Hi I want to set up a few online stores sell products related to my main sites, however I have a concern. I could bolt the stores onto my current domains, but I worry that this could dilute my main content in the eyes of the search engines. i.e. I have an accommodation site about 100 properties on it so far, about 600 pages of content. If I add a book store, about 5000 pages of content would that negativly effect the strength of my site in the serps for its primary purpose? If yes to the above, would sub domains be the way forward, to try and keep the identity or, should i start new domains? Your opinion would be appreciated Jamie
domain.com, abc.domain.com and xyz.domain.com are looked at as totally different entities by search engines. As long as you do not publish duplicate data or host all websites on one server one ip and interlink you should be fine using sub-domains. I would go with a subdomain.domain.com myself, although some may argue that it really doesn't matter.
If the new product isn't directly related, consider a new domain. Sub-domains are treated as a new site, and you can get a domain name that is relevant and will help you with SERPS. It also gives you the benefit of selling the site down the road.
I think that this issue has really nothing to do with SEO. The dilemma of subdomains or new domains is ought to be considered from the marketing point of view as the foregoing replies suggested.
Thank you for yor opinions.I also run all my site of the same server and provider Ona and One - should this be changed, should I spread my wings a little Jamie
The Google patent (which alone doesn't prove it is currently being used) talks about sites coming from the same IP or Class "C" as being seen as a "vote" for one's own site, which defeates the purpose of Larry Page's basis of PR. In my experience, Google does devalue or ignore cross linking of sites (at least in certain circumstances) and this happened on different dedicated IP's with the same host. Google has the ability to check registrar information, so perhaps cross linking from the same Class "C" triggers a filter that checks ownership - or perhaps they just automatically devalue them. I personally use several hosts and keep a copy of each site with each host and if someone goes wrong with one host (which has happened) I can just change the DNS and as soon as it propigates, I'm back up and running. If you aren't concerned about crosslinking, or having all your eggs in one basket, then there is probably no reason to have another host. From a marketing perspective, do you want to be a niche site, or a site that imploys shotgun marketing - the website deparment store that doesn't have a focus but tries to offer several different or unrelated concepts from the same domain? Having experience running some medium size specialty chains, I personally believe in niche marketing. If people are looking for a book, they want to go to site that is the "book website" rather than the paintball gun, general book store, and hair product website. While Amazon has succeded in expanding their focus, they have never duplicated the success of their original concept. Today, department stores are struggling to compete with specialty stores who have capitalized on consumers who perceive a focused operation as offering a better selection and pricing - even though that is not always the case.
I belive in the niche market, so my sites will be focused on certian products only with the same theme. I do not know how people manage broad spectrum sites, there appears no way of focusing your efforts to achive good serp results imo. Unless you have massive finincial backing Jamie