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Does A '-' Make A Difference?

by mikesdebp
3 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hi All,

I noticed you can register a domain name like test-this.com even if testthis.com exists.

Does anyone know how Google would interpet the result for the key word search phrase 'test this'

Would testthis.com and test-this.com rank equally, all other things being equal?

I'd appreciate your feedback on this...

Mike
#difference #make
  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    Yep. I've looked at this for many years now and I see absolutely no disadvantage in terms of ranking power when using hyphens. It's a good tactic to get coveted keywords as an exact match in your domain name.

    However, understand that hyphens can make it tougher for you if you're trying to brand your company name. Most people will just type in the name of the company without the hyphens and add the .com if they're not sure of the URL. So you will leak "type in" traffic to your competitor. And the other disadvantage is if you ever decide to flip (sell) that domain name. Hyphens can reduce the perceived value of a domain name. It's not always true, but it's a legitimate concern if you're into flipping.

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author paulgl
    How would anything like that get a site to rank differently?

    Just make sure your words do not bleed into new ones.
    If they do, hyphens are a must, or else people may mistake
    your meaning.

    But even then, you can rank whatever domain you pick for whatever
    you pick. You are forgetting the hard work that follows, content,
    backlinks, authority, etc.

    If the hyphen looks good to you, use it. If not, pick something else.

    I have a hyphen domain that ranks light years above the non-hyphen.
    But that's through sheer hard work. If the non-hyphen did more, they
    would out rank me. I even have a double listing on that baby.

    Paul
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    If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

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