A website’s domain name that is established with the keywords on which a website is focused to rank and working on it for better search engine results is known as an Exact Match Domain or EMD.
Google launched an SEO update, around 2012, coupled with EMD, that was organised to balance the scope of domains that are focusing the same keywords in the website’s URL. In this era, we should have considered learning more about the bond between SEO and exact match domain, either EMD brings better results and outcomes as compared to non-EMD websites or it is just a myth.
We can find many articles around the internet that we can read expressing that SEO is badly affected by EMD while some believe it is an essential ranking aspect. Let’s find out the history and role of EMD in business is available and how it can be good or bad:

What is the Exact Match Domain?
As the name defines the Exact Match Domain, is the domain that is truly focused and matched with the keywords that an entrepreneur is targeting for a business to rank in SERPs. A few instances of EMD are:
- paintaroof.com
- homechef.com
Under some circumstances, choosing a domain name for your website using the EMD strategy might be helpful in ranking and bringing organic traffic. Yet, Google had already taken actions for EMD domains in SEO which is drowning, but anyhow, it still shows us some good and valuable benefits in rankings.
Exact Match Domains And SEO History:
In the early 2000s, a huge number of business websites got registered in google based on target keywords, as that seemed to be the quickest method to achieve higher ranks. A lot of entrepreneurs had purchased domains that were coupled with the products or services they were offering.
Keyword-based domains or we say EMD, held a supreme position in search engine optimisation in the mid-2010s. Back in time, EMDs were assumed to be the quick boost and ranking strategy in SERPs. And when Google launched an algorithm in 2012, after analysing and glimpsing the influence of exact match domains over search queries and SEO.
Even though Google had obliterated low-quality domains, that were ranked against some search queries plus contained EMDs, still there were too many fresh entrepreneurs and companies using the same approach.
As an SEO agency, even presently, we got many queries from our customers questioning whether EMD can be helpful and valuable to add a specific keyphrase in the URL. In general terms, most of the time search engines show us the businesses and companies that are rankings on top pages and use the EMD technique. And the one who is unknown of this term or its impacts believes that using the focus keyphrase in URL can improve their visibility over the internet.
DigiCodz’s expert advice is to choose a website domain that is SEO-friendly.

What is the term called Partial Match Domain Name?
A domain name that contains some elements of the focused keywords you are working on is known as a partial match domain or PMD. As we have some instances above for EMDs, have a look at how partial match domains look alike:
- Bobby-plubingservices.com
- brightlight-homepaints.com
- cleaning_parts.com
One can understand by reading the URL of the business site which service or product is being provided on this particular website. As compared to EMDs, partial match domains glance more realistic. These sorts of activities can help your website rank better in SERPs. It’s an easy way to update your visitor on what he might be expecting to get on a website whether it’s some goods or services.
From a marketing perspective, choosing a domain name with the PMDs technique for your business is a much better vision. It will be a great boost in SEO as well, so relevant calls with the URL will not get useless.

Misinformation Around EMDs:
Back to the topic, there are some myths that EMDs show no relevance over the search engine rankings. Anyhow, SEO experts with great experience and analysis power can describe how exact match domains are still very much effective for local search rankings.
Aside from this, there are some SEO fanatics on social media telling that EMDs has no bad impact on SEO rankings or traffic. But as an SEO agency, we have spent a significant time lingering reviewing search results for low to mid-competition keywords, and in the results, we found that exact match domains still own someplace in Local SEO.
What are Google’s thoughts About EMDs?
Gary Illyes:
Creates the subsequent release when it reaches to EMDs and their influence on SEO.
What Can Be Assume from That?
Google does not penalise or cite websites that operate with EMDs.
In some cases, websites with quality content and incoming links can be based on exact-match domains. Anyhow, most of the websites having EMD had been publicised for a long period of time, and they are also been active with Google Updates and working on SEO properly.
Is It a Good Opinion to Use an EMD in 2022?
In this era, using EMD for your upcoming or running business website is not a preferable opinion.
To establish a profitable online business it’s not so important to start with an Exact Match Domain. Naming your business is really a tough decision to make but, you should consider your business name that describes the services or products you are offering. And it’s not crucial to pick an EMD to rank online, PMD and other domains can also rank.
Earlier when we initiated it was effortless to rank in Australia, and now we are targeting ‘affordable SEO services‘ to the whole world. With our offerings, we will make long-term relationships with you by giving you quality results, updates, reports, strategies and everything your business needs to lead the competitors.
Final Thoughts:
Yet confused about either EMDs can be helpful for the business or not? DigiCodz’s professionals will only suggest you select the domain that you are pleased to present on all the social channels. Furthermore, exact match domains is an easy method to ‘cheat’ the Google algorithms in past, but with the latest updates and in coming years, Google will replace all low-quality sites to high-quality and organic websites.