Google consider dashes ("-") in the requests as synonyms of spaces (" "). However, I don't see any situation where anyone would type the keywords appearing in my blog's URLs using dashes ("-") or underscores ("_") where those should be considered as spaces.

As blogger, I choose either to type only relevant keywords (separated by underscores) in my URLs, either leave them empty, letting b2evolution using the title to build the URL. Moreover, I consider using underscores appears to be more readable for humans (isn't Google recommanding to optimize a site for humans and not for robots?)

I really don't see any difference between dashes and underscores for Google positioning...

(Dashes are used in main domains because underscores are not authorized there, are they?)

Finally, that might be a feature to choose the separator you want to (or to avoid using any separator; Google doesn't care about word separators in URLs while it does in a web page.)

Yope underscores are definitely more readable for humans.

My personal belief is that Google does use _ as a word separator in URLs while it does not in the text. But maybe this is just how I wish it works... You'd need some serious testing to be done in the URL (not in the text as everyone does).

Anyway, if someone wants to make the separator an option in b2evo, you're welcome to contribute.

Okay, btw, let me plant some google seeds here:

- http://fplanque.net/2005/bleekha_mokluh.html
- http://fplanque.net/2005/bleekha-mokluh.html

fplanque wrote:

Okay, btw, let me plant some google seeds here:

Apparently, Google knows the dashed entry only, as well as MSN Search does. However, Yahoo! appears to prefer the underscore URL, while it also knows the dashed one.

I'm still convinced dashes and underscores have both equal importance in URLs.