Do multiple sites on same Analytics account hurt?

[onlinesource]

Pretty straightforward question: Does having two sites under the same Analytics login hurt in any way? I don't know if Google scans to see if both sites are listed under the same account and then looks at both sites in a different light when it realizes they are connected?

I ask because both of my websites went down around the same time. Both target the same keywords.

Both sites are also registered under the same GoDaddy account, although I can't see Google accessing that information. Even so, the whois details are different in each case.

Analytics is the common thread. I have heard from several people that Google would not punish you for sharing an Analytics account because for convenience purposes, they understand that some site owners need to manage multiple sites that they own.

BUT if they know that they are connected whether finding so was intentional or not, would that information ultimately hurt both websites?

I'm wondering if I should move one site to a fresh account - if this matters - if it is too late?

[netmeg]

Hasn't hurt me so far.

[onlinesource]

Had SEO company tell me that Google can scan this and see a pattern... if both sites are going after the same targeted keywords and audience, they could hurt each other's rankings.

Maybe total bs, but both sites fell at the same time with changes to Penguin/Panda.

[alika]

Have several sites all targeting the same market segment in one GA account. When one site was hit by Panda, the others were not and continued to grow stronger.

[netmeg]

if both sites are going after the same targeted keywords and audience, they could hurt each other's rankings.

Your issue probably isn't Google Analytics.

[samwest]

When one site was hit by Panda, the others were not and continued to grow stronger.

You're lucky, since May Day 2010 I've not had one day where I can say my site rank "grew stronger". It's been one the decline no matter what I do. Apparently, in the words of Mr. Mom, I'm not "doing it right".

[mrengine]

Matt Cutts previously said that if Google reviews a website for spam and finds issues, they may look at the other sites that webmaster has in his or her WMT account. Matt said this before Google changed their privacy policy that now pretty much allows them to share information among all their properties. Therefore I believe that having multiple websites under one analytics account can be bad if one website is penalized. Because humans do the reviews, often from low wage countries, human error (false positives) on their part is a factor too.

[onlinesource]

Thank you @mrgneine. I would like to see that video from Matt but that may explain my issue.

I guess going forward, could I move the analytic and webmaster tools to another Gmail program or do you think the damage, if it was done, is done for good?

[LifeinAsia]

Are the sites on the same server?

Conspiracy Theorist 1: same Analytics account, same domain registrar, target same keywords, same server -> Google knows they're the same.

Conspiracy Theorist 2: same Analytics account, same domain registrar, target same keywords, different servers -> Google still knows they're the same, but penalizes you for trying to hide the fact by putting them on different servers.

So according to people without all the facts, you lose either way. :)

[EditorialGuy]

Anecdotal evidence is more about anecdotes than about evidence, but in my own experience, having multiple sites under a single GA account works just fine.

If you believe that Google is omniscient and omnipotent (as many people here seem to do), then it might make sense to be open and aboveboard. Why? Because the natural response to "This guy is trying to hide something" is to wonder "What is this guy trying to hide?"

[onlinesource]

>>> Are the sites on the same server?

I have a dedicated sever. They were separated into unique ip addresses by the host. I also use CloudFlare services but each site is hosted using a unique CloudFlare login and therefore, unique name servers. When I use reverse ip lookups on my domain, it doesn't connect it with another domain. If there another way to tell whether Google or anybody else can connect the dots?

[Hoople]

A few of my non profit customers have seasonal sites up that exist in an evergreen manner all on the same GA.WT account. All are on the same server. Also on the same GA/WT account & server are their org's websites.

Three speciality sites are themed about a fat old guy usually seen in the winter. Two other speciality sites are themed about a hoppy furry critter usually seen in the spring. All C2B in focus. None have seen any issues from creation around 2006 to present. Nine total, all doing fine.

[Planet13]

"Three speciality sites are themed about a fat old guy usually seen in the winter."

Good to know that there are so many people who still love Pavoratti...

[FranticFish]

In my agency days we had multiple sites in Analytics accounts. Never hurt any of them, but they were all for different businesses in different niches. Nothing to hide.

If you're targeting one niche with multiple sites I'd consider it unwise to have the domain ownership linked in any way, let alone anything else.

[onlinesource]

"If you're targeting one niche with multiple sites I'd consider it unwise to have the domain ownership linked in any way, let alone anything else. "

In what ways can you link domain ownership? In the case of both sites sharing the same GMAIL account for Analytics or Google Webmaster Tools... that I get. What I don't get is GoDaddy and how any host would know what sites are hosted together, unless both sites share the same whois details (name, address, phone number) which we don't.

I also don't see why this is wrong, because different websites can tap into different markets. It isn't like I'm using one site to drive traffic to another...

[Planet13]

In what ways can you link domain ownership?

Some people who are very concerned about this say don't use chrome nor use android. to visit both sites - espescially any admin areas of the sites. Also some say that google is buying your ISP's data anyway.

Anyway, that is what some of the ultra-paranoid people on the various black hat type of forums say,

[onlinesource]

Some people who are very concerned about this say don't use chrome nor use android. to visit both sites - espescially any admin areas of the sites. Also some say that google is buying your ISP's data anyway.

I guess since nobody knows how Google operates, it totally just speculation at this point. Could be anything. Godaddy could be openly sharing it's list of customers and domains they own with Goggle. Heck, the federal government could be sharing tax records and my health insurance company giving details about my staff with Google. Who knows for sure?

Speculation is grand! :)

[FranticFish]

I also don't see why this is wrong, because different websites can tap into different markets

I was talking about different websites tapping into the same market.

Here's some interesting threads touching on the subject of Google and domain registration:

Does WHOIS protection stop Google from seeing ownership? (2007)
[webmasterworld.com...]

Is WHOIS data a ranking factor? (2011)
[webmasterworld.com...]

Privately Registered Domains (2013)
[webmasterworld.com...]

It's all pretty much speculation, but if I was Google I'd want to take down networks of any size - in fact, they just announced this week that they act manually on link networks, which is the topic of another current thread here.

[netmeg]

Google is a registrar, they have access to all kinds of domain information.

I also don't see why this is wrong, because different websites can tap into different markets. It isn't like I'm using one site to drive traffic to another...

Right, but that's YOUR objective. That's not Google's objective.