How important is a domain name?

[Steve]

I was just looking on some of the google ad domain names on the forum here and one site stood out to me. http://www.EnjoyYourWeekends.com What do you think of that as a domain name for a lawn care business? Do you like it? Do you think such names are important to stand out?

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[SprinklerRepair]

Lawn care business tips

Google gives little weight to the domain name, but MSN does. Although MSN receives less traffic, it's demographics are older people who don't use Firefox and Google, and women. If your company is "Bob's landscaping", don't use that as your domain. Nobody's searching that term. Rather use ElkhartLawnCare.com (if that's where you live.) If that's already taken, try Elkhart-Lawn-Care.com, or net. How do I know? I have dozens of domains either #1 on Google or on the 1st page.

[EatingEmoKids]

I think it's pretty good.. and here is why:

#1 In one of your videos or a post I read when I first started in the summer just trying to mow lawns I read about the attention grabbing head line. Well tell me that domain name doesnt get some ones attention! Right up front it points out some thing that benefits the customer.

#2 It's easy to remember, and easy to market.

On the other side, like SprinklerRepair said, it does not include any key phrases that some one who is looking for lawn care services would search for. Although in my opinion, that doesnt mater to much. I have out ranked sites that had search terms in their domain when I had none. I'm not saying search terms in a domain name dont help, but their not everything.

[SprinklerRepair]

I agree with Matt on the "Grabbing Headline" theory.

However, in my opinion (and that's all it is) the "grabber" should be saved for your title tag (the words that come up in blue on the SERP) and description tag.

For instance, how many searches have you done where one of the titles (blue letters) in the SERP's said "Home" or in this business "Lawn Care"?

Even worse, one of my clients would not give me his C-panel log-in, so I could not optimize the meta tags. His title said "News." News? Why not
"Weather?" The links I did for him cover the 1st page, his site will never be there until the links and content match the tags. Dumb-***.

I suggest using the out-dated algorithm of MSN to your advantage for their SE placement in having the URL match the main keyword (as in why not get the listing with MSN while you battle it out on Google?) and placing your keyword in the beginning of your title for Google love, and your "grabber" behind it, like this:

"Lawn care in Elkhart Indiana? Enjoy your weekends! We will do the hard stuff" or "download your online 10% off coupon." Whatever your testing shows that "sells the click". It doesn't do you any good to be on the 1st page if you don't entice or interest customers to click your link.

I'm starting an experiment Jan.2, 2009, where I'm going to try to take over a Google/MSN SERP for the terms "lawn care, landscaping", etc.in a small to medium size city in the U.S., and I'm going to try and do it in only 30 days.

Can I do it? Probably not. It usually takes me 120-180 days and a client check for $6000.

But I bet I can make it to the first page in 30 days with a brand new URL (age of domain matters immensely with Google.) I've done it before. It depends on how good my competition is.

I'm not a "techie" (my wife needs to show me over and over how to do things in Microsoft Word that my 8 year old niece knows how to do), but I've been seriously studying SEO since 2001. Type "sprinkler repair" into Google.

Yes, I know. I'm hawking stuff on my home page like Billy Mays (the Oxy-Clean guy). It's embarrassing and I'm re-doing it soon live and learn!

This much I know; there are no "Internet Secrets Revealed!" or "Push Button Google Riches!" but there are definable, calculated, step-by-step approaches to letting the SE's know what your site is about, giving them what they want, and getting them to love you.

Once you know that, it's just a matter of "feeding the spiders." Oh, plus a lot of typing/research/work/hours. I type with one finger and look at the keyboard while I do it. So if I can do it, anybody can.

I'll update ya'll at least weekly on my progress.

And then I'll tell you exactly how I did, or did not (failed), do it.

Stay tuned wanna be "first pagers!"

[picframer]

I think something that is really easy to remember is critical as people driving will remember something short, catchy and easy. It also makes it easier to remember the website. same goes for telephone number selection which you can and I did request, like anything, keep it simple.