I am in the process of registering a domain name for a website. I am NOT looking for a brandable name and I am focused on getting the maximum Exact Match SEO benefit. My question is: Does adding hypens in a domain name lessen the exact match benefit in Google and other search engines? For example, just based on exact match, which of these domains would work better as a exact match: keyword1-keyword2-keyword3.com keyword1keyword2keyword3.org (the .com and .net are already parked by someone else) I have been searching on Google for an answer and very few pages deal with this specific issue or the answers are unfounded generalizations and do not come from knowledge or experience. A few pages said that exact matches with hypens do not get as much juice as those without hyphens. Anyone experimented with this and know from experience what the answer is?
buy this type of domain so its not problem keyword1-keyword2-keyword3.com but don't use same keywords
I really am just trying to find out if 'Exaxt Match' domain names are really 'Exact match' if they contain hyphens. Not really looking for advice on anything else like the value of quality content, responses that imply that being interested in SEO makes you a spammer, the value of different TLDs, or trademark infringement, or how to create a unique or memorable domain name, branding, what it takes to build a quality site, or what it needs to develop a good site. I read plenty of SEO books and blogs, but many books do not deal with 'Exact match' when in comes to domain names and whether hyphens lessen the effect. I am trying to learn about 'Exact Match' domains and what are the specific guidelines for one. Do hyphenated names really count as an exact match and get the Google exact match boost. I am trying to get input from SEOs that have experimented with this and really know from experience what really counts as an 'Exact Match' domain name.
I really am just trying to find out if 'Exaxt Match' domain names are really 'Exact match' if they contain hyphens. Not really looking for advice on anything else like the value of quality content, or trademark infringement, or how to create a unique or memorable domain name, branding, what it takes to build a quality site, or what it needs to develop a good site. I read plenty of SEO books and blogs, but many books do not deal with 'Exact match' when in comes to domain names and whether hyphens lessen the effect. I am trying to learn about 'Exact Match' domains and what are the specific guidelines for one. Do hyphenated names really count as an exact match and get the Google exact match boost. I am trying to get input from SEOs that have experimented with this and really know from experience what really counts as an 'Exact Match' domain name.
The second one will match better, (one that is without the hyphens) if such domain is available. It is also better to remember on the part of actual website visitors. Actual visitors tend to forget where the hyphens go in in merged keyword strings like keyword1keyword2keyword3.org etc.
Do exact match domains matter? YES Do hyphens or no hyphens matter? NOT REALLY, BUT IF YOU HAVE THE CHOICE, CHOOSE NO HYPHENS 2 things to start....dont do uber long domains, keep it to your main keyword. For example if I were selling "blue widgets" then I would try to get either: bluewidgets.com, .org, .net blue-widgets.com, .org, .net Whichever one I got would work fine. Why would they be better? 1.) If you domain is the exact match to the users query Google HAS to put more value on that. You are extremely relevant to the users query. A perfect example is my site, websiteconsultants.org...I rank #1 for website consultants 2.) Anchor Text - If you have a direct match domain, when people (naturally) link to you they will be using your keyword as your anchor. Most people link with the name of the site, if the name of your site is your keyword...YOU WIN. So all in all, YES! Get a direct match domain if you are doing it 100% for the engines traffic and not to brand a business.