Keyword rich domain names

To stuff or not to stuff? That is the question.

[Pyewacket]

I'm starting a new website from scratch (new product line) and I need to choose a domain name. So, do I choose something snazzy and catchy (8-10 characters), or should I choose something longer that includes my three main keywords (15-20 characters)? I will have to live with this for a long time so I need some input. What say you?

[rfgdxm1]

Go for the keywords if they clearly describe the product line. As in, if what you sell is just fuzzy blue widgets, and just that, go for fuzzy-blue-widgets.com. Not only does this help with search engine rankings, but people seeing that on a SERP will think "looks like they specialize in just what I need." However, a brand name might be better if whatever you are selling has good potential for building up a brand identity. This works best when the commodity sold is one where people don't usually think in generic terms.

[MHes]

Hi

IMHO

Keyword domain helps anchor text links in. This may change but still works, and that is the only advantage. I would keep it to one hyphen, looks better and less spammy.

Branding on the net is not as important as being search engine friendly, but long term could be very important.

I would do both, have a keyword domain main site and on this site have your brand name/logo etc. Then buy your brand domain with a redirect.

[Pyewacket]

Is the hyphen necessary? It doesn't exactly roll off of the keyboard, ya know?

[MHes]

redwidgets.com is read as the word 'redwidgets' so will not be recognised as 'red widget' in anchor text. You could get both version, hyphen and not hyphenated, but only the hyphenated will help your anchor text benefits.

[Pyewacket]

Cool. Thanks for the input guys and gals!

[rfgdxm1]

>Is the hyphen necessary? It doesn't exactly roll off of the keyboard, ya know?

To prevent a competitor from setting up shop on the non-hyphenated domain, he should register *both* and redirect the non-hyphenated one to the hyphenated one.

[mil2k]

I would do both, have a keyword domain main site and on this site have your brand name/logo etc. Then buy your brand domain with a redirect.

My thoughts exactly.

[vitaplease]

I commented to the FAST rep during the Pubcon that it seemed to me that key-word-rich-domains were more likely to end up tops, than brandname type urls.

He more or less said he agreed and that things had to be done against this.

OK, its FAST and not Google, but I'm sure some kind of neutralising effect against artificially high ranking could be put into place.

As a surfer buyer with webmaster background, I get extra cautious if I visit a triple-keyword-hyphenated domain, but thats just me.

[MHes]

Pyewacket - One further thought.

If you have a brand domain someone may link to it, but with the redirect the pr may not flow from this site to the main site, so give the brand domain a page with hard links into your main site.

To stop this page being a 'doorway' put 'noindexfollow' tag in.

Not as good for a user as an auto redirect but I suspect this will help pr flow. I am always suspicious that redirects loose pr.

[percentages]

>I will have to live with this for a long time so I need some input. What say you?

1. I don't see why?

2. The best domain names are the shortest ones if any "alternative" (i.e. non-SE) marketing is to be done.
I advise looking for a 4,5 or 6 character domain name.

3. The only real advantage to long domain names these days is for anchor text links. This may or may not be true 12 months from now. Either way I will remember 4,5,6 characters much easier than 15 separated by hyphens!

No reason why your short domain can't attract longer anchor text links!