Thread: Hyphens in Domain Name?

I am looking for a domain name in a certain niche and I found a great name that has three keywords related to the niche. The problem is, it has two hyphens in it. I never care much for hyphens but am curious if anyone thinks they are good for SEO or just a waste.

The format would be keyword-keyword-keyword.com

What do you think?

I don't care for them either but from all I read they can't harm anything, the only time I can see them being an issue is for type-in, like word-of-mouth, telling someone your domain and they go to visit it some day and put it in without hyphens, other than that, I don't see it being that bad, I've read good and bad search-engine-wise so it's really tough to say to be fully honest.

Hyphens may only affect typeins.. I think they can actually help parse keywords for better SEO.

Personally I don't like any hyphens in domain names. But I heard that domains with hyphens are SEO friendly and I have also found some sites which are very popular and have hyphen in domain name.

I use them when the unhyphened one in parked. They have worked fine for me and some are PR3 with plenty of traffic coming from search engines

I have never used them i always try to go with another name if my first choice is already in use.

Originally Posted by Autumn

I use them when the unhyphened one in parked. They have worked fine for me and some are PR3 with plenty of traffic coming from search engines

I have never thought about buying them, but it may be a good idea :3083:

I needed webfreak.com but I landed up taking web-freak.com as webfreak.com was parked... No problems yet, I dont think they're bad for SEO or anything

Thanks guys! The name without hyphens is an existing site. I am looking more or less to build the site to flip then to keep it. Will think about it. I found it through a keyword domain search and thought it might do good.

Depending on the "niche" or the keywords I buy Hyphenated domains and some times buy them for investment purposes (like LL-L coms..L-LL com etc)! one of my hyphenated keyword (adult) gets me a lot of traffic lol!

Great points given about typeins..but if I understand correctly, search engines ignore hyphens (kinda of like "stop words")!

Yes, SE's ignore hyphens but they do suck for typein traffic 9generally). Exceptions would be for words or phrases that are normally hyphenated. I'd rstill ather use a hyphenated keyword domain than brand a madeup word anyday.

Originally Posted by briguy

Great points given about typeins..but if I understand correctly, search engines ignore hyphens (kinda of like "stop words")!

Since the unhyphenated domain is in use I wouldn't go with the buy especially if the unhyphenated is in the same niche (which I assume it would be). If your hyphenated site ever got popular I'd hate to think I might be sending traffic to another site.

But on the flip side, perhaps you could still traffic from the unhyphenated if you got your site more popular then theirs in search results.

I know this is all conjecture seeing how you're just looking to flip site but like I said I'd skip this. I don't like competing with other sites, but then again that's just me...

It really doesn't matter. Just buy it, develop it and sell it.

I don't mind 2 hyphens in something like L-L-L .com but with 3 words it looks too spammy imho.

Maybe you guys should check this.

I decided to take the shot. For $9, I really did not have much to lose. I had a couple of articles already written in teh niche so i decided to buy the domain name.

Credit-Debt_Finance: You One Stop Source For Your Money

3 great keywords, nice grab!..I am jealous!!!

Originally Posted by briguy

3 great keywords, nice grab!..I am jealous!!!

I was a little surprised when it popped on a domain search for the credit keyword. It was a drop but I do not care about that.


[MENTAL]First its my cock then my domain will the jealousy never stop? [/MENTAL]

Good one.. should SEO well

Originally Posted by allout

I decided to take the shot. For $9, I really did not have much to lose. I had a couple of articles already written in teh niche so i decided to buy the domain name.

Credit-Debt_Finance: You One Stop Source For Your Money

Not a fan of - domain names, seo wise, doesnt matter.

I dont think it does matter lot , but I would prefer to have a domain without hyphen