Now Dashes = Underscored in Google

[rustybrick]

Via http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9748779-7.html

One key development that Matt shared with the audience was that underscores in URLs are now (or at least very soon to be) treated as word separators by Google. That's great news, because it historically hasn't been that way. Back in 2005, Matt stated that Google did not view underscores in URLs as word separators. That meant that in a URL like http://www.mysite.com/iphone_review.html Googlebot couldn't "see" the words iphone or review. Instead it read iphone_review as one word.

That is pretty key...

[gabs]

Interesting ...

I hate _ lol...

[ToolInventor]

good stuff to know.

But is it correct to say that it keywords are separated with dash '-' it's ok for Google. I mean something like domain.com/keyword-keyword Will it be reading keyword-keyword like one word?

[rustybrick]

Google will read it as two words.

[gabs]

I did a test a few year back with linking to a page with just a -
Google didn't follow the link so will it now ?

I guess not..

[ToolInventor]

Google will read it as two words.

So, we can summarize that now underscoring and dash are to be official (key)word separators with Google.

Thanks. SE roundtable is pretty fast at giving answers.

[gabs]

Thanks. SE roundtable is pretty fast at giving answers.

LOL

We try heheheheheehe

[oasic]

I thought it was always so. At least it is now...

[ToolInventor]

I heard about this community a lot. And the most funny thing is that - being a member of many other SEO and IM forums - I only recently joined SE Roundtable.

But enough flattery, back to business

[nanie]

i know a little