quick question about domain name!-

[ryan4444]

If i were to buy a domain with 2 keywords in what would be the best way just keyword1andkeyword2.com or keyword1-keyword2.com or any other way?

Ryan

[I, Brian]

Personal preference would be:

keyword1keyword2.co.uk

or

keyword2keyword1.co.uk.

I've learned to distrust hyphenated domain names for Google, but also that word order is not too much of a problem with exact match searches.

Hope that helps. :)

[ryan4444]

Personal preference would be:

keyword1keyword2.co.uk

or

keyword2keyword1.co.uk.

I've learned to distrust hyphenated domain names for Google, but also that word order is not too much of a problem with exact match searches.

Hope that helps. :)

so each word will be picked out automatically even if it looks like one long word?

[WeblinkPlus]

Watch out for the 'experts exchange' -> 'expert sex change' trap.

If you're looking at affiliate marketing the hyphen does not matter. I often use the hyphenated names because the keywords stand out more, perhaps resulting in more click thrus. Should really affect SEO at all... Can always get both and redirect one to the other.

[I, Brian]

so each word will be picked out automatically even if it looks like one long word?

Indeed - so long as they are reasonably common words, Google normally does not seem to have a problem recognising them.

Watch out for the 'experts exchange' -> 'expert sex change' trap.

Heh, it's not that common, though. :)

If you're looking at affiliate marketing the hyphen does not matter. I often use the hyphenated names because the keywords stand out more, perhaps resulting in more click thrus. Should really affect SEO at all... Can always get both and redirect one to the other.

Indeed, in normal markets I've had hyphenated domains rank no problem - but I personally think these days search users are more likely to associate top level domains with quality, and hyphenated domains with less trust.

I also tend to see non-hyphenated domains rank more easily for exact match searches.

Clickthroughs have been tracked by Google for a long time now, and almost certainly influence ranking position to some degree as one of many human user signals.

To summarise: hyphenated domains are not bad, but I think keyword domains are better. And top level domains as particularly important, ie, .co.uk or .com.

[sirearl]

Indeed, in normal markets I've had hyphenated domains rank no problem - but I personally think these days search users are more likely to associate top level domains with quality, and hyphenated domains with less trust.



Most people do not give the domain name a second glance ,trust and authority should come from your title and meta description.

The public are well used to URL's not matching the product or service.

Earl

[MASSEY]

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=151269

I started a thread about very similar it makes no difference it appears,

I wouldnt say the domain name didnt matter,

if two companies sites for plumbing rank page 1

www.plumberlondon.com (http://www.plumberlondon.com)

and

www.apl.com (http://www.apl.com)

*exmples dont know what apl is pretend they are plumbers using a business name,

you will be more inclined to click the first, thats how i search anyway ;)

[eukhost]

Perhaps you should focus more on on-page and off-page SEO activities for better rankings. Keyword in domain name is not that important.

[sirearl]

Perhaps you should focus more on on-page and off-page SEO activities for better rankings. Keyword in domain name is not that important.

THat is not true keyword rich URL's have become an important factor in googles algo.

Earl

[WeblinkPlus]

THat is not true keyword rich URL's have become an important factor in googles algo.

Earl

IMHO only in low competition scenarios... Once there's any sort of competition, any on page factors become insignificant.

Even with low competition - if you take a look at a search on 'electrician birmingham' you will see a couple of directories above electricianbirmingham.com and birminghamelectricians.co.uk well down the listing - pos 9. Listing is dominated by directories - always a sign of low competition...

[sirearl]

IMHO only in low competition scenarios... Once there's any sort of competition, any on page factors become insignificant.

Even with low competition - if you take a look at a search on 'electrician birmingham' you will see a couple of directories above electricianbirmingham.com and birminghamelectricians.co.uk well down the listing - pos 9. Listing is dominated by directories - always a sign of low competition...

Afraid thats not true anymore I could give examples of sites in high competition areas that rank on there domain names making a mockery of googles link algo.

For newbie or niche sites I would put it top of the list.

Earl

[WeblinkPlus]

Afraid thats not true anymore I could give examples of sites in high competition areas that rank on there domain names making a mockery of googles link algo.

For newbie or niche sites I would put it top of the list.

Earl

I would be inclined to agree that google's link algo is a mockery :D but I stick by my opinion...;)

[sirearl]

I would be inclined to agree that google's link algo is a mockery :D but I stick by my opinion...;)

Take a look at this site 3rd for "car leasing" why else but the domain name.?:|

carleasing co uk

Earl

[WeblinkPlus]

It shows as fourth on my search.

I would guess that it's more to do with the 130 or so incoming links, many of which have 'car leasing', or a variation, as anchor text. To reinforce my argument, the entry above is lings cars (oh no!) which has more and higher PR links. Unless google has associated lings cars with leasing, :D there is no car leasing keyword in that domain...

[sirearl]

It shows as fourth on my search.

I would guess that it's more to do with the 130 or so incoming links, many of which have 'car leasing', or a variation, as anchor text. To reinforce my argument, the entry above is lings cars (oh no!) which has more and higher PR links. Unless google has associated lings cars with leasing, :D there is no car leasing keyword in that domain...

my point is that in theory it should not be in such illustrious company.:D

I can only attribute it to the domain name.?:|

Earl

[WeblinkPlus]

my point is that in theory it should not be in such illustrious company.:D


Why not? It seems to have been optimised with keyword in title, headings, description, entry in DMOZ & Yahoo. If you are correct, it should be at number one, but three sites without the keyword in the URL, beat it. The other two with 'car leasing' in the url are at pos 8 & 9. All three with 'car leasing' appear to be optimised, yet they don't occupy pos 1, 2 and 3.


I can only attribute it to the domain name.?:|


I would attribute it to the link profile. I've previously beaten keyword rich urls by building better quality links.

[sirearl]

Why not? It seems to have been optimised with keyword in title, headings, description, entry in DMOZ & Yahoo. If you are correct, it should be at number one, but three sites without the keyword in the URL, beat it. The other two with 'car leasing' in the url are at pos 8 & 9. All three with 'car leasing' appear to be optimised, yet they don't occupy pos 1, 2 and 3.



I would attribute it to the link profile. I've previously beaten keyword rich urls by building better quality links.

exactly the site has an extremely weak link profile compared to the company its in.:|

Earl

[I, Brian]

I would attribute it to the link profile. I've previously beaten keyword rich urls by building better quality links.

Google does positively weight domains for exact match - it is far easier to rank a keyword domain for an exact match search, then a non-keyword domain for the same search query.

[WeblinkPlus]

Google does positively weight domains for exact match - it is far easier to rank a keyword domain for an exact match search, then a non-keyword domain for the same search query.

I don't dispute that, I do dispute Earl's insistence that it is the domain name that has put it there. Quite frankly I don't know one way or the other, what I do know is in affiliate marketing I have often/usually been up against keyword rich domain names dominating the results, yet I've always managed to get my site up there, almost always without a keyword rich domain.

My message to the OP is by all means get a keyword rich domain, but don't be surprised if a non keyword domain beats you :-)