An exact match domain that ranked at the top for years. Then Google changed the rules. This is a story about knowing when to pivot.
The EMD Strategy
Exact match domains used to be SEO gold. If you owned wrongfuldeathlaywers.com and built a decent site, you had a massive advantage in the rankings just from the domain name.
We built this site and it worked exactly as planned. For years, it ranked at the top for wrongful death searches in Florida. The strategy was simple and effective.
Then Google’s EMD update changed the game.
What Changed
Google started devaluing exact match domains that didn’t have strong content and authority signals to back them up. The free ranking boost from the domain name disappeared.
The site still ranked, but maintaining that position required more resources; more content, more links, more ongoing work. We had a choice: fight to keep it alive or redirect those resources somewhere with better ROI.
The Pivot
We retired the site and focused on what was already working; Percy Martinez’s medical malpractice practice.
Wrongful death cases overlap with medical malpractice. A patient who dies from surgical negligence is both. Instead of splitting efforts across two domains, we consolidated into one stronger property.
That’s not failure. That’s strategy.
What It Proved
This site proved the model worked. We identified a keyword, built a site to rank for it, and it ranked; for years.
When the rules changed, we adapted. The same approach that built this site built Percy’s practice into one of Florida’s highest-ranking medical malpractice firms across four cities.
The tactic evolved. The strategy stayed the same.
The Lesson
SEO isn’t about holding onto everything forever. It’s about knowing where to put your resources for the best return.
Sometimes that means building. Sometimes that means retiring. The skill is knowing which is which.
Want to Talk Strategy?
Not every project lasts forever. But the thinking behind it compounds into the next one.
If you want marketing that adapts when things change instead of collapsing, let’s talk.
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