Given that you can register domain names so cheaply, it may make sense to register
your top keyword phrases as domain names, and then use domain pointers (also
known as domain aliases or domain forwarding) to redirect visitors from your
“pointer” domains to your main domain.
For example, if your main website is at www.houseplans.com, you may want to
register the following domains: www.houseplan.com, www.house-plans.com,
www.unique-house-plans.com, and www.homeplans.com, and set it up to have
each one of these forward visitors to your main website. In this way, you can capture
visitors who may type in variations of your main domain and singular vs. plural forms.
Another technique is the use of subdomains, also known as prefix domains or third-
level domains. For example - http://keyword.domain.com.
Google currently treats a subdomain as an entirely different domain name. On your
server, each subdomain is redirected to a different folder on your website. For
example, www.keyword.mydomain.com could point to www.my-main-
domain.com/keyword/. This is an excellent strategy is your site is comprised of
related but distinct groups of topics.
Contact your webmaster for setting this up as it varies from one server platform to
the next.
Changing Domain Names
Think carefully if you are changing domain names at an established site solely for the
purpose of change. Google will see your new domain as a brand-new site, even if
you have kept all the file names the same. That means all your old incoming links will
point to the old domain. I recommend keeping your old domain name unless you
have a real compelling reason to change it.
If you must change domain names, the way to do it properly is to keep your old
domain active and insert a Permanent 301 Redirect script on that server to instruct
browsers and search engines that the site on the old domain have been replaced by
a new domain. This will also transfer PageRank from your old domain to your new
domain.
Ask your Webmaster to do this as it is a little complex and varies by server
(Linux/Apache vs. Windows/IIS).
your top keyword phrases as domain names, and then use domain pointers (also
known as domain aliases or domain forwarding) to redirect visitors from your
“pointer” domains to your main domain.
For example, if your main website is at www.houseplans.com, you may want to
register the following domains: www.houseplan.com, www.house-plans.com,
www.unique-house-plans.com, and www.homeplans.com, and set it up to have
each one of these forward visitors to your main website. In this way, you can capture
visitors who may type in variations of your main domain and singular vs. plural forms.
Another technique is the use of subdomains, also known as prefix domains or third-
level domains. For example - http://keyword.domain.com.
Google currently treats a subdomain as an entirely different domain name. On your
server, each subdomain is redirected to a different folder on your website. For
example, www.keyword.mydomain.com could point to www.my-main-
domain.com/keyword/. This is an excellent strategy is your site is comprised of
related but distinct groups of topics.
Contact your webmaster for setting this up as it varies from one server platform to
the next.
Changing Domain Names
Think carefully if you are changing domain names at an established site solely for the
purpose of change. Google will see your new domain as a brand-new site, even if
you have kept all the file names the same. That means all your old incoming links will
point to the old domain. I recommend keeping your old domain name unless you
have a real compelling reason to change it.
If you must change domain names, the way to do it properly is to keep your old
domain active and insert a Permanent 301 Redirect script on that server to instruct
browsers and search engines that the site on the old domain have been replaced by
a new domain. This will also transfer PageRank from your old domain to your new
domain.
Ask your Webmaster to do this as it is a little complex and varies by server
(Linux/Apache vs. Windows/IIS).
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