Do Extra Domains Still Improve Google Rankings in 2026?

One question we often get asked by organisations is; “If I buy more domains with keywords in them, will it help my website rank higher on Google?”.

The short answer is no, not in the way it used to and buying multiple keyword‑rich domains can sometimes do more harm than good if handled incorrectly. In this article, we’ll explain why keyword domains no longer boost rankings and when buying extra domains does make sense and how this impacts SEO.

Why Keyword Domains Used to Work (and Why They Don’t Anymore)

In the early days of SEO, Google relied heavily on simple signals like keywords in a domain name. A business with a domain such as bestcoffee.co.uk (currently available for a mere £15k) could rank well purely because the keyword matched the search.

As SEO has been abused by unauthorised backlinks from fake websites over the years, Google quite rightly evolved. Today, Google’s algorithms are far more sophisticated. They focus on intent, quality, authority, and trust, not just keywords in URLs.

Exact‑match and keyword‑heavy domains now provide little to no ranking advantage on their own.

Does Buying Multiple Domains Improve SEO?

Simply owning and repointing domains to your main website will not automatically improve your Google rankings. Google does not list or rank domain names on their own, a domain without a website has nothing for Google to crawl or index, which means it will not appear in search results in any meaningful way. Ownership alone carries no SEO value.

Google does not reward businesses for owning lots of similar domains. In fact, running multiple websites targeting the same keywords often creates problems rather than benefits.

The SEO Risks of Multiple Domains

Using several domains incorrectly can lead to:

1. Duplicate Content Issues. Publishing the same or similar content across different domains confuses search engines. Google may struggle to decide which site to rank and sometimes ranks none of them well.
2. Split Authority. Instead of building one strong, authoritative website, your backlinks, content and trust signals get divided across multiple domains. One strong site almost always outperforms several weaker ones.
3. Higher Costs, Lower Returns. Managing multiple sites means, more content creation, more maintenance, and more SEO effort with little or no ranking benefit.

When Buying Additional Domains Does Make Sense

Although extra domains don’t boost SEO directly, there are still valid and smart reasons to buy them.

1. Brand Protection. Owning similar or industry‑relevant domains prevents competitors or third parties from buying them.
2. Marketing & Campaign URLs. Short or descriptive domains can work well for marketing especially with regards to specific advertising campaigns offering easy‑to‑remember URLs.
3. Future Business Expansion. If you plan to launch a genuinely separate brand or service in the future, securing the domain early can be sensible.

Best Practice: Redirect, Don’t Duplicate

If you do purchase additional domains, SEO best practice is to:
• Use 301 redirects
• Point them to relevant pages on your main website
• Avoid building separate websites with overlapping services
This ensures all authority, traffic and trust flows into one primary domain.

What Actually Improves Search Rankings in 2026
If your goal is to rank for services like offering the best ground coffee that money can buy these strategies can help to deliver great results.

1. Strong Service/Product Pages. Create dedicated, well‑structured pages for each service or product, written for users first and search engines second.
2. Clear Topical Authority. Google and other search engines rewards businesses that demonstrate expertise such as in‑depth content, FAQs, Case studies and Industry insights.
3. High‑Quality Backlinks. Links from relevant, trusted industry websites remain one of the strongest ranking factors.
4. Technical Performance. Fast loading speeds, mobile optimisation and good user experience all directly affect rankings.
5. Consistent, Relevant Content. Ongoing content helps reinforce authority and capture long‑tail searches.

Gravity’s Recommendation

If you’re considering buying additional domains purely for SEO purposes, your budget will be better spent on:

• Improving content quality
• Strengthening site structure
• Building authority through PR and backlinks

Extra domains can still play a role as part of a wider digital marketing strategy, not as a shortcut to higher rankings.

Need Expert SEO Advice?
At Gravity Digital, we help businesses make smart, sustainable SEO decisions that actually move the needle without outdated tactics or wasted budgets. If you’d like advice on domains, SEO strategy, or website performance, get in touch with our team.