Dashes-dont-get-the-respect-they-deserve

[lordbyroniv]

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[Nova]

So then, you'd contend that dashes can be rather dashing, and shouldn't always dash your hopes. Home-loan.com is certainly a fine example.

[lordbyroniv]

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[Nova]

Originally Posted by lordbyroniv

the non-dash version

LOL

[acronym007]

The problem, in theory, is that you lose traffic to the non-dashed(used intentionally) version of domain name. Another words, seepage, you lose traffic due to the confusion. I agree though, anyone, anywhere can be taught or led to any domain name if the content is there. It's like learning any other placeholder, it has to be worth the trip.

Dashed domains do have their place, put up great content and watch the non-dashed version lose traffic.

[Nova]

So then, don't love the dash, or your traffic may crash.

[BILLBO]

It is all to do with domainer perception of value.

We already have a hierarchy of suffixes with values corresponding, running:

.com................100%
.net.................5% - 20%
.info/.org..........2% - 7.5%
.info/.org..........1% - 5%
.biz..................<1%

Now there is the hyphenated names, these seem to reduce a domains value to between 1% - 5% of the non-hyphenated.

So if we take a 2 word domain valued at $10,000 in the unhyphenated .com form the approx. hyphenated form would be expected to be worth circa these figures:

.com............$10,000 (unhyphenated)
.com................$500 (hyphenated)
.net..............$2,000 (unhyphenated)
.net................$100 (hyphenated)
.info................$750 (unhyphenated)
.info..................$37 (hyphenated)
.org.................$500 (unhyphenated)
.org...................$25 (hyphenated)
.biz..................$100 (unhyphenated)
.biz.....................$5 (hyphenated)

The above figures are extremely approximate, just given as an example of the current market, or rather domaining aftermarket. But comments above show that end-use development is the key, and if a good site is established using whichever suffix is used and hyphenated or not the value will increase exponentially.

I have a few US pure city domains .net's with a hyphen and I have not even managed to attract bids of $10 on them! So 'lordbyroniv' I have to totally agree with you.

Having had a little moan I do expect the situation to change though in the comming years and hyphenated names will be much more readily accepted and thus their values to increase.

[lordbyroniv]

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[all4cost]

I think they are fine for SEO purposes , But when it comes to Branding .... Nah


- 1) Traffic can possibly bleed off to the non-hyphenated versions as stated already.
- 2) Try to imagine advertising a hyphenated domain/website on a Radio station or even on TV ... On the radio you'll end up with an announcer saying "Something Dash Something .com" -or- They'll leave it out altogether .... - On the TV , potential visitors only have a few moments to let the domain sink in, And may forget the hyphens when they try and visit it later.

They're fine for SEO/Traffic , But a possible disaster for serious Development or Branding.

[lordbyroniv]

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[south]

Not mine, but noticed this this morning :http://www.sedo.com/auction/auction_...ed=&partnerid=

[draggar]

I'd say hyphenated domains are not overlooked.

I went though several dozen combinations yesterday for popular keyword combinations (digital-camera, photo-scanner etc..) and all .com

The vast majority were developed sites, even if it was referrals / affiliate links it shows that people take the time to put into these, only one or two were obviously parked and none were owned (well, in an obvious way) by a large company. I'm sure HP and Kodak would love digital-cameras.com

[Credit]

Agreed.

[lordbyroniv]

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[south]

Originally Posted by lordbyroniv

$8,700 and climbing

So obvious, dashes are undervalued

I spot trends BEFORE they are trends

No dude.. that is EUROS!

[DomainsInc]

Dashes have no type in traffic.

[KaneCo]

Originally Posted by DomainsInc

Dashes have no type in traffic.

I used to think that until my dash domains got type in traffic!

[PRED]

Originally Posted by south

Not mine, but noticed this this morning :http://www.sedo.com/auction/auction_...ed=&partnerid=

rofl

surely that is some kind of joke????
even on a .com thats worthless but on a .net?

[Commerce]

Originally Posted by all4cost

I think they are fine for SEO purposes , But when it comes to Branding .... Nah

Hmm, Harley-Davidson might disagree with you (of course, they also hold the non-dash version, but it redirects to their dash version).

Of course, the folks who hold TransAmerica.Com also hold Trans-America.com and while the core Trans-America.com name itself does not resolve as I write this (they should fire the IT DNS admin for that right now - they have more money than good Internet sense) the www.trans-america.com does.

I'm investigating branding my L-L.Com class name to a dashed name that I picked up from Acroplex's fine 1995 domain list. I might get the non-dashed version, but frankly, I'm going to be branding with the dash name but use the short version as the primary entry point (after all, three characters are far easier to type), so people will more naturally get used to the dash should they decide to type the longer dash promoted travel alternative brand. In this case, I think the dashed plural is a more imporant issue than the dash itself.

-Commerce
Must dash

[cursal]

Originally Posted by south

Not mine, but noticed this this morning :http://www.sedo.com/auction/auction_...ed=&partnerid=

something sure doesn't look right about that one...

or someone is smokin' somethin' potent.