Page name length and '_' or '-' in page names

rjjj111 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 01:21 PM

i am redesigning my site and renaming all the pages.
i going to do something like.

thaudiobible.com/CD-Bible--King-James-Version.asp

1. is using a dash better than an underscore in the page names?
2. is there any problem with having upper and lower case letters in the page name as above? it does make it easier to read....

thanks.

**incrediblehelp** · #2 (**permalink**) 07-29-2006, 02:37 PM

Both are fine, it is up to you. I would use dashes.

dann · #3 (**permalink**) 07-29-2006, 05:36 PM

The only difference is Google sees a dash as a space and an underscore is not. Don't ask me where I got this information I think it was in Matt Cutt's blog but I could be wrong.
So some_stuff would be interpreted as somestuff and some-stuff would be some stuff.
I would not use a double dash as shown in your post.
I hope this is what you meant by your question.
Question 2 depends on your server. But if the SEs ignore the upper case (which has happened to me before) in your urls that could cause a big problem indexing, I would avoid it. Windows servers don't distinguish between the two but just about any other I am aware of will 404.
Dan

scanmonkey · #4 (**permalink**) 07-29-2006, 06:21 PM

I prefer dashes. I sugest leaving KingJames one word. More than three dashes is spammy.

thaudiobible.com/CD-Bible-KingJames-Version.asp

nipplecharms1 · #5 (**permalink**) 07-30-2006, 09:18 AM

Dashes where ever possible. Not only do the engines like it (to the best of my un-scientific knowledge) but as an end user, if I look at the address bar (some of us still do that) I can tell the page I am on. Not sure why that's important.

Plus, when I am looking at my site pages for updating, which is easier....

ctjrdrg.html

or

crystal-tattoo-jewelry-red-rings.html

Your call.

Michael

Webnauts · #6 (**permalink**) 07-30-2006, 11:48 PM

(-) and not (_)!

google junky · #7 (**permalink**) 07-31-2006, 04:12 AM

I never use underscores. Dashes are best.

It's easy to explain why. searching google do this
1. search for: my_web
2. search for: my-web

The underscore was included as part of the search whereas the dash wasn't.

**incrediblehelp** · #8 (**permalink**) 07-31-2006, 01:09 PM

My point is you will find successful SEO with both just fine. Anyone that says otherwise is full of bunk. As long as the URL is crawlable and has a limited number parameters/variables in it you will be fine. You don't even need the keyword in the page names anymore.

This discussion is like saying you need a your target keyword in your domain to have success. Sure it may help a fraction of a percent to have it, but in no way does it dictate SEO success.