|
|
Are Exact-Match Domains (EMDs) in Decline? |
Are Exact-Match Domains (EMDs) in Decline? Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:59 PM PDT Posted by Dr. Pete One of the great, ongoing debates of SEO (#4 of 673) is the influence of Exact-Match Domains (EMDs) on rankings. Part of my goal in launching MozCast was to collect historical data that would allow us to put some of these contentious questions to the test, and now that we have a few months of data, I thought it would be interesting to dig into the EMD question. Over the last couple of years, our large-scale correlation data here at SEOmoz has shown a declining impact of EMDs on ranking:
This graph is based only on .com domains and, as always, correlation does not imply causation, but the trend certainly suggests that EMDs are weakening. The MozCast data only goes back to April 2012 currently, but that timeframe covers the Penguin update and other major changes this year, so let’s see how it compares to the year-over-year trend. Overall EMD InfluenceLet’s start simple – across the MozCast data set (Top 10 X 1,000 keywords = 10K* URLs), what percentage of rankings are held by EMDs? In this case, I stuck to a very strict definition: if the keyword is “buy widgets”, then only “buywidgets.tld” (any TLD) counts as an exact match. Here’s the data back to April 4, 2012:
First off, notice that this is a pretty narrow range – over 4-1/2 months, EMDs represent from just under 3.3% to almost 4.1% of total rankings in the data set. On average, EMD influence has declined slightly in the past few months, with a solid drop after the Penguin update, but that drop has recovered somewhat since June. *Now that 7-result SERPs account for ~18% of the data, the total count is closer to 9,500 URLs. Correlation vs. CausationLet’s get this out of the way – just because EMDs hold less spots in the top 10, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Google has turned down the “volume” on EMDs as a ranking factor. It simply means that less EMDs are ranking overall, and that could have many explanations. What we’ll be looking at here is patterns over time, to try to tell more of the story. Penguilation vs. PenguisationLikewise, Penguin correlation is not Penguin causation. I don’t think that Penguin directly targeted EMDs. I suspect that, by targeting some forms of spammy anchor text, Penguin disproportionately hit EMDs. Many people who use EMDs solely for ranking purposes are also aggressive with exact-match anchor text. The EMD drop was probably collateral damage. EMD Influence on Ranking #1The last graph covered EMDs anywhere in the Top 10, but what about the EMDs just occupying the #1 spot? Have they fallen harder than overall EMDs? Here’s the data on #1 ranking EMDs only:
Again, the Y-axis is scaled to amplify differences. While EMDs in the #1 spot also took a hit after Penguin, the picture looks very different around mid-June. EMDs ranking #1 not only recovered their previous influence, but they’ve actually gained SERP-share over the past couple of months. Some of the August spike may be related to the launch of the 7-result SERPs. If the number of total URLs decreased, but the EMDs in #1 remained constant, those EMDs would account for a higher percentage of total URLs. Overall PMD InfluenceMy definition of an EMD was pretty strict. What if we looked at the data for partial-match domains (PMDs)? I took a more liberal approach here – for the keyword phrase “buy widgets”, any of the following counted as a partial match, by my definition:
In other words, as long as “buywidgets” or “buy-widgets” appeared anywhere in the root or sub-domain, I counted it as a partial match. I excluded all exact matches, to separate the influence. Here’s the data back to April 4th:
PMDs accounted for slightly more of the mix than EMDs (not surprisingly), but here the pattern is much clearer. Ranking for PMDs suffered a serious decline after the Penguin update and has only continued to fall. Good EMDs Are GoodNot all exact-match and partial-match domains are created equal. Penguin hit both EMDs and PMDs pretty hard, because too many people were (and are) still over-relying on them for ranking. The problem is that Google can’t just pull the plug on EMDs. Many brands naturally use EMDs, and it’s perfectly reasonable to buy a domain that matches your name. Instead of just changing how domains impact ranking, Google is targeting spammy signals around EMDs and PMDs. For example, Penguin probably targeted aggressive exact-match anchor text. If your website is “casinoviagrarealestate.com” and 90% of your anchor text is “best casino viagra real estate”, you probably took a hit. It wasn’t because you had an EMD – it was because your EMD was part of a low-value approach. Should You Dump Your EMD?In a word: No. You should be careful about combining obviously keyword targeted EMDs and PMDs (“buy-casino-viagra-mortgage.me”) with other aggressive tactics, like large amounts of exact-match anchor text, but for the most part you aren’t going to get penalized simply because you have an EMD. There are some extreme Penguin cases where something as drastic as a new domain may be required, but for the most part this is a gradual change in Google’s attitude. I think EMDs are going to count less over time, but EMDs are also a natural part of the ecosystem. Should You Buy an EMD?That’s a bit tougher question. If you’re a brand with a unique name, then yes, absolutely, buy yourname. com, etc. If you’re simply using a domain for keyword value, then I think you have to be a little careful and consider your long-term game plan. If you over-rely on that EMD or PMD, you’re likely to pursue other spammy tactics and ultimately be disappointed as Google gradually lowers the volume. I don’t think buying an EMD carries a large amount of risk, but I’d considering your overall branding strategy. An EMD might be an SEO tactic, but it’s just one small factor of many – it’s not a strategy. You also have to weigh the costs and benefits - finding a short, unregistered .com is one thing - buy it and you can decide later how and if to use it. As for clearly low-value PMDs, like long, hyphenated strings, I’d avoid them. Paying $25K for a hyphenated, seven-word .net is just throwing away money that could be spent on real marketing. It’s not just about declining SEO value – it’s also a matter of perception. If I see six-keywords-strung-together-with-dashes.net and it leads to a slapped together, $75 template site, I see a site I’d never do business with. The tiny uptick in SEO value you might get isn’t worth it. Invest in a brand and start building it. The benefits will go far beyond SEO. Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read! |
You are subscribed to email updates from SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 |
Not too many millenia ago, just about everything we remembered happened to us. In real life.
Books and then radio and TV changed that. Orson Welles demonstrated that a radio drama could create feelings (and then memories of those feelings) that were as powerful to some as the real thing.
Eleven years ago, we all experienced an event of such enormity that it still haunts us. Some escaped, some saw it out their office window while others watched on TV.
Just a decade later, we're far more likely to both celebrate and generate our memories in 140 character bursts, or in short updates or in a 'breaking news' email. The short version amplifies our other memories. Neil Armstrong's death shook us not because we knew him, but because we remember watching him on TV... The blip of information alone was sufficient to give us pause.
A few generations ago, the only music most people heard was music we heard in person. Today, the most famous (and in some ways, important) people in our lives are people we will never meet.
As we continually replace real life with ever shorter digital updates, what happens to the memories we build for ourselves and the people we serve? More and more, we don't remember what actually happened to us, but what we've encountered digitally. It scales, but does it matter in the same way?
[You're getting this note because you subscribed to Seth Godin's blog.]
Don't want to get this email anymore? Click the link below to unsubscribe.
Your requested content delivery powered by FeedBlitz, LLC, 9 Thoreau Way, Sudbury, MA 01776, USA. +1.978.776.9498 |
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis |
Posted: 10 Sep 2012 09:09 PM PDT A regime change in China is slated for next month. Yet Xi Jinping, the man rumored to be the next leader is missing in action. It is not uncommon for Chinese leaders to disappear from public life for extended periods, but it is uncommon for them to disappear smack in front of a regime change. It is also uncommon for them to skip planned and announced meetings with foreign leaders. Xi Jinping has cancelled at least four scheduled meetings with visiting dignitaries including a Russian delegation, Singapore's prime minister and US secretary of state Hillary Clinton last Wednesday and the prime minister of Denmark on Monday. So where is he? The Financial Times reports Rumours swirl as China's Xi vanishes. Where is Xi Jinping? The man anointed to run the world's most populous nation and second-largest economy has disappeared from public view just weeks before his expected elevation to lead the Chinese Communist Party.Speculation Intensifies The Business Standard reports China President-to-be Xi Jinping goes missing Speculation intensified on Monday over the whereabouts of China's presumptive new president, Xi Jinping, who has been missing from public view in recent days as the country prepares for a crucial leadership change.China Having Second Thoughts? It is damn strange to deny a meeting was supposed to take place especially after you invite the foreign press to take pictures. Unfortunately, I cannot shed any more light on the situation. However, I can postulate more speculative theories. Is there any chance China is having second thoughts about who the new leader will be? More likely, is there a growing concern about the alleged shift away from infrastructure and export-led growth to a consumer-driven model? I do not have the answers to either question but I can offer a statement "Let's hope not". China (and the world) desperately needs China to rebalance its economy, no matter what short-term pain rebalancing causes. And there will be pain. Chinese exporters will suffer, as will the commodity producing countries that export to China. GDP will decline and so will growth in jobs. However, postponement of rebalancing will only make matters worse. What's the Worst That Could Happen? The worst possible outcome would be for China to give up on a rebalancing shift coupled with a Mitt Romney victory who then does as he says he would, label China a currency manipulator, thereby starting a devastating trade war with China. Regardless of what the reasons are for the disappearing act, here is the key question: Will cooler heads prevail in China and the US? Let's hope so. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:48 PM PDT Congratulations to the University of Phoenix, a private for-profit school, which has the dubious distinction of having 4,359 percent more student loan defaults than Columbus State, the top public school. A student loan is considered in default when it is 360 days delinquent. Number of Loans in Default The above chart from the New York Times article Bad Student Debt Stubbornly High as Collection Efforts Surge. There is now over $1 trillion in student debt and $76 billion of that is in default reports the NY Times in Debt Collectors Cashing In on Student Loans As the number of people taking out government-backed student loans has exploded, so has the number who have fallen at least 12 months behind in making payments — about 5.9 million people nationwide, up about a third in the last five years. Debt Slave Collection Business is Booming Last year the government paid $1.4 billion to collect defaulted loans of which $355 million went to 23 private debt collectors. Student debt collection is now the most sought-after contract within the industry. No wonder. Student loan collectors have the ability to garnish wages, seize tax refunds, and seize other government payments. Those in the debt slave racket are of course willing to do anything to keep the business alive. Obama wants to expand the program. Of course, so do all the universities and anyone associated with the slave trade. The schools and slave trade collection agencies are big contributors to politicians willing to accept campaign bribes to keep the student "aid" programs intact. Student "Aid" or Economic Prison Sentence? You know the answer to the question if you have any common sense. Student "Aid" is not for the kids. Virtually nothing of importance in the education industry is "for the kids". From public unions, to aid programs, and even grants, the entire system is geared to sending as many kids as possible to school, hoping to make debt slaves out of them for life. The only rational thing to do is kill every one of these ridiculous programs cold turkey. Those in the slave trade will fight tooth-and-nail against cutbacks, led no doubt by the University of Phoenix. For more on Student "Aid" please see
Major Economic Headwinds The effect on housing and the economy of these disastrous policies are enormous, yet Bernanke is not even bright enough to figure it out. Please consider a few snips from Central Bankers Fail to Understand Forces Holding Back the Economy; Ten Major Economic Headwinds Ten Major Headwinds
Housing and Recoveries Housing has led nearly every economic recovery for decades. So look at point number two above: Student debt holds back home-buying, marriage, and family formation. I expect housing to be weak for a decade because of those points. Prices will be stagnant for years as banks work off REOs. The structural overhangs of inept policies, bank bailouts, mortgage fraud, public unions, and boomer retirements guarantees Bernanke will not be able to stimulate lending to the degree he wants. Worse yet, Bernanke's policies only serve to increase the economic distortions and the tension between the 1% and everyone else. Addendum: Note to All Facebook Users: If you have not yet voted for your favorite charity (it costs nothing to vote), please do so. Chase is giving away $5 million to charity, and I have a cause that I support. Please click on this this link: Facebook Users, I Have a Favor to Ask, then follow the instructions. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:02 AM PDT A post on the the Fibs and Waves blog by "Blankfeind" outlines the actual legal case against the OMT. I believe the case is rock solid. How the German constitutional court rules in two days is another matter. Please consider The ECB Thumbs Its Nose At The Law. On September 6th, the ECB announced its Outright Monetary Transactions program, known as OMT. Justified as a means for the ECB to repair monetary policy transmission and to recreate the singleness of monetary policy for the euro area, the OMT offers an unlimited commitment by the ECB to purchase short-term (one to three year) sovereign debt in the secondary markets for sovereigns who agree to certain conditions.Primary vs. Secondary Markets and Intent of the Treaty Former ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet (and one of the original architects of the treaties that created the eurozone), opened up this can of worms by allowing the ECB to buy bonds in the secondary market. Since the ECB could act as the end party immediately buying bonds from the original buyer, there is in practice virtually no difference between buying bonds in the primary and secondary markets. Here is the loophole Trichet exploited: Article 123 (ex Article 101 TEC) 1. ... Member States shall be prohibited, as shall the purchase directly from them by the European Central Bank or national central banks of debt instruments. Clearly, that could not possibly be what the treaty intended. When discussing the intent of the treaty, the ECB is already in violation. Now Draghi has gone a step further. "Blankfeind" continues ... Germany demanded the inclusion of Articles 123 and 125 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union with the clear intent of protecting itself and its citizens from responsibility for the fiscal failings of other member states. Hence, OMT violates the intent of the applicable laws."Blankfeind" is certainly correct. And I point out the obvious creep in unconstitutional acts. Trichet capitalized on one misplaced word and debate over the intent of "directly" giving Draghi a bit of cover to even more blatantly break the law. Why Bond Buying Undermines Democracy In a direct criticism of "Draghi Almighty" Der Spiegel explains Why ECB Bond-Buying Plans Undermine Democracy Anyone who breaks a law can hardly excuse his actions by claiming that he is acting within the scope of the law. In any case, it won't help him much -- unless his name is Mario Draghi and he is the president of the European Central Bank (ECB).That is exceptionally harsh criticism of both the OMT and of chancellor Merkel from a magazine that is generally quite pro-euro. Is Draghi Above The Law? The answer to that question is obvious. He thinks and acts like he is. This should not be surprising. It is one of the direct corollaries of the Fed Uncertainty Principle, which I wrote on April, 3, 2008, long before the Fed started its big power grab. What I said about the Fed applies equally to the ECB and central bankers in general. Here are key excerpts. Fed Uncertainty Principle: The fed, by its very existence, has completely distorted the market via self reinforcing observer/participant feedback loops. Thus, it is fatally flawed logic to suggest the Fed is simply following the market, therefore the market is to blame for the Fed's actions. There would not be a Fed in a free market, and by implication there would not be observer/participant feedback loops either.Addendum: Note to All Facebook Users: If you have not yet voted for your favorite charity (it costs nothing to vote), please do so. Chase is giving away $5 million to charity, and I have a cause that I support. Please click on this this link: Facebook Users, I Have a Favor to Ask, then follow the instructions. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
German Constitutional Court Approval of ESM Not a Done Deal; Draghi's Fatal Mistake? Posted: 10 Sep 2012 01:33 AM PDT One puzzling aspect of ECB president Mario' Draghi's Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) plan to save the eurozone is his doing so before the German constitutional court had approved the ESM. In spite of Draghi's emphasis on conditionality, OMT puts Germany directly at risk in an unlimited way. This modification to the ESM makes the constitutional case against it much stronger. I am not the only one who feels that way. Even the pro-bailout Eurointelligence site sees it that way. Here are some snips from the Eurointelligence Daily Briefing report A new legal case against ESM – that links Draghi's OMT to the current case This is the week in the which the German constitutional court will announce the most important ruling in its history. Herbert Prantl reports in Suddeutsche Zeitung on a new anti-euro case this morning that links last week's decision by the ECB to start Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) to the current ESM case. The case was brought by Peter Gauweiler, a well-known Eurosceptic member of the Bundestag from the Bavarian CSU, and a serial litigator. Gauweiler argues that the OMT had fundamentally altered the ESM, and that the decision on the ESM should therefore be postponed (meaning a delay in the ratification by Germany). He also makes the legal points that the OMT decision did not constitute a breach of competence, but a permanent assumption of competences. When the Bundestag voted on the ESM, it did so under different circumstances. With the OMT, the Bundestag's authority is permanently circumvented.Draghi's Fatal Mistake? I certainly do not agree with Draghi, but the man clearly is not a dunce. Was there a strong reason to announce OMT, altering the ESM, before it was approved? Certainly, yields went into the stratosphere a few weeks ago. Yet, mere talk of rate caps and unlimited bond buying had yields collapsing last week. Did Draghi feel he could not wait another week? Did he see a need to strike first, fearing the court may otherwise have laid down guidelines against his OMT? Perhaps Draghi wanted to bring this all to a head right here right now, the sooner the better, even if it meant the court might rule on the need for a referendum. From that aspect, (and from the point of view of the pro-bailout crowd) the sooner Germany has a referendum, the more likely it would pass. A year ago I think a referendum would have passed with flying colors. Now 54% of Germans Want the Constitutional Court to Kill the ESM. With each passing day, more Germans are upset at the economy and the bailouts on top of it (see Germany Trifecta: Steep Drop in Construction New Business, Services New Business, Manufacturing New Business) and an increasingly large group want Germany out of the eurozone completely. Perhaps we should not overthink this. Occam's Razor suggests Draghi simply made a mistake in failing to see the bitter response from Germany and the potential implications down the road. I had been thinking the court would easily approve the ESM, but with reservations. However, the OMT changed the odds quite a bit. Regardless, we are going to find out one way or another in two days. Addendum: Note to All Facebook Users: If you have not yet voted for your favorite charity (it costs nothing to vote), please do so. Chase is giving away $5 million to charity, and I have a cause that I support. Please click on this this link: Facebook Users, I Have a Favor to Ask, then follow the instructions. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
You are subscribed to email updates from Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 |
Damn Cool Pics |
Dude Perfect - Football Trick Shots Posted: 10 Sep 2012 07:08 PM PDT |
Ukrainian Girl Who Looks Like an Anime Doll Posted: 10 Sep 2012 02:45 PM PDT The strange and creepy-looking fashion trend of real-life anime models is spreading rapidly across the planet and has reached Eastern Europe. Meet Anastasiya Shpagina, a 19 year old Ukrainian girl who's interviewed by local newspapers and appears in various TV shows thanks to her controversial looks. She has been called "the new Barbie" by national news outlets, but she later revealed she's striving to become a real-life Japanese anime character, not a doll. At 1.58-meters-tall, Anastasiya weighs just 39 kilos and is trying to lose one more in order to look just right. She has even taken the name Fukkacumi,to sound more Japanese. Via: Vk |
Posted: 10 Sep 2012 12:18 PM PDT |
Three Drunk Lions Came Out the Pub Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:50 AM PDT |
Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:43 AM PDT |
Same-Sex Marriage and Politics in 2012 [Infographic] Posted: 10 Sep 2012 11:26 AM PDT With a major election approaching in November 2012, same-sex marriage is front and center in the national political spotlight. Learn more about the opposing perspectives on same-sex marriage, from political leaders to the average American voter, in the following infographic by Marriage and Family Counseling Degrees. Click on Image to Enlarge. |
What Your Muffin Says About You Posted: 10 Sep 2012 10:19 AM PDT |
You are subscribed to email updates from Damn Cool Pictures To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 |