There are many bloggers or new businesses who wish to start a business around WordPress. It is normal for these bloggers to think that if their website/blog is going to be around WordPress then why not use this keyword in their domain name. So, the million dollar question is – Can we use the keyword “WordPress” in our domain names. Example: Is WordPressxyz.com allowed? Is it legal or not?
The answer is NO, it is not allowed to have the keyword “WordPress” in domain names due to the WordPress Trademark.
If you already have a domain name with “WordPress” in it, don’t panic just follow the advice mentioned in this article.
WordPress has published a page on their site WordPress.org asking users not to use the word “WordPress” in domain names. Here is the information on this topic as as per their official website:
“For various reasons related to our WordPress trademark, we ask if you’re going to start a site about WordPress or related to it that you not use “WordPress” in the domain name. Try using “wp” instead, or another variation. We’re not lawyers, but very good ones tell us we have to do this to preserve our trademark. Also, many users have told us they find it confusing.
If you already have a domain with “WordPress” in it, redirecting it to the “wp” equivalent is fine, just as long as the main one users see and you promote doesn’t contain “WordPress” and in the long term you should consider transferring the old one to the Foundation.
“WordPress” in sub-domains is fine, like wordpress.example.com, we’re just concerned about top-level domains.”
So it seems like if your site is new or less popular no one may notice (may be) but sooner or later you may be contacted by their team about issues with having word “WordPress” in domain names.
SOLUTION
Get another domain without the word “WordPress” in it, instead use WP which is allowed. Example: If you have a domain WordPressxyz.com then you can have a new domain as WPxyz.com
Then implement a 301 redirect from the old URLs to new ones. This is because your site may have built up some SEO authority over the last few months or years. 301 redirect will transfer the SEO juice from old to new one.
Example: 301 redirect WordPressxyz.com/page1 >>> to >>> WPxyz.com/page1
WordPressxyz.com/page2 >>> to >>> WPxyz.com/page2
and so on..
Eventually, just shift to new site altogether.
Don’t worry about losing keyword in domain because Google doesn’t give any special consideration nowadays for keywords in domain name. You won’t rank better in Google just because you have a keywords in domain name. In fact, I even doubt if EMD (exact match domain) has any value at all or if it is a ranking factor as it used to be. Once thing is certain that it has definitely lost the value that it used to have.
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