Blog SEO Tips: Importance of Domain Names & Hosting
When it comes to SEO (Search Engine Optimization) there are so many little things that can affect your blog’s ranking. We’ve talked about headings and titles, META tags and keywords, link building strategies, but how do we put to use our blog’s domain name and hosting to improve our rankings? This “SEO Sunday” episode will explain a few important things you should consider.
Choosing the right TLD
Some say that the TLD (Top Level Domain) – domain name extension – doesn’t matter. Most say it does and from my own experience I must agree with the majority.
First of all, let’s say your writing in your native language other than English. By choosing a country specific TLD (but not exclusively) you’ll tell search engines where your blog is based and to whom it addresses. For English written blogs, a .COM or a .NET TLD will most likely do the best jobs since the .COM is the most common extension and English the most used language online. Also, .COMs are a good alternative if your country specific TLD has already been registered.
Keyword domain names vs. Brandable domain names
A keyword in the domain name will definitely help your rankings for that specific keyword. Still, this doesn’t mean that a well optimized blog using a brandable domain name will not rank well. If your going for a brandable domain, try to play around a keyword, like I did with Blogsessive. It will add a bit to the value.
Dashes and numbers in the domain name
Unless strictly required (numbers are part of the identity, like Hi5), I would suggest to stay away from numbers. SEO wise they add no value. Also, if in the future you’ll be looking to sell that domain name, all the money you’ll get will mostly be based on the traffic that name received and its page rank (if it will be the case).
Dashes are still dropping the financial value, but in regards to SEO, search engines seam to accept them – even if with less value – and with the right on and off page optimization they could rank very well.
Domain registration period
When you register a new domain, try and register it for at least three or four years. Why? Simple, search engines will know that domain will be around for a longer period of time and it won’t be a simple spamming/domain flipping registration. Thus, they will add more weight to the results coming from your domain. Also, if you’re buying a pre-registered domain names from a domain name marketplace, try to buy one that has been registered and not dropped for a long time. The longer, the better. It also adds to its financial value.
Register one or two more major TLDs
Let’s say you’ve just registered BlogDomainName.com and you’re looking to build a brand around that blog. By registering BlogDomainName.net and BlogDomainName.org (for example) and pointing them to the .COM, you’re telling search engines that you’re consolidating your online brand, which will again add weight to the results coming from your blog.
Domain name history
It’s always a good idea to check out if the domain name has been registered before by using a WHOIS tool, and if it has been, also check out its history with a service like the Wayback Machine. If that domain has been banned by search engines due to whatever reasons, don’t buy it. You’ll have an almost impossible job building up its reputation.
Shared hosting IP vs. Dedicated hosting IP
By sharing an IP with many other websites and blogs you’ll lose a bit of your own identity in front of search engines. Also, if search engines have a habit of banning the whole IP range if one of the websites you’re sharing the IP with will be banned for spam or other strange activities. By getting a dedicated IP you’ll be on your own, safe as long as you act fair. Dedicated hosting is not cheap, but many hosting providers offer dedicated IPs with even the cheapest hosting plans for a small extra fee, sometimes as low as $3.
So, as you can see, there are many other factors than links and META tags when it comes to optimization. Do everything right and you be getting closer to those high rankings, step by step.
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Some interesting ides here. Thanks
Great tips. Thank you.
Nice article and layout, Thanks for the information. The point you make about being on a shared hosting IP does not really carry that much weight. I have a site that is a PR5 that is hosted on a shared plan.
Really insightful thoughts.
Gave a little more understanding of the “search-engine-algorithm” !!!
Thanks everyone! Leo, Jose, welcome to Blogsessive!
Some good nuggets of information that you don’t always find information for on the web. Good stuff!
Nice and very informative blog post.
I recently registered a new domain name without http://www.carhirefaroairport.com and I have found that it always does better in searches on Google than my other site which is much older, has more incoming links and is a sub-domain. The content on both sites is similar.
Thanks for the free honest SEO tips!
Yes it is….Number is not good for domain as search engine news recommended this things also.
Great Article- very informative
Thank you for sharing it.
http://www.empresademercadeo.com
I don’t think I could have explained it better. These are great tips to follow from the start. People must think about SEO before they even buy their domain name.
The point of your post is that “spend more (both time & money) in choosing the right domain names and host” for your websites. I want to transfer to a dedicated IP hosting, the problem is too expensive for me this time, so I need to live with it.
Thanks for sharing, great tips especially the domain history checking, I actually experience buying drop domain but never check the history. The domain I registered was banned and until now, the site is not yet index by G.
Also check the domain backlink if the domain has history. This will also tell you if the domain is used for spamming.
@srednarb promotional, there a lot of hosting site that offer cheap vps where yu can get free dedicated ip. Though I’m paying $3 per IP on my dedicated hosting.
nice tip, brandability of domain coincide with effort to rank the site higher creates a successful site.
Aside from IP addresses. I believe too much downtime also affects search engine ranking. Sometimes rank disappears with only 30 minutes to an hour of downtime. Although it can get back when the server is back up, but if this happens often, it would be better to look for a better web host.
Post is fery good
tahnks
Thanks for the article. It’s helped me with a decision I have to make in registering a domain. After checking the Wayback machine it looks like it’s banned due to a bad history so not worth buying after all.