Mini-Niche Sites: Why Are People Really Being Banned?

25 replies
  • SEO
  • |
I have to be honest.
I am getting really confused about Mini-Niche Websites.
So what's going on? TRULY. What?

Let me tell you what I think:
  • People are creating junk content... Example: 4 Slice Toaster
  • People are creating hundreds of sites in short periods of time.
  • The only links people have on their pages are AdSense advertisements.
Unlike some individuals, a lot of people actually like to feel good about their
work. Mass producing 300 websites in a one month time-frame is bound to
get you banned. Let's be honest, how quality would your content be, really?

My recommendation:
  1. Get 5 - 10 niche websites built
  2. Place AdSense ads on site.
  3. Add ability to subscribe to site.
  4. Use different templates.
  5. Update your sites every so often with new pages.
  6. Build your site into an authority website.
  7. Finally, just create content that's actually beneficial.
I think Google sees things like this:
  1. Nobody can create 100 sites in 2 months, and have quality content.
  2. A sentence that says "toasters are good" just doesn't cut it.
  3. If content is quality, then that's great.
I know that a lot of people here are scared of Google, but honestly, folks,
if you're building QUALITY sites and IMPROVING the quality of the SERP'S,
then you're EXACTLY who Google WANTS working for THEM!
#banned #mininiche #people #sites
  • Profile picture of the author DireStraits
    I have nothing constructive to add to this other than to say that your points and reasons exactly reflect my own sentiments with regards to this "issue".
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100140].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author bgmacaw
    Originally Posted by ttomp13 View Post

    1. Nobody can create 100 sites in 2 months, and have quality content.
    2. A sentence that says "toasters are good" just doesn't cut it.
    3. If content is quality, then that's great.
    Sure, because it makes much more sense to go big and just to use affiliate feeds to generate your site automagically...

    4 slice toaster Toasters at bizrate - Price Comparison and Consumer Reviews
    4 Slice Toaster - Small Appliances - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at NexTag - Price - Review
    Browse 4 slice at TheFind - Search, discover and compare prices

    ...as well as having millions in Silicon Valley venture capital funding so that somebody at Google will lose money if your site gets deindexed.

    Overall, I think the "mini-site panic" is a bit overblown. I wrote a post about it a few weeks ago (Earn Online Cash by Going Big or Going Home )

    Basically, my take is to take it easy with Adsense sites right now (no 200 crap sites in a week stuff), have some reasonable content (at least something better than thefind, bizrate and nextag do) and don't look like a freakin' MFA template site but something that's not MFA, like a fan/hobby site or something like that. Throw in some goofy 'web ring' badges and other such stuff (way below the fold, of course) that ordinary people use when they slap together a website using MS Word and Frontpage.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100225].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Groovystar
    I don't think Google cares about site size being a measure of validity.

    I think Google cares about splogs, spamsites and other Internet garbage that nobody wants to have to wade through when they use a search engine. I think those folks out there with an honest website aiming for quality, as well as those folks throwing up a website as cheaply and {especially} quickly with as many ads etc. spammed links, etc. all know who they are and what camp they probably fall into. So does Google. They're getting better at recognising spam which is only a good thing.

    Maybe they were aiming their guns at larger spam sites before and now have decided to fine tune themselves a bit more and scrape up all the junk on little sites.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100287].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author paulgl
      People get dumped by google for mini-sites for the
      same reasons they get dumped for large sites.

      If you can't create one good site, don't try 5 or 10.

      The backlink thing, I would disagree. Getting quality
      backlinks is a good thing. Too many people get huge
      amounts of junk links.

      It's not really about quality content that I preach.
      That's one piece. The quality is across the board.
      From the title, to the url structure, from the surfability,
      to the backlinks. Is it a site worth visiting and surfing
      around? Is it easy to know what the site is about?
      The content can even be what some would call low
      quality, as long as it makes sense, fits, and has some
      value.

      It's not rocket science like everybody thinks. And it's
      not some magic formula. Google spells out in detail
      what they would like to see in a website.

      If you can do 200 sites like the above, go for it.
      If you can't, stick with one at a time.

      On my latest site, it's taken be 2 weeks to do the above
      to my satisfaction.

      Too many people don't follow google guidelines because they
      are hung up on search engine stuff. Or perceived search
      engine stuff. Slap some stuff up there with adsense and
      let's make millions.

      Then they get slapped and blame it on some parlor tricks that
      went bad that supposedly everybody does or touts.

      I don't think google cares if you build 200 sites in a month.
      They do care about whether those 200 sites are worth adwords
      advertisers. I can't possibly see why anyone would feel the
      need to do 200 sites in a month, but that's just me.

      Adsense users operate too much on the Peter Principle. If
      one site makes me a dollar, heck 200 will make me $200!
      That's insane. Get one site making you $200 before you do another!

      Paul
      Signature

      If you were disappointed in your results today, lower your standards tomorrow.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100580].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author TommyG
        Originally Posted by paulgl View Post

        Adsense users operate too much on the Peter Principle. If
        one site makes me a dollar, heck 200 will make me $200!
        That's insane. Get one site making you $200 before you do another!

        Paul
        I couldn't agree more. People create these sites simply for a few Adsense clicks. Seems like a waste of time to me. They create sites so fast and use the "throw crap at the wall and see what sticks" philosophy.

        Sites like the toaster site have been around for years and will continue to be generated. Google won't have a problem with this site as bad as people think it is. There are 4 articles on that site about toasters. It has content, privacy policy and contact pages, etc. Google won't have a problem with this. It's created for no other purpose than to generate Adsense clicks.

        Personally, I don't understand the Adsense craze for stuff like this when someone can spend a little extra time making the site look nice, put CPA ads on the sites and make a lot more than Adsense pennies. A LOT MORE!!
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100619].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JMartin
    "Nobody can create 100 sites in 2 months, and have quality content."

    Yes you can. Hire more people.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100637].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author inter123
    What is so bad about this site? The article(s) are ok to follow (if you read it a couple of times) and provide some value. Writing style can be improved but overall gives some (good) technical info.

    Originally Posted by ttomp13 View Post


    People are creating junk content... Example: 4 Slice Toaster
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100778].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Titans
    Because people are being hired to ban sites and they have a quota to fill.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2100989].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Ryan6
    Originally Posted by ttomp13 View Post

    then you're EXACTLY who Google WANTS working for THEM!
    I don't work for Google, I work with them!
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2101734].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Hardi Wijaya
    Originally Posted by ttomp13 View Post

    Mass producing 300 websites in a one month time-frame is bound to get you banned.
    Banned? I don't know how true this can be.

    Maybe G will. Maybe G hire someone to physically track down the sites.

    And that's why don't leave footprints for the eyeballs from G to find out. If you want to be bad, better cover up your as*


    Hardi
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2101836].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author WealthWithin
      Originally Posted by Hardi Wijaya View Post

      Banned? I don't know how true this can be.

      Maybe G will. Maybe G hire someone to physically track down the sites.

      And that's why don't leave footprints for the eyeballs from G to find out. If you want to be bad, better cover up your as*


      Hardi
      If Google wants to ban your network, they already have all the information they need. There's no point of trying to cover the 'footprints'.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2101916].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author nubchai
        I really like the idea of creating niche sites. But the problem with Xfactor sites is the cookie cutter approach with mass production of sites and no solid content. They also totally rely on Adsense. I understand the strategy but I think Google does too.

        I think a better approach is to build niche sites with good content, keep adding additional content over time and see which sites become producers. Then focus on building them into authority sites.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2102130].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
      Originally Posted by Hardi Wijaya View Post

      And that's why don't leave footprints for the eyeballs from G to find out. If you want to be bad, better cover up your as*

      Hardi
      As long as you use a common Adsense account, Google will find out most of your sites eventually.

      However, you can still delay Google by spreading your sites by reducing your other footprints. e.g. spread your sites among different hosting accounts with different Class C ips, Protect your WHOIS, not using Google webmaster tools, and not using a single template and so on...

      Basically, you want to make things as difficult as possible for the person who manually reviews your sites at Google.
      Signature

      Do not get between a wombat and a chocolate biscuit; you will regret it dearly!

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2102356].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Rita
        I build two sites of 5 pages of well researched content in March'10 on vacuum cleaner and Sony TV as par X factor guideline. I put Amazon ad on both sites from day 1. I used my own template. I got 5 backlinks from top article directories to both the sites.

        Google took almost 2 weeks to index them. I was holding position 7, 9, 12 for 3 keywords for vacuum cleaner site. TV site was holding position 4, 25, 37 for chosen keywords.

        I added adsense on vacuum cleaner site after 4 days I found none of the pages of vacuum cleaner site are within top 1000 of google. But, there is no change in TV site till now.

        I will repeat the same for TV site in by mid june'10.

        I am tempted to draw conclusion that xfactor like sites does not work nowadays.
        Signature
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2102445].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author misterkailo
          Originally Posted by arkobabi View Post

          I build two sites of 5 pages of well researched content in March'10 on vacuum cleaner and Sony TV as par X factor guideline. I put Amazon ad on both sites from day 1. I used my own template. I got 5 backlinks from top article directories to both the sites.

          Google took almost 2 weeks to index them. I was holding position 7, 9, 12 for 3 keywords for vacuum cleaner site. TV site was holding position 4, 25, 37 for chosen keywords.

          I added adsense on vacuum cleaner site after 4 days I found none of the pages of vacuum cleaner site are within top 1000 of google. But, there is no change in TV site till now.

          I will repeat the same for TV site in by mid june'10.

          I am tempted to draw conclusion that xfactor like sites does not work nowadays.
          Stop speculating... your site is brand new and Google doesn't know where to put your site in the index yet. I have over 100 of these sites and most of the new ones fall off index for a week or two and then they come back up.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2103331].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author coluden
            "I added adsense on vacuum cleaner site after 4 days I found none of the pages of vacuum cleaner site are within top 1000 of google. But, there is no change in TV site till now."

            Does anyone have an explanation for this?
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2103383].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author misterkailo
              Originally Posted by coluden View Post

              "I added adsense on vacuum cleaner site after 4 days I found none of the pages of vacuum cleaner site are within top 1000 of google. But, there is no change in TV site till now."

              Does anyone have an explanation for this?
              With or without AdSense, his site was going to disappear. Have you looked in the forum for millions of threads that say, "OMG De-Indexed WTF?!?!?!?"
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2103811].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author SladeK
              Originally Posted by coluden View Post

              "I added adsense on vacuum cleaner site after 4 days I found none of the pages of vacuum cleaner site are within top 1000 of google. But, there is no change in TV site till now."

              Does anyone have an explanation for this?
              As stated in countless other threads, unless the keywords for the site are extremely low in competition; the site will fluctuate initially.

              Many people insist that when a new site is launched it will gain an initial boost in the rankings as a result of being fresh content, then as back links begin to get added, the "Google dance" commences. This can take place over the course of a few months once again depending on the keyword competition and the amount of back links being added on a consistent basis.

              Someone referred to this time period as "Google purgatory" in a thread I read a while ago on the same subject. IE: It is the time period that Google throws your site on the back burner while the algo figures out where you should rank for your chosen keywords as it analyzes the different aspects of on page and off-page seo for your site.
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2104049].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author brokenblade
    Originally Posted by ttomp13 View Post

    I have to be honest.
    I am getting really confused about Mini-Niche Websites.
    So what's going on? TRULY. What?

    Let me tell you what I think:
    • People are creating junk content... Example: 4 Slice Toaster
    • People are creating hundreds of sites in short periods of time.
    • The only links people have on their pages are AdSense advertisements.
    Unlike some individuals, a lot of people actually like to feel good about their
    work. Mass producing 300 websites in a one month time-frame is bound to
    get you banned. Let's be honest, how quality would your content be, really?

    My recommendation:
    1. Get 5 - 10 niche websites built
    2. Place AdSense ads on site.
    3. Add ability to subscribe to site.
    4. Use different templates.
    5. Update your sites every so often with new pages.
    6. Build your site into an authority website.
    7. Finally, just create content that's actually beneficial.
    I think Google sees things like this:
    1. Nobody can create 100 sites in 2 months, and have quality content.
    2. A sentence that says "toasters are good" just doesn't cut it.
    3. If content is quality, then that's great.
    I know that a lot of people here are scared of Google, but honestly, folks,
    if you're building QUALITY sites and IMPROVING the quality of the SERP'S,
    then you're EXACTLY who Google WANTS working for THEM!

    Let's see.
    1. Get 5 - 10 niche websites built----- check
    2. Place AdSense ads on site.----- check
    3. Add ability to subscribe to site. (does following count?)
    4. Use different templates. ----- check
    5. Update your sites every so often with new pages. ----- check
    6. Build your site into an authority website.
    7. Finally, just create content that's actually beneficial.----- (working on it.)
    I am slowly but surely seeing success on my blogs. I have 10 of them and I have them linked together.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2111172].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Toby.T
    my site in my sig, is technically thin and only 3 days old, I think if I keep adding more videos it will be fine. I doubt I will get any adsense revenue from it though.

    I don't think I have a fear of google, but I do respect the beast.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2111190].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author electronik69
      Originally Posted by Toby.T View Post

      my site in my sig, is technically thin and only 3 days old, I think if I keep adding more videos it will be fine. I doubt I will get any adsense revenue from it though.

      I don't think I have a fear of google, but I do respect the beast.
      You might want to check your sites alot of the links come up as 404
      Signature
      If it doesn't sell, it isn't creative - David Ogilvy
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2364056].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rhilyne
    having a lots of laser focused niche websites can be very profitable source of passive income online, but it could be a risky one in business. You can evntually loss a huge amount in your business.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6454797].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author link786
    did mini niche sites work ?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6455009].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author wolfmmiii
    [QUOTE=ttomp13;2100127]
    This is the crux of it. I know people will swear that their content is "awesome". However, in reality, it sucks.


    As you mentioned - people will build 100 sites a month and then swear the content is "awesome". Sorry, it's not. It's just not. I don't care if you outsourced it all. Hiring someone to write "articles" at $1 per 100 words isn't producing anything that is approaching "awesome" content.


    I agree. Create content that's helpful and meaningful to visitors and Google will, for the most part, leave you alone. I mean, sure, there will be occasional collateral damage whenever an algo change occurs; however, that is the exception, not the norm that many will have you believe.

    Signature
    Want a REAL Online Business That's Fun to Run?
    CLICK HERE FOR INFO
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[6456374].message }}

Trending Topics