Google changed its algorithm by adding one more factor -- file name, folder name

Yes it is

 

FYI FWIW: Zoolie has some research/results in an seochat thread that presents some compelling evidence that underscores are NOT treated as keyword seperators. Nice simple neat test - the best kind - good work!

Note that underscores are not valid in domain names, but I'm really surprised that Google does not appear to treat 'em as a seperator in the filename portion of the URL.

I thought I had tested this a while ago, so either my testing wasn't adaquate enough, or something has changed - so I guess URL's such as http://www.komar.org/faq/travel/african_safari_pictures/ should be reconsidered ... although I would guess that Google would (should!) eventually support underscores as a seperator since it just makes sense IMHO.

alek

 

Alek I have just posted this:

I'm afraid I don't agree

The first and last words only show in both cases

The second word following the hyphen does not [in both cases] unless it is the last word in the string

I'm afraid the test does not show jot

Go look at

allintext:weber bbqs

the weber_bbqs are no1 and hilited

 

This discussion has been going on in several forums including this one for about a month now.

It has always been my belief that the only word separator was a "-". That is why people register domain names like www.point-of-sale-asp.com.

Now people have started to argue that the highlighting means Google is recognizing these various alternatives like "_" and even parts of continuous domain names. I personally don't believe it. Just because they use a string search for highlighting purposes, doesn't prove for a moment that they are separating these terms and using them for relevance evaluation and SERP placement.

 

I've always used the hyphen until recently

and

I've found no difference - as other people are seeing on the other thread

Which would I prefer?

Ahh...the hyphen

Kiss eh?

 

FYI FWIW: While a register might allow you to register a DOMAIN name with an underscore in it, it is NOT a legal character for DNS per RFC952 and 1123.

So I think any discussion about using an underscore "_" in the domain name is moot, and you therefore are left with using hyphen "-" which is, of course, a legal character. This has nothing to do with Google and everything to do with DNS.

But an underscore certainly can be used in the path/filename portion of the URL, and (the $64,000 question) does Google treat this as a keyword seperator ... and if so, is it "equivelent" to using a hyphen ... or perhaps a percent20 (HTML space). I.e. is there a "soft" seperator versus a "hard" seperator ... or at least this month!

I always thought the underscore was a valid keyword seperator (looks better IMHO, so it should be! ;-), but I'm starting to wonder.

alek

 

So hyphen is the safe way to do it.
Plus it looks neater, at least I think so. Have you ever seen a URL that is underlined and has underscores in it? Half the time you can't tell if it has underscores or spaces.
If we just all use hyphens then there are no problems right?

 

Just an FYI... here is a quote from googleguy about a week ago that should carry some weight.

I guess it can all be taken with the proverbial "grain of salt" but this quote is probably worth taking a second look. I assume it would also apply to folder names as well.

~MC
ION Web Design

 

Folks,

What GG has said is correct.
I've seen this myself on a number of occasions and it holds very true. If composited paths (reads: paths including keywrds where each is intended to hold unique weight) is your objective then **don't** use underscores.

ie convert a large site from underscored paths to hyphenated paths and you'll really notice the difference

Compar mentioned above as well the difference between how Google highlights text strings in serps versus their significance in terms of *rank.
This is also IMHO very true.

Cheers

 

ok, i'm a big star wars fan, so i couldn't resist.

anyway, i've been reading these two threads, and can't find any newer ones. Needless to say here's my dilema (sp?):

i use underscores "_" b/c of an old email program called pine.

i don't use Capitals in a allinurl (e.g. myNameIs) b/c i thought some systems didn't like em (unix?)

lastly, i've never used "-" b/c those are used in regular words (drive-in, etc) and i've had too many copywriters give me the third degree. sheesh

so in a nutshell - what is the prefered way? Do the search engines prefer one over the other? do they care?

thanks all, may one of you actually see my posting to your year-old (see hyphens!) thread.

thanks,

supergrover
superGrover
super_grover
super-grover

 

The better way is keyword-keyword Definately don't use underscores as Google doesn't recognise these as a psace. I ran a test a few months ago to prove this and the underscore page name didn't return in the SERPS for the nonsence keyword term I had selected and the hyphen did.

Capitals I've not tested, but I usually stick to lower case in URLS

 

Generally speaking Yahoo and Google now place particular emphasis on your domain name, especially if you can get a keyword at the beginning of the doain, eg. keyword------.com. On Yahoo especially keywords can be anywhere to good effect, so I'm using more and more subdomains such as http://keyword.mysite.com which makes it substantially easier to rank well for keywords.

Jeremy

 

I have a question, if I want to name a file name having two words eg. Shimla Resorts, how do I name it to have max. advantage. shimlaresorts, shimla_resorts, ShimlaResorts or whatever. Pl give your valuable opinion.
Rakesh Anand

 

uhm... weren't file and folder names, especially domain names always bold when they fit the keyword(s)?? I can't remember the day it was different, must be very long ago!

 

they are changing it every day

 

I'm looking to start a new site selling widget accessories. I'd like to create a unique brand rather than www.widget-accessories-cases.com. My site will have several subcategories that will have /widgets/cases etc. in the form of keywords.

Am I crazy to go with mybrand.com as opposed to www.widget-accessories-cases.com.

I look forward to your replies.

Thanks.
Chris

 

Hi,
no you are not. I dont think there is an advantage of wigets.xxx vrs mybrand.xxx (It once was a fashion but his is long gone). It's mainly that developers / owners have a tendency to rather use what it is than a branded name in text, although when branding it should always be both. E.G. the xx widget by mybrand.... otherwise what's the point in branding.

Subdomains are now mostly handled as different domains and thus structuring a brand this way may take more time and planning as compared to a directory driven structur mybrandcom/catxxx.

When thinking about launching another category or add to an existing brand it is best to generate the subdomain and put some content rich pages out early either way (An indexed page changes faster than a non indexed one)

When the final text layout etc is decided / developed you my find the basic pages already indexed which make the whole thing painless.

Same goes fo IBL's start pointing some early and the closer to the finishing line (launch) the more links can be accommodated.

Expat

 

I thought it was known for some time not to use an underline, and that the hyphen was used as a space, and Google will find keywords in domains and filenames, hyphen or not. Use the hyphen, as other engines do adopt the hyphen as space but cannot pull the keyword out of longer text.

What I have seen some trend of is the strongest usage.
If using directories to add keywords to the url,

yourdomain.tld/widgets/large/ should be full of pages about large widgets

yourdomain.tld/widgets/large/blue.html should be a page about large blue widgets

yourdomain.tld/widgets/large/blue/ should be full of pages about large blue widgets

Pretty much the same for filenames, like widgets-large.html, but avoid using more than 2 hyphens. Less is more. /widgets/large-blue.html is better than widgets-large-blue.html and is easier to add pages to as related keywords for widgets are added.

Use the keywords like breadcrumbs, get that main keyword, (usually a noun) in there early.

 

I am certainly glad then, that I installed the isapi rewrite program to allow me to place the keywords in the file name. It does seem to have helped.

 

...Google will find keywords in domains and filenames, hyphen or not

I'm not certain that that statement is entirely accurate.

The absolute, number one, site returned for one of my keywords is the site www dot sleepingbagsandtents dot com.

If you do a search for allinurl:sleeping bags and tents, that site is nowhere to be found in the results.

Also - I have two different pages on my site one is sleeping-bags.htm and the other is sleeping_bags.htm The first page is number one for allinurl:sleeping bags the second page is nowhere to be found (even when set to 100 results on a page).

I believe Google sees run-ons in urls as just nonsense words.

Caryl