Hello

Please I'd like to ask about adding or including the dash (-) to the domain name, is it ok or it is not?

I did not found the complete name available so I thought to include the (-).

The name I'd like to use is: ElElm => This is an Arabic word means (science, knowledge, learning, scholarship, cognizance, standard, bunting, bar ...etc).

The word is into two parts which are: 1)El=> This is equal to THE in English. 2)Elm=> This is equal to (science, knowledge, learning, scholarship, cognizance, standard, bunting, bar ...etc).

So the domain name www.ElElm.com is not available, so I thought to use the dash (-), www.El-Elm.com.

So was it a good choice or it is wrong to include the dash (-)?

Thanks a lot,
Mohamed

I think there is no problem at all in using a dash if it's your intention in developing your domain. It doesn't harm seo efforts at all. If it's your intention to make money by reselling the domain name, then I wouldn't do it.

Also, I wouldn't ever post the domain you intend to register in case somebody registers it before you.

I think there is no problem at all in using a dash if it's your intention in developing your domain. It doesn't harm seo efforts at all. If it's your intention to make money by reselling the domain name, then I wouldn't do it.
No, I will not sell it at all and I will use it for my own business only.
Also, I wouldn't ever post the domain you intend to register in case somebody registers it before you.I've already bought it, domain www.el-elm.com is mine.

So the domain name www.ElElm.com is not available, so I thought to use the dash (-), www.El-Elm.com.

So was it a good choice or it is wrong to include the dash (-)?


No, not a good choice, 90% of your potential visitors from typing the url wont remember to put the dash, or will put el-elm into their serach bar and get sent to the wrong site.

Dashed domains are ok for SEO and as temporary/campaign domains, but only in conjunction with the "undashed" version.

No, not a good choice, 90% of your potential visitors from typing the url wont remember to put the dash, or will put el-elm into their serach bar and get sent to the wrong site.

Dashed domains are ok for SEO and as temporary/campaign domains, but only in conjunction with the "undashed" version.

oh, really!?:confused: :rolleyes:

From a technical standpoint, a "-" is permissible, but not as the first or last character in any part of the name between dots.(labels)

So, -example.com or example-.com would not be permissible, but exa-mple.com would be ok. The same holds true when going further towards the left.

A underscore is not legal, although some admins use them, and get away with them.

From a technical standpoint, a "-" is permissible, but not as the first or last character in any part of the name between dots.(labels)

So, -example.com or example-.com would not be permissible, but exa-mple.com would be ok. The same holds true when going further towards the left.

A underscore is not legal, although some admins use them, and get away with them.
It is just the word ELM is a common word and you can say it like this:

alelm, elelm, al-elm, el-elm

But only few LTDs are free to register, and this is why I did so.

'-' are good for subpages within your website but are less ok with the prime domain name... harder to type in and some people don't even know where the '-' key is on the computer.

Are there options? If so go with something similar with no '-'. But the domain you want is short so it might be ok if there's nothing else out there.

People in Denmark or Germany actually like the '-' and there's been some very high sales of these domains in the big forums.

in case of seo this is the best option available for you, people not going to sites by entering its adresses but going from bookmarks and search engines...so you will not lose a lot of visitors promoting such domain name....

Good SEO is prime when choosing your domain! Don't be hasty either.

in case of seo this is the best option available for you, people not going to sites by entering its adresses but going from bookmarks and search engines...so you will not lose a lot of visitors promoting such domain name....
Thanks for the advise :)
Good SEO is prime when choosing your domain! Don't be hasty either.
I am afraid that I do not understand what you are pointing to?:confused:

never use a domain with dash

never use a domain with dash

May I ask and why not?

It is perfectly acceptable to use a dash. An underscore is okay too, but that is where you might have problems when someone types it in manually.

I too had the same problem as the OP, with someone sitting on my preferred domain and wanting a very high price. I went with the dash, and if you properly utilize your site (optimize it) it will make no difference in search engine result page placement. None.

Here's the word from Matt Cutts:

http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/dashes-vs-underscores/

if you properly utilize your site (optimize it) it will make no difference in search engine result page placement. None.

What kind of optimization you are talking about?

I am using Joomla CMS and phpBB forum.

It is perfectly acceptable to use a dash. An underscore is okay too

You cant have an underscore in a domain name


Here's the word from Matt Cutts:

Who is referring to file names, not domain names.

What kind of optimization you are talking about?

I am using Joomla CMS and phpBB forum.

The kind of optimization I'm talking about is optimizing your site for people and search engines. Commonly known as SEO. This means using pretty urls, proper use of keywords, good (X)html practices and all the white hat optimization that exists. Joomla and phpBB already have a good amount of it built in, as does WordPress.

You cant have an underscore in a domain name


Who is referring to file names, not domain names.

The inability to comprehend a simple post never ceases to amaze me. :eek: :rolleyes:

Yes you can have an underscore in a domain name. Perhaps you might want to read Matt Cutts' post a little better.

The inability to comprehend a simple post never ceases to amaze me. :eek: :rolleyes:


Blind acceptance of incorrect information provided by non-authoritive sources on any subject, combined with resolulutely refusing to consider an alternative view or correction over a misinterpretation, simply proves to me that most people are stupider than they look :rolleyes:


Yes you can have an underscore in a domain name. Perhaps you might want to read Matt Cutts' post a little better.

Please point out where in the article MC/G says you can have underscores in a domain, and provide for all of us an example domain name which contains an underscore ...