Questions about building new niche site, and linking from another

[trezcan]

I currently have a niche site in the business services industry. The website is informational in nature, and is authoritative within the niche.

The next step is to create another niche site, also in business services, but covering a different topic.

There are definite crossovers within the content, whereas the same parent company may provide different services that would be written about on both sites. So there are clear linking opportunities from the current site to the new site.

What I am really trying to figure out is what is the best way to cross promote? I plan on adding more in the future, so I am hoping to use this process again.

I plan on putting the new site on a different server in a completely different location.

My questions:

- Is using the same site template and laying out the content in a similar manner ok?

- Can the domain name be similar? (ABC Services . com vs. XYZ Services . com)

- Would having a top site banner (above all the content) with links to the different properties be beneficial or detrimental?

- Would having a footer section with "sites" or "companies" that included links to the different properties be beneficial or detrimental? (like DemandMedia.com)

- Linking from within content to similar content on the new site.. would that be good or bad?


The bottom line is I imagine these sites sharing a lot of characteristics, despite the subject being different. Is it ok to link within them, or does Google disapprove if you own them all? The articles will be authored by many of the same people, and their posts will be attached to their G+ profiles.

[edited by: aakk9999 at 5:27 pm (utc) on May 21, 2014]
[edit reason] Example domains used are real domains, inserted some spacing [/edit]

[aakk9999]

I have sites that use exactly the same template, and I have not had a problem, but the content was sufficiently different. I interlinked sites where it made sense for visitors.

[frankleeceo]

- Is using the same site template and laying out the content in a similar manner ok?
It's OK. But I personally use different color scheme with my setups to differentiate the sites.

- Can the domain name be similar? (ABC Services . com vs. XYZ Services . com)
Yes. Unless your ABC and XYZ is very similar to each other. ABC vs ABCD is not recommended.

- Would having a top site banner (above all the content) with links to the different properties be beneficial or detrimental?
- Would having a footer section with "sites" or "companies" that included links to the different properties be beneficial or detrimental? (like DemandMedia.com)

I would do footer and not top. Above fold content should be unique to your site, not a template banner splattered across all of your properties. If they are "that" similar it's better to do a single site. However, intense footer crosslinking can get you into trouble. Keyword stuffing issue among other things. I personally limit to 3~5.

- Linking from within content to similar content on the new site.. would that be good or bad?
Similar content is bad. Related content is good. It depends on the percentage that is similar. If you just change a sentence here and there or worse use automated spinner. Well that is not good.

[trezcan]

- Is using the same site template and laying out the content in a similar manner ok?
It's OK. But I personally use different color scheme with my setups to differentiate the sites.

- Can the domain name be similar? (ABC Services . com vs. XYZ Services . com)
Yes. Unless your ABC and XYZ is very similar to each other. ABC vs ABCD is not recommended.

- Would having a top site banner (above all the content) with links to the different properties be beneficial or detrimental?
- Would having a footer section with "sites" or "companies" that included links to the different properties be beneficial or detrimental? (like DemandMedia.com)

I would do footer and not top. Above fold content should be unique to your site, not a template banner splattered across all of your properties. If they are "that" similar it's better to do a single site. However, intense footer crosslinking can get you into trouble. Keyword stuffing issue among other things. I personally limit to 3~5.

- Linking from within content to similar content on the new site.. would that be good or bad?
Similar content is bad. Related content is good. It depends on the percentage that is similar. If you just change a sentence here and there or worse use automated spinner. Well that is not good.

Thank you for these answers. These are in no way spammy sites, and I am not looking to "take advantage" of any SEO loopholes.

When I say similar content, I mean there may be a handful of pages that talk about the same parent company, but the focus would be on the specific service they provide, which would be unique to that site.

For example, one site could be about SEO and the other about SEM. There could be an article on site A about Google SEO stuff, and on site B about Google SEM. When appropriate, I would link from site A to Site B if the initial post had originally mentioned Google SEM in any way.

[tjtigers14]

Yeah I saw this done by <a site> a few weeks ago, realized it's part of a large network of tech sites. Almost every site in their network has the exact same footer (color, layout and everything) with links to the rest of the network.

By the way just stumbled on WebMasterWorld today, which is why this is my first post. I had heard about it before but after being here for 10 minutes I have to say I really like the vibes. Excited to be a part of it.

[edited by: aakk9999 at 5:32 pm (utc) on May 25, 2014]
[edit reason] Forum Charter [/edit]