Micro vs. Authority Site

by eljuc1
17 replies
  • SEO
  • |
Hello fellow Warriors,

This is my first post and I am still much of a newbie. I have done some of the training modules offered to teach internet marketing. Mainly, Google Sniper which teaches building many small sites specific to a certain niche and even strongly a certain keyword. I am wondering if with the new google algorithm changes and the age of this money making strategy. If its worth my time to still peruse this style or go conjure an authority site targeted to a wider range of keywords, but would also require a much larger time frame to construct.

Thanks in advance,

Edin
#authority #google #micro #site
  • Profile picture of the author WittyT
    Micro niche websites do NOT work as well as they once did... Thin websites with 5 pages and less do not rank very well anymore. IMHO, it's best to go for authority websites nowadays as Google has made it clear that they will not tolerate small sites that were clearly created to make Adsense or affiliate money.

    Choose one main keyword for your site... then build upon it with 500 words articles targeting long tail keywords. Add 2 articles a week. That should do it
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    • Profile picture of the author spen
      Originally Posted by WittyT View Post

      Google has made it clear that they will not tolerate small sites that were clearly created to make Adsense or affiliate money.

      Can you give the URL?
      thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author grover69
    I think about my sites like this: just keep adding new content and before you know it your micro site turns into an authority site. I never understood why you would build a site and then stop adding content. The bigger the net, right?
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    • Profile picture of the author azmanar
      Hi,

      To create an authority site from scratch, you need the energy and a big amount of resources.

      Consider this. If you were a visitor to an authority site, what do you expect?

      For me, I would expect that the site would cover almost all of my hunger for knowledge. I would read and read until I get tired and yet I still have more to read. I'll tell myself to come again tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.

      I would say, that is really a fantastic site, where I can learn a lot. It would take me some weeks to finish. I won't embarrassed myself when I refer such site to every friend with the same interest. In fact, I would be proud to be the first to stumble across it.

      IMHO, if you already have a niche site, that site can grow into an authority site if you continue adding more resources to it.

      Please don't limit your micro niche site with text-based materials only. Make it rich :
      -> downloadable PDFs and ebooks
      -> downloadable software, plugins, games, themes and graphics
      -> Videos
      -> Audios
      -> Photo Galleries
      -> Polls
      -> competitions & trivia
      -> Newsletters
      -> social media apps
      -> guest writers
      -> market place
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      === >>> Tomorrow Should Be Better Than Today

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      • Profile picture of the author bostoncitymass
        Authority sites will always be the way to go.
        Micro sites can still do well but it entails alot of variables to make them effective that I'm not gonna get into here, but even the chances of them doing well aren't all that great.

        What I would do is focus on one micro site that you have created and start building it out. It takes longer, and if you need money right away and can't put the time in then IM might not be the best thing for you to begin with (not saying you do, just speaking in general).

        Also focus on getting backlinks to all or several pages of your site and make sure your are setting up internal links.

        You will hear arguments on both side of the fence but to me common sense tells me the bigger the site and the more content the better Google will like you.

        Good luck.
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        • Profile picture of the author fin
          Don't think about it in terms of "micro vs authority" site.

          Start at the BUY NOW button and work your way outwards.

          You have a buy now button, and before that you have a auto-responder sequence with pre-written messages...

          ...then you have a website with content, and finally you have your traffic source.

          You don't need to change your buy now button or auto-responder sequence. (technically)

          You only need to add content and find traffic.

          Whether you write little and have a niche site, or build it up over time and have an authority site -- it doesn't matter.

          Start with a buy now button and let the rest flow naturally.
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  • Profile picture of the author tristatemedia
    get out of google's control and go authority sites. stay away from micro adsense sites. i just banned for no reason at all.
    even denied my appeal.
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  • Profile picture of the author hashbury
    I have pretty much built my business model off of micro niche sites. My sites have barely been affected in the last updates. I would say less than 5%, but as azmanar says do not limit your micro niche sites to only 5 pages of content. Build them out bigger add more "stuff" to keep your traffic/visitors coming back. I dont think any of my micro niche sites have less than 10 pages of content, and some have over 100 pages of content. If a micro niche site is making money for me I will go back and expand it by adding more content.

    One of the reasons I think my niche sites are doing good is because of link/traffic diversity. I build backlinks with the intention of getting traffic to my sites. I dont build links to try and boost my ranks in the serps (not anymore anyways). Its no secret that google does not like thin affiliate sites.

    When you create a site make something that provides usefulness whether micro niche or authority. People have problems and it is our job to solve it one way or another.
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  • Profile picture of the author flashlight
    Authority site is better, but you can start your authority site from the small one. For some people, its too difficult to make big site, so start from the micro site and then you can grow up your site bigger and bigger.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shaper
    dang, thease threads today are hitting the spot! Subd!
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  • Profile picture of the author alexgold87
    There is no more reason to create micro websites. Since Penguin update most of IM's started to create authority websites and me as well.
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    Pinghall - Real-Time Website Monitor.
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    • Profile picture of the author VHSEOMike
      Start micro with the intention of making it an authority site. Start monetizing a micro-site after you have a sizable number of pages (10-15 or more). Keep adding relevant content to keep it current.

      We have a combination of both micro and authority sites. The results post Penguin have been mixed but the authority site rankings have shown very little fluctuation. The smaller sites have been affected more but these will recover as we build it more authority through content.
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  • Profile picture of the author RickCopy
    I would think the better plan would be to start out making smaller sites and then once you can determine if you've got a good niche based on traffic and conversions, build on to it, develop it into an authority site and sell off the smaller ones that werent performing as well.
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    • An authority site requires more time and effort than several micro niche sites. It also requires a bigger investment. If you are able to post fresh content on a regular basis and do a lot of advertising, set up an authority site. Building this kind of website allows you to target every keyword in a niche over time.
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  • Profile picture of the author ezplr
    Authority sites are a lot better in the long run and probably the short run too.
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  • Profile picture of the author HCRoyo
    I say do this:

    Start with a micro-niche site to test the profitability of your site
    If it even makes $50 a month, I say start expanding that site into an authority site
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  • Profile picture of the author GetKane
    Banned
    I may be highly biased, but how many microsite millionaires do you hear of that rely on organic search traffic? Authority websites kick booty.
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