Question: branded vs keyword based domain names

[kevin3d]

I apologize in advance if this question has been covered before (I'd be surprised if it hasn't), but I've searched and didn't find anything, probably because I didn't phrase my search properly. Anyway, here goes:

Let's say I want to create a site about Blue Widgets, which are also commonly referred to as "BW". Search volume and competition for both is very, though that for "blue widgets" is twice that of "bw". I have 4 domain names:

a) bwsavvy.com
b) bw-savvy.com
c) bluewidsgetssavvy.com
d) blue-widgets-savvy.com

I'd like to use "bwsavvy.com" for branding purposes, but it seems to me (a SEO newbie) that "blue-widgets-savvy.com" has highest SEO potential. My questions are:

1) Should I pick just one and forget the others. If so, which one?
2) Should I keep all of them, pick one as the actual domain, and use the others to do a 301 re-direct to that domain?

[pageoneresults]

I'd like to use "bwsavvy.com" for branding purposes, but it seems to me (a SEO newbie) that "blue-widgets-savvy.com" has highest SEO potential. My questions are:

Yuck! Stay away from the hyphens. I like your short example best. Brand it all the way home!

If you feel that the others will be typed in by the consumer or what is referred to as a "type in domain", then go ahead and purchase and 301 to your brand domain. Keep it simple, think about non www vs www and make sure to use short URI structure out of the gate. No hyphens, no file extensions, one URI for each destination. ;)

I apologize in advance if this question has been covered before.

Everything has been covered before. Finding it is another story. ;) It's usually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Try the Search link available up top...

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[Webwork]

A "domain brand" is or will be only as good as the brand itself, i.e., WorldsBestWidgets.com don't mean a thing if they don't have that schwing. :P

I'd go for the "branded domain" ONLY if I had the full galaxy of branding resources at my avail - and a real commitment - to build and sustain the brand.

[ZydoSEO]

Have you considered what you are going to do when the "blue widgets" market is saturated and you need to start selling "red widgets" in order to increase revenue? Gonna be kinda weird trying to sell them under the "blue widget" brand. Unless of course the only thing you plan to ever sell is a blue widget in which case bwsavvy.com might be a great domain.

Personally, I tend to look for more generic brand names that would apply to more than a single product. Otherwise, when you are forced to begin selling "red widgets" you will likely need to start from scratch with a new domain and all that entails. Yes, you lose a little advantage up front ranking for blue widgets if you use the more generic domain (like widgetssavvy.com), but the domain can be used to market more types of widgets.

www.widgetsavvy.com/bluewidgets/
www.widgetsavvy.com/redwidgets/
www.widgetsavvy.com/greenwidgets/

Not saying you should not use bwsavvy.com... just asking if you had envisioned your company 5 yrs from now and what the web site might need to sell then. It might influence which domain you pick. Perhaps something like widgetsavvy.com might be better long term. Perhaps not. Depends on the goals of your company and where you want to take it.

Food for thought.

[upalmit]

Get in the door, and faster, with the less competitive domain keyword. However, don't give up the other domains. Use the redirect for strategizing. It is obvious that there is no 'right' response, only the right strategy for your current objective: to get in the door first.