EMD or PMD?

[DunderMannen]

So I want to start a site targeting "best X casino type", but there is search volume for "X casino type" as well. The "best" is my target term though as that SERP won't want to rank actual casino brands.

Should I buy the "best X casino type"-EMD or just "X casino type"? I'm thinking of this because most of the links will go to homepage and will be "branded" (aka exact match keyword).

[Juan Roman]

I'd go for "best X casino type". EMD's still carry a lot of value even though some people suggest otherwise and if your desired EMD is available, I wouldn't look at anything else.

I had a couple of EMD's in the past and they ranked so well, much better than expected.

[DunderMannen]

Right, yeah I use EMDs to a lot of other niches in the SERPs apart from casino and indeed it still works wonders

[chaumi]

I'd be thinking 'how many domains do I see in SERPs right now that are best XYZ .com. And (in my head at least) it's pretty rare to come across one.

But why is that?

Search engines don't 'like' them?
Or no one has built one out that's valuable enough?

I'd probably start by trying to find a few that exist already, and see if there are obvious reasons why they do or do not rank. Might give some pointers.

I'd agree with the 'EMD has some value still' theories. But I wonder now what the underlying mechanism(s) is/are that gives them that value. Understanding that could give some advantages, or at least potentially ready the owner for what might happen in future. I suspect it's something related to branding but the full reasoning of that evades me (or I haven't had time/inclination to really think it through). Maybe it is just as simple as the terms are there.

In theory 'xyz casino.com/best' has as good a chance of ranking as 'best xyz casino' and you could argue offers a wider topical scope. It's a toss up from where I'm standing on what would be best, just that worry over the current absence of domains with that prefix edges me towards the domain without it.

[lapa221Q]

If your niche and strategy are tightly focused around the notion of "best X casino type," then going for the EMD for that specific phrase might be the smarter choice. A well-optimized site using an EMD can help in rankings and establishing credibility. However, also keep in mind long-term branding, flexibility, and the potential to scale that.com domain into other related areas.

[NoDepositCasinos]

I’d personally go for the “best X casino type” domain if it’s available and if it won’t limit me in the long run because I plan for my content to stay focused in that direction. EMDs have advantages, and I wouldn’t pass them up if I had the opportunity.

P.S. I tried accessing the website in your signature and got an error message. I just wanted to let you know, in case you weren’t aware, so you can check it out.

[MJM]

Either can work well, ultimately I'd choose the one you feel is most memorable, shortest, etc - and still serves the purpose of hitting the keyword.

Heck, BestOdds.com domain sold for 1.2 million just for the domain before that group built it, and I've sold a couple "bestx" domains for six figures over the last several years, so it still works.

However, I will say that I'd personally go for "xcasinotype" vs "bestcasinotype" now because credibility and trust matter more than anything and best is so subjective. I would however choose a "best" domain if I was doing it as a PPC lander.

Can't go wrong if both are attainable though, best of luck.

[CasinosBroker]

I'd personally go with EMD's. I'm always going "against the wind".

[Cash Bonus]

I'd personally go with EMD's. I'm always going "against the wind".

Yes, it's the same reason for me in choosing EMD's.

[Fragoru]

If "best X casino type" is your main focus, an EMD could be a strong choice, as they still hold value for rankings and branding. However, consider long-term flexibility "X casino type" might allow for broader content expansion while still letting you target "best" within URLs and on-page SEO. If credibility and trust are key, avoiding "best" in the domain might be better. Ultimately, if both are available, go with what aligns best with your long-term strategy.