Picture this…you’ve spent hours choosing the perfect name for your new website. But there is a problem – the ideal version without hyphen is taken. Now you’re asking yourself: “Should I add a hyphen to my name? Would this make my website more relevant on Google?”
Well, the truth about hyphens and SEO is a little more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Let’s solve this together!
What are Hyphenated Domains?
Simply put, hyphenated domains are those that have a dash (-) in them. For example:
- example-seo.com
- expert-tutoring.org
- pet-care-101.net
![Hyphens](https://cdn.backlinkgrower.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/hypen-1024x576.png)
Do Hyphens in Domain Names Actually Affect SEO?
Let’s break this down:
- Google’s View: Google’s official stance is that it treats hyphens as word separators. So, “pet-care-101” will be read as “pet care 101”. This means your site won’t be penalized directly for the hyphen.
- User Experience: The real issue is how hyphens impact user experience. Can you easily remember and enter your name? Hyphens can make it harder, especially if there’s a non-hyphenated version out there.
Hyphens and SEO: The Potential Downsides
- Misdirected Traffic: If a similar domain exists without the hyphen, you risk losing visitors if they accidentally land on your competitor’s site.
- Memorability: Hyphens add length and complexity, making your domain harder to remember for potential visitors.
- Spammy Perception: In the past, overly hyphenated domains were associated with spam. While this stigma has lessened, it might still slightly bias some users.
Hyphens and SEO: The Possible Upsides
- Readability: Hyphens can improve readability in certain cases. For example, “https://backlinkgrower.com/” is clearer than “https://backlink-grower.com/“.
- Keyword Availability: If your ideal non-hyphenated domain is taken, adding a hyphen might be the only way to secure specific keywords that are important to your niche.
The Case Study: Should You Use Hyphens?
I analyzed a small sample of websites with and without hyphens in their domains, focusing on sites with relatively low keyword difficulty (KD) to give us a clearer picture.
Here’s what I observed:
- Inconclusive Results: There was no consistent pattern suggesting hyphens negatively impacted SEO rankings directly.
- Brand Impact: The more memorable and brandable domains tended to do better, regardless of hyphens.
- Content Strength: Sites with better content and stronger backlinks consistently outperformed those with weaker content, even overcoming potential hyphen disadvantages.
My Recommendation
If possible, opt for a non-hyphenated domain for its memorability and cleaner appearance. But, if that’s unavailable:
- Focus on Brand: Create a strong brand that people will remember despite the hyphen.
- Prioritize High-Quality Content: Great content is ultimately the best foundation for long-term SEO success.
I always lean towards the cleanest and most memorable domains. If you can get the keywords you want with just a hyphen, it’s not the end of the world. Your content and brand-building efforts will really decide your SEO fate.
FAQs
- Can I still rank well with a hyphenated domain? Absolutely! Many successful websites use hyphens.
- Should I switch my existing site to a non-hyphenated domain? Only if it makes strong branding sense and you can do it without breaking existing links.
- Hyphen or underscore? Google treats them alike, so choose based on readability.
- My domain has multiple hyphens, is that bad? Generally, the fewer hyphens, the better.
- What’s more important, keywords in the domain or great content? Always prioritize awesome content!