I am not a real estate agent, but I own a few real estate related domain names that I occasionally advertise for sale.

From what I have learned there are basically two types of domain names, generic domains which are mostly comprised of common words such as Cars, Homes, or Games and then brandable domains which are usually made of unique names that can be used as a brand such as Google, Zillow, or ReMax. Some companies might brand themselves around a generic name such as Apple, or Tide, and some might go with the name of the founder of the company, but in either case it takes lots of money for advertising in order to establish a brand that is well known.

As a local agent it might be best to choose a domain name that is short, memorable, and somewhat related to the City or region that you are trying to cover such as:

YourCity+Homes.com

YourCity+RealEstate.com

YourCity+Properties.com

YourCity+RE.com

YourCity+Realty.com

YourCity+Realtor.com (if you are allowed)

YourCity+MLS.com (if you are allowed)

YourCity+Broker.com (if you are broker)

YourCity+ForSale.com

YourCity+HomeSales.com

Isell+YourCity.com


(You can use your County, Region, or State instead of City if that serves your needs better.)


Although most of these types of domains are probably long gone for the more popular Cities and regions, but some of them might still be available for sale by the original owner. Sometimes it might be worth it to pay a little more money to acquire a top of the line domain name if that domain can put you ahead of the pack in your local region. Most agents spend a lot of money on their office, cars, or clothes in order to project a more professional image, but when it comes to their website it seems like they want to do things the cheapest way possible which in my humble opinion is the wrong way to go about it since nowadays clients see your website and notice the domain name that you have chosen before they get to see your car or office.


In addition to your main domain name it might also be good idea to get a few long-tail domain names that target your city or region such as:


YourCity+RealEstateAgent.com

YourCity+HomesForSale.com

YourCity+LuxuryHomes.com

YourCity+LuxuryProperties.com

YourCity+NewHomes.com

YourCity+RealEstateListings.com

YourCity+HomeListings.com

YourCity+AreaHomes.com

YourCity+AreaRealEstate.com

YourCity+CommercialRealEstate.com

YourCity+Foreclosures.com

YourCity+YourState+Homes.com

YourCity+YourStateAbbreviation+Homes.com

(You can also use these with other keywords like Real Estate)

YourCity+REO.com

YourCity+ShortSales.com

YourCity+Condos.com


You don’t have to limit yourself to having just one website, you can have a main website (which could be a blog, or forum) that is built on your best domain name and then you can have many other simpler websites that use other domains which are interlinked together as a network. If your domain names get some traffic on their own then you don’t even have to build additional websites, you can just redirect those domains to your main website in order to take advantage of the traffic that those domains are generating. Domain names that have natural type-in traffic are harder to acquire because the traffic that they generate is from people who type those domains directly in their browser, which makes it to be independent of the search engines. Most domain names that get natural type-ins are usually comprised of the top keywords that people are interested in and might type them in their browser with the hopes that they can find a website that has what they are looking for. If you don’t have domains that get traffic on their own then the other alternative is to build a network of simple websites on some keyword rich and seo friendly domains that match the long-tail keywords that people look for on the search engines.

Obviously it is great to own a website (or a domain) that gets lots of visitors, but if you have 50 smaller websites (or domains) that are getting a few visitors each, then you might be able to get some good leads from the combined traffic that your network of websites (or domains) produces.

If you can only afford to have one website then it might be a good idea to choose a domain name that really counts by not only being seo friendly by having the right keywords for your region, but by being attractive and memorable enough for when you want to put it on your business cards, magnetic signs, or printed promotional items like pens or key chains. When it comes to dominating the market for your local city or region the way you advertise your website off-line is as important as all the efforts that you put into seo and online promotions.

(Just my opinion )

PS: you can see some of my domain names in the “Real Estate Related Products and Services” section.


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I am considering changing my website domain name --hoping that will help my search engine ranking. For a while my domain has been athomewithsara.com however, I have not gotten any good ranking. I have added some inbound links such as dmoz. If I were to get a domain name more for my local area--like citynamerealestate.com or something similar and make that the domain attached to my website but keep the original domain name and have it point to the new one--will that "hurt" anything seo-wise? I appreciate all feedback. Thanks!!

anyone? I really appreciate the feedback. thanksss

Using keywords (like city-real-estate.com or cityrealestate.com) in a domain name can have a positive effect on your ranking but I don't think the effect is dramatic.

The reason for the positive effect is not because search engines give a boost for having the keywords in the domain. The positive effect is because there are many places on the web where you end up being linked from with just your url. In those cases the keywords in your url becomes "link text" - and that is what gives a boost in ranking for those keywords.

Having the keywords in the domain name probably increases the likelihood of your link being clicked on by prospects searching for real estate services too as it makes it clear what the site is all about.

If you do decide to change domain names, just make sure that all of the old domain names are forwarded to the new domain name using a 301 permanent redirect and all should be fine.

Its great if you could get CityName+RealEstate.com or CityName+Homes.com as your domain name because these types of domains have a good chance of getting some natural type-in traffic since they correspond to what most people are interested in. If you are primarily concerned about ranking high on the search engines you can still keep your existing domain name, but you probably need to concentrate your efforts more on SEO. For SEO purposes alone there are a lot of people who manage to rank high with less than perfect domains, but they probably have spent a lot of time on optimizing their website and on creating quality back links from authoritative sources, they might also be very active in the areas of article marketing and social networking. If you yourself are not an expert in website development and SEO then it might be best to hire a professional to review your situation before you make any changes. If you ultimately decide to change your existing domain name then you might want to consider getting something that is attractive, memorable, and that includes your City but is still short enough to fit on your business cards.


(Just my opinion)

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Sara, I responded to your PM regarding this issue. If your only purpose for switching domains is because you feel that a keyword-rich domain will rank organically, then I'd suggest you reconsider. Regardless of your domain, you have to some serious optimizing before you can expect marked improvement on SERPs. Best of luck and keeo us updated on your progress.

Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you rank high and somehow manage to show up on the first page of the search results you still need people to click on your link in order to get to your website and if they somehow feel like your title, description, or your domain name (or even the url) are not appropriate and authoritative enough for what they are looking for then they might just go to the next search result.

(just my opinion)

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I agree with Maui do not change your website. The quickest thing you could do to improve your ranking is just add a link in your Agents Online signiture to your website. Just like Maui & I have done.

If you are beginning to feel a little helpless and disappointed with your ranking on the search engines despite all the money and efforts that you have put into SEO you might want to consider doing some off-line advertising and promotions for your website. Believe it or not you might be able to get some good traffic to your website through the old fashioned off-line sources, but you still need to have a nice website that gives people what they are looking for and more importantly you need a short and memorable domain name that can attract peoples attention when they see it on print or hear it on the radio.

It is probably much easier for you to make yourself known to your local market than it is for a big company that has to spend millions of dollars all over the country. A good domain name and the right advertising strategy can put you on equal footing even with the largest companies when it comes to being known in your local market.


(just my opinion)

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In short you want a domain name that is SEO friendly by having the right keywords for the City or region that you are covering (preferably one that also gets some natural type-in traffic). In addition you want your domain name to be attractive and memorable, and to look good on your business cards, flyers, print advertisements, promotional items, billboard ads, and on your TV commercials incase you decide to go big later on. You also want your domain name to sound good on the phone and on the radio, and to attract people’s attention when it’s mentioned through the word of mouth. It’s best if your domain name can give people some indication as to what it is that you do, because you might not be there to explain it to them every time that they see or hear it somewhere. You can go with a brandable name, but you should be prepared to spend a lot of money to make that brand famous, or you can choose a generic domain that corresponds to the region that you cover or the services that you provide. Regardless of whether you are a major corporation or just an individual agent, sooner or later you will come to recognize the importance of having a good domain name and that’s why it’s best to start with something good now that can also serve your needs as you grow.


PS: Some people might choose to go with other alternative extensions that are different than .com , especially if they can get a top of the line domain name that otherwise they wouldn’t have been able to get in .com , some other people might decide to wait and take their chances with the new real estate specific extensions that are supposed to be released in the near future (new Top Level Domains or otherwise known as new TLDs), but either way it’s important to do a lot of research in order to familiarize oneself with the advantages and disadvantages that those other options might have for any specific needs or uses.

(just my opinion)

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I think there is big marketing advantages to have short and good generic word(s) that match to your business within your web address syntax, but dot-COM is overloaded to find enough available names or you have to pay a lot to get premium domain names on the second market.

As ojhon said there is other alternative domain extensions than .COM you could consider it.

A non dot-COM extension show you as different than other and one marketing key is be to be different than your competitor.

Regarding SEO, domain extensions has not impact. That's even better when you have strong keyword but short within, comparing to have "www bobyorlandorealestatepropertyclassifiedsbestprice .COM" that certainly available to register.

That's also very important with any domain extensions/domain names:
- host your website on server in the country you want target your customer
- have dedicated IP
- have custom nameservers that match to your domain syntax or a good seo syntax(Ask your host supplier it's just a little thing to setup)
- have good and unique content.

Regards

Guy

Here is a domain name that I myself just registered with the hopes of promoting greener homes:

SuperGreenHome.com


There are some green homes that are Eco and Earth friendly to a certain extent, and then there is the "Super Green Home" that goes all the way as far as using the most environmentally friendly materials, equipment, appliances, and furnishings.

Agents (especially newer agents) that start a site exp- JonHigginsRemaxHomesToledoOhio.com are a usually a waste. Getting on the first page OR owning a decent domain name is a must. Toledo-foreclosures.com is a far better option. (In my humble opinion)

I wouldn't get coat up in domain names for search engine purposes. Focus on branding yourself withe the domain. Google has plans to turn down the power of a domain name and its just not worth it these days.

I do agree with my friend.
For some of the keywords I think it will help but for rest we have to work on to get on top in search engine.

Would you mind telling us more about these plans? I didn't realize Google was being so open about metrics of their algorithms, so any information would be much appreciated. Thanks.

I agree. If all things are equal among the competition, while it may "help" some to have a keyword (or two) in your domain name don't fester over it. What is paramount is having enough well-written content, and reasonably frequent updates. It's also vital for there to be a structure to the internal linking on the site that makes sense.

With regard to the OP's question - especially if her domain is "older," I would NEVER change the domain, I mean unless it's been permanently banned for utterly evil SEO practices or something. Rather, structure the internal links and the written content in a way that would be helpful to the end user.

And while I could go on and on... also focus on proper page titles. I highly recommend "The Art of SEO" (book) for great info.

In the long run it is probably best to have a short, attractive, memorable, and authoritative domain name that is easy to promote both online and off-line.

(just my opinion)

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ojohn do you feel a domain name with 23 to 24 letters .com is too long? Thanks for some of the good posts

Obviously the shorter the domain is the better, but sometimes its going to be hard to find a domain that is short enough and that still contains all the other qualities that have been discussed in this thread specially if your domain is going to contain the keywords like “ Real Estate” or “ Properties “.

For your main website I would say its probably best to buy a domain that satisfies all the different criteria of a good domain name, but if you have to settle for a long tail domain it is probably best if it has some of the keywords that people are searching for in your area. Now whether its best to choose a long tail domain over a shorter and more brandable domain that is something that only you can decide based on your specific situation and needs.

I own both long tail and shorter and more brandable real estate related domains, but I have the luxury of not having to have to choose between them because I am not a real estate agent and am not limited to only one geographical location. Off course my domains might not be considered to be top of the line because they are all hand registered for just a few bucks, but I still have great hopes for them as far as being able to monetize them in the future in someway.


Here is an example of some of the domains that I have:


LosAngelesLuxuryProperties.com

WashingtonDcLuxuryRealEstate.com

NewYorkCityRE.com

NycNyRE.com

IsellMichigan.com

DcHomeListings.com

OkcRealEstateAgent.com

DcRealEstateAgent.com

WestTexasProperties.com

SuperLuxuryHomes.com

HowToMakeYourHomeGreen.com

3d-RE.com

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I've always been fond of the city name with either "homesforsale", "homes" or "realestate" appending it, like so: cityhomes.com ....easy for people to connect with and couldnt hurt with search results.

If i change domain name of my website now to some SEO Friendly domain then it will beneficial for me ?

There is an option in Google adwords you can use to help you in choosing a good domain name. You want something that is the most searched and has very little competition. Also, submitting your website url to the search engines is also going to help. You want to give anywhere from 4-6 weeks before it can show up...

my "location based" url ranks way way better than the one based on my name. while the content is not the same, the subject of the site is the same and most of the keywords are the same...

I used my full name. Is that going to work against me?

Word on the E-Street is that google is going to use the local maps feature for a good portion for the front page. Of course this doesn't mess with the algorithms but does lessen the effect of domain names to an extent. Hey I'm going to date this to poor man copy right "E-Street" that's such a cool looking word. 10/16/2011

[quote=JLNorthOC]I wouldn't get coat up in domain names for search engine purposes. Focus on branding yourself withe the domain. Google has plans to turn down the power of a domain name and its just not worth it these days. [/quote]

I absolutely agree. Branding yourself is more important. Getting a domain name of yourself and start promoting your name.

I know I'm late to this discussion but I used the word "living" in my domain name and people really like it. It's my cityname+living.com. Sounds like a magazine.

Domain name is already booked by city name+homes & other options.Planning to book cityname-homes... Wat's your suggestion guys.

HomesInCityName.com

ForSaleInCityName.com

Thanks Perky for the suggestion ! but still no luck the domain is already booked.

How about, simply... InCity.com

BuyInCity.com

4SaleInCity.com (that's a hard one though as many will want to write FOR instead of the numeral 4)

You just gotta get on to GoDaddy and play with it - alot - till something does hit and then you have it.

See if one of these can work for you:

City+LuxuryHomes.com

City+NewHomes.com

City+RealEstateAgent.com

Isell+City.com

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The best domain is one that you can tell people once and they walk away remembering.

The content will determine what the search engines keywords your listed under.

Domain Name is good for capturing 1-2 keyword phrases and thats where it ends.

[quote=InteriorLiving]The best domain is one that you can tell people once and they walk away remembering.

The content will determine what the search engines keywords your listed under.

Domain Name is good for capturing 1-2 keyword phrases and thats where it ends. [/quote]

You're right! One of the lawyers advertising in our area has the domain name of mybaldlawyer.com. It has no major keywords (except "lawyer" of course) but there is a massive hook in my mind because of how unique it is.

Really, being able to remember your domain name is considerably less important than the keyword aspect. Most people simply bookmark sites they like. You can put it in the signature of your email and on your business card to help people remember but "your city real estate" is the money keyword and variations on that. Rising to the top in Google searches will get you considerably more business than having people remember how to type in your domain name.

I agree. Next to no one actually types a url into a browser. There is no need to remember a url.

When someone drives by a sign and on that sign is the agent's name and website url they do not go home and type the url into their browser no matter how memorable it is. They type the agent's name into Google.

If your domain name will be like that it will also rank well in the search engine....

Doug, you might be right since you know a lot about the real estate business and trends, but you got to agree that it won't hurt to have a top of the line domain name that is easy to remember and that relates to the real estate market.

PS: by the way I have put one of my top real estate related domain names on auction and I was wondering if you knew of a way to do a shout out to all the real estate companies to let them know about this opportunity to purchase a great real estate domain name.