Skip to content
    Moz logo Menu open Menu close
    • Products
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Pro Home
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Home
      • STAT
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Home
      • Compare SEO Products
      • Moz Data
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis
      • Keyword Explorer
      • Link Explorer
      • Competitive Research
      • MozBar
      • More Free SEO Tools
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO
      • SEO Learning Center
      • Moz Academy
      • MozCon
      • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Digital Marketers
      • Agency Solutions
      • Enterprise Solutions
      • Small Business Solutions
      • The Moz Story
      • New Releases
    • Log in
    • Log out
    • Products
      • Moz Pro

        Your all-in-one suite of SEO essentials.

      • Moz Local

        Raise your local SEO visibility with complete local SEO management.

      • STAT

        SERP tracking and analytics for enterprise SEO experts.

      • Moz API

        Power your SEO with our index of over 44 trillion links.

      • Compare SEO Products

        See which Moz SEO solution best meets your business needs.

      • Moz Data

        Power your SEO strategy & AI models with custom data solutions.

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
      Moz Pro

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

      Learn more
    • Free SEO Tools
      • Domain Analysis

        Get top competitive SEO metrics like DA, top pages and more.

      • Keyword Explorer

        Find traffic-driving keywords with our 1.25 billion+ keyword index.

      • Link Explorer

        Explore over 40 trillion links for powerful backlink data.

      • Competitive Research

        Uncover valuable insights on your organic search competitors.

      • MozBar

        See top SEO metrics for free as you browse the web.

      • More Free SEO Tools

        Explore all the free SEO tools Moz has to offer.

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic
      Moz Pro

      NEW Keyword Suggestions by Topic

      Learn more
    • Learn SEO
      • Beginner's Guide to SEO

        The #1 most popular introduction to SEO, trusted by millions.

      • SEO Learning Center

        Broaden your knowledge with SEO resources for all skill levels.

      • On-Demand Webinars

        Learn modern SEO best practices from industry experts.

      • How-To Guides

        Step-by-step guides to search success from the authority on SEO.

      • Moz Academy

        Upskill and get certified with on-demand courses & certifications.

      • MozCon

        Save on Early Bird tickets and join us in London or New York City

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
      Moz API

      Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

      Find your plan
    • Blog
    • Why Moz
      • Digital Marketers

        Simplify SEO tasks to save time and grow your traffic.

      • Small Business Solutions

        Uncover insights to make smarter marketing decisions in less time.

      • Agency Solutions

        Earn & keep valuable clients with unparalleled data & insights.

      • Enterprise Solutions

        Gain a competitive edge in the ever-changing world of search.

      • The Moz Story

        Moz was the first & remains the most trusted SEO company.

      • New Releases

        Get the scoop on the latest and greatest from Moz.

      Surface actionable competitive intel
      New Feature

      Surface actionable competitive intel

      Learn More
    • Log in
      • Moz Pro
      • Moz Local
      • Moz Local Dashboard
      • Moz API
      • Moz API Dashboard
      • Moz Academy
    • Avatar
      • Moz Home
      • Notifications
      • Account & Billing
      • Manage Users
      • Community Profile
      • My Q&A
      • My Videos
      • Log Out

    The Moz Q&A Forum

    • Forum
    • Questions
    • Users
    • Ask the Community

    Welcome to the Q&A Forum

    Browse the forum for helpful insights and fresh discussions about all things SEO.

    1. Home
    2. SEO Tactics
    3. On-Page Optimization
    4. Generic domain for SEO versus Brand name

    Moz Q&A is closed.

    After more than 13 years, and tens of thousands of questions, Moz Q&A closed on 12th December 2024. Whilst we’re not completely removing the content - many posts will still be possible to view - we have locked both new posts and new replies. More details here.

    Generic domain for SEO versus Brand name

    On-Page Optimization
    4
    9
    3437
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as question
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with question management privileges can see it.
    • cestor
      cestor last edited by

      I am currently building a retail e-commerce site in a highly competitive area. We have a generic brand name; e.g. kitchen-knives.com and we also have another brand name, e.g. 'slycers.com'

      We have 3 options that I can see and I would like to know which is better for SEO.

      1. Build generic.com as a blog site. Link to brand.com
      2. 301 redirect from generic.com to brand.com. Use generic.com as anchor text in all links
      3. 301 redirect from brand.com to generic.com  . Use generic.com as anchor text in all links

      Also, if there are other better options, then I would appreciate the input!

      thanks

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • AnthonyMangia
        AnthonyMangia @cestor last edited by

        Most SEOs have the opinion that exact match domains are a bit too powerful in Google's current algorithm, and I think most of us would bet our money on this tactic falling out of favor in the future.  Although admittedly, it has stuck around for longer than I think most of us would have expected.

        Branded traffic, on the other hand, isn't going to be affected nearly as much by any sort of algorithm change in the future - and it converts insanely well.  This should be the primary goal of anybody with a business.

        Of course generic traffic is important, but in my opinion, it's not important enough to put building my brand in the backseat, or to affect the way I choose a domain for my company.

        Now if this was an affiliate website or some kind of blog that I was launching in order to gain traffic from advertising, my opinion might be different.  But because this is a company, and presumably one that you intend to be around for a long time to come, I think branding is the most important consideration.

        If I had a sweet generic domain name in addition to my company domain, I might consider making a small microsite expressly for linkbuilding purposes, although I have to emphasize here that the vast, vast, vast majority of your effort should go into working on your primary domain.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • cestor
          cestor @cestor last edited by

          Maybe I should have added - we already have both the brand and the generic domain names and this is an industry with many well-established brands already competing.

          if we focus on building the brand; the question that I then have is what is the best use to make of the generic domain when link-building?

          The reality is on a real google search today for 'kitchen knives', kitchenknives.com is the #1 result, and it's the same for many other products where the generic term for SEO ranks higher than brand names. Surely this is because of the anchor text/ domain name match rather than because 'kitchenknives.com' is such an amazing brand?

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • AnthonyMangia
            AnthonyMangia @cestor last edited by

            You know what's cooler than selling a million knives?  Selling a BILLION knives.

            Micah and EGOL are giving specific advice relating to choosing your domain name, but behind their advice is a much broader mindset: think big picture.

            Why do you expect to get most of your traffic from generic search terms?  Why not make it your goal to get most of your traffic from branded keywords?

            Make Slycers a household name.

            When you get into the link building phase, don't think about the link.  Think about the brand.  Think about the community you are reaching in building a link.  Think about the exposure you are getting for your product.

            When you're writing a press release, don't consider the links it might bring in.  Consider whether or not this is really newsworthy content.  Whether or not this could get picked up by national media.  Whether or not your story is interesting enough to get the kind of exposure you're hoping for.

            When you're creating content, don't think about optimizing it for Google or Bing.  Write for your customers, for people looking for a better kitchen knife.  Don't think about "keyword density" or "PR sculpting", think about engaging your audience and developing a website that visitors will find useful and entertaining.

            When you're running your social media campaign, don't think about the traffic it could bring in.  Think about engaging your audience and building a following.  Think about turning influencers in your niche into brand advocates that are in love with Slycers and are telling everyone they know - not because you asked, but because they want to.

            Do these things, have this mindset, and this whole SEO thing becomes dramatically simpler.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • cestor
              cestor @EGOL last edited by

              So are you guys saying, assuming slycers.com is going to be my brand name, to focus on that entirely and not worry about keyword-rich backlink building to the generic kitchen-knives.com domain name, even though I would expect most traffic to come through a google search for 'kitchen knives'? I would also add that the generic search term (kitchen knives in this example) is incredibly competitive.

              AnthonyMangia cestor 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • EGOL
                EGOL @cestor last edited by

                You were asking the wrong question.... but PeterM22 gave a great answer.

                I'd do what he says and forget about Options 1 2 and 3.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • EGOL
                  EGOL last edited by

                  I would not do any of 1, 2 or 3.

                  I would pick one of those domains and put all of my efforts into it.  Which one to pick?  I would avoid hyphens and go with something easy to remember.

                  cestor 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • cestor
                    cestor @PeterM22 last edited by

                    sorry, but that doesn't actually answer my question!

                    EGOL 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • PeterM22
                      PeterM22 last edited by

                      If you've got a great brandable domain, i'd go with that personally. A keyword domain definately does help with seo, but if long and cumbersome, it will be harder to remember, which could lead to less people remembering it and returning, especially if it has hyphens. Also, many people suspect the seo keyword domains will lower in importance over time, myself included.

                      cestor 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • 1 / 1
                      • First post
                        Last post

                      Got a burning SEO question?

                      Subscribe to Moz Pro to gain full access to Q&A, answer questions, and ask your own.


                      Start my free trial


                      Browse Questions

                      Explore more categories

                      • Moz Tools

                        Chat with the community about the Moz tools.

                      • SEO Tactics

                        Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers

                      • Community

                        Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!

                      • Digital Marketing

                        Chat about tactics outside of SEO

                      • Research & Trends

                        Dive into research and trends in the search industry.

                      • Support

                        Connect on product support and feature requests.

                      • See all categories

                      Related Questions

                      • AL123al

                        Does anyone rate CORA SEO Software?

                        I can't really see any third party reviews of this software. Does anyone rate it?

                        On-Page Optimization | | AL123al
                        0
                      • CostumeD

                        Harms of hidden categories on SEO

                        On our website we have some invisible/hidden categories on our site. Can anyone advise whether these are harmful in terms of SEO?

                        On-Page Optimization | | CostumeD
                        0
                      • Eslam-yosef

                        Maximum page size for better seo results?

                        Does really page size affect the results in search engines? And, what is the maximum in this case?

                        On-Page Optimization | | Eslam-yosef
                        0
                      • flcity15

                        URL Domain Used in Meta Description

                        Today I was asked if using a domain url in your meta description can have a negative impact on your website. This description includes a list of the homepage url, but directs visitors to a different internal page of the website. My concern fell with directing visitors to a different page of the site, but promoting the homepage in the description/snippet. With Penguin 2.1 release on the 4th, I'm very cautious of my links/urls. What are your thoughts behind this? What are the possible, if any negative impacts this could have on a site? This URL does have a brand name as so the Title.

                        On-Page Optimization | | flcity15
                        0
                      • bonganig

                        Will ReDesigning my website negatively affect SEO?

                        I currently have a one page website which lists all the company information on one page [domain name is www. bwd . co . za]. It uses javascript for navigation. My challenge is that the layout is outdated and I would like to update it with a high quality WordPress theme which will not be a one-pager. Currently on Open Site Explorer the website has a domain authority of 30/100 and page authority of 41/100. I've worked hard to push the numbers to get to where they are hence I'm a bit concerned. Will re-designing my website negatively affect SEO?

                        On-Page Optimization | | bonganig
                        0
                      • Jon-C

                        Wordpress & trailing slash on domain name

                        Hi recently changed my site so it is based on Wordpress, got my preferred domain set in Google webmaster as www.domian.co.uk but since moving to wordpress my domain is now having a slash put on the end of it like www.domain.co.uk/ Most of the links going to my homepage do not have the slash on the end so am I right in thinking I should get rid of the slash from my site so I have one consistent url? If so any ideas how to banish the slash? Cannot seem to do it through the Wordpress general settings (despite preferred domain being set as www.domain.co.uk !) Thanks T

                        On-Page Optimization | | Jon-C
                        0
                      • dgalassi

                        Multiple domains vs single domain vs subdomains ?

                        I have a client that recently read an article that advised him to break up his website into various URL's that targeted specific products. It was supposed to be a solution to gain footing in an already competitive industry. So rather than company.com with various pages targeting his products, he'd end up having multiple smaller sites: companyClothing.com companyShoes.com Etc. The article stated that by structuring your website this way, you were more likely to gain ranking in Google by targeting these niche markets. I wanted to know if this article was based on any facts. Are there any benefits to creating a new website that targets a specific niche market versus as a section of pages on a main website? I then began looking into structuring each of these product areas into subdomains, but the data out there is not definitive as to how subdomains are viewed by Google and other search engines - more specifically how subdomains benefit (or not!) the primary domain. So, in general, when a business targets many products and services that cover a wide range - what is the best way to structure the delivery of this info: multiple domains, single domain with folders/categories, or subdomains?  If single domain with folders/categories are not an option, how do subdomains stack up? Thanks in advance for your help/suggestions!

                        On-Page Optimization | | dgalassi
                        0
                      • david305

                        Analyzing word count on page SEO

                        Hey guys quick question, when I am analyzing/ doing word count for a particluar key word and I want to make sure that i am no where near Keyword stuffing, does Google consider the alt and title tags keywords of images as part of the KW count when looking for on page Keyword stuffing. For example. let say I have a page that i just created with 1000 words. and Only 2 of the words are my target Keywords. Then, if i add a picture and add the keyword to both the alt and title tag and description of the image, does google now consider the "page" to have a total of 5 keywords? Also, a lot has changed recently since penguin and panda, is there a good rule of thumb for what ratio to stay under as far as keywords to text.?

                        On-Page Optimization | | david305
                        0

                      Get started with Moz Pro!

                      Unlock the power of advanced SEO tools and data-driven insights.

                      Start my free trial
                      Products
                      • Moz Pro
                      • Moz Local
                      • Moz API
                      • Moz Data
                      • STAT
                      • Product Updates
                      Moz Solutions
                      • SMB Solutions
                      • Agency Solutions
                      • Enterprise Solutions
                      Free SEO Tools
                      • Domain Authority Checker
                      • Link Explorer
                      • Keyword Explorer
                      • Competitive Research
                      • Brand Authority Checker
                      • Local Citation Checker
                      • MozBar Extension
                      • MozCast
                      Resources
                      • Blog
                      • SEO Learning Center
                      • Help Hub
                      • Beginner's Guide to SEO
                      • How-to Guides
                      • Moz Academy
                      • API Docs
                      About Moz
                      • About
                      • Team
                      • Careers
                      • Contact
                      Why Moz
                      • Case Studies
                      • Testimonials
                      Get Involved
                      • Become an Affiliate
                      • MozCon
                      • Webinars
                      • Practical Marketer Series
                      • MozPod
                      Connect with us

                      Contact the Help team

                      Join our newsletter
                      Moz logo
                      © 2021 - 2025 SEOMoz, Inc., a Ziff Davis company. All rights reserved. Moz is a registered trademark of SEOMoz, Inc.
                      • Accessibility
                      • Terms of Use
                      • Privacy

                      Looks like your connection to Moz was lost, please wait while we try to reconnect.