multiple domain names

[rsndll]

I have a number of domain names which are all set up to go to the same webspace. Is this bad for SEO - is this what is meant by duplicate content?
I have read about doing 301 redirects but I can't see any advantage. Am I wrong?
The extra domain names I have are such things as having a hyphen in the middle of the name and I also have .eu and .co.uk for my 'real' domain name.

[Quadrille]

You are very, very wrong :)

SEs, particularly Google, hate duplication, which simply clutters the web. Much better to have your content on one site (use your favorite .com - unless you have a spcifically 'local' audience), then use 301 forwards from every other domain name (www and non-www) to the chosen www.domain.com. Plus one from domain.com to www.domain.com.

Failing this, your multiple sites won't share the glory, they'll divide any success amongst them, plus all will need separate marketing effort.

[vite_rts]

Hi Guys

if one has/owns

example.com
example.co.uk
example.net
example.org

and all point at the same website, does this count as duplication?

And dare i ask, what are 301 redirects, sounds highly specialised, are they usually an option on most Hosts control panels?

Regards

[caveman]

Yes if they all point to the same Web site, then it is duplication. I've seen instances of this when it did not seem to hurt a site much, but other cases where it clearly caused issues.

301's are the way to go.

Generally you are better off controlling the domain that is 301'ing to the main domain, if for no other reason that to make sure that the redirect is happening properly. These days, a lot of hosts provide more than one domain per hosting account, so if you have a set up like that, you can organize your secondary domains with htaccess files to 301 to the main domain.

[vite_rts]

hi Caveman

Thanks for that, i certainly have one domain thats being hammered for that transgression.

I work entirely in ASP.net/vb.net,, i found some 301 asp code on a brilliant thread here on webmasterworld, thanks www :)

question is, can I put just 1 page in each domain an put the 301 code in either the page load event or the global.asax file

I dunno if you prefer php, c# , perl but asp.net/vb.net is all I have

Cheers

[rsndll]

Thanks for your advice guys.
I've set up the .htaccess things and they seem to work OK. I also prefer it with my 'real' domain name showing in the address bar now.
I did it over half an hour ago, but I'm still not no1 in Google. Maybe I'm too inpatient :)

[caveman]

Patience is a great asset in our business. So is aggressiveness. ;-)