Stumped on Spelling "web site"

[KeyWord]

Help is very much appreciated!

I'm optimizing my site for "freelance web site designer". The work has been done, now I'm awaiting Google Dancing.

The concern here is, should I use "web site" or "website"?

What I noticed:
[list=1]
When searching Google for the term "web site designer", Google shows listings and also says "Did you mean: website designer". I suspect when people search in google, that they may click the suggested spelling.
When searching for the suggested spelling, Google provides results, no suggested spelling.
When searching Google for "freelance web site designer" (with a space), Google makes no spelling recommendations.
Yahoo does the same thing as Google
When using Overture's Search Term tool, both "web site" and "website" result in suggested search terms "web site" (with a space)
Word Tracker gives me a count of 3525 for "website"
Word Tracker gives me a count of 1849 for "web site"
Word Tracker for "freelance website design" is "no results"
[/list=1]

If I optimize for "freelance website design" then I am in the running for getting found for:
freelance web design
freelance website design
freelance web site design
(all words can be found in optimized phrase)

If I optimize for "freelance web site design" then I am in the running for:
freelance web design
freelance web site design
(freelance website design is not likely to be found in the phrase)

Inferences
I should optimize for "freelance website design" since "website" is the preferred spelling by search engines Google, Yahoo (but not Overture)

AND

I should optimize for "freelance website design" since website design brings more traffic.

NOTE: This analysis is assuming little competition for the key words above.

-----

Let's say I have more than one page that is related to "freelance web site design". Should I optimize for each one separately? (let's say I wanted good Google rankings?)

Am I spending too much time thinking about this? What sorta of rule or attitude should I take when considering this kind of dilemma.

I'm feeling like I should target "freelance website designer".

As you can see, I need some advice. ... feel free to chime in on any aspect ... thanks!

Kenn

[scottiecl]

Hey Kenn-

With spellings like that, try optimizing one page for web site and another for website. Don't mix them on the same page because it looks like you don't know any better. :)

[Webmaster T]

Good point scottie! One other caveat this may be an exercise in futility. I believe that "website" and "web" "site" may be stop words meaning they aren't used in a query "unless" they are in quotes.

[scottiecl]

Really? Have you tested that? Very interesting...:confused:

[Webmaster T]

Originally posted by scottiecl
Really? Have you tested that? Very interesting...:confused: No, but if you only use "reputable" sources for information then everything doesn't have to be tested. I found that while working on scripting an app. I wanted to know common "stop words" so I didn't have to spend my time writing my own list. Internet, and all those mentioned were in it. Think of how many docs on the web have those words in them. Stop words are used to filter irrelevent docs. That's why you have to quote them to be sure they are included in the query. That removes the filter.

[Webmaster T]

By the way the source was a search engine that emulated alta vista so I looked in the script for the filter.;)

[scottiecl]

Originally posted by Webmaster T
No, but if you only use "reputable" sources for information then everything doesn't have to be tested. Hey Terry- wasn't questioning your findings, just curious! ;)

Thanks for the info- that really is interesting.

[Bernard]

Originally posted by KeyWord
I should optimize for "freelance website design" since website design brings more traffic.

If I were looking for website design services, it would never occur to me to look for "freelance" website design.

[ihelpyou]

Both are used by the algo and you get different results with each. Put together or separated by a space and the word 'web' is not a stop word that I know of.

[Webmaster T]

Oops then I stand corrected website is also included. I searched just website and google returned results. Maybe I'm just not remembering correctly and the app was screwy too so....... hmm maybe the source wasn't as reputable as I thought. I'm very sorry about this people I need to go to the corner and stand there facing it for ten minutes to think about what I did;)

Thanks Doug, I hate when that happens;)

[scottiecl]

LOL! :lol: You are in timeout, mister.

[KeyWord]

it would never occur to me to look for "freelance" website design

I'm suspecting:

A. Someone searches for web design and finds info about web design learning, tips, etc. So they refine: website desgner (may be tough for me, being new and all)

B. They look for a website designer but feel the costs are a bit high. They wonder ... or have heard about freelancers. Company buyers may already be familiar with outsourcing solutions such as freelancers. (highly qualified good traffic)

C. A freelance writer looking to build a site would already be familiar with the term freelance ... hence freelance website designer.(decent traffic)

D. Someone wants to start a freelance web site design business ... (not good traffic)

There isn't a mountain of traffic there, but I believe it to be enough and low competition.

Here begins the learning curve!

[Bernard]

Well good luck with it! :cheers:

[Hardeep]

Now that we are on the topic.....If I search for "web site" (without the quotes) on Google, it suggests me to search for "website" (without the quotes).

Does this mean that Google prefers "website" as compared to "web site"? (Same for Yahoo!)

Just Curious.

[KeyWord]

I believe that to be the case.

But interestingly, try typing in freelance web site designer and there is no spelling suggestion.

[Webmaster T]

Originally posted by Hardeep
Now that we are on the topic.....If I search for "web site" (without the quotes) on Google, it suggests me to search for "website" (without the quotes).

Does this mean that Google prefers "website" as compared to "web site"? (Same for Yahoo!)

Just Curious.Heay that puts another light on it! Thank you! That tells me G has identified what it sees as a "spelling or input error" and is suggesting a correction. Could it be be that my error was that I remembered the stop word incorrectly by separating them. It is the phrase. Or Av's algo was different?

AV is an older algo and as I remeber for quite some time there was a debate as to which is best to use. Perhaps G sees the more widely used term prently as "website" rather than "web site" and is suggesting a term that will be in more documents. That would be a refinement of the algorithm.

opinions?

[Hardeep]

Here is my observation...

If you put a word before "web site" in your search term (e.g: freelance web site service), it is not considered a spelling mistake, but if your search term starts with "web site" (e.g: web site tools) then G will suggest you the "website" spelling.

So I guess it all depends on what search terms (or phrase rather) you want your URL to pop up and use "website" or "web site" in your web page accordingly. (Back to the basics ;))

[Webmaster T]

Originally posted by Hardeep
So I guess it all depends on what search terms (or phrase rather) you want your URL to pop up and use "website" or "web site" in your web page accordingly. (Back to the basics ;)) [/B]Good point! I might add you could refine that though by "knowing" your users, power or casual searchers.Quotations will give "exact" matches and older users may be more inclined to use the older term. ;)

IMHO, Knowing your target audience is important in "keyword marketing" for either Seo or PPC.