Exact match domains DOMINTATING the serps

[Harbor_Compliance]

For longer tail keywords with typical local monthly search volume of 50 or so, there are exact match domains that are just killing it.  Take for instance "alabama registered agent", I'm showing www.alabamaregisteredagent.com in the first spot ahead of the state department, etc.  This site has zero links in OSE (DA and PA 1) and is a very small site in general.  Can anyone explain why this domain is doing so well?

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Mike,

If the businesses you're searching for are local in nature, then EMD one-boxes are a known, documented phenomenon currently troubling the SERPs. This is fallout from the Hummingbird update. Read more about this here:

http://localsearchforum.catalystemarketing.com/google-local-important/10000-attack-bad-google-local-one-boxes.html

http://blumenthals.com/blog/2014/01/08/mining-for-google-hummingbird-guano-in-so-cal/

I'm positive that Google is aware of this unintended outcome of the update in which weak, spammy or even closed businesses are ranking in one-box fashion, but as to when Google will tweak the dial to fix this, we just don't know. Hang in there. Lots of people are writing about this, because it is creating such a blatantly poor user experience.

[EGOL]

Anyone who is concerned about this should spend the money required to purchase an EMD.    If you think that the EMD makes a difference in the SERPs this will be the easiest and fastest SEO that you will ever do.  Just find the guy who owns it, pay him his price and write a decent page of content.  DONE!

All of my websites are EMDs.  They do have a tiny advantage in the SERPs if you publish decent content on them.  I am willing to pay good money for an EMD when I decide to build a new site (which isn't very often because the cost of a good domain and the content for a good site is quite high).

Up until a couple years ago an EMD was a huge advantage in the SERPs.  Then Google cranked back their impact upon SERPs.  Today in light competition an EMD can rank you above thin competition with the effort of writing decent content for the topic - but at the same time they can be easily defeated by a person who is willing to work.  In heavy competition the EMD is a very small advantage compared to the other work that must be done to win those SERPs.

In my opinion, the conversion rate on an EMD can be higher than on other sites.  That is worth the price in my opinion.  Also, owning the EMD gives me mental energy to work on the site.  That makes all of the difference in competion.  They guy with mental energy beats everyone who is slacking.

[MickEdwards]

EMD is not by itself enough to cause Google to take action.  The key is the quality of the content and value to the visitor.  Typically Google is after EMD sites with thin or poor content, affiliate smothered etc.

[Asjad]

Hi Mike,

I Agree with you. I am also seeing the same thing but don't know how long it will stay as it is.

In Past, Google killed the Exact match domains and now again favoring it.

Thanks

[crackingmedia]

Hi Mike

I think this is unlikely just because they have an exact match domain.

The domain you have given as an example is nearly 5 years old so it is likely they have had their site working for them for some time. There are a decent number of pages on the site with information all based around the same subject and they have a registered address in Birmingham AL.

There's likely to be other factors at work too, but as I said, having an EMD won't be the main factor.

I hope that helps,
Peter