The exact match domain update (EMD update) is a Google change from late September 2012 that reduced the ranking advantage of domains whose name exactly mirrors a search query when their content is weak. The term belongs to domain choice in SEO.
At a glance
- Started
- late September 2012 (according to reports)
- Type
- Industry name for a ranking change
- Affects
- Domains whose name exactly mirrors a query, combined with weak content
- Confirmed by
- no, according to reports only (tweet by Matt Cutts); no dated Google page
- Status
- Google now lists an exact match domain system (active)
Last checked:
What did Google announce?
Matt Cutts wrote on Twitter that a small change would reduce “low-quality exact-match domains” in search results. SISTRIX reports that Google said about 0.6 percent of English-language queries were noticeably affected. A domain such as cheap-flights-online.com should lose the advantage the name alone brought if the site offered little.
Are such domains penalized?
SISTRIX describes the effect as a reduced advantage and not as a penalty of the domain as a whole. Search Engine Journal reports that quality sites on exact match domains were largely spared.
What applies today?
Google lists an exact match domain system among its current ranking systems. It ensures that content on domains built to match particular queries exactly does not get too much credit.
Sources
- A guide to Google Search ranking systems – Google Search Central (Exact match domain system)developers.google.com
- Google Exact-Match-Domain (EMD) Update – SISTRIX (secondary source)sistrix.com
- Google EMD Update – Search Engine Journal (secondary source)searchenginejournal.com
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