Having an exact match domain (EMD) can also increase your ranking. EMD's were launched by Google in 2012 to combat "poor" sites from ranking highly simply because they contained keywords in their URL. The chart below shows that having an EMD is certainly beneficial and WILL rank you higher in Google, but just be aware that you need to ensure your site is updated frequently and contains quality information about your business (so no Geocities-circa-1998 sites here, please):

If this all sounds a little confusing, you're not alone in feeling that way. Here's some examples of exact match domains that might make it a little easier to digest:

• rentalcar.com
• clothes.com
• flowers.com
• book.com

These are all very common Google searches, and the companies that own these exact match domains will obviously benefit from appearing very high in search results. Domains like these are very hard to come by, particularly in a .COM - that is where custom GTLD's come into play. Here's how you can make the most of those GTLD's and possibly even get an exact match domain of your very own.