Is there anything wrong with buying thousands of domain names to "cheat" search engines? "local people" is owned by "Northcliffe Media Limited" Northcliffe Media Limited is a large regional newspaper publisher in the UK, the company is worth quite a lot (In November 2005, the DMGT announced that it wanted to sell Northcliffe Newspapers, at the time worth over £1.5bn) Northcliffe Media Limited have bought thousands of domain names in order to do well in the search results These domain names all include "uk locations" So when some one searches "something" "location" they now appear quite high in the search results for almost all areas in the UK (they've also paid lots of local content writters) All of the sites have affectively the same template, but by having all of the regional domain names, each individual site does really well in the search pages for each location (they have effectively bought there way in to organic traffic) Northcliffe Media Limited have been doing this for a few years (pre 2010), but have only recently start to appear "everywhere" in the UK search results Since the domain name seems to carry some weight in SEO, and they've done this for thousands of sites (using the same template) have they done anything wrong: localpeople.co.uk/towns.html Is it also a good idea (they seemed to have done really well out of it). Instead of creating sites with "landing pages", would it be better if each domain name acted like a "landing page" (expensive, but if you can afford it like Northcliffe can, it seems to work) Will we start to see more large companies buying up thousands of domain names to "cheat" the search engines?
Just so you get an idea, this is a list of some of their domain names (as you can see, there are quite a few, and a media company buying their way in like this "feels" a bit wrong, but is quite cunning) : abergavennypeople.co.uk aberystwythpeople.co.uk abingdonpeople.co.uk accringtonpeople.co.uk acocksgreenpeople.co.uk aldridgepeople.co.uk alloapeople.co.uk alnwickpeople.co.uk amershampeople.co.uk ammanfordpeople.co.uk andoverpeople.co.uk antrimpeople.co.uk arbroathpeople.co.uk arundelpeople.co.uk ashbournepeople.co.uk ashingtonpeople.co.uk ashtoninmakerfieldpeople.co.uk ashtononribblepeople.co.uk on ashton-under-lynepeople.co.uk attleboroughpeople.co.uk baildonpeople.co.uk bailliestonpeople.co.uk balhampeople.co.uk ballymenapeople.co.uk bamberbridgepeople.co.uk bangorpeople.co.uk barkingpeople.co.uk barnetpeople.co.uk barnstaplepeople.co.uk barrheadpeople.co.uk barrypeople.co.uk bartonpeople.co.uk batterseapeople.co.uk beaconsfieldpeople.co.uk bearsdenpeople.co.uk becclespeople.co.uk beckenhampeople.co.uk bedlingtonpeople.co.uk bedminsterpeople.co.uk bedworthpeople.co.uk beestonpeople.co.uk belperpeople.co.uk belvederepeople.co.uk berkhamstedpeople.co.uk berwick-upon-tweedpeople.co.uk beverleypeople.co.uk bidefordpeople.co.uk biggleswadepeople.co.uk billinghampeople.co.uk bishopaucklandpeople.co.uk bishopsstortfordpeople.co.uk bishopbriggspeople.co.uk blackwoodpeople.co.uk blairgowriepeople.co.uk blandfordforumpeople.co.uk blantyrepeople.co.uk blythpeople.co.uk bognorregispeople.co.uk bootlepeople.co.uk bournepeople.co.uk braintreepeople.co.uk brandon-people.co.uk bridgeofdeepeople.co.uk bridgend-people.co.uk bridlingtonpeople.co.uk brierleyhillpeople.co.uk briggpeople.co.uk brighousepeople.co.uk broughpeople.co.uk broxburnpeople.co.uk budepeople.co.uk burbagepeople.co.uk burgesshillpeople.co.uk burnleypeople.co.uk burntwoodpeople.co.uk burypeople.co.uk burystedmundspeople.co.uk caerphillypeople.co.uk camberleypeople.co.uk cambuslangpeople.co.uk camdenpeople.co.uk canterburypeople.co.uk carltonpeople.co.uk carlukepeople.co.uk Carrickferguspeople.co.uk castlefordpeople.co.uk chapeltownpeople.co.uk chepstowpeople.co.uk cheshampeople.co.uk chesterlestreetpeople.co.uk chichesterpeople.co.uk chippenhampeople.co.uk chorleypeople.co.uk christchurchpeople.co.uk cirencesterpeople.co.uk clarkstonpeople.co.uk cleckheatonpeople.co.uk cleethorpespeople.co.uk clevedonpeople.co.uk cliftonpeople.co.uk clydebankpeople.co.uk coatbridgepeople.co.uk cobhampeople.co.uk colerainepeople.co.uk comberpeople.co.uk congletonpeople.co.uk consettpeople.co.uk cookstownpeople.co.uk corshampeople.co.uk cradleyheathpeople.co.uk craigavonpeople.co.uk cramlingtonpeople.co.uk cranbrookpeople.co.uk cromerpeople.co.uk crowboroughpeople.co.uk crystalpalacepeople.co.uk cumbernauldpeople.co.uk cumnockpeople.co.uk cuparpeople.co.uk cwmbranpeople.co.uk dalstonpeople.co.uk derehampeople.co.uk devonportpeople.co.uk didcotpeople.co.uk dinningtonpeople.co.uk disspeople.co.uk dorchesterpeople.co.uk downpatrickpeople.co.uk driffieldpeople.co.uk droitwichpeople.co.uk dudleypeople.co.uk dungannonpeople.co.uk durhampeople.co.uk dursleypeople.co.uk eastgrinsteadpeople.co.uk elginpeople.co.uk ellonpeople.co.uk elypeople.co.uk enfieldpeople.co.uk enniskillenpeople.co.uk epsompeople.co.uk erdingtonpeople.co.uk esherpeople.co.uk exmouthpeople.co.uk falkirkpeople.co.uk falmouthpeople.co.uk farehampeople.co.uk favershampeople.co.uk felixstowepeople.co.uk finsburyparkpeople.co.uk fleet-people.co.uk flitwickpeople.co.uk forfarpeople.co.uk fromepeople.co.uk gainsboroughpeople.co.uk garforthpeople.co.uk gerrardscrosspeople.co.uk glastonburypeople.co.uk glossoppeople.co.uk godalmingpeople.co.uk goolepeople.co.uk gorseinonpeople.co.uk gosforthpeople.co.uk greenwichpeople.co.uk guildfordpeople.co.uk guisboroughpeople.co.uk hadleighpeople.co.uk hailshampeople.co.uk hallgreenpeople.co.uk hampsteadpeople.co.uk hamptonpeople.co.uk handsworthpeople.co.uk harpendenpeople.co.uk harwichpeople.co.uk haslemerepeople.co.uk havantpeople.co.uk haverfordwestpeople.co.uk haverhillpeople.co.uk haywardsheathpeople.co.uk heathfieldpeople.co.uk heckmondwikepeople.co.uk hedgeendpeople.co.uk hednesfordpeople.co.uk helstonpeople.co.uk hernebaypeople.co.uk hesslepeople.co.uk highgatepeople.co.uk hinckleypeople.co.uk hitchinpeople.co.uk holmfirthpeople.co.uk holyheadpeople.co.uk horleypeople.co.uk hornchurchpeople.co.uk horsforthpeople.co.uk houghtonlespringpeople.co.uk hovepeople.co.uk huntingdonpeople.co.uk hydepeople.co.uk ilfracombepeople.co.uk ilkleypeople.co.uk irvinepeople.co.uk isleofwightpeople.co.uk islingtonpeople.co.uk jarrowpeople.co.uk keighleypeople.co.uk kempstonpeople.co.uk kenilworthpeople.co.uk keynshampeople.co.uk kidderminsterpeople.co.uk kidlingtonpeople.co.uk kingstonpeople.co.uk kingswinfordpeople.co.uk kingswoodpeople.co.uk knaresboroughpeople.co.uk knowlepeople.co.uk larnepeople.co.uk Larne leamingtonspapeople.co.uk leatherheadpeople.co.uk leekpeople.co.uk leighpeople.co.uk leightonbuzzardpeople.co.uk leominsterpeople.co.uk letchworthpeople.co.uk lewespeople.co.uk lichfieldpeople.co.uk limavadypeople.co.uk lisburnpeople.co.uk littleboroughpeople.co.uk littlehamptonpeople.co.uk liversedgepeople.co.uk llandudnopeople.co.uk llanellipeople.co.uk locksheathpeople.co.uk londonderrypeople.co.uk longeatonpeople.co.uk louthpeople.co.uk lowestoftpeople.co.uk ludlowpeople.co.uk lurganpeople.co.uk lutterworthpeople.co.uk magherapeople.co.uk magherafeltpeople.co.uk maltbypeople.co.uk mansfieldpeople.co.uk marchpeople.co.uk margatepeople.co.uk marketdraytonpeople.co.uk marketharboroughpeople.co.uk marketrasenpeople.co.uk marlboroughpeople.co.uk marlowonthamespeople.co.uk matlockpeople.co.uk melkshampeople.co.uk meltonmowbraypeople.co.uk merthyrtydfilpeople.co.uk mexboroughpeople.co.uk mickleoverpeople.co.uk midsomernortonpeople.co.uk mirfieldpeople.co.uk morleypeople.co.uk morpethpeople.co.uk mossleypeople.co.uk nailseapeople.co.uk nailsworthpeople.co.uk newmaldenpeople.co.uk newmarketpeople.co.uk newportpagnellpeople.co.uk newquaypeople.co.uk newtonabbotpeople.co.uk newtonaycliffepeople.co.uk newtownabbeypeople.co.uk newtownardspeople.co.uk northfleetpeople.co.uk oadbypeople.co.uk oakhampeople.co.uk okehamptonpeople.co.uk oldburypeople.co.uk otleypeople.co.uk paigntonpeople.co.uk parkgatepeople.co.uk peacehavenpeople.co.uk peterleepeople.co.uk pimlicopeople.co.uk pontefractpeople.co.uk portisheadpeople.co.uk prestwichpeople.co.uk quedgeleypeople.co.uk ramsbottompeople.co.uk redlandpeople.co.uk rednalpeople.co.uk retfordpeople.co.uk ribbletonpeople.co.uk rickmansworthpeople.co.uk ringwoodpeople.co.uk ripleypeople.co.uk rochesterpeople.co.uk rossendalepeople.co.uk rothwellpeople.co.uk rowleyregispeople.co.uk roystonpeople.co.uk roytonpeople.co.uk rugeleypeople.co.uk runcornpeople.co.uk rytonpeople.co.uk saffronwaldenpeople.co.uk salfordpeople.co.uk saltashpeople.co.uk saltburnbytheseapeople.co.uk saltcoatspeople.co.uk sandbachpeople.co.uk sandypeople.co.uk scarboroughpeople.co.uk selbypeople.co.uk sevenoakspeople.co.uk sheptonmalletpeople.co.uk skegnesspeople.co.uk skiptonpeople.co.uk smallheathpeople.co.uk smethwickpeople.co.uk sohampeople.co.uk sohopeople.co.uk southportpeople.co.uk stalbanspeople.co.uk stneotspeople.co.uk standrewspeople.co.uk stainespeople.co.uk stamfordpeople.co.uk stirlingpeople.co.uk stokenewingtonpeople.co.uk stonehavenpeople.co.uk stonehousepeople.co.uk stourbridgepeople.co.uk stowmarketpeople.co.uk stranraerpeople.co.uk stratforduponavonpeople.co.uk stretfordpeople.co.uk stroudpeople.co.uk sudburypeople.co.uk surbitonpeople.co.uk suttoncoldfield-people.co.uk swintonpeople.co.uk tauntonpeople.co.uk tavistockpeople.co.uk teddingtonpeople.co.uk telfordpeople.co.uk thetfordpeople.co.uk thornburypeople.co.uk thornepeople.co.uk thorntonpeople.co.uk tiptonpeople.co.uk tivertonpeople.co.uk todmordenpeople.co.uk tonbridgepeople.co.uk totnespeople.co.uk tringpeople.co.uk troonpeople.co.uk trowbridgepeople.co.uk truropeople.co.uk tunbridgewellspeople.co.uk tyldesleypeople.co.uk uckfieldpeople.co.uk uddingstonpeople.co.uk ulverstonpeople.co.uk upminsterpeople.co.uk urmstonpeople.co.uk uttoxeterpeople.co.uk uxbridgepeople.co.uk wadebridgepeople.co.uk wallsendpeople.co.uk walsall-people.co.uk waltonpeople.co.uk waltononthamespeople.co.uk warminsterpeople.co.uk warringtonpeople.co.uk warwickpeople.co.uk wednesburypeople.co.uk wellingboroughpeople.co.uk wellspeople.co.uk westbridgfordpeople.co.uk westhoughtonpeople.co.uk westburypeople.co.uk westburyontrympeople.co.uk westhillpeople.co.uk westonsupermarepeople.co.uk wetherbypeople.co.uk weybridgepeople.co.uk weymouthpeople.co.uk whitbypeople.co.uk whitefieldpeople.co.uk whitleybaypeople.co.uk whitstablepeople.co.uk widnespeople.co.uk wigstonpeople.co.uk wilmslowpeople.co.uk wimbledonpeople.co.uk wimbornepeople.co.uk windsorpeople.co.uk winsfordpeople.co.uk wisbechpeople.co.uk wishawpeople.co.uk wokingpeople.co.uk woodbridgepeople.co.uk wottonunderedgepeople.co.uk wymondhampeople.co.uk yatepeople.co.uk yeadonpeople.co.uk yeovilpeople.co.uk
I really don't see anything with it. I think it was a smart yet bold move. That's why their doing so well.
I don't think it was a waste of money at all, they've effectively cornered every area of UK for "social media" For a newspaper, that's very intelligent. Newspapers are finding it hard to compete with social media, this is a smart move I think they will eventually really take off... I can see quite a few companies following suit and individual wed designers being left a bit behind
I don't think it is being a cheat... simply cleaver. Look at Tesco for instance.... they now have superstores all over the uk but realised that some people dont like to have to park in a huge car park to get a few things... sooo they are opening Tesco Express, Mini Tesco etc on every small parade of shops that you can pull up to and nip in... putting the small one man band people out of business. They are also taking over other areas, Tesco Insurance, Tesco Loans, Tesco Photo Printing and soon.... the Tesco GTI 16v hatchback lol. Cleaver Marketing.
You're right... It is cleaver, well... if you've got the money My only worry is that we'll see many large industries do the same thing, effectively buying the top organic SERP results (that and paid advertising... will allow large cooperation's to dominate the search engines) Buying the "best" domain names has been important for a while, but mass buying all of them feels a bit unethical Someone like facebook didn't need to mass buy domain names, they simply provided something that people wanted... This media company are providing something that already exists, but trying to squeeze through the door, by buying a certain amount of organic search priority due to search engines giving domain names a bit more priority (in combination with the large amount of local content they've been paying for, they're surely betting on the right horse) It's a good trick, I'm just not sure if Google would consider it a clean trick or a dirty trick?
I buy portfolio's of 100+ expiring domains regularly. Use them for links for a month or two then sell them on. Josh.
even if it does have good effect, im not gonna do it. think of it, $10 per domain multiplied by thousands. that's a crazy budget for SEO, especially if ur project invloves only some microniche website. link building services are the way to go!
It's a crazy budget that large cooperation's (worth more than 1.5 million dollars) can afford to pay... (it's not even a drop in the ocean to them) They're starting to do this (as shown above) and it seems to work well. If you can afford to buy thousands of domain names, is it better to do this than concentrate on landing pages / sub domains etc..
Yes, but there are other logics behind it, for those on a lower budget. I buy quite a few domains every month... Browse domainer forums. Pickup a portfolio of 50 domains that are expiring within 1/2 months for around $10-20. Drop cpanel backups over all the domains to create a network of 50 sites that all have links to your site. Those 50 links will last till the domains expire, just keep buying cheap portfolios and doing the same till you have a constant stream of around 2000 links a month. Josh.
When you own a multibillion dollar operation, and you only spend a few thousand pounds on domain names yet you corner the market on organic search engine traffic for the whole of the UK, I'm not sure how this has been a waste of money.... They've done it, the method seems to work This is only a waste of money if you don't have it (and it hasn't worked), if you have it, and it's working (as currently being demonstrated) it's money well spent. They are now appearing at the top of the SERPs for many phrases, this is partially due to the relevance of their domain names