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Using Targeted Domains for Quick Traffic

Trying to achieve a top search engine rank for a popular keyword - with thousands of searches a month - is a long-term project. New websites targeting high-competition keywords can spend a long time in the depths of the unread pages, once they have been indexed.

An easier solution is to concentrate on keywords with lower competition. Admittedly, this type of keyword may not attract the high level of monthly searches that popular keywords command. But they can be used to bring in a quick stream of steady traffic and create a top-ranking website in a very short space of time. The best way to achieve this is to use a targeted domain name.

How to Set Up a Targeted Domain Website

Keyword Research and Domain Names

The technique involves finding a keyword, related to the product or service you wish to promote, and then use this keyword as a domain name. This will require some basic low-competition keyword research and the use of a domain registration website.

There are two good reasons why low-competition keywords are used. Firstly, highly competitive keywords (such as ‘diet’) require intensive SEO work to achieve top search engine positions. This can take a long time and a lot of effort. Secondly, with the millions of websites already in existence, most of the common keywords are already being used in current domain names.

Use a keyword research tool (Google External Keyword Tool is fine) to find some low-competition keywords based around the product or service you wish to promote. Look for keywords that are 2-3 words in length and have 300-600 monthly searches.

Go to a domain information site such as whois.com, namecheap.com, or godaddy.com. Enter the potential keywords into the site and see if any are available as domain names. The domain extension is unimportant. Most people use .com extensions, so the majority of these have gone, but you may find that .info and .net are available for your chosen keyword.  Once you have found a suitable domain name you will need to purchase the domain.

Web Hosting and Wordpress

The next step is to find a web hosting provider. There are many reasonably priced providers. You should choose a package that allows you to host multiple domains and has the option to install the Wordpress platform. Most reputable providers include these options and you should be able to find a package for under $10 a month.

Once you have your domain name and web host, you will need to install Wordpress (the hosting service should provide clear instructions). If you already have a website, and are using this targeted domain as a supplementary site, try to choose a theme that is similar to your main site. If this is a standalone website, find a platform that is practical to use and has some relevance to your market (i.e. don’t use a games theme if you sell flowers!).

Simple SEO

The title of website should use the same keywords as the domain name. Now add some content to the site that is relevant and topical. This need only be a home page for now, but remember to use good SEO strategy and include your keywords in the page title and content body. A great tip is to go to the plug-ins section of your Wordpress admin panel and search for the XML Sitemap Generator plug-in. This free tool allows you to create a sitemap and automatically submits the sitemap to Google, Bing, Yahoo and Ask. This helps to speed up the indexing process.

The next step is to create a handful of backlinks. Depending on the level of competition the amount of links you require will differ. Look to set up at least 5 decent anchor text backlinks to begin with (your keywords must be used in the link anchor text). You can find easy backlinks by searching for forums and blogs relevant to your site, then creating profiles and posting comments.

Because you have selected low-competition keywords and used them in the domain name and title, your new website should soon be among the top search engine results for your chosen keywords. Search engines place great importance on titles and domain names. You will soon be receiving a steady flow of traffic to the site. Depending on the position of your site in the listings, you may need to add more backlinks and content until you reach the top position, but this should not take long.

Rinse and Repeat

Once your first site is complete, you should be looking to create other sites using the same strategy. You should already have a list of topic-related keywords to use as domain names from your original search. As you create new sites, connect them to the other sites with anchor links. This increases backlinks for each site in the group. If you have a main website, link these new sites to the main site, instantly creating a new set of relevant backlinks.

Try to use the same, or similar, Wordpress themes for each site as this adds consistency and can make visitors feel like these smaller sites are all part of a larger website. This helps to establish a mild form of brand recognition. Look to form a group no larger than 5 sites, otherwise you may be suspected of creating link rings. Add the occasional link to an external site, which is not part of your group, this makes your own grouping look less artificial.

One small website targeting a keyword with limited monthly searches may not bring in thousands of visitors a month but 5 of these small websites can. These sites are quick to set up, easy to maintain, and operate individually and as part of a collective group. They can help promote niche products, increase brand visibility and send targeted visitors to a main website.