I've seen so many options for domain names. Some websites have the actual persons name (i.e. www.andyjoiner.com) and other sites have 'real estate' included (i.e. www.jwilliamsrealestate).

Does one or the other help to increase your placement on search engines? Does adding the term 'real estate' or 'properties' to your domain name help your SE ranking? When someone searches, for example, 'atlanta real estate' will the term 'real estate' in your domain name help to pull your website to the top?

(sorry for such a basic question..but I'm stumped)

There are two schools of thought about domain names. The first is to something is easy to remember when giving it verbally to a prospect on the phone - and for that "yourname.com" often works well.

The second is to have a domain name that contains your geographic area and the words "real estate" so that it entices those who find it on the internet to click on it. Such a domain also helps your search engine positioning in some engines.

For example, MYCITY-REAL-ESTATE.COM would work very well as the dashes in the domain help search engines understand that they are separate words. (underscores don't do that - search engines don't see the separation when you use underscores)

You could register both and use primarily MYCITY-REAL-ESTATE.COM and then have "yourname.com" forward to that domain and site (using a 301 permanent redirect which is not usually the type used by your registrar's free redirect system) - that way you have the best of both worlds

I don't think anyone knows for sure.... I have websites that are the agent's name that rank #1 on dozens of searches... has no affect.

However, I think from a marketing perspective, it's better to have a descriptive domain name. It SAYS what you do, HOW to contact you. Your www.MyName.com on your car says nothing... Tupperware salesman, hooker, insurance agent....?

Additionally, if you ever sell your business/ website, www.YourName.com is worth nothing to anyone but YOU. www.YourTownRealEstate.com has value to anyone selling real estate.

I would get your name for sure... it IS your name. But I would get a descriptive domain as well... or several. You can have multiple domains all pointing to the same site. I have two clients who have 500 domains... EACH.

Thanks doug and REwebguy for your quick responses! Great ideas and I'll follow that strategy. (i love this forum...)

Doug, when you have different domain names pointed to one account should you submit each different domain names to the search engines or just let them be crawled?

Thanks,
Brian

Submit? Why would you submit to the search engines.
If you are talking about building links, I would suggest to do it with the url you're using primarily only while branding the other one as the name of your business.

No, I'm not talking about building links.

I'm talking about having 5 totally different .com domain names (that point to one domain name) listed in the search engines.

ie... Baltimore-Maryland-RealEstate.com points to listitwithme.com and so forth. Maybe what Im asking isn't possible?

Definitely not submit and I hope that Doug agrees with me on that
I don't recommend submitting anyways, allow the search engines to find you thru incoming links from directories, forums, other sites etc.
I would not have any links coming into the short domain name, only the longer and less brandable one if you build your site on it. It's not so much that I'd be afraid of a penalty (which btw won't happen), but rather don't like to spend time on something which is not my primary focus.

If for some reason the short url gets indexed and ranked, so be it. But my approach would be as passive as possible. Submit to a few directories, exchange links with real estate sites and sites about the area you are servicing (which don't have to be real estate related) and keep an eye out for advertising space on some sites which might get you additional business (and help your search engine rankings as a nice side-effect )

Mike

Thanks Mike

My pleasure

By the way, I'm giving away 10 sponsored listings on http://www.frogengine.com/search/

login as member webmaster@frogengine.net and pass test

Merry Christmas.

Only one site per agent!

Brian,

If you have multiple domains all pointing at the same website you are wasting your time promoting them in search engines. They are smart enough to recognize that the domains all point to the same website and will only list one of the domains - not all of them.

If you have those domains improperly forwarded you will likely find that you have NO domains at all listed. To forward a domain so that it is search engine friendly and will not result in penalties you need to use a 301 permanent redirect. All domain registrars that I am aware of use a 302 temporary redirect which will result in penalties. Using frames-based forwarding offered by some registrars is also spotted as duplication if more than one domain is forwarded to the same website and I would avoid that as well.

You need to actually develop websites in those domains in order for there to be a benefit - otherwise just use them in your conventional advertising and concentrate on just promotiing one domain in search engines.

Thanks Doug, I have already set up the 301 re-direct on my server. Actually, I am contemplating whether or not to create enough media to justify pointing thoses names to separate pages and not just the main site.

Pointing to different pages is a good idea in my view.

In the research I've done, at least for my area, more people search "area homes" than "area real estate"

I have had great luck having my name in my web address and e-mail. But I do have several domains out there too..
So many agents will leave an office, and go with a new broker and lose everything else too..
Your name will go where ever you go. Don't change your e-mail, web site or your phone number, years later people can find you again..
You need to market YOU! Not some office or Logo..

I would get your name for sure... it IS your name. But I would get a descriptive domain as well... or several too..