Hi,

I understand how key words / key phrases work, but I'm wondering how search engines parse domain names?

After all they are usually all run together-
e.g.- opportunityisnowhere.com
Could be either-
opportunity-is-now-here.com
or
opportunity-is-nowhere.com

Depending on whether the SE was a glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty kind of algorithm.

Also, does it matter if the most important keyword comes first in the domain name?

Thanks,
Ken

Your best bet is to try to find a specific keyword that people will be using to target your website - it actually makes a difference for SEO.

In the above case, I'd definately o with the top choice, because the bottom one says that opportunity is "nowhere" as in "non existent".

Of course, if you were using that domain to advertise a crappy product like the Ultimate Wealth Package, the bottom choice would fit...or you could use the following domain:

"opportunity-is-NOT-here.com"

not using those, just have always liked that phrase-
used long ago by a non-internet marketer

the point being that if you come up to a person and give him a piece of paper with- "opportunityisnowhere" wriiten just like that (no spaces),
and ask them to say it out-loud without thinking about it,
well the overwhelmig majority will say-
"opportunity is nowhere" without missing a beat

my real questionwas a 2-part-er -
1) how do search engines parse words that are strung together?
thats why I used that example-
it can be read at least 2 ways
2) would it matter where in the domain name (beginning, middle or end) that the most important keyword was located?

regards