SEO in Domain Name - Need Help

[d97]

Hi all,

I have a generic question regarding SEO and domain names. I will make up a very similar example.

For eg, I buy a domain name called cardcenter.com. I want to target the longtail keywords "baseball cards, hockey cards, etc). Will I get any boost in SEO via domain name from the word "card" in the domain name, even though it doesn't end with an s "cards"?

I have two examples like below:

cardcenter.com
totalcards.com

So one name has "card" and the other has "cards". My realistic scenario is the domain with card sounds better and is easier to remember and related to my niche. In comparisson to the cards domain, its a few characters longer...also easy to remember but not as good as the card domain and the word before cards doesn't make much sence of the niche...the actual generic word is "total" An example would be totalcards.com....

I have tons of longtail keywords to target...all of the keywords end in card or cards...cards gets double the traffic so I will be targetting those longtail keywords.

My niche is not comparable to 'student loans", etc...the niche has a bit of competition and the top rankers have been around since 2003-2004 and are PR5 websites. I'm going to use all of my ability to rank it and possibly beat these sites or even rank on page 1, but I want to ensure I did the most I can SEO wise, to choosing a great domain. The issue I have is that theres no turning back when I choose a domain, i'll be stuck with it and I will be optimizing the domain i'm choosing for a long long time and probably for years to come.

I really want to ensure i've made the right decision with the domain name purchase. I'm definitely going to kick myself if I later find out that I could have received a little boost in the rankings with the cards domain over the card domain....possibly even a boost that could bring me from #2 to #1 for example.

If I receive the same SEO benefits with card or cards in the domain name when targetting keywords ending in cards, then i'm going to get the card domain b/c its shorter and makes more sence regarding the niche.

I can't buy both because I can't afford them (i'm buying an aged .com domain) and I don't want duplicate content due to the penalties associated to it.


Thank You

[loho27]

Cards definetely would be better, but if you use in your meta's and content reference to cards the SE's will pick it up.

Consider the acquisition of "maximum 3 word long tail domains". No more than 5 or 6, place them each individually on seperate IP's in different countries. Unique content on each, with a very subtle link to a sub domain on your main site. ( do not reference your main site)

Register each domain for 5-10 years and you will be fine.

Regards

[cashads]

no I don't think your'll get any advantage if the keyword domains "baseball cards, hockey cards, etc are avaliblein a .com .net .org grab them

Google gives very very high advancetage to 1 word keys very high to 2 word key and goodpower to 3 word keys 4 words keys don't helpmuch