is hyphenated domain name good or bad for SEO

is hyphenated domain name good or bad for SEO? Please share your opinion.

 

I don't think it is bad for seo, but it may be hard for visitors to remember.

 

It’s not bad, for example Newcastle-forum.com is better than dgfgforum.com if your required keywords were Newcastle forum.

Thanks Brian

 

The reason i heard google is fining hyphenated domains? is that true any idea how search engines treat it.

 

I haven't heard of this before. As long as you use common sense you should be ok.

 

Where did you hear Google was "fining hyphenated domains?" Where do Google rumours start? If their algorithm is top secret is there a leaker?

 

It's just one of the millions of google rumors.

 

Hyphenated domains are definitely not as good as non hyphenated, but they still work if your using a keyworded domain name.

Also note that people dont like to type in the hyphens, so if your going to have a branded website, its best to have a single word rather than hyphens, people always forget to type it in.

 

I think if the site is interesting.... it could be fhejdfhehdfjeh-dedndfwnf.com and people would remember it..lol

 

These rumours start in peoples imgination 1associate imho

It does not take a genius to work out that if googlebot finds it easier to read laday-ga-ga.com/green-dress easier than lady-ga-ga.com/greendress that it (googlebot) doesn't suddenly have a personality transplant when it comes to actual domains to

Just Google "webmaster talk" or "seo writer" readers and make your own mind up!

TBH Google and Googlebot at the end of the day are just bots that have been programed...

Do people search for bestgreendress or best green dress?

Logic should tell you how people do things and also how daft conventional thinking is in this regard.

See > http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=76329

 

Hypens won't give you any special benefit. It's the same with normal domain names.

 

I guess it's good as it makes url easier for people to remember.

 

Yes, they are best for SEO purpose and even visitors purpose...

 

In my opinion bad, same as stop words, such as "a" "on" "and" etc.

 

yes right you can buy easy and sort domain so any visitor can remember easily so next time he visit your site directly if your website come in top10 or not bcz ranking is not stable long time

 

I have read that they are good, allows G to separate the words easier. I don't know if they really help at all, but they are definitely not bad. Rule of thumb is have a domain name that has three or fewer words.

 

What is the amount of direct traffic that you get? Don't merge the ones which is shown ny analytics which shows you are direct traffic?

There are very few websites which are remembered by visitors and for rest they better try to bookmark or search in Google...

 

since readers dont use hypen when they search for info, I think it's not really good. If Ezinearticles become Ezine-articles, that will be very weird.

 

They don't, but they use SPACE instead. people don't search for ezinearticles, they search for 'ezine articles'. So hyphens or not don't make much of a difference. G doesn't prefer the non-hyphenated to the hyphenated ones, in fact they may like the hyphens since it allows them to separate the words without much error. Say if you have a website called AT Art, which joined together becomes atart.com. G might read it as A Tart instead of AT Art.

The only people who would/could mind, who are also the most important ones, are the people. Some people would choose to give your site a pass just because they don't like typing hyphens!!!

 

Exactly its either at art or a tart use your logic peole LOL >

http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=76329

Did you ever type a hyphen? Not often is your most likey answer - but the imprtant thing is what makes the likes of Googlebots job easier?!?!