~~~High Search Engine Rankings~~~
From: Lisa Steinhart
Trying to create a URL with a .com extension is darn near impossible -
everything is taken! My company has elected to create a naming
structure that ties together a group of sites we support.
The structure we've created eliminates the WWW prefix of a URL. For
example if our service were named PrivateEye, our URL would be:
http://privateeye.companyname.com (we've registered
"companyname.com").
Each of our industry-focused sites that belong to the PrivateEye
service would be structured as follows:
http://RestaurantEye.companyname.com
http://MetalsEye.companyname.com
http://PlasticsEye.companyname.com
I planned to submit each site with different META titles, keywords,
and descriptions (after I've written killer copy of course!).
Does the elimination of WWW in a URL have an impact on search engine
optimization? And is each URL as described above viewed as a separate
URL or as a subdomain by the directories and engines? If they are
perceived as subdomains how do I submit to the search
engines/directories effectively?
Lisa Steinhart
Marketing Director
ECNext
~~~Jill's Response~~~
Lisa,
Thanks for your question!
First, I have to take exception to the notion that creating a domain
name with the dot.com extension is impossible. I strongly feel that
it's simply a matter of being creative! There are still tons and tons
of available names if you think about it. For instance, take
RankWrite.com. It had no value to anyone before we thought it up and
branded it into something. So, of course, it was available when we
went looking for names. (RankRight.com was also available, which
actually could have had more value as an SEO company site.) We
purchased both of these just last year. The trick is to put two
unrelated words together that perhaps don't mean anything right now,
but that you can build into *your* brand somewhere down the line. I
don't subscribe to the
"I-gotta-have-tons-of-keywords-in-my-domain.com" idea of creating
domain names, either. I think that's just silly.
Thus said, yes, the way you've laid out your URL structure would be
considered subdomains of your main domain. I think this is a great
way to further your brand while not having to worry about purchasing
additional domain names! It is my understanding that the spidering
search engines have no problems with these types of URLs. I've never
heard of any problems with not having www in the URL, so I wouldn't
worry about that aspect.
What I would do is make sure that each subdomain is an entire site,
not just one page. If each site is only one or two pages, you're
getting into doorway page territory, and that's something you want to
avoid. If you want to use your subdomains as actual subsites, create
at least three to five pages within each site. Just think of all the
great keyphrases you can target this way! If you shoot for two or
three phrases per site (with some overlap within the pages), you've
gotten yourself some great exposure in the engines. Do NOT simply
point all these subdomains back to your main domain. Again, if you do
that, you're teetering on the edge of doorway page marketing (and
remember, we don't like that!).
Where directories are concerned, things may or may not be as easy.
I'd be willing to bet that you'd have a good shot at getting your
subdomains listed in DMOZ as long as they were all targeting very
different products or services. If NBCi sticks around (unlikely), you
should also be able to get listed there. I'm also fairly certain that
if you were willing to pay LookSmart's *bribe fee* that you'd get your
subdomains easily listed with them. Hopefully, the sites would all
belong in different categories, as that would help. Plus, you don't
really need a whole bunch of listings in the same category...why
compete with yourself?
Now Yahoo! is a different story. I've heard of many instances where
they check to see who owns the site submitted, and if the company that
owns it already has a listing (even though it's a different URL), they
won't add it (yes, even when you slip them some green!). However,
I've also heard of them adding these types of subsites. The question
is whether or not you're willing to gamble with your $199, because
that's really what it comes down to...a crapshoot. If Yahoo! feels
at all like you're simply trying to get additional listings with them,
you can pretty much fuggetaboutit. But if you truly do have unique
content on each site, you *may* have a chance. Do NOT try to submit
all the subsites at once to Yahoo!. Submit one to start. If you win
the lottery and get in, then perhaps it might be a good idea to wait a
few months before submitting another one. And just remember, you're
pressing your luck with each and every submittal. I've actually heard
stories of them removing existing sites when a new one from the same
company gets submitted. My personal philosophy is to leave well
enough alone. If you've got one (or two) listings that are bringing
in traffic, you're probably better off to live with that. If the
listings you have aren't bringing you much (or any) traffic, then you
don't have as much to lose, and might want to go for it. Use your own
judgment depending on the contents of your own pocketbook!
Hope this helps!
Jill
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