Google On Hyphens In Domain Names

Disadvantages of using hyphenated domain names for SEO include:

• Untrustworthy Appearance: Hyphenated domains may appear less trustworthy to users, which can negatively impact conversion rates.

• Tacky Perception: Many consider hyphenated domain names to look tacky, which is not ideal for building trust and encouraging conversions.

• Limited Growth: Domains that are overly keyword-focused, including those with hyphens, can limit the site's ability to grow and expand into new topics.

In the past, affiliates used hyphens in domain names because Google was influenced by keywords in the domain, URL, and on the webpage for SEO purposes. Additionally, domains with keywords could lead to higher conversion rates as they prequalified site visitors.

John Mueller's main recommendation for choosing a domain name is to select something that is suitable for the long term and not to be overly keyword-focused. He advises making something truly awesome that people will ask for by name, and if that requires a hyphen, then it's acceptable. The goal is to avoid limiting what you do online with a domain name that is too narrow in focus.