Hyphenated Domain Names

I am going to stick with the domain name theme. This time focusing on the actual domain name rather than the domain name extensions, specifically whether or not you should use hyphenated domain names.

Contrary to popular belief, domain names carry no weight in search engine results.

Wait!! Are you saying that Google does not rank pages higher if they contain keywords in their domain names?

That is exactly what I am saying. Google does not care what domain name you use.

Then Why Does Google Highlight Keywords in the URL When you Search?

This is just a Google feature. It does not mean that Google considers keywords in the URL.

Okay, What Should I consider when you are naming a domain?

Well, if your domain name contains two or more words, you have two options: To hyphenate your domain name or leave it as one word.

What are the benefits of a hyphenated domain name?

If you have a hyphenated domain name and someone links to your webpage. Google or any other search engine will read all the keywords instead of all of the keywords as one word. For instance, domain name vice domainname.

Makes sense. What are the downfalls of having a hypenated domain name?

Domain names that are hyphenated are often hard to remember unless your visitors bookmark it or add it to their favorites.

Overall, the choice is up to you. Personally, I try and hyphenate all of my websites in hopes to gain a few spots in the search engine rankings.