In this transcript from Episode 038, Mark provides an in-depth analysis of Google's exact match domain (EMD) update, explains why some sites tanked while others survived, and offers practical advice for recovery. He also covers the Micro Site Profits course and gives a corn sheller niche site update.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
- What Google's exact match domain update actually changed
- Why the EMD update is a leveling of the playing field, not a penalty
- How Panda updates coincided with the EMD change and confused the data
- Practical steps for recovering if your exact match domain lost rankings
Episode Summary
Google's Exact Match Domain Update
Matt Cutts announced via Twitter that a “small upcoming algo change” would reduce low-quality exact match domains in search results. For the broader internet, it was a minor tweak. For internet marketers who had built businesses around exact match domains, it was seismic.
Mark explains the background: for years, registering a domain that exactly matched your target keyword (like FreeDogTrainingTips.com) gave a significant ranking boost. This made no logical sense from a user perspective since most authoritative sites have brand names that mean nothing (Google, Facebook). Yet the practice worked, and internet marketers exploited it heavily.
SEOmoz tracked the impact by monitoring exact match domain influence across thousands of keywords. They measured a sharp drop from the 3.6% baseline. The AdSense Flippers team reported a 68% drop in traffic and earnings on their portfolio of EMD sites, going from $130 per day to $43 per day.
Complicating matters, Google simultaneously pushed a Panda update, which confused the data. Some exact match domains that should have survived got hit. Some non-EMD sites also dropped. The results were messy and inconsistent.
Mark's core analysis: This is not a penalty. It is the removal of an artificial advantage. Sites that ranked primarily because of their exact match domain name now need to compete on the same playing field as everyone else. The ranking boost they enjoyed is gone, and their competition simply has better links and content.
What to Do About It
Mark's practical advice for anyone affected:
- Do not panic. Google updates will continue forever.
- Do your normal SEO but do more of it. Build quality links with diversified anchor text.
- Analyze the backlink profiles of the top two to four results for your target keywords. See where their links come from and replicate that strategy.
- Maintain a social presence and generate social signals.
- Above all, do not build businesses that completely depend on Google.
Google published 65 algorithm changes for August and September alone, reinforcing that search results are constantly shifting. The only sustainable strategy is building genuinely useful websites that make the internet better.
Corn Sheller Site Update
The corn sheller site survived the EMD update. Traffic remained strong at around 300 visitors per day, and the site was on track for another $40 month in eBay commissions. Mark notes that eBay cookies drive purchases across categories far beyond corn shellers.
Key Takeaways
- The EMD update removed an artificial ranking advantage, not a penalty but a leveling of the playing field
- Diversified anchor text in your backlinks is essential in the post-EMD era
- Analyzing competitor backlink profiles is one of the most effective ways to improve rankings
- Building businesses entirely dependent on Google rankings is inherently risky
- Google makes dozens of algorithm changes every month, so chasing any single update is futile
What's Changed Since This Episode
Mark recorded this in October 2012. The SEO landscape has continued evolving in the direction Mark predicted.
Exact match domains carry virtually no inherent advantage in 2026. Google's algorithms have matured to the point where domain name matching is irrelevant to rankings. Brand-based domains with strong content and authority outperform exact match domains consistently.
The Panda algorithm was eventually folded into Google's core algorithm. What was a separate update in 2012 is now a permanent part of how Google evaluates content quality. The machine learning approach Mark described, using human quality ratings to train automated systems, evolved into the sophisticated AI-driven ranking systems Google uses today.
Mark's advice to not depend entirely on Google proved prescient. Content creators who diversified into email lists, social media, and direct audiences weathered subsequent algorithm changes far better than those who relied solely on search traffic.
Resources Mentioned
- Moz (formerly SEOmoz) — SEO research and tools
- Google Search Console
- LNIM Podcast
Related Episodes
Listen and Subscribe
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