URL can be a 1 factor, even a main factor to increase in search engine and the rest are quality content but if you have good domain with exact search result,great content, onpage and off page optimization then you have the ranking needed..so its not only because of domain but also other factor to consider...
Having keywords in domain is a great signal of ranking. But these days some webmasters say that Google doesn't give much importance to this. I think one should stay with natural SEO and choose a domain name what you think is right for your business. Choose either based on keyword or brand name, it will help in ranking if other things done are not spam.
I think actual domain name is getting less important in general. Brand name and citations are becoming more important. I think it's great. By the way.
My exact-match domains work like a gem. I prefer 45 single-page exact-match-domains, to a single domain with 45 pages...
I personally think Google updated their algorithm to target low quality websites with exact match domain names. Therefore, (as mentioned above), unique content is essential.
I work in some competitive niches and it looks like some EMD domains are ranking really well (even .net), but there have been a lot of casualties. It's a pretty big risk because if you happen to trigger the filter you're done, but it also has a huge upside for ranking for ultra competitive phrases.
I'd say, an EMD domain is just another factor used by Google to say your site is probably​ spammy. So get branded domains for all serious projects.
EMD's do still work especially if your brand page does not have a lot of longworded websites all with links going to one generic page.....so that is seen to be punished in a couple of instances I came across...
EMD domains still good, fully agree.. dash domains -- another story. Before they were behaving almost like EMDs, now it's almost like they are slightly devalued. Dash domains != brand = SEO = Manipulation = Devaluation ? You can still win tho, link strategy is the key.. I've been using backlinkreport.net to get my link distributions and remove PR0 and no PR links.. trying to clean up my spam links
No doubt SEO is becoming so vast in its field.. We have to learn a lot more and explore Google and other search engines to have all these questions answerable.
I have one relatively new EMD website and it is ranking pretty good for a competitive keyword. So I think if you have high quality content, EMD's still have an edge.
I have two EMD's. One is a forum with plenty of fresh content, and it's doing fine. The other is a five page site with a couple of tutorials, this has disappeared out of the rankings completely.
I think small length domain are doing too good these days..just the title I think playing an important role?
This update has indeed affected many sites, but you don't have to worry about it if you always focus on having high-quality content on your site and reputation building.
My three word EMD was thrown from page 1 to Nowheresville for the last few weeks. The domain is back now and stronger rankings then ever before much more diversity in clicks looking at my web stats. Here's what I did although I can not prove this is why it worked: "Watered down" the title adding non keyword words like All Sizes Available Removed the description tag. Removed all but 2 references to the keywords on the front page that is the same as the EMD. Added some more content on home page again "watering down" the whole content. Removed ALT tag keywords (was same as EMD) Placed around 30 "naked" inbound links to the EMD. In other words no anchor just the URL on other related sites/blogs some with no follow also. What worked I don't know maybe a mix of everything but Im happy its back and some welcome sales are coming in again.