"website" vs "web site"

[pdstein]

I find it really iritating that seach engines do not seem to recognize that the terms "website" and "web site" are the same thing. If you search for any phrase with "website" in it and then with "web site" in it you get completely different results. And yet you can't optimize for both because it would look unprofessional to write copy with both forms.

So, what can a person do in this situation?

Should I just optimize for what I think is the most common usage and be happy if I can get the page to rank well for it?

Or would it be legitimate to put something like a small "Relevant keywords:" section at the bottom of the page that would have include alternate phrasing.

Is there another solution?

This is also relevant to the broader issue of optimizing for synomyms or different verb conjugations.

[jawn_tech]

Or would it be legitimate to put something like a small "Relevant keywords:"

Hi pdstein.

I wouldn't go that route as it would have little effect in SEO for a competetive phrase like 'website' or 'web site'.

A suggestion would be to check and see which search phrase is more popular, scope out the competition, then decide which one has better chances for a niche. Have you tried this tool? http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/

[pdstein]

Originally Posted by jawn_tech

I wouldn't go that route as it would have little effect in SEO for a competetive phrase like 'website' or 'web site'.

Thanks for your reply and I appreciate your advice.

Just to clarify I am not optimizing for "website" or "web site" but for a multiword phrase that contains that word. I'm just trying to understand if it's possible to optimize for both forms of the term and if so what's the best way to do that.

[jawn_tech]

Ah, thanks for clarifying. I see what you mean.

I could see it still being done with different landing pages (different content), where each phrase was used in the title / description / body for each. If it's only a space we're talking about, I can't imagine anyone would notice the inconsistency if they were on separate pages.

:)

Web searches containing "web site" done in October 2004:

http://inventory.overture.com/d/sear...ry/suggestion/

Count Search Term
394743 web site
395912 christian web site
305712 dating web site
288200 web site design
262820 internet web site
92299 submit web site
77038 web site promotion
76258 web site creation
74354 affordable web site host
49093 make your own web site
46980 e commerce web site
46209 financial web site
45647 build e commerce web site
45272 build ecommerce web site
45194 submitting web site
44399 custom web site design
44350 ecommerce web site design
43199 family web site
39505 build a web site
39108 web site design company
32675 web site template
31931 web site design chicago
28239 web site designer
28171 manchester evening news web site
28059 web site development
25843 web site marketing
24256 islamic web site
23782 web site traffic
21023 advertising affiliate program site web
20717 kid web site
19977 google web site
18759 wedding web site
18120 web site optimization
16664 free web site template
15695 web site ranking
15131 funny web site
15104 web site listing
14087 web site builder
13700 personal web site
12973 teacher web site
12578 hosting web site hosting safelist hosting web hosting
12574 game web site
12219 government web site
11911 web site submission
11532 best web site
11444 make your own web site for free
11120 automotive dealer web site
11015 create a free web site
10860 make a free web site
10282 web site background
9898 adult web site
9599 music web site
9570 cool web site
8747 increase web site traffic
8688 medical web site
8562 john kerry web site
8349 real estate web site
8297 halloween web site
7869 web site promotion services
7633 internet web site hosting
7460 web site maintenance
7436 free web site builder
7392 business web site
7200 create your own web site
7155 msn web site
6927 t mobile web site
6899 build a free web site
6825 search engine optimization web site
6756 flash web site
6665 web site advertising
6605 web site design services
6363 web cam site
6284 scary web site
5876 turnkey web site
5872 free web cam site
5776 educational web site
5764 company web site hosting
5722 fort lauderdale web site for realtor
5718 web site positioning
5701 professional web site design
5675 toy r us web site
5665 social security web site
5631 child web site
5548 free web site design
5529 job web site
5406 affordable web site design
5399 teen web site
5082 ecommerce web site development
5080 internet web site design
5076 ecommerce web site
5068 math web site
5020 gay web site
5010 web site software
4957 oprah winfrey web site
4922 web site search engine positioning
4896 school web site
4851 seo web site
4839 baby web site
4771 web site tool
4691 gay dating web site

[greeneagle]

All you really need to do to determine a correct spelling is search for both and compare number of returns:

Website returns 476 million
Web Site returns 41 million

Using both spellings can't hurt, unless you dilute both.

Ken

[sudhani]

[quote="pdsteinJust to clarify I am not optimizing for "website" or "web site" but for a multiword phrase that contains that word. I'm just trying to understand if it's possible to optimize for both forms of the term and if so what's the best way to do that.[/quote]

You definitely can optimize the page for 2 key phrases.

Suppose you are targeting "Christian Website" You can optimize the page for both Christian Website as well as christian web site.

for a quick example, you write the title as
Christian Website : Web Site for True Christians

something similarly you can use both words closer to the second word so that you rank decently for both keywords.

Another after thought: website could turn out to be a stop word sooner or later.

[pdstein]

Originally Posted by greeneagle

All you really need to do to determine a correct spelling is search for both and compare number of returns:

Website returns 476 million
Web Site returns 41 million

Good idea... but that's according to Google. According to Yahoo it's 876M to 317M in favor of web site. According to MSN beta it's 337M to 189M in favor of website.

Using both spellings can't hurt, unless you dilute both.

How could I avoid diluting both? Every place in the copy where the term is to be used is a choice between the two. Every IBL is a choice between the two.

[Mac 5]

You could you both spellings as sudhani suggested, "Christian Website : Web Site for True Christians." On interior pages you could have one page for each term. Regardless you may want to explore other options.

I would concentrate on other keywords. When searching on an engine would you necessarily use "website" as a keyword anyway? Except for website design, etc. most people wouldn't use that as a search term. Isn't it a little repetitive, of course you're a website, that sums up ALL internet webpages. How about concentrating on a list of words that aren't as competitive and more realistic on what people would be searching for.

[pdstein]

Originally Posted by Mac 5

I would concentrate on other keywords. When searching on an engine would you necessarily use "website" as a keyword anyway? Except for website design, etc. most people wouldn't use that as a search term.

We do website (or is it web site ;) design and hosting.

[rlrouse]

I use both "website" and "web site" on the same page and then create separate pages optimized for each. More pages is always a good thing as long as the content is unique.