Date: 2 Feb 2010 Comments: 1

There is lovely post by the folks at SEOmoz today detailing the use of keywords in your URL and purchasing multiple domains.  I highly recommend you read it and study the graphics they have included.

The major take-a-way is the importance of using keyword rich URLs when building the site, but they offer three scenarios for purchasing multiple keyword rich domains and how to appropriately leverage those URLs to drive traffic to your primary site.

I think keyword strategy for all web development should start from the top which means the words in your URL should accurately convey the content on the page.  Don’t get cute with the URLs because you gain zero benefit.  You want a micro-site?  Go right ahead and build a micro-site but house it on your primary domain.  Don’t worry about having a different look and feel within your main website – visitors should be smart enough to decipher why it exists and if they cannot it is your job to explain.

Don’t lose the link juice the primary URL gives you.  Creating a micro-site that simply floats out on the web by itself will get you 35 hits a month (25 of them coming from within your company), lots of wasted meetings about why no one is visiting and a pissed off client.

I digress…  Read the SEOmoz article I linked above and be smart about the keywords you use in the URL.