Choosing a URL

[Adammo]

Hi all,

I was looking back at the dashes section and thought of another question in regards to selecting a URL. In most case when you find a niche you'd like to work on, the URL based on those keywords is already taken. In my case (for the site in my signature), I decided to append the word "site". Other common examples I think are "online", and "the". Does that have any negative effects on SEO? would it be better to use dashes instead of appending a different word to the end of the URL?

Thanks!

 

[Affiliate Script]

dashes better

Hi all,

I was looking back at the dashes section and thought of another question in regards to selecting a URL. In most case when you find a niche you'd like to work on, the URL based on those keywords is already taken. In my case (for the site in my signature), I decided to append the word "site". Other common examples I think are "online", and "the". Does that have any negative effects on SEO? would it be better to use dashes instead of appending a different word to the end of the URL?

Thanks!

Dashes are actually slightly better for SEO than the same keyword phrase that is "all-in-one" - who says so? Google!

I use both - sometimes it's simply too difficult for humans to read the keyword phrase when there are no dashes - but search engines don't have too much of a problem

On the other hand if you are going to have to speak the domain name over the phone, then dashes are clumsy

You are wasting your time by sticking another word on just to get a domain - it must be an "exact match" - or you've got a very big job ahead of you in getting the site top ranked

So, if the target search phrase is "diamond studded dog collar" then you have 2 choices:
diamond-studded-dog-collar.com
diamondstuddeddogcollar.com

If you can't get the .com, then .net or .org are as good for SEO - but .com sites are worth more if you come to sell the site - because some people search using .com domain names

PS. I have added the word "blog" onto the end of search phrases when they've all been taken - and it didn't work - EVER!

 

[djbaxter]

I agree with Affiliate Script. In the end, domain name is not the biggest factor but it is a factor and current evidence siuggests that hyphenating the domain name provides a slight advantage.

Ultimately, though, it's going to be on-page factors (e.g., the page title) and the anchor text of incoming links that will make most of the difference.

 

[johnben1444]

Thanks for that great info. I was thinking of building another site next year and that will surely help in choosing the right domain.

 

[Affiliate Script]

a bit of assistance

Ultimately, though, it's going to be on-page factors (e.g., the page title) and the anchor text of incoming links that will make most of the difference.

yes, getting an exact-match keyword domain is not going to do anything on it's own - it's an assistance to getting the page #1 rankings, when everything else is done right - including finding a good low competition search phrase that other site owners haven't optimized their page for, and built many backlinks to their page

 

[Laura61]

Personally, I prefer to add a word in order to get a .com rather than take a .net with dashes, but that's just me. I try not to stress about it either way because, as mentioned, it's the not the most important factor.

 

[Adammo]

Ya i'd like to use a .com as well. Right now I have a two word niche but the following are not available:

word1word2.com
word1-word2.com

I am thinking of going with word1-word2-online.com. I'm assuming that will be ok? I know about having other factors as well, but just curious if this choice of URL would help/hurt.

 

[djbaxter]

Probably not. With a few noticeable exceptions (e.g., online counselling, online therapy), I very much doubt that anyone will use the word "online" in a search phrase and my guess is it will just make your URL look silly (and possibly spammy).

See if you can come up with a more useful word1word2word3.com or word1-word2-word3.com combination.

 

[Adammo]

Couple more stupid questions if you don't mind:

1 - Does word order matter? For instance word2word1?
2 - What about the word "for"? word1forword2
3 - Let's say there are two good 2 word niches: word1 word2 and word1 word3. Would a domain word1-word2-word3 satisfy both?

I'm just having trouble this time finding a suitable domain name. It's a two word niche and does not seem to have a suitable 3 word comination with good search data.

Thanks!

 

[djbaxter]

1 - Does word order matter? For instance word2word1?

That depends... partly on the competition. Yiou can research this yourself for the specific search term: Try doing a search for it both ways. Do you see (1) any difference in the number returned in Google (i.e., "1 to 10 of XXX results")? or (2) any differences in the top rankings for those terms depending on the order in the seafch query? You can also look at differences with or without quotation marks around the search terms, although the results from the "without quotes" search queries are more important.

2 - What about the word "for"? word1forword2

Again, that depends. Is having the word "for" in their something searchers will ever add?

I'm just having trouble this time finding a suitable domain name. It's a two word niche and does not seem to have a suitable 3 word comination with good search data.

I think you're worrying far too much about a keyword domain name, frankly. It can help but it is far from the most important factor. Instead of investing all this energy in the choice of domain name, find one you like and put your energy into content and link building.

 

[djbaxter]

3 - Let's say there are two good 2 word niches: word1 word2 and word1 word3. Would a domain word1-word2-word3 satisfy both?

Sure, if it made sense, could be pronounced over the phone, and didn't look spammy.

 

[Adammo]

Sure, if it made sense, could be pronounced over the phone, and didn't look spammy.

Thanks! Ya that is what I was worried about. I think a URL with word1-word2-and-word3 would look spammy, but a URL of word1-word2-word3 would not sound right at all.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Adam, it's so hard to advise working blind. Feel free to PM me the keywords and the URL ideas you are thinking of and I'll see if I can come up with any ideas for you.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Thanks Adam, PM sent with several ideas. Hope it helps!