To dash or not?

[Andy]

When you want to register a keyword domain, I think it's OK to have 1 dash between 2 words.

How about you?

[donecweb]

I-think-it-is-OK-if-it-is-not-overdone.

[Queen Bee]

I like dashes.

[Menard]

I think dashes work great in Morse Code.

If the site is strictly to pull in traffic from search engines, using the dashes to optimize keyword recognition, then it works for me.

If, on the other hand, it is a site that people should be able to remember, I think dashes work against that as most people will type in the domain name and forget the dash.

[Andy]

If, on the other hand, it is a site that people should be able to remember, I think dashes work against that as most people will type in the domain name and forget the dash.

You have a point.

www.dot-dash-dot.com would be hard for people to get right maybe?

[Menard]

You have a point.

www.dot-dash-dot.com would be hard for people to get right maybe?

Whose website is that? It locked up my browser, and pretty much the computer, and commenced to spin my hard drive; the dang thing is spinning again.

[Andy]

No problem for me. Actually, I didn't expect there to be a site there.

I think you need a new computer.

[Menard]

No problem for me. Actually, I didn't expect there to be a site there.

I think you need a new computer.

I think the webmaster of that site needs to read a book along the lines of Web Design 101.


The problem with the domain, aside from the site on it, is that it has recurring dots. If you say it aloud, it becomes dot dash dot dot com (and here's another dot).

I have a domain, dot666.com (nothing there). I thought it was interesting, but after getting it, I wondered about the possible confusion when saying it as dot666dotcom. Which is the dot, and which isn't?

[Andy]

How about:

http://doubleUWWdotMySitedotorg.com ?

[Menard]

How about:

http://doubleUWWdotMySitedotorg.com ?

 

That sounds like something I'd try.

I'm not even going to try to click on that.

[SensoVision]

I believe that one dash is allowable but still better to be avoided. Even if you buy domain for short term and to get traffic from search engines also I wouldn't overuse dashes because of this as it may look ugly in SERPs and people may try to avoid such domain...
IMHO it's better just embed keywords inside domain with important words, and not separate them. It's look like search engine would be able to distinct them anyway(just look on ads we have on this forums sometimes, those about lamps).

Whose website is that? It locked up my browser, and pretty much the computer, and commenced to spin my hard drive; the dang thing is spinning again.

I was fascinated by your reply and since I'm on Linux and system is prone to almost every Windows exploit I decide to check it myself
When I was trying to enter it, I've got warning from FF(for the first time actually, I never had luck to visit such sites with FF3 which have built-in alert feature):
http://safebrowsing.clients.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?client=Swiftweasel&hl=en-US&site=http://www.dot-dash-dot.com/

So guess it may be good idea to check your firewall settings and download fresh antivirus database...

[Andy]

My weight loss site breaks all the rules and is a .ws domain and has hyphens in the domain name but it does OK with traffic.

I do concentrate mostly on SEO though, I don't expect people to think my site is so great that they have to remember the domain name and tell their friends about it.

Now I try hard to avoid hyphens in the domain name though since I never see them in the Google search results. With enough attempts you can usually get a 3 word unhyphenated domain name I think. My latest name was very good I think: www.digitaltvadvisor.co.uk but this is regionally specific but was exactly what I needed since I am marketing UK digital TV products.

[Manu]

No problem for me. Actually, I didn't expect there to be a site there.

I think you need a new computer.

Quite impressive whois - dot-dash-dot.com


      Santa Claus         santa@dot-dash-dot.com
      Xmas Inc.
      1 North Pole Lane
      North Pole, AK 00001
      US
      +1.5551112222

[Andy]

I want a new 2 word dot com for Xmas or Santa will be roasted in the fire.

Since when was the North Pole in the US, oh it is probably re-created in Vegas?

[Menard]

Of course its false whois info

You mean...

...Santa's not real?