Same site multiple domains

two sites with shared pages

[fEdExEd]

I am doing some SEO for a client who sent me one domain name which appears to be indexed by google but PR0.

I discoverd while workin on the site he has another site sharing most of the pages which is already indexed with PR4.

My question.

I have submitted the site to various directories and have done a bunch of link exchanges adding about 60 backwards links to the site listed poorly. Will this site overtake the other one which is already listed or will the client get punished by google or will all my work be for nothin.

Thanks.

[Marcia]

Ed first of all I have to admit that it's not exactly my favorite thing when people have additional domains with the same content without telling. I had someone do that - two additional domain names linked to from another site that pointed to the same site with the same content - which had loads of duplicate pages anyway.

I discovered it while digging around checking the site out, and when I questioned the client about it after finding them, they felt there was no need to mention it if I hadn't asked if there were "extra" doman names pointing in the first place.

What it sounds like is that you were hired to promote a second site with content that's substantially the same as what's on another site the client has - do I have that right?

You know the circumstances and the particulars; in your place I'd check Google's Webmaster Guidelines and if there's anything there that makes that second site you're working on questionable you might want to issue a disclaimer to the client that if there's a penalty you're not responsible.

How close are the sites? And are there common design and linking patterns? Are the "shared pages" on the same site or are they pages that are just used on two different sites? And do they share hosting and/or an IP number?

[fEdExEd]

Sort of correct. The client didn't mention the second site because I am pretty sure he doesn't really understand. I think somewhere along the line some one (most likely someone who made money registering domains) told him he needed more. There are actually three domains. Two are identical. Just using host header im sure in IIS to differentiate. These were done because the gentlemans english is not great and he wasn't sure which to use plural or singular. But the second, the one that has been marketed. Is just a different index page.. then the same site.

What do you think.