URGENT-->Your own worst competitor

self competing sites

[cmcneil]

I was just hired on to replace another on-staff SEO. This company has a client with six websites and they have been trying to optimize all 6 for the same keywords. Their SERPs are all over the place with just as diverse analytics. The purpose of the sites is to promote four local hotels in two regions close to each other and increase bookings. Two of the sites are more or less just to redirect the user to one of the hotels website, so I guess in a way kind of doorway sites.

Here is my question. Wouldn't it be better to concentrate your efforts to just promote one or both of the doorway sites (for lack of better word)?

You would build them to become more then doorway sites. You could build up content, relevancy and links on those two and the remaining four would be the beneficiaries and of course these four could still be built to rank for longer search tails.

This client is ready to walk and time is limited. I have done well with promoting a single site. Never multiple within their own genre.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[conor]

Seperate, split and segment

[cmcneil]

Conor, Thank you for your insight.

[pageoneresults]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld cmcneil!

Wouldn't it be better to concentrate your efforts to just promote one or both of the doorway sites (for lack of better word)?

I think I'd be focusing on getting rid of the doorway sites as you call them. Then put all of your efforts into the individual hotel sites. Be sure to do a 1:1 301 of old doorway site pages to their new destinations.

This client is ready to walk and time is limited.

Don't listen to me!

Run!

Anytime a client is ready to walk and time is limited, I'm out of there. What exactly is the rush? Your efforts are not going to achieve anything stellar overnight so why is the client ready to walk? That would concern me. ;)

[cmcneil]

PageOnResults,
My sides hurt. You couldn't be more correct. I would run, but I've been lamed because I just started with this company. Their old SEO was there for almost 10 years and the weeds are so tall they block the sun. The place is blighted and they have brought me in to try to salvage what can be and turn things around. This is their second biggest client who has already been shopping around (rightfully so).

I would like to convert the two primary sites from doorway to more useful content rich site. If users could be served to the point of checkout and then hand them off to the appropriate site this should help.

Their average time on site is around 30 sec. and an average bounce rate of 80%. It is no wonder they are in the SERPs how they are.

What are you thoughts on rebuilding the two sites to region specific lodging? This way I could leave the other 4 to long tail and terms they are already ranking for (each is unique anyway).

Anyway thanks for the input.
Corey

[pageoneresults]

What are you thoughts on rebuilding the two sites to region specific lodging? This way I could leave the other 4 to long tail and terms they are already ranking for (each is unique anyway).

I'm going to let others chime in. I'm the wrong person to be asking these questions as I'm probably going to suggest what you don't want to hear. What is that suggestion you ask? If you're talking about one brand here with 4 different locations, of course I'm going to recommend one site with 4 different sections targeting each location. Why all the domains? That has to be a nightmare from a management and reporting perspective.

Is the Hotel Industry really that challenging? Personally I feel you have a lot more weight to throw around under one domain in this particular scenario. Others may present a different view. :)