Hyphens in Domain Names

Depending on whom you ask, hyphens in domain names are either a really good idea, or a really bad one. There are pros and cons to the use of dashes in your domain name, and they are worth considering before you register your domain.

Benefits
- Hyphens can really clarify a domain name that has more than one word in it. Famous and amusing instances abound, but, for example, experts-exchange.com looks a lot more interesting when written as expertsexchange.com (a real life example – the hyphenated version was implemented in place of the original a couple of years ago). Even if hilarious ambiguity is not a problem, look at the difference between thisdomainnameishardtoread.com and this-domain-name-is-easy-to-read.com – hyphens can make a huge difference to the ease of reading a domain, and this is especially important if you want to put your domain name on offline marketing materials such as stationery or billboards.

- If the Domain Names you really want is taken, you can always opt for the hyphenated version. This gives you more potential for finding a domain, particularly if your site is one of many in a competitive industry. Domain names with generic terms in them are hard to come by, and considering hyphenated versions can double your options.

- Hyphens are "read" as a space by search engines, so if you separate the keywords in your domain name with hyphens, the search engines will be able to read them more easily and your page could rank a little higher on relevance.

Difficulties
- Hyphens make dictating the name of your website rather confusing. Imagine spelling out my-hyphenated-website.com on the telephone: there's likely to be a lot of confusion when you say "hyphen" or "dash".

- Your potential visitors could quite easily forget that your domain name is hyphenated, and if you chose your domain name because someone already had the unhyphenated version, that means they're getting your hard-earned traffic – especially frustrating if they're your competitor!

- Hyphens make domain names longer, and the longer your domain name is, the more likely it is that your potential visitors will make some sort of error when they're typing your name. Generally speaking, shorter is better when it comes to domain names.

- Hyphenated domain names can look cheap and cumbersome. "Couldn't they afford a proper name?"

Other Considerations
- If you are going to register a domain name that could be hyphenated (or a hyphenated domain name that could be unhyphenated), make sure you register the other version as well if you can. Not only will you grab any errant traffic from those who typed your domain name incorrectly, but you'll be protecting your brand from cybersquatters.

- Try not to let your domain name extend to more than about three words. Any longer, and it could look rather tacky. Be creative: if "local-plumber.com" is gone, you could try something like "leak-busters.com".

- If you are registering a hyphenated domain name, you might as well make the most of it and make it rich in keywords relevant to your site.

- Always try to keep your business name and your domain name the same. If you're an established business and your company name isn't very domain friendly (John Smith Inc., for example), you could pick a domain name that would make a good subheading or slogan for your site.

My Advice
Hyphenated domain names are best registered alongside their unhyphenated counterparts. I don't recommend registering the hyphenated version of someone else's domain; you may be risking cybersquatting or copyright infringement charges, as well as losing traffic. If you have an unhyphenated domain name that could be hyphenated, there's no reason not to register the hyphenated version to protect your brand, catch some more traffic, and boost your search engine rankings. But if the name you originally wanted has been taken, don't just register the hyphenated version; think of something different and register both versions yourself.