Google’s Test: Underscores vs. Hyphens in URLs

Introduction

When it comes to SEO best practices, even the smallest details matter — including how you structure your URLs. For years, there’s been debate among SEOs about whether underscores (_) or hyphens (-) are better for search engine optimization. Google itself has tested and clarified this issue multiple times, but confusion still lingers.

In this blog, we’ll break down Google’s stance on underscores vs. hyphens in URLs, why it matters for SEO, and the best practices you should follow in 2025.

1. Why URL Structure Matters for SEO

Your website’s URL is more than just an address — it’s a signal for both users and search engines. A clean, descriptive, and well-structured URL can:

• Improve click-through rates (CTR)

• Help search engines understand page context

• Enhance overall user experience

For example:

• Good URL: www.example.com/seo-tips-for-beginners

• Poor URL: www.example.com/seotipsforbeginners123

That’s where the hyphen vs. underscore debate comes into play.

2. Google’s Official Position

According to Google’s Search Central documentation and past statements by engineers like Matt Cutts and John Mueller:

• Hyphens (-) are treated as word separators.

  • Example: best-seo-tools = “best seo tools”

• Underscores (_) are treated as word joiners.

  • Example: best_seo_tools = “bestseotools” (a single word)

This means hyphens are more SEO-friendly, because they help Google and other search engines parse URLs into meaningful keywords.

3. Google’s Tests: Do Underscores Still Matter?

Over the years, Google has tested how underscores and hyphens affect indexing. While modern search engines have improved at understanding context, Google still recommends using hyphens as the default practice.

Why? Because:

• Hyphens improve readability for users

• Hyphens provide clear keyword separation

• Underscores can still cause ambiguity in certain cases

So while Google can interpret both, hyphens remain the safer, SEO-approved choice.

4. Best Practices for URL SEO in 2025

If you want your URLs to perform well in both search rankings and user experience, follow these guidelines:

Always use hyphens (-) instead of underscores (_)
Keep URLs short, descriptive, and keyword-rich

Avoid unnecessary words, numbers, or parameters
Use lowercase letters only
Don’t change old URLs unless absolutely necessary (redirect properly if you do)

5. Practical Example

• Hyphen URL: www.example.com/mens-suits-charcoal-grey

• Underscore URL: www.example.com/mens_suits_charcoal_grey

Both might rank, but the hyphen version is clearer for both users and Google — improving chances of higher CTR and better SEO performance.

Conclusion

Google’s tests confirm what SEOs have suspected all along: hyphens are better than underscores in URLs. While Google has become smarter at interpreting different formats, hyphens still provide the cleanest, most user-friendly, and SEO-friendly approach.

If you’re building a new site or optimizing an existing one, stick with hyphens for clarity and rankings. It’s a small detail that can make a big difference in your overall SEO success.

Tags: latest seo trends, search engines, SEO

In 2005, Google Maintains its Dominance

We are all familiar with Google’s dominance in the search engine landscape, holding approximately 80% of all organic searches. This makes it convenient for search engine optimization (SEO) specialists to primarily focus on optimizing for Google. However, changes are on the horizon, with Yahoo! transitioning to Inktomi results and potentially incorporating AltaVista results. MSN is also becoming a more significant player as Microsoft invests heavily in developing its own search engine.

The technology behind Ask Jeeves, is gaining attention, and FastSearch, which powers AllTheWeb and Lycos, is another contender. As these alternatives gain traction, Google’s market share is expected to decline. With Yahoo! shifting to new organic results, I anticipate Google’s market share to reduce significantly. MSN, Teoma, and FastSearch are likely to impact Google’s standing, with searchers becoming more aware of the available options.

Based on these considerations, my prediction for Google’s market share by Q1 of 2005 is around 30%, assuming AOL and Netscape continue to use Google. Yahoo! is expected to hold about 30%, MSN 25%, and the remaining share distributed among other search engines. These are personal predictions and opinions, not guaranteed outcomes. Comments and discussions are welcome.

Back in 2005, the internet was booming, search engines were battling for market share, and yet one company stood tall above the rest:  Google. With its clean interface, fast results, and innovative ranking algorithms, Google quickly became the world’s dominant search engine, leaving rivals like Yahoo, MSN, and AOL struggling to keep up.

1. Google’s Market Share in 2005

By 2005, Google had already established itself as the go-to search engine, capturing more than 50% of U.S. search traffic. Its competitors lagged far behind:

• Yahoo and MSN trailed in the teens

• AOL and Ask Jeeves barely made a dent

This dominance was the result of Google’s relentless focus on speed, relevance, and simplicity.

2. Why Google Maintained Its Lead

Several factors contributed to Google’s continued rise in 2005:

• Superior search algorithms: Google’s PageRank technology delivered more accurate results.

• Minimalist design: While rivals cluttered their homepages with ads, Google kept it clean.

• Innovation: Launches like Google Maps, Gmail (beta), and Google Earth made the ecosystem stickier.

• Global reach: Expanding to multiple languages cemented Google’s worldwide footprint.

3. Competitors Struggle to Catch Up

Despite massive budgets, Yahoo, MSN, and AOL couldn’t match Google’s user trust and brand strength. Their search engines lacked the same accuracy and speed, causing many users to switch to Google permanently.

4. The Legacy of 2005

Google’s dominance in 2005 set the stage for its future empire. Today, with products spanning from Android to AI-powered search assistants, it’s clear that Google’s early victory was a turning point in the digital age.

In 2005, Google didn’t just compete — it defined the future of search. By focusing on users first, Google secured a dominance that shaped the internet as we know it today.