The truth about hyphenated domain names

There is a lot of confusion about the use of hyphens being used in domain names. While researching hyphenated domain names I found a lot of conflicting information so I will give you a distilled view of what is currently believed to be the facts regarding hyphens in domains.

When I started Name Search Domain I had a lot of trouble finding a domain that I could use to reflect the topic of my site. After quite a bit of research I decided on NameSearchDomain.com, without hyphens.

It used to be the case that using a hyphen to separate keywords in your domain name would give you a better ranking in the search engines. For a while this was the case but due to the over zealous use of keywords in domain names, search engines now consider this as a spamming technique. Using hyphens in your domain name still makes it easier for search engines to read but it generally will not benefit your ranking.

If you use an unhyphenated domain name like myself using keywords it is generally believed that search engines such as Google can pick out the keywords. If you use hyphens then the keywords are easier to pick out from your domain name. So if there is no search engine benefit to using hyphens and keywords in domain names why do people still use them. The answer is undoubtedly anchor link benefits and ease of readability.

If you have hyphens in your domain name it is easier for a human to read and recognise the keywords in a domain. Take a look at specialistcheeseemporium.com or visit specialist-cheese-emporium.com. It is quite obvious that the hyphenated version is going to be recognised more easily.

Recognising the domain name is one thing but entering a domain name into your browser is another. It is easier for someone to type the unhyphenated domain name and it is easier for someone to give out the domain name to a customer if it doesn't have hyphens in it. Some people may not know what a hyphen is.

There is believed to be another benefit of keywords in domain names and that is anchor links, that is keywords in back links to your site. If a webmaster links back to your site from their site they often use the domain name as the anchor text. This is obviously good for you as it helps in reinforcing those keywords with your site to the search engines. So if your site is specialistcheeseemporium.com they may type this as all one word or possibly as specialist cheese emporium. For the hyphenated version they would probably type specialist-cheese-emporium.com.

So when choosing your domain name and deciding on whether to use hyphens you need to consider how the domain name is going to be interpreted and used by other people, not machines. I chose my domain name without hyphens purely because most people will type domains without the hyphens. I do use hyphens but only in my filenames as this makes it easier for people to read and people are less likely to type in a page name as they are a domain name.

Find out more about Domain Names at Name Search Domain. Stuff you need to know if you are thinking of buying a domain name.

4 Keys to Make More Profit with Domain Names
People often have the notion that domain names are not that important. Well, this is a common mistake by most business owners...

How To Choose A Domain Name
Choosing a good domain name is one of most important steps in setting up your online business. And with more web sites being ...

Domain Name Strategies
What's in a name? Just ask Coke, Procter and Gamble, or Honda. And yet, many people simply choose a domain name that is ava...

Choosing Domain Names - Hyphens or Not?
Choosing a good domain name is one of most important steps in setting up your online business, but its getting harder and har...

Domain Name Search
Simply speaking, a domain name is a website address. For example, city4u.com is the address of the City For You, which is als...

Domain Names - Revealed - 5 Proven Ways to Improve Your Domain Names
Picking the best domain name for your website is one of the most crucial elements of the overall marketing process. Every web...

9 Ways to Profit From Domain Names
Domain names have become very profitable for people on a number of different levels. Through this article, you are provided ...

Choosing the Right Domain Name
Your first task in setting up a business web site may be deciding on a domain name. If your business has already established ...

Smart Way of Choosing the Right Domain Name for Online Success
Most people starting an Online Business are so concerned with the products and services they intend to promote online that th...

Top 5 Strategies For Choosing Your Perfect Domain Name
With the meteoric rise of Internet use in the past 5 years, the importance of a good domain name has also increased. Domain n...

5 Keys to Create More Money In Domain Names
Sell You can create more money in domain names by selling domain names. You can always buy domain names from other sellers a...

Domain Names and Domain Name Importance
The host name or the name which can identify one computer on the internet from the other is called the domain name of that co...

The Best Ways to Earn Money with Domain Names
Domain names are the most important aspect in a business. They say that domain names will make you popular once people get fa...

Profitable Domain Names - 4 Keys to Domain Names
The domain name is a very important part of any website. Without an interesting and compelling domain name, it proves to be d...

8 Key Ways to Make a Profit With Domain Names
You can make a profit with targeted domain names. Domain names can get you more and more money.Buy and sell domain names- You...

Fast Domain Names - Advanced Ways to Make Money With Domain Names
With the ever rising popularity of the Internet and the growing number of people who are computer literate, domain names have...

4 Steps to Make More Money With Domain Names
You can make more money with domain names. Lucrative domain names can bring you more and more profit. To make more money you...

Find Domain Names for Sale
The massive growth of the Internet has resulted in the creation of several new websites almost every day. In order to identif...

How to Choose a Domain Name for Your Business
A websites domain name (also know as a website address or URL) is an important consideration when developing your online pres...

Top Level Domain Names For Sale
Although acquiring a domain name seems to be a small part of any web promotional strategy, it has a bigger effect. Domain is ...