undefined
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
    • SEO Q&A
    • Webinars, Whitepapers, & Guides
  • Blog
  • Why Moz
    • Agency Solutions
    • Enterprise Solutions
    • Small Business Solutions
    • Case Studies
    • 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.

    What is your Brand Authority?
    Moz

    What is your Brand Authority?

    Check yours now
  • 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.

    • SEO Q&A

      Insights & discussions from an SEO community of 500,000+.

    Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints
    Moz API

    Unlock flexible pricing & new endpoints

    Find your plan
  • Blog
  • Why Moz
    • 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.

    • Case Studies

      Explore how Moz drives ROI with a proven track record of success.

    • 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
3.4k
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 Aug 26, 2011, 7:08 AM

    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 Aug 30, 2011, 4:13 AM Aug 29, 2011, 8:39 PM

      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 Aug 29, 2011, 10:10 AM Aug 29, 2011, 4:40 AM

        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 Aug 28, 2011, 3:05 PM Aug 28, 2011, 3:05 PM

          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 Aug 28, 2011, 6:12 AM Aug 27, 2011, 5:34 PM

            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 Aug 29, 2011, 8:39 PM Reply Quote 0
            • EGOL
              EGOL @cestor last edited by Aug 26, 2011, 1:51 PM Aug 26, 2011, 1:50 PM

              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 Aug 26, 2011, 1:50 PM Aug 26, 2011, 1:50 PM

                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 Aug 27, 2011, 5:34 PM Reply Quote 0
                • cestor
                  cestor @PeterM22 last edited by Aug 26, 2011, 10:19 AM Aug 26, 2011, 10:19 AM

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

                  EGOL 1 Reply Last reply Aug 26, 2011, 1:50 PM Reply Quote 0
                  • PeterM22
                    PeterM22 last edited by Aug 26, 2011, 7:49 AM Aug 26, 2011, 7:49 AM

                    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 Aug 26, 2011, 10:19 AM Reply Quote 0
                    • 1 / 1
                    1 out of 9
                    • First post
                      1/9
                      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

                    • Htdbf

                      Seeking Advice on Improving On-Page SEO for my Website

                      seo onpage seo search engine optimisation

                      I'm looking for some expert advice on improving the on-page SEO for my website, CCTV Camera Installation. Despite following best practices, I feel that my site isn't performing as well as it could be in search engine rankings. Here are a few specific areas where I'd appreciate some guidance: Content Optimization: I've ensured my content is keyword-rich and valuable to my audience. Are there any advanced techniques or tools that can help further optimize my content? Meta Tags and Descriptions: I've written unique meta titles and descriptions for each page, but I'm unsure if they're as effective as they could be. What are some tips for crafting compelling meta tags that improve click-through rates? Internal Linking: I've set up a basic internal linking structure. How can I enhance this to better distribute link equity and improve user navigation? Page Load Speed: While my site's load speed is decent, I'm aware that even minor improvements can have a significant impact on SEO. Are there any specific optimizations or tools you recommend for speeding up my website? Technical SEO: I've covered the basics like XML sitemaps and robots.txt files. Are there any advanced technical SEO practices that I should be aware of? Here is the link to my website for your reference: https://www.acssllc.ae/ Thank you in advance for your help! Best regards,
                      Israr Khan

                      On-Page Optimization | Dec 3, 2024, 2:03 PM | Htdbf
                      0
                    • DigitalProgress

                      Hamburger Menu on Desktop Version - Affect SEO?

                      hamburger desktop nav menu seo rankings seo

                      Hi There We are working with developers of a site redesign of an existing site. They are keen on a hamburger menu on the desktop, as well as mobile. Can I confirm if this will have any implications for the SEO rankings? Many thanks in advance for assistance

                      On-Page Optimization | Apr 19, 2022, 10:28 AM | DigitalProgress
                      0
                    • danielecelsa

                      Homepage SEO optimization

                      Hello, I’m almost ready to lunch my new website https://thetravelhoop.com , I just need to create the content of the product page and put all the images. I would like to know what you think in terms of SEO of the home page (is the content that I want to rank the most). My doubt is that since it is a landing page, there is not a lot of text but mostly <h>. It’s not a styling decision of course (I know is bad practice) but mostly because they are supposed to be title/headings.</h> Do you think I’m doing something wrong, or do you have any suggestions? Thank you, Daniele

                      On-Page Optimization | Jun 22, 2023, 7:35 AM | danielecelsa
                      0
                    • Kdruckenbrod

                      Business Name is Meta Description

                      I would like to know what your opinion would be regarding the business name displayed in the meta description. Would you write your business name as: Business Name or BusinessName™ (no space with Trademark) I used MOZ example from here (Meta Descriptions Best Practice) and inserted the different business names. Welcome to Business Name in San Diego, California - the nation's largest urban cultural park. Home of 15 major museums, renowned performing arts venues... Welcome to businessname™ in San Diego, California - the nation's largest urban cultural park. Home of 15 major museums, renowned performing arts venues... I'm not sure which would be best for Google and other search engines. Thanks for your help.

                      On-Page Optimization | Mar 31, 2015, 5:57 AM | Kdruckenbrod
                      0
                    • stephanwb

                      How does a collapsed section affect on page SEO?

                      A client recently asked me whether a tabbed collapsed section of text that is expanded (i.e. revealed) when clicked, is an OK thing to do without negatively effecting SEO. I told him that for starters, he may want to rethink why he would want to hide the text in the first place (this is not an FAQ type scenario). The reason has to do with the aesthetic of the page. Anyway, aesthetic aside, any thoughts on whether a collapsed (hidden from view) negatively affects on-page SEO? Thanks. 
                      Stephan

                      On-Page Optimization | May 9, 2014, 9:19 PM | stephanwb
                      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 | Oct 16, 2013, 5:23 PM | flcity15
                      0
                    • TheSportsDaddy

                      How do Maximize WordPress with 2 SEO Plugins

                      I have 2 WordPress SEO Plugins,  Yoast and All-in-One SEO.  I have tried like heck to make them work together, but every time I crawl my site here, I get multiple error messages. My question is, how can I tweak the title settings to avoid having multiple meta desctiptions, titles etc.

                      On-Page Optimization | Jun 20, 2011, 1:06 AM | TheSportsDaddy
                      0
                    • vibelingo

                      Www1 and www domain

                      hi, I have a client who has an e-commerce business. My client does not want to fill the pages with too much content and has set up a www1 version with the same domain-name as the www. The plan is to create a lot of content and push www1 in ranking and then sending users (via links) to the www for ordering. Although there will be no duplicate content published on www and www1 this seems like an odd strategy, especially since the www already has a good page rank, and I'm not sure about how engines view a www.domain.com and www1domain.com situation even with unique content in each. Any thoughts?

                      On-Page Optimization | Apr 11, 2011, 9:23 AM | vibelingo
                      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
                    • 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.