Not done SEO in a while

Is this going to cause a problem?

[eWhisper]

I'm not doing the seo for this, haven't done SEO in a while and haven't kept up with all the changes, just keeping an eye out for a good client in case they're getting themselves into trouble for this.

I have one client who wants to develop a directory. They are also building sites for several of their clients, each with it's own domain, linking back to them, but they will be hosted on the same server.

The smaller sites are all legitimate business with physical locations, so it's not like they are building a ton of small sites just to link back to them for higher visibility.

Since all the sites will be linked to in the directory, and all the sites will link back to the directory, and share a server, will this cause a cross link or some other sort of SE penalty?

Odds are, the company building the sites, will also register all the small sites, so they will be the whois for all of them - is this a problem as well?

Thank you for any feedback.

[jbinbpt]

My gut feeling is that this will be frowned upon. They are creating too tight a circle for this not to be picked up and considered an abuse. Their good intentions don't count.

I was asked to do virtually the same thing for a small group of companies all owned by the same parent firm. We talked it thru and decided to allow them all to fly on their own. All are drawing decent traffic, so I guess it was the proper decision.

jb

[pleeker]

Since all the sites will be linked to in the directory, and all the sites will link back to the directory, and share a server, will this cause a cross link or some other sort of SE penalty?

I'm with jbinbpt on this -- seems like a bad idea. The old litmus test applies: "Would I do this if there were no such thing as search engines?" I'm guessing probably not.

[Old Welsh Guy]

HI there,
I design and host lots of websites, they all show a link back to me, and i have links to some of them from my site. None of these sites, or my own have been penalised, BUT I would show concern over using keyword anchors or any other obvious SEO tactic, as if one gets hit, they will all suffer.

[yowza]

I think there could be a problem.

If you think there could be a problem, why risk it?

I don't think that the chance of being dropped from the SERP's would be worth it.

[eWhisper]

Thanks for the replies and information. I'll see what kind of work arounds I can figure out for this so they don't end up penalizing themselves.

[anallawalla]

Would I do this if there were no such thing as search engines?

Actually, I am more likely to do it if there weren't a SE with such rules. After all, it's easier to have one domain registrar, one web host, one set of CGI quirks to remember, one set of DNSs.

I have small sites that have never been SEOd and not likely to and a SEOd site. Both are PR5 and rank at the top in the SERPs. The old non-SEOd sites do well because they are in almost every directory and engine.