Old Domain or EMD

Hey,
What is better to rank a local search term, an EMD like ServiceInLocation.com or an old domain like Servicesomething.com?

The keyword is very easy to rank, (like 5 links to be better then the competition) but I am looking for something that will be hard to take over in the future.

Thanks,

Good question youtalkmedia,

I think the short answer to this is, it depends on your goals. If it's more important for you to rank for your local term, having that term in the domain may be more powerful than leaving it out and just having an aged domain.

Google's video on the aged domain aspect mentions that this knowledge came about as a result of a patent that was filed by Google highlighting that they may be looking at domain age to rank sites. Cutts points out that just because the patent was filed does not mean that they used it in their algorithm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1_1NQWQJ2Q

On the EMD side for your local key term, it's a little debatable as to whether this still has a lot of weight although it doesn't hurt to use it. Cutts points out in this video a very interesting concept. He mentions websites that have become huge successes that don't have EMDs or any keywords in their domains but highly brandable ones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rAWFv43qubI

Hope that helps you,

Shawn

^^ Like what he said. Its all in the preference and ability to rank them. Although EMD might rank quicker, choosing a brandable name gives your customers some kind of trust rather then from an EMD domain which helps you long term on the service area.

A few of my EMDs got slapped by the Google's post-Penguin EMD update. But you will notice that several EMDs are still ranking well. It's possibly the combination of EMD - Title - Description - Content that matters. TheContentAuthority has has got some good points there.

I've seen EMDs still work, but in relatively low competition markets. So if your competition is low and seo is done well then there should be no probs.

50cent said:

I've seen EMDs still work, but in relatively low competition markets. So if your competition is low and seo is done well then there should be no probs.

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What are you talking about...EMD are still doing great and specially in high competitive niches. I always used them and will for sure continue.