Multiple domains - multiple sites

rastabloke · 06-08-2009, 08:22 AM

I'm starting a site on a five related niches, and I had an idea on an alternate site structure that might be advantageous in the long run.

The norm:

audi.cars.com
chevy.cars.com
ford.cars.com

My idea:

audicars.com
chevycars.com
fordcars.com

Have a separate homepage for each sub niche, but link to the other sites with the main navigation. This produces the feel of a regular website, but offers the opportunity for each domain to gain its own unique SE status within its niche. Each domain will have forums and reviews for products in the sub niche. After some decent traffic comes though the site, I should be able to make a little money from affiliates.

Pros:
easier to target a single sub-niche
one domain will drive a significant amount of traffic to the others.
Not putting all my eggs in one basket

Cons:
significantly less traffic to one domain
slower to realize potential rankings

Can anyone add to my little pros/cons list... I don't really know how the search engines would handle this scenario.

Thanks

Tyrus Antas · 06-08-2009, 08:36 AM

When you interlink between domains in such a way, Google already knows with a certain degree of accuracy that those are all your domains and they belong to the same company.

Now that doesn't mean your links would stop driving pagerank but it could happen.

I don't see the advantage in this unless you are willing to invest in heavy branding each of these sites but you said you want to cross-brand the domains. I sincerely don't see the point other than potentially provide a more user friendly URL for each of the car makers.

Generally it's easier to optimize for one domain than multiple domains. I'd go with one domain and directories.

Tyrus

rastabloke · 06-08-2009, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrus Antas

When you interlink between domains in such a way, Google already knows with a certain degree of accuracy that those are all your domains and they belong to the same company.

Now that doesn't mean your links would stop driving pagerank but it could happen.

I don't see the advantage in this unless you are willing to invest in heavy branding each of these sites but you said you want to cross-brand the domains. I sincerely don't see the point other than potentially provide a more user friendly URL for each of the car makers.

Generally it's easier to optimize for one domain than multiple domains. I'd go with one domain and directories.

Tyrus

There are a few reasons I would do this... treating these as separate sites will generate more income in the long run

Each of the sub-niches are their own entity. Like:

footballplayers.com
baseballplayers.com
soccerplayers.com

I do understand where your coming from... the links between the domains would not help in search rankings. I would only expect one domain to drive traffic to the other simply because people who like football may like baseball too.

I guess my question is, would google index these sites separately.

Thanks

digitalproductreporter · 06-08-2009, 09:09 AM

your idea sounds like a blognetwork, different topic domains interlinked on each and ever site, nothing new

I would only do this if it was a long term strategy and I was going to work real hard on it, otherwise it's easier to put effort/backlinks/content into just one site

rastabloke · 06-08-2009, 09:31 AM

Thanks for the input

This is a long term strategy... and I would promote as separate sites. Simply under the same brand name.

Each one of these sites will have much more than blogs.. there will be product reviews, videos, stories.. I plan to run raffles and give free dvd's for people who submit stories and videos to me. So ideally, the sites will be very content rich.

I just don't want to start on this until I am fairly certain how google will respond to the interlinking of these sites within the main navigation.

dvduval · 06-08-2009, 09:45 AM

This is a tricky question, because having more domains can actually lead to overall weakness with no one site that is really powerful. On the other hand, the domains can help with keyword reach. Personally, I have moved away from multiples, and focus on my main sites.

rastabloke · 06-08-2009, 10:45 AM

Because these sites will have very similar site structure, I would be worried about dup-content penalties. Especially if they are all linked together.

So I thought I might link them with a flash header.. or some other simple way to keep search engines from seeing the links.

I also just realized that I didn't label this thread correctly.

correction: Multiple domains - multiple sites - single brand

06-08-2009, 08:22 AM	#1
rastabloke Warrior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Multiple domains - multiple sites - single brand I'm starting a site on a five related niches, and I had an idea on an alternate site structure that might be advantageous in the long run. The norm: audi.cars.com chevy.cars.com ford.cars.com My idea: audicars.com chevycars.com fordcars.com Have a separate homepage for each sub niche, but link to the other sites with the main navigation. This produces the feel of a regular website, but offers the opportunity for each domain to gain its own unique SE status within its niche. Each domain will have forums and reviews for products in the sub niche. After some decent traffic comes though the site, I should be able to make a little money from affiliates. Pros: easier to target a single sub-niche one domain will drive a significant amount of traffic to the others. Not putting all my eggs in one basket Cons: significantly less traffic to one domain slower to realize potential rankings Can anyone add to my little pros/cons list... I don't really know how the search engines would handle this scenario. Thanks

06-08-2009, 08:36 AM	#2
Tyrus Antas Advanced Warrior Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 931 Thanks: 36 Thanked 102 Times in 91 Posts	Re: multiple domains - single site? When you interlink between domains in such a way, Google already knows with a certain degree of accuracy that those are all your domains and they belong to the same company. Now that doesn't mean your links would stop driving pagerank but it could happen. I don't see the advantage in this unless you are willing to invest in heavy branding each of these sites but you said you want to cross-brand the domains. I sincerely don't see the point other than potentially provide a more user friendly URL for each of the car makers. Generally it's easier to optimize for one domain than multiple domains. I'd go with one domain and directories. Tyrus
	yes -no

06-08-2009, 09:09 AM	#4
digitalproductreporter Advanced Warrior War Room Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 663 Thanks: 41 Thanked 104 Times in 67 Posts Social Networking	Re: multiple domains - single site? your idea sounds like a blognetwork, different topic domains interlinked on each and ever site, nothing new I would only do this if it was a long term strategy and I was going to work real hard on it, otherwise it's easier to put effort/backlinks/content into just one site
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06-08-2009, 09:31 AM	#5
rastabloke Warrior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: multiple domains - single site? Thanks for the input This is a long term strategy... and I would promote as separate sites. Simply under the same brand name. Each one of these sites will have much more than blogs.. there will be product reviews, videos, stories.. I plan to run raffles and give free dvd's for people who submit stories and videos to me. So ideally, the sites will be very content rich. I just don't want to start on this until I am fairly certain how google will respond to the interlinking of these sites within the main navigation.

06-08-2009, 09:45 AM	#6
dvduval phpLD master War Room Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 2,970 Blog Entries: 3 Thanks: 44 Thanked 307 Times in 259 Posts Social Networking	Re: multiple domains - single site? This is a tricky question, because having more domains can actually lead to overall weakness with no one site that is really powerful. On the other hand, the domains can help with keyword reach. Personally, I have moved away from multiples, and focus on my main sites.
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06-08-2009, 10:45 AM	#7
rastabloke Warrior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: multiple domains - single site? Because these sites will have very similar site structure, I would be worried about dup-content penalties. Especially if they are all linked together. So I thought I might link them with a flash header.. or some other simple way to keep search engines from seeing the links. I also just realized that I didn't label this thread correctly. correction: Multiple domains - multiple sites - single brand