Where to start? With the domain name.

Some SEOs (search engine optimizers) say, use keywords in your domain-name. OK. You can do that, to push your relevance in Google. But think about it from a different angle.

If your already have a brand name, the people are typing your URL directly into the browserbar, or they use the google search, what more and more “normal” users are doing. Why? Because they are afraid of being redirected to “bad” domains, when they misspelled the URL. So you better be listed at position No. 1 in Google with your brand name.

Giving away money to Google, because you are not listed at No.1 with your brand name? This is were to start and save big money. Why? A known brand, should get a minimum of 30-35% of visits thru “direct traffic”. From the 50-60% of search engine traffic, the biggest chunk should come thru company or brand name keywords, if you haven´t done SEO till now! At the end, about 65-70% of your traffic is really coming thru “direct traffic”. Have that in mind, for later optimization!

So, are the SEOs right, when they say “use keywords in domain names”? Yes they are, but use this for landing pages or special websites for a specific topic, or as I would call it, for a “keyword cloud relevant content set”.

And another important thing about keywords in your domain name: If someone optimizes on those keywords, he maybe ranked above you, and gets your “brand name”-traffic. And again: You have to pay big money to google.

My advice: If you have a unique name: USE IT!