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Hey all, some domain advice requested

by Zenergy
9 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hey everyone.

I'm going to start a blog in a certain niche, and I'm trying to decide what domain would be best to use for the blog. In a nutshell, this is my issue:

The .com name I want is taken, and I don't want to reword anything or add/minus words for SEO reasons. Without revealing the exact domain name I'm looking to get, this essentially represents my list of options.

mydomainname.com = regular .com is taken, not an option

my-domain-name.com = hyphenated .com version is available

mydomainname.net = regular .net is available

mydomainname.co = regular .co is available

Do you guys think I should use the hyphenated .com, the regular .net, or the regular .co for my primary domain? Any additional opinions and commentary on this issue is appreciated as well.

Thanks for any help in advance.
#advice #domain #hey #requested
  • Profile picture of the author Aouragh
    Go for the .net, do not take the hyphenated one.

    In my experience, .net ranks just as good as .com.

    Hyphenated domains don't rank that well.
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  • Profile picture of the author cooler1
    Apparently, Google ignores hyphens in domains so I don't think it makes a difference. I haven't noticed a difference.
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  • Profile picture of the author puedall
    Hi Zenergy,

    My experience is different then Aouragh's, I use hyphenated domain names on all my websites and even in all my page names. I have been told by some seo experts, that google reads the dash as a space. All my websites are ranked well. Your content is far more important then your name.

    At list that is my experience.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Google ignores hyphenation in domain-names for SEO purposes. Hyphens don't affect rankings at all. It's discussed in many threads here. Some of them contain links to videos in which Google's Matt Cutts explains this openly and unambiguously and recommends hyphenation under some circumstances.

      For myself, I wouldn't want to run a business on a domain of which the .com version belongs to someone else, so .net/.co would be completely out of the question for me. I might be willing to have the hyphenated .com of which the unhyphenated .com belongs to someone else, but that prospect also doesn't exactly fill me with enthusiasm, to be honest. It might depend on the words. Sometimes you have to look at it from the perspective of the owners of companies like Pen-Island and the Mole-Station-Nursery.
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      • Profile picture of the author roger h
        I have no problem with the hyphen domain name although i dont own any myself structured in that way. For me, the real problem lies in appearance and perception but also, critically, how can you effectively promote your website domain quickly and expertly say, for instance, when networking or whatever in a conversation situation?

        Explaining a hyphen doesnt exactly roll of the tongue.

        Imagine saying your website name as Such (hyphen) and (hyphen) such (hyphen) .com.
        But saying your website is named, for example, suchandsuch.com is easily said and retained by your audience whether its 1 or more people.

        I understand what Alexa has posted above and mostly agree with it, however i do feel perfectly fine with owning a .net domain even if the .com version belongs to someone else, although this is primarily exclusive to the .com version being registered but only parked. If no physical website exists on the .com tld then yeah, why not? Surely there is a benefit passed down..

        Alexa, i absolutely love your posts, your thinking, the massive contribution you make on the forum so rest assured im not 'having a go' here. Actually i'd like to read more about your reasoning - why you have that standpoint mentioned above - its bound to be educational for me and plenty of others on here.
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  • Profile picture of the author butters
    This might be an interesting watch for you...

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  • Profile picture of the author Davmac40
    The problem with hyphens is that searchers do not install hyphens in general so I would go for the .net unless you plan to send traffic using PPC then it doesn't matter anyway.

    Hope this is of spome help.

    Cheers,
    Dave
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    • Profile picture of the author atSad141
      Originally Posted by Davmac40 View Post

      The problem with hyphens is that searchers do not install hyphens in general so I would go for the .net unless you plan to send traffic using PPC then it doesn't matter anyway.

      Hope this is of spome help.

      Cheers,
      Dave
      try a phrase with and without hyphen in Google adword, then compare monthly searched stat.

      I think hyphened name would be better.
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  • Profile picture of the author jasonbrien
    According to me you must choose any other domain name to sort out the dilemma and if you really want the same domain then go for the .net one as the hyphens do not have any good effect on the users. Thanks
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