Would you choose a short domain name OR a descriptive domain?

[sun482]

I can't choose both

[Jake]

Supposed long names, over perhaps a dozen characters are a search ranking negative factor, though technically not a problem dashes in names seem to be a negative as well, supposedly when Google checks their junk site filters they count the dash names included.

The ideal name for a niche site would be an Exact Keyword Match name, I'm sure you have seen site names exactly matching what you have typed into a search engine come out on page 1. All the good names are taken, their value might be reduced by ranking revisions in the future.

Even including a popular search phrase in a descriptive name might help ranking for that particular term, the [exact] Local results in the Google Keyword Tool gives tou a faiir idea of the search volume for specific phrases. https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

The #1 search result may get about 34% of the number of monthly searches shown, #3 gets 1/2 that and #5 gets 1/4 the searches.

[squarehose986]

If you plan to get most traffic via search engines then use descriptive.
If you plan to get most traffic via word of mouth then use shorter, more memorable, and easy to spell domain name.

[Star]

say your website is all about "Pen" and you sell pen so your keyword is pen....now if your domain name is "BuyPen" then that's a keyword rich descriptive domain.....even "BuyPenOnline" is also a keyword rich descriptive name.....

now if your website is all about "Pen" and your domain name is "Romar" (a short pronounceable made-up word) then this is a brandable name....and google, bing, yahoo all are brandable domain names....

now if your website is all about "Pen" and your domain name is "Penolo" then this is know as keyword rich descriptive domain as it contains your keyword (Pen) at the same time it is a short, pronounceable made-up word.....

try http://www.namestall.com/ to create and find all this kind of domain names. they have a tool know as domain name generator which will create keyword rich domain names for you.....another tool is know as brandable domains where you will find thousands of short, catchy and pronounceable brandable domain names.....and finally try there brand name generator to create keyword rich descriptive domain names using your keyword.....

if you spend some time with namestall domain tools you will find some great short domain names for your website.....

hope that helps....good luck....