There has always been a mystery and myth surround the use of hyphenated domain names. Does it really matter if you use or don’t use a hyphenated domain name?
I personally don’t use hyphenated domains, except for domain/brand protection reasons.
For Search Engine Optimisation purposes, there are some experts who believe that search engines prefer hyphenated-domain names, as the search engines can easily identify the different keywords in the domain name. If the domain name has keywords for which the website is optimised, then it is expected that the website will rank well in search engines.
However, in my opinion, one can have comfort in knowing that search engines are not built by idiots. Google and all major search engines will be able to pick up the keywords in a non-hyphenated domain name quite easily.
Almost every top internet marketer that I have come across give very strict advice to avoid the use of hyphenated domain names. It is just simply not a hit with website visitors. It is hard to type, and there always confusion as to if an hyphen exists, or where the hyphen should be placed.
If you look at some of the big internet brands whose domain names consist of multiple words, hardly any of them employ the use of hyphens.
However, any successful ebusiness needs to implement and master good domain name strategies. The best domain strategy for me is to protect your brand/main domain name, by getting all other similar domain names. This includes getting all the hyphenated versions of your domain name.
I would suggest using the non-hyphenated version of the domain name as the main domain name/brand, and simply forward the hyphenated versions to the main domain name.
For example, lets take eBusinessDomains.com. We own the following as well:
e-BusinessDomains.com
eBusiness-Domains.com
e-Business-Domains.com
We simply forward the hyphenated domains to the non-hyphenated domain that we use as the main domain and brand.
There is always a huge debate with hyphenated domains. Some say, and it is indeed a fact, that hyphenated domains are less valuable. I believe domain sales data proves this.
There are also some who believe that hyphens can kill a domain name. Unless you are using the domain name for strictly SEO purposes, having hyphens is okay.
If however, you are creating your main website, having hyphens could kill your business.
One of the greatest tests of the quality of your domain name is to tell someone your domain name out loud. If they get it straightaway then it is good. If you have difficulties in pronouncing your domain name, then something is wrong.
Let’s say, your domain name was Brown-Cabinet-Making.com. Imagine having to say, “brown hyphen cabinet hyphen making dot COM”. It would be really hard to remember whether there are hyphens or not.
Some people really do not have a clue. They don’t. I have actually seen websites using domain names that combine hyphens, and non-hyphens in the word spacing of their domain. Such as Brown-CabinetMaking.com … who will remember that?
Hyphenated domains can look good in print such as on business cards, but it is much better to brand your ebusiness on non-hyphenated domain names. However, you should consider it imperative to obtain the hyphenated versions as well. We spent thousands of dollars obtaining the hyphenated versions of eBusinessDomains.com and the other similar domain names.
I agree with you Kevin, tough there’s still a belief that hyphens make it easier for someone to read the name, i’ve given here some time ago the example of mercedes-benz.tv, and some people i talk to outside domaining seem to think it’s easier to separate the words, but i guess that in time all of those ideas will go away, i don’t know why some people or companies think it’s easier to read with the hyphen, because like you said it’s much harder to remember when you put hyphens in the name.
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Nice article. I was wondering what your view is on L-L.com names?
I’m going to be building out L-A.com into a Geo site – obviously i’d prefer LA.com, but i think i can still make it work with the hyphen.
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If you are running an actual business, then yes you should acquire hyphenated versions of your main domain. But its cost prohibitive and doesn’t make much sense to acquire hyphenated versions of all the other ‘for sale’ domains in one’s portfolio imo.
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I’ve registered hyphenated domains for over ten years. It is part of our language, Europeans like them in domain names and Rolls-Royce made a brand on them. They are the sleeping giant of domain names IMHO.
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James,
Just like with LLL.com and LLLL.com domain names, the letters really have to mean something for L-L domain names to be valuable and brandable.
You have a great one here, as L-A.com will be universally accepted as being associated with Los Angeles.
You will lose traffic to LA.com, but in my opinion, it is still worth developing. You will need to develop some strong branding strategies ro reinforce the usage of the hyphen with visitors.
RKB,
I agree. You simply can’t register/buy all the hyphenated versions of the domain names in your portfolio. Waste of money, unless you can monetise them well.
My strategy is just to invest in the non-hyphenated versions, and leave the responsiblity of obtaining the hyphenated domains to the end-user.
Michael,
Don’t get me wrong, you could make lots of money with hyphenated versions, but not as much as the non-hyphenated domains. I can also agree that the hyphenated domains could be sleeping giants, as there are still quite a few unregistered versions of some very popular 2-keyword combinations.
End-users will still invest in them I suppose. However, internet users may get confused as to if, when and where they should put hyphens.
I haven’t tested hyphenated domains with domain parking, so I don’t know how they perform.
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Thanks for coming back Kevin – I think i’ve got my work cut out. Happy new year and Good luck for 2009.
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@ James L-A.com is a great domain and I believe 100% can be built into a great geo portal!
Hyphen domains are great if developed – They shall rank high in major search engines.
Regards,
Robbie
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I agree to what Robbie had said earlier, and this has been proven fact that – names rank higher, way better in search engines.
L-A.com is a Great Domain name IMHO..
Good luck,
-
Jay M
ParkingFirm.com
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Interesting article but your argument is flawed.
You say that hyphen domains might be good for search engines but then to prove your point that they are bad you say that visitors don’t like them.
If you build a site only for search engine traffic and don’t care if people ever type in the domain or if you have to say the domain over the phone then the dash doesn’t matter.
So, if traffic to your site is 100% from search engines, then it doesn’t matter if people can remember it or ever have to type it in.
Now of course if you are running a business and want people to type in the domain or have to say it over the phone then yes, don’t develop on the dash.
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Thanks for this report. I don’t recall seeing a discussion along this topic previously. I think hyphens significantly drag down the value of a domain name; and I still recall in the late ’90′s the Miami International Airport was using miami-airport.com. People are more savvy about understanding how to type “miami dash airport dot com”, but the hyphen still gets in the way of direct navigation. That’s my humble opinion. Have a super New Year.
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Sometimes only a hyphen can make a two word domain look authoritative. (free-escrow.com looks better than freeescrow.com, etc). IMO it’s perfectly acceptable to launch a website and even a business with a hyphenated name – so long as one also owns the ugly unhyphenated version to catch typos.
[I'm also a bit dubious about the high prices asked of unhyphenated two-word domains on the market where the seller needs to capitalize the second word in order to make the domain look desirable.]
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This advice is only good for COM and America. Germans and the DE ccTLD use hyphens quite often. In many cases, the hyphenated domain is the first choice of domain users. This might be because German words are quite long and hyphens are common in German sentences.
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I tend to favor brandable domains. Most of my domains do not have a hyphen. Lately tho I’ve been considering buying the hyphens of some of my domains just to strengthen their value a little.
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Hyphens is ok if you want to be found by search engines. It makes no difference if its hyphenated or not.
But as you said, if its a business, then its worth while getting non hyphen ones. Good analysis here.
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SMELL THE COFFEE
Domainers do not take advantage of Madison Avenue advertising tools that set standards and create expectations. Has anybody here even looked at the Google television, radio, print advertising tools available to us?
When I want a dictionary, I enter m-w.com. No problem. Humans are creatures of habit.
Habits are learned.
Make no mistake, you can brand a hyphenated domain and you can brand an obscure TLD. You could even make it popular.
Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise!
It just takes a little effort and education, but for some reason, there is a huge disconnect for domainers and the strategies used to generate demand and educate the public in ways that increase the likelihood of an outcome that benefits our specific business objectives.
Instead, we leave it all to chance and listen to the experts tell us what we should or shouldn’t do based on the experts’ observation of a market that we have chosen not to influence.
We can do better. Wake-up!
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I think hyphenated domains are best considered on a case by case basis. I chose Backpacking-Basics.com because I’m targeting mainly natural SE traffic and because the name looks better than Backpackingbasics.com.
For words such as backpacking, a SE could see that as one word (backpacking) or two words (back + packing). By hyphenating the domain name, it should be clear to both visitors and search engines that it is about backpacking.
My .02 worth…
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