain name that comes immediately before a top level domain is known as a second-level domain (TLD). For instance, the SLD is carl and the TLD is sg in the website carl.sg

Localizing SEO with Domain with Country Code | ccTLD

Market Share of Domain Extension in Baidu SERP China

Country code ccTLD is a top-level domain name that is used to specify the domain for a specific nation or geographic region.

Each country has a unique ccTLD, with some having more than one.

With a growth rate of about 7.1% overall, there were about 340 million domain names registered in the world.

52.8 percent of all websites used a.com top-level domain as of June 2022. With a 4.4 percent market share, the.org TLD came in second place.

With roughly 16.71 percent of all new generic top-level domains (gTLDs),.xyz was the most often used gTLD. Approximately 5.05 million registrations are represented by this.

With a 7.13 percent market share,.online was the second-most popular gTLD. The phrase “generic TLDs” is frequently used to describe domains that lack a country or geographic identification.

For search engines and visitors to understand that a site’s content is specifically targeted to a certain country or region, but crucially NOT a particular language, ccTLDs are crucial in international SEO.

If your target market is primarily Singapore, a .com.sg or .sg domain is recommended.

Is Domain A SEO Ranking Factor

SERP Ranking Growth

Even while your domain name isn’t thought of as a direct Google ranking criteria, certain aspects of it could influence how successful your SEO campaign is overall. Memorability, length, keyword usage, brand-ability, and other factors are among them.

Exact Match Domain (EMD)

Search Result in Google of EMD ”diapers”

What is Exact Match Domain EMD

Exact Match Domain (EMD) is a domain name that is the same as, or very similar to, a Google search term.

Is Exact Match Domain Effective?

Domain-specific keywords are not officially acknowledged by Google as a ranking factor. Exact match domains offer a good advantage, nevertheless, as can be shown in a number of competitive niches and through statistics, so long as they are not spammy.

EMD Google Algorithm

A modification to Google’s ranking algorithm known as the Exact-Match Domain (EMD) Update was introduced on September 27, 2012, although it’s never stated explicitly as a best practice in the Google Webmaster Guidelines. Exact-match domains with poor content fell behind in the search results as a result of the algorithm modification.

When EMD Not Work

A poor-quality (or spammy) EMD can have the following URL: plumbersingapore.com.
The owner of this domain probably registered it with the intention of selling it as soon as possible to a plumber who wants to rank for the keyword “plumber Singapore.” There are significant risks associated if done with the purpose to stuff in as many keywords as possible.

Partial Match Domains

Partial Match Domain in Google SERP

Adding keywords to the brand name might make it more relevant to customers and search engines, converting the brand domain into a partial match domain (PMD).

In summary, once you have registered the matching brand domain, the next step is to establish the brand, that is associated with the domain

Google ultimately still give preference to websites that demonstrate good use of the content, link-building, varied traffic sources, and user experience.

Why is domain age important to sEO

Domain Age: 5 Year Old – Better?

Because it lacks access to enough registrar data to offer a trustworthy signal, Google hasn’t explicitly said that domain age is a ranking component.
Google was able to determine the first time the site was indexed and the first time another site linked to it.

Why is Domain Age A SEO Consideration

Older domains have had their registrations for a longer time. It is advantageous for SEO since search engines would rank them higher because they have already attracted visitors, and pertinent anchor texts and referring sites are likely to build up over time.

First Indexed Records of Website in Google SERP

How to Check Domain Age

Due to its significance in determining a website’s ranking, domain age is a measure that is frequently used to assess a website’s success. The duration that a domain has been registered and maintained is essentially its age..

There are many tools to determine domain age, such as smallseotool.com, where you can get results including date created, and expiration.

Does Buying Expired Domains Helps In SEO?

Places to Search for Expired Domains

Do Google’s search results favor older, more reputable domains?

Does purchasing a brand-new domain name puts you at a disadvantage in SEO?

The short answer is yes, domain age affects rankings and Google is concerned with the age of your indexed pages.

As said by Matt Cutts:

“Domain age does affect rankings, but only in a minor way and in comparison to other ranking factors.

These are only a few of the concerns that have been raised about domain age as a ranking factor, a subject that has been extensively debated and discussed over the past 20 years.

We are aware that Google at one point included it—at the very least—in a document score algorithm

Continue reading to find out if domain age affects Google search rankings.

We have no reason to question Google’s claim that domain age does not affect rankings. The duration of your domain registration is irrelevant to Google’s search algorithm.
Purchasing outdated domains will not help you rank better or faster. In fact, acquiring spammy links or other damaging relationships could harm your SEO efforts.
Again, though, that’s not just due to age; it’s also due to what happened to that domain during those years.

In conclusion, Google does not directly use domain age when determining search ranking.

Older domains are ranked higher because search engines consider them to be more reliable or legitimate.

Using Expired Domains in SEO

Selecting the appropriate site to redirect to – one that, before being shut down by its owner, was strikingly similar to the target page, with ambitions to manipulate rankings – is one technique to use expired domains.

are older domains better

Most Expensive Domains Chart

The vast market for domain flipping also underscores the potential significance of domain age. It can also explains why people are willing to pay for the most expensive domains in the world with millions of dollars.

However, there are still many studies to be done, such as:

Legal – Purchasing an expiring domain name may be allowed, however cybersquatting on a site where a brand is registered is prohibited, as businesses and brands may own the Trademark in Singapore and abroad.

If a domain’s link profile is spammed or punished, a backlink audit is necessary.

Benefits vs. costs: A careful approach should be used when using expired domains for SEO, and they should be supplemented by regular on-page and off-page content and natural link building.

How to Use Expired Domains for SEO (2022 Update)

Private Blog Networks (PBNs)

The most common strategy for using expired domains is Private Blog Networks (PBNs). The issue is that employing PBNs is the method on this list that carries the greatest risk.

Broken Link Outreach

A common link-building process is known as broken linkbuiding

Process Follows:

Look for a good, relevant expiring domain.

Extract the backlinks it has

Discover the contact details for all the worthwhile link chances.

Inform the linker that their resource or website is no longer available by getting in touch with them.

If they reply, suggest they replace the broken link with one leading to your website.

What is the Domain’s History?

The World Wide Web is digitally archived by the Wayback Machine (web.archive.org). Over 452 billion pages have been contributed to the archive since its debut in 2001. Even if a website is no longer accessible via the “live” web, users can input a URL to access earlier iterations and engage with them.

Different Types Of Domains Extensions & Best Practices For SEO

TLDs of Top 1,000 Visible Domains in China

.com VS .co

Domain extensions are not prioritized by Google. But .com has a considerably larger market share than other CCTLDs, and “com” carries greater weight and legitimacy.

Additionally, keep in mind that Baidu does not prioritize.co and other non-CN/.com TLDs if organic visibility in the search engine is also a factor.

ccTLDS

Choosing a country code top-level domain name (ccTLD) is an easy approach to geo-target your website and improve search engine optimization (SEO) in a particular region if your site has content intended for consumers in your own country.

Benefits of ccTLDS:

1.ccTLDs offer Local Targeting and SEO Benefits.

2.ccTLDs instil Buyer Confidence

Subdomain vs. Subdirectory vs. ccTLD: Which Is Best for SEO

ccTLDs have obvious advantages, yet there are some situations when international SEO prefers subfolders or directories. Google Resource: Managing Multi-Region Sites

Will Changing Domain Affect SEO

Domain Migration Checklist

Since you are effectively moving your website from one address to another when you change your domain name, this can have an effect on your SEO.

SEO Works Required to Changing Domain without affecting SEO

Check to see if the new URL is valid.

Switch the website over to the new domain.

Your old domain should be redirected to your new domain.

Check the Google Search Console to see if your new website is valid.

Update any references to the previous URL.

Notify Google Search Console (Only for the domain to domain change)

Monitor the results.

Phishing Domains

Domains that are purposely purchased and set up to mirror official sites can be reported to Google as Phishing Pages.

Singapore government is also aggressively cracking down on fraudulent websites

Domain SEO for Singapore in 2022

Starting with Domain Name SEO: Ranking Progression

Domain names still work in 2022, but they are being used less and less and many valuable domains in Singapore are already brought off the market.

You may still develop a successful strategy by being aware of the factors that boost the SEO ranking of your domain.

Once you have bought a domain name, you should keep working to increase your SEO-related aspects, not thinking back if the domain is the right one, comparing with other competitors.

The greatest strategy to boost the SEO of a domain name you’ve purchased is to put your attention on adding value, constructing backlinks, and fostering positive interactions through effective branding.