An Exact Match Domain is a website domain name that precisely matches the keyword or phrase a person is searching for on a search engine. In the context of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), some website owners used to register domain names that were exact matches for popular search terms to rank higher in search engine results for those specific keywords.
For example, if someone were searching for bestrunningshoes.com, the domain name bestrunningshoes.com would be an exact match domain. In the past, having an EMD was thought to provide an advantage in search rankings because it seemed to signal relevance to the search query.
However, over time, search engines like Google have refined their algorithms to reduce the impact of EMDs and prevent low-quality or spammy websites from ranking solely based on having a matching domain name. Today, having an EMD alone does not guarantee higher rankings; website content and quality are more important factors in search engine ranking.
Related Martech Zone Content
Additional Acronyms for EMD
- EMD - Exact Match Domain