Major cross linking of two sites with different content

[apauto]

Hello all.

Great forum, been lurking for a while, but finally joined up!

I have two websites, each is about the same topic, but content on each is very different. One is an ecommerce website for widgets, and the other is a forum community for widgets.

I want to cross link them together. Each is on it's own IP, each has completely different content, but the cross linking will be heavy. By heavy, I mean the sidebars from the ecommerce site will encourge people to register and visit the community, and from the community it will encourage people to visit and buy from the ecommerce site.

Is this ok with Google/Yahoo since the content is unique?

I'm afraid of the cross linking.

Thanks in advance!

[skweb]

Be very afraid. If the two sites are old, have a lot of pages, suddenly giving them too many links, especially with identical anchor text can cause havoc - my experience.

[apauto]

Both of the sites are about two months old

[lakr]

I think that you should not cross link between them, put one way link instead (site A to B or B to A only), so Google will not think that you are manipulating PR.

[CainIV]

If you are linking each other for visitors, then adda nofollow tag to the link and you are fine.

If you are linking for other reasons, then know that seo is a game of risk versus reward and that move *can* be risky.