having two websites?

[inzane]

i noticed one of my competitors in my area has 2 websites. both of these sites are on the top of google for lawn care in our area, they have pretty much the same content but different look. is there any advantages to this?

I am considering getting a seperate domain with lawn care and my city in the address rather than the business name to host my wordpress blog, and make the blog "sponsored" by my business.. with links back to my business. I would keep the blog content with more useful information rather than sales pitches of course. bad idea?

[newguy123]

Originally Posted by inzane

i noticed one of my competitors in my area has 2 websites. both of these sites are on the top of google for lawn care in our area, they have pretty much the same content but different look. is there any advantages to this?

I am considering getting a seperate domain with lawn care and my city in the address rather than the business name to host my wordpress blog, and make the blog "sponsored" by my business.. with links back to my business. I would keep the blog content with more useful information rather than sales pitches of course. bad idea?

Interesting idea. I too wonder why someone would do that.

Anyone have an idea???

[headz77]

They will most likely get punished for that eventually. Duplicate content is frowned upon by Google. It is always better to have one site, with your blog as part of that site. http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/ has had some great posts on this lately- and blogging as an SEO tool- check it out.
Posted via Mobile Device

[easy-lift guy]

Originally Posted by headz77

They will most likely get punished for that eventually. Duplicate content is frowned upon by Google. It is always better to have one site, with your blog as part of that site. http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/ has had some great posts on this lately- and blogging as an SEO tool- check it out.
Posted via Mobile Device

I believe you are correct. The key IMO is to keep your content fresh and relevant. I find interaction on my blog pages important and keeping my readers up todate with product information and where my products can be seen at shows or dealer locations a must. Keep your websites and content,
Positive.
easy-lift guy

[Duekster]

I have heard the same but that may not be the case for separate domains.

I had/ have a well ranked website. My old partner took the message verbatim from the site I created and used it on his own and it ranks well too.

I have left that website up and I am now making another one but it will be completely different content and different domain. I am hoping it will ultimately be the better site but google and perhaps other engines looks at legacy too.

You do want different pages for different services and perhaps service areas.

[tonygreek]

Originally Posted by inzane

i noticed one of my competitors in my area has 2 websites. both of these sites are on the top of google for lawn care in our area, they have pretty much the same content but different look. is there any advantages to this?

After finding the company you're likely referring to (golf-related name, one with a hyphen, one without?), my initial reaction is that it's because they have no clue what they're doing, although it's more likely one was a freebie site thrown in as part of a marketing package. It's bad enough that I thought it was because they lost their domain and started over, but I see that one does link to the other. Between the two, I don't think they'll get dinged by Google. There's so little content on either site, and it's not a mirror, so they're fine. Different phone numbers (although their coupon images are the same number) and addresses as well.

Re: their both coming up on the page 1 of search results, are you sure you're not seeing one as a part of the 7 pack of local results and then one in the organic search results? When I search for your primary town, I see one in local, the other in organic search . Either way, if I'm a potential customer, the sites are not in any way engaging.

The reality is that their results wouldn't change if they dumped one and changed their google+ domain to the other, so all they're really doing is splitting any potential traffic.

Originally Posted by inzane

I am considering getting a seperate domain with lawn care and my city in the address rather than the business name to host my wordpress blog, and make the blog "sponsored" by my business.. with links back to my business. I would keep the blog content with more useful information rather than sales pitches of course. bad idea?

An info site driving traffic to your site is not a bad idea, and one that is a very common practice, however...
1.) Is it worth the effort of dilution?
2.) If you have it on one site, you are the actual expert, with supporting content, a reason to visit (for both the customer and the search bots), and a reason to link to.
3.) Does your target service area really require this approach?

[newguy123]

Originally Posted by Duekster

I have heard the same but that may not be the case for separate domains.

I had/ have a well ranked website. My old partner took the message verbatim from the site I created and used it on his own and it ranks well too.

I have left that website up and I am now making another one but it will be completely different content and different domain. I am hoping it will ultimately be the better site but google and perhaps other engines looks at legacy too.

You do want different pages for different services and perhaps service areas.

What is the reason that you are making another website?

[inzane]

there is another guy who is at the number 1 spot everytime with web results above the local results. he doesnt seem to have even a google places page.. or many citations at all. wondering how its possible? his getlisted.org rating was 7%.

i am guessing my address change set me back a lot, i changed it on atleast 80 listings.. some of the major ones i'm waiting for comfirmation card in mail.. and it seems some take time to change. I've been pushed way back on google though. from 2nd page on places results to 4th, and then my for web results i was on 4th page, but noticed i was at the bottom of 3rd today. google hides my address on the listing now, will that make a difference in my placement for local results?

Originally Posted by tonygreek

After finding the company you're likely referring to (golf-related name, one with a hyphen, one without?), my initial reaction is that it's because they have no clue what they're doing, although it's more likely one was a freebie site thrown in as part of a marketing package. It's bad enough that I thought it was because they lost their domain and started over, but I see that one does link to the other. Between the two, I don't think they'll get dinged by Google. There's so little content on either site, and it's not a mirror, so they're fine. Different phone numbers (although their coupon images are the same number) and addresses as well.

Re: their both coming up on the page 1 of search results, are you sure you're not seeing one as a part of the 7 pack of local results and then one in the organic search results? When I search for your primary town, I see one in local, the other in organic search . Either way, if I'm a potential customer, the sites are not in any way engaging.

The reality is that their results wouldn't change if they dumped one and changed their google+ domain to the other, so all they're really doing is splitting any potential traffic.



An info site driving traffic to your site is not a bad idea, and one that is a very common practice, however...
1.) Is it worth the effort of dilution?
2.) If you have it on one site, you are the actual expert, with supporting content, a reason to visit (for both the customer and the search bots), and a reason to link to.
3.) Does your target service area really require this approach?

[tonygreek]

Originally Posted by inzane

there is another guy who is at the number 1 spot everytime with web results above the local results. he doesnt seem to have even a google places page.. or many citations at all. wondering how its possible? his getlisted.org rating was 7%.

Citations are not the end all, be all. Domain age, authority, inbound links, etc all come in to play. Some of getlisted's citation sources are not implicitly citations and, as such, if any part of the NAP is wrong enough, you won't see getlisted showing it as existing. However, this does not necessarily mean Google doesn't recognize it's existence.

Originally Posted by inzane

i am guessing my address change set me back a lot, i changed it on atleast 80 listings.. some of the major ones i'm waiting for comfirmation card in mail.. and it seems some take time to change. I've been pushed way back on google though. from 2nd page on places results to 4th, and then my for web results i was on 4th page, but noticed i was at the bottom of 3rd today. google hides my address on the listing now, will that make a difference in my placement for local results?

Is Google hiding your address as it's pending the change, or because you've set the account to reflect that customers do not visit you? This occurs under either situation.

As for your results fluctuating, this is quite possibly due to your changes. When your NAP goes haywire, especially after a recent/pending change, you'll see your results trying to gain equilibrium.

[Duekster]

Originally Posted by newguy123

What is the reason that you are making another website?

To leave the old one up