All my eggs in one basket?

One big site or several themed sites?

[tomthumb2000]

I have an information site that's getting pretty big now (500 files, 300,000 words)

So now i'm wondering if i should just keep growing this site until we're a huge resource or branch it off into several themed sites.

The work of promoting new sites aside, if i have another 100,000 words of content at hand, should i add it to my main site or diversify? Which way will ultimatly bring more traffic?

I'm guessing that a variety of sites probably works best with google but with one site the brandmark gets that much stronger as it's authority grows...

[beauzero]

Seems like someone mentioned a while back that Google takes into perspective the age of the url. I would add themed sites...not remove from the original...just a thought.

[kevinrbeck]

Hello

I had a similar issue of the amount of content on pnepage so I created theme pages. I kept the single mass site that was originally created, on the web, and put in links to direct users and search engines to the new themed locations.

They do take a lot of work but once you have them organised they can be updated quite easily and speedily. Some people use CSS style sheets to update.

Enter "Mosaic Portal" into any major search engine and it will display the main site and a number, or all, of the themed sites.

Regards
Kevin R Beck
Australia

[hp11]

It really is a matter of time and money. If you have the time to build, update and maintain a new site, along with the time and money to market it - then it is worth doing. But, if doing so compromises your existing site in anyway, then it isn't worth doing.

Another option is setting up subdomains, like about.com or yahoo uses (ex: javascript.about.com or mail.yahoo.com).

[Liane]

I would add themed sites...not remove from the original

What beauzero said!

I have two sites. One is all but dead but still maintains excellent exposure. I haven't updated it in three years! Its actually more than a bit embarrassing!

I was told by some in the know here at WebmasterWorld to have this second site as an "information only" type directory. At the time, the circumstances made sense. Today, they don't because I don't have the time to deal with it ... but the URL is too good to part with.

Over the past two years, I have expanded my "business site" to include much of the information which rightfully should belong on the "information" site. I was cautioned by the same people "in the know" that doing so might dilute the potency of my "business" site and might possibly adversely affect my income. So far, that hasn't happened.

I have no idea if what I am doing is right (for the long term) ... but so far, it is working in my favour. The traffic to my site is growing exponentially. I add a page, I get more traffic. Its pretty simple mathematics.

However, like many others, I am experiencing high traffic and low sales right now. Every day, I examine my log files to see what people are searching for and it isn't the money making side of my business they are finding.

Its entirely possible that I have shot myself in the foot by adding a tremendous amount of information to my site ... but I don't think so. My "money" pages/phrases are still ranking very well on all (meaningful) search engines ... so I have put this "lull" down to an economic downturn rather than a failure within my marketing plan.

So ... to answer your question, I believe that one, very well themed and targeted site can easily have a great deal of peripheral information with no ill effects.

Stick with the big site and loads of "themed" info. Being an "authority" site is a very good thing and few "smaller but themed sites" can compete. Age is also a big factor as has already been mentioned. Your new info will get spidered and show up in the SERPS within days on an established site vesus months on a new site.

That's my take anyway ... Good luck!