Which url should i use? Thanks!

[Kiwibananlime]

I have a question regarding how to use my url, we are a Swedish-based website which have the url, http://interimslösning.se/ (that contains the Swedish letter “ö”) so the url can also be written as http://xn--interimslsning-3pb.se/.

Which of the following url should I use for my backlinks, http://interimslösning.se/ or http://xn--interimslsning-3pb.se/ ? What is the difference between them regarding SEO? And is it good or bad to use letter like "ö" or other characters like that in your url?

I was thinking that maybe it is good to use the letter "ö" for local search optimization in sweden, but i don't know..

Thanks in advance!

Greetings,
Paul Linderoth

[CleverPhD]

That makes sense to me.

[Kiwibananlime]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for great answers!

I guess after reading your answers that it is best that i change my url from http://interimslösning.se/ to for example http://interimslosning.se/ and then 301 redirect http://interimslösning.se/  to the new url without the letter "ö"?

Then I eliminate using the letter "ö" and I dont need to use a non user-friendly url like http://xn--interimslsning-3pb.se/

/Paul

[CleverPhD]

Thanks for that point Russ, that is very relevant.   I would then say find a better URL than either of them. I am not sure that a URL with seemingly random combinations of dashes is much better than the URL with the “ö”.  It may make sense to get a new domain - unless the domain with all the dashes is well established.  My impression from the post is that it was not.

[rjonesx. 0]

This IS a question for Search Engine Optimization. Many web services out there will not properly handle UTF-8 characters and muck up the URL, causing it not to work at all and preventing users and Google from reaching your site via the link placed on another site. You might have already experienced this when trying to sign up with your email address while using the international characters codes. It is my recommendation that you link build with the version not including the “ö” and make sure your site has the correct canonical tag pointing to the version with the “ö”.

[CleverPhD]

This is really not a question on search optimization as it is on usability.  You need to consider how easy your URL will be for users to remember so if they need to type it in from memory or if they see it on an ad it is easy to remember.

Generally, the shorter the better - less for people to remember.  The second URL with the double dash plus a single dash is not very user friendly.   I would say the at the Swedish letter “ö” may be an issue for non Swedish customers who do not regularly use that letter, but if your audience does, then it should not be a problem and I would go with the http://interimslösning.se/

As far as localization, I have not seen anything on Google looking at the letters used in URL for location optimization.  Normally they gather that from the domain name extension, what language you use on your site, the where the hosting server is located and most importantly, what you set as the website location in Google Search Console.  The Search Console setting is the most important one for localization.

Most important, once you set your domain name, I would not use any other versions of it in anything that your publish.  Set all pages on the alternate domain to 301 redirect to the proper page on the primary domain just incase the other domain leaks out somewhere.

Cheers!