subject: SEO techniques for domains and URLs [print this page] SEO techniques for domains and URLs SEO techniques for domains and URLs
Everyone pretty much knows that having keywords in your domain and URL is a good thing, but it is possible to go overboard or dilute the significance of having done this, and in this article we will discuss the proper techniques for creating a Google friendly URL.
When registering your domain, it can be tempting to stuff as many keywords into a domain as you can fit. This is not good practice. Domains should be kept short, no more than three words. You don't want a long, super-hyphenated domain like Http://www.keyword-keyword-filler-filler-keyword-filler-keyword.com Longer domains are not suitable and aside from looking ridiculous, can be counter-productive.
While registering a .com or .net domain is always preferable, the reason may surprise you. Google does not discriminate based on domain extension, but web surfers trust those particular domains more than the others, and it has been suggested that the reason for this is simply they have been around the longest and are hat the average surfer is more comfortable or familiar with.
If you can't get your domain on a .com, don't fret! And don't use a million words that will be hard to remember, and don't use funky spellings that will be hard for your clients to remember and could lead to them going to the competitions website, instead. Go ahead and go with another domain extension, just be sure that in addition to using keywords in your domain, you use the in your URL, as well.
When utilizing keywords in the URL, you have the option of hyphenating or creating a run-on word compiled of other words. Personally, I use hyphens. what we are looking for here is something structured like this: http://www.keyword-filler-keyword.com/keyword-filler.html There is debate over whether hyphens make your site rank better, and aside from liking the way they look, I go with this format because I believe it does have a positive impact on how spiders see your site. I have seen run-on urls that could be interpreted as more than just one word (though this is rare), and it's just my personal preference. By all means, do what feels good to you.
One last word on keyword rich URLs. Don't stuff or use a long six-word URL that is composed of nothing but keywords. This is a form of keyword stuffing, and is penalized by Search Engines. Sprinkle keywords into your domain and URL structure, but as is the rule with all matters keyword-related, KEEP IT NATURAL! Don't write for the machines, remember you have a human audience and they are the most important judges of how your website comes across or feels. Keep it natural sounding, using frequency of that which you would naturally speak.
