John Mueller from Google recently chimed in on a conversation about the impact of domain names on SEO. The dialogue, which took place on Mastodon, delved deep into the significance of keywords and hyphens in domain names.

John Mueller from Google recently chimed in on a conversation about the impact of domain names on SEO. The dialogue, which took place on Mastodon, delved deep into the significance of keywords and hyphens in domain names.

The primary question was whether having a hyphen in a domain name could affect SEO. As the conversation progressed, the focus shifted to the relevance of keywords within domains.

Addressing this topic, Mueller emphasized, “The importance of your domain name is often overstated in terms of SEO impact.” This assertion naturally sparked responses from the SEO community.

Mueller further elaborated:

“Regarding the age-old SEO query about using a dash in a domain name:

• It’s not a big deal.
• When selecting a domain, think long-term brand vision, not just accumulating keywords.
• Hyphens might have a slight edge over underscores in URLs, but don’t reconfigure your URLs solely for this. Steer clear of spaces, commas, and colons in URLs.
• The domain name you choose won’t significantly elevate or sink your SEO.”

One commentator argued that a keyword-centric domain can offer a slight advantage. They opined:

“While the domain might not drastically alter your SEO, a keyword-rich domain could align with popular search queries. A hyphenated domain with pertinent keywords is superior to a non-hyphenated one lacking keywords.”

The individual also highlighted the possible advantage of having specific keywords in domains when it comes to click-through rates from search results. For instance, a domain containing “health” or “med” could potentially fare better than one with unrelated terms.

Mueller responded, expressing skepticism:

“Does keyword focus in a domain truly yield benefits? Often, the perceived advantage is due to a combination of the keyword presence and other SEO tactics. It’s challenging to isolate the direct impact of keywords in the domain. While they can be catchy and reinforce branding, I doubt they grant a discernible SEO advantage.”

He further criticized the idea of allocating excessive emphasis on domain keywords, arguing that merely owning a domain isn’t a genuine indicator of content relevance.

Over two decades ago, domain keywords, title tags, and headings played pivotal roles in ranking. However, the advent of natural language processing, BERT, and similar technologies have transformed ranking paradigms.

A participant hinted at the elusive nature of Google’s algorithm, which behaves like a “black box.” The workings inside this ‘box’ remain a mystery. Hence, determining the precise elements influencing output can be challenging.

Another respondent suggested that as long as keywords in domains continue to be effective, their usage will persist, subtly urging Google to eliminate any perceived advantage.
John Mueller’s insights emphasize that while domain names can play a role in branding and user recall, their direct impact on SEO may be overestimated. The intricate nature of Google’s algorithm, combined with evolving ranking criteria, underscores the need for holistic, content-driven, and user-centric SEO strategies.