[edited by: Webwork at 11:29 pm (utc) on Jan. 1, 2007]
[edit reason] Charter [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]
No one can answer with authority but a search engine search engineer and the answer may vary over time.
One of the most authoritative people to speak to this issue - Mr. Matt Cutts of Google fame (and fortune) - has indicated that permanent redirects (301 redirects) is likely the best way to deal wtih multiple domains. However, if memory serves me, he may have made a statement or two that suggests that multiple domains may also be a ~'bad signal'. Not per se bad. Just a signal.
Go figure. From a certain POV multiple domains might be a signal of gaming the SE but from another it may just be a signal of a smart online business developer.
The SEs have a pretty big investment in never saying exactly what they do with a particular situation. Some argue that they have good reason to deal in FUD - Fear, Uncertainty and/or Doubt - as that keeps some people honest. Even if they say "Today, the rule is X" that will never be written in stone. There are no guarantees, so plan for the worst whilst making the best of the situation.
For now, 301 redirects will likely be the advice you will hear from many quarters.
[edited by: Webwork at 11:36 pm (utc) on Jan. 1, 2007]
I have read here an other good sources of web info, that multiple domains to the same website can hurt you.
In my case, I just need to capture the spelling errors, like google, gogle, goagle, etc... wich at the end is not a bad use of tools, but protecting your own website to bring traffic to traffic stealers (multiple domain owners). Any idea?
I was thinking on putting a HTML + javascript redirect on the index page with a delay of 5 secs, stating that "you will be transferred to the main site", also, using the NOFOLLOW directive.
Any ideas?
