Lets say I have a domain that has 3 keywords in it but it is 16 characters. Is that better or a domain with 12 characters and 2 keywords
I think i would consider the domain that was easier to remember. Shorter is better though. Another thing to consider is that with the proper seo, keyword strategies and all the other aspects of building a great site,you really can make the shorter domain work better than your competitors.
I think the "harder to remember" thing about domain names is a bunch of bunk. So is the rumor, "never use dashes (hyphens)" in a domain name. Think about it. If you come across a site that you think is great and might want to visit again, what do you do? You simply Bookmark it. You don't sit there and try to memorize the url. Heck, I don't even look at the url. What do you think the average person does who is not involved in IM? I don't think there is any doubt that having your keywords in your url gives you a great advantage over a site that doesn't. The software Google uses to parse data is only as good as the developers design it. It can, and does, make mistakes. I can't think of a good example right now, but I am sure there are domain names out there that can be taken or read to mean 2 different things. The use of hyphens leaves no doubt as to the intended meaning. If you read the stuff on Google's website about site optimization, they come out and tell you that anything you can do to help the search engines is in your favor. For example, if you use the "printer friendly" thing on your site, be sure to use the "nofollow" tag on it so it is not mistaken for duped content. This is just the way I look at it. And Nate, this post is not directed at you. I am just addressing the short url thing Back in the "old days" everyone was using the short urls because there weren't that many sites, and keywords did not play as big as role as they do now. Zeek
It doesn't matter much. Very few domains get a lot of type in traffic anyway, only generic domain names. Shorter domain name is more professional looking though.