Dash vs Underline

Licker4U · 2006-09-16, 11:18 AM

I know this has been talked about in another post but I can't find it. For sites with more than one word, which is better to seperater the words, a dash - or an underline _?

serch85 · 2006-09-16, 11:26 AM

i heard that google reads a dash (-) like a space, so it's better to use a dash.

DJilla · 2006-09-16, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serch85

i heard that google reads a dash (-) like a space, so it's better to use a dash.

TRUE!

Licker4U · 2006-09-16, 12:35 PM

Well crap, the last 10 sites I built I used underlines

carol.prime · 2006-09-16, 02:32 PM

Underline is not intended to separate words

virgohippy · 2006-09-18, 03:09 AM

Underscores work better when you're sending URL's through email. Sometimes a url with dashes gets cut off:

> domain.com/this-url-with-dashes
> no-longer-works/index.html

Also, consider this:

domain.com/series-of-words-using-dashes-reads-choppy/index.html

vs.

domain.com/series_of_words_using_underscore_reads_easier/index.html

When it comes to SEO, url structure seems to have such a small impact compared to so many other things I wouldn't worry about it.

However, if someone uses the url string as the anchor text, dashes are more SEO friendly:

domain.com/each-word-is-read-seperately/index.html
domain.com/all_one_word/index.html

ecchi · 2006-09-21, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by virgohippy

Underscores work better when you're sending URL's through email. Sometimes a url with dashes gets cut off:

I used to think this a good idea, but I send a lot of download URLs for eBooks I sell, and since URLs in emails get underlined an underscore disappears in the line. This is fine if the recipient just click on it, but too many copy (by retyping not 'copy and paste') the URL, and put a space instead of _ . They then email me and tell me that the download URL does not work and I have to waste time explaining why.

Halfdeck · 2006-09-21, 12:30 PM

Google engineers are geeks (surprise, surprise). They care about searches like "HTTP_EQUIV", "_SERVER", "DOCUMENT_ROOT."

cd34 · 2006-09-21, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halfdeck

Google engineers are geeks (surprise, surprise). They care about searches like "HTTP_EQUIV", "_SERVER", "DOCUMENT_ROOT."

but, they are python geeks, and wouldn't search for _SERVER.

Halfdeck · 2006-09-22, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cd34

but, they are python geeks, and wouldn't search for _SERVER.

Come on, someone over there's gotta like PHP...

Linkster · 2006-09-22, 08:17 AM

Lets put this to rest - here's exactly how Google looks at dashs vs underscores - written by their rep:

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

Note that they treat word1_word2 differently than word1-word2

in order for a search to show for the first example the searcher would have to type in the whole phrase wheras the second example Google treats as two separate words

2006-09-16, 11:18 AM	#1
Licker4U Mean people suck, nice people swallow, are you mean or nice? Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Lower Alabama-The Redneck Riviera Posts: 2,377	Dash vs Underline I know this has been talked about in another post but I can't find it. For sites with more than one word, which is better to seperater the words, a dash - or an underline _?

2006-09-16, 02:32 PM	#5
carol.prime Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 211	Underline is not intended to separate words __________________ Prime Outsourcing icq. 309570461

2006-09-18, 03:09 AM	#6
virgohippy Madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little... push. Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: California Posts: 1,679	Underscores work better when you're sending URL's through email. Sometimes a url with dashes gets cut off: > domain.com/this-url-with-dashes > no-longer-works/index.html Also, consider this: domain.com/series-of-words-using-dashes-reads-choppy/index.html vs. domain.com/series_of_words_using_underscore_reads_easier/index.html When it comes to SEO, url structure seems to have such a small impact compared to so many other things I wouldn't worry about it. However, if someone uses the url string as the anchor text, dashes are more SEO friendly: domain.com/each-word-is-read-seperately/index.html domain.com/all_one_word/index.html __________________ ~Warm and Fuzzy.

2006-09-21, 12:30 PM	#8
Halfdeck You can now put whatever you want in this space :) Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New Haven, CT Posts: 985	Google engineers are geeks (surprise, surprise). They care about searches like "HTTP_EQUIV", "_SERVER", "DOCUMENT_ROOT." __________________ Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.

2006-09-22, 08:17 AM	#11
Linkster NO! Im not a female - but being a dragon, I do eat them. Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Sex Delta Posts: 5,084	Lets put this to rest - here's exactly how Google looks at dashs vs underscores - written by their rep: http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/dashes-vs-underscores/ Note that they treat word1_word2 differently than word1-word2 in order for a search to show for the first example the searcher would have to type in the whole phrase wheras the second example Google treats as two separate words __________________ Pussy Chompers Porn Links NSCash

2006-09-16, 11:26 AM	#2
serch85 Banned Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 7	i heard that google reads a dash (-) like a space, so it's better to use a dash.

2006-09-16, 12:35 PM	#4
Licker4U Mean people suck, nice people swallow, are you mean or nice? Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Lower Alabama-The Redneck Riviera Posts: 2,377	Well crap, the last 10 sites I built I used underlines