Almost Related Products - SEO Problem?

1 site, 2 almost related products, what should I do?

[Craig_F]

Ok, I've been thinking about this for a long time and endlessly keep changing my mind on the correct approach.

I have a client that has a site with two *almost* related products. A good example of this would be a single site selling only baseball bats, and tennis rackets. Both are sporting goods, but not really related otherwise.

So, how would you optimize this site? 2 single product sites?

Thanks.

[Brett_Tabke]

I'd put them on the same site and use the content as a draw. The deal with small ecom sites, is that you need all the content you can muster. It's better to have a hundred page site about 10 products, than it is to have 10 sites, about 10 products.

To tell the truth, the seo end of things would work out easier on the ten sites than the one site in the short term (1 year). In the long term however, the 10 sites have limited viability.

If you build one larger domain, the branding works better long term, you build customer loyalty, and you build trust. Who wants to buy one tennis racket at "one-tennis-racket-is-us.com"? They'd much rather purchase from "joes-sporting-goods" that is out their building their full business and committed long term.

[Craig_F]

Thanks Brett. It's good to have confirmation. That is the way I have been running things for the past few years. I guess I'll keep at it!

[paynt]

I agree with Brett as well and not just for the reasons stated but as an extension to them. It takes a lot of work to put together a really good site. It takes or should take time to maintain and build upon a site. Like Brett said, good content can be hard to come by and splitting a site that does have the possibility of connecting through a theme seems like only an opportunity to create more work for yourself and a bigger expense.

I would be looking at ways to connect and strengthen the theme that the two products do have in common and build upon that. It’s easier to find on-theme alternative portals for the larger sport theme than the individual tennis racket and baseball bat sub-themes although I wouldn’t miss an opportunity for specific themed linking opportunities for either.

My 2 bits ;)