Should I start new site or add to existing site?

[farmboy]

Variations of this question have probably been discussed 999 times. Consider this number 1,000.

I'm about to build a site concerning red widget cleaning. I can make this part of an existing larger site I currently have or a stand alone site.

The domain redwidgetcleaning-dot-com is available.

From a SEO perspective, would there be an advantage in building this as a stand alone site with the exact descriptive domain over just making it part of an existing larger site?

Also, the hyphenated version of the domain is also available. Would there be an advantage of using that version instead of the non-hyphenated version?

FarmBoy

[Quadrille]

Same answer as the other 999; it depends.

If the new topic is related to your current content, then think carefully before doubling your marketing spend, diluting your incoming links (they'll be spread over two sites, instead of related to one), and potentially confusing your visitors, particularly if you interlink the sites.

Plus if the content overlaps, look out for duplicate content issues.

On the other hand, if it's a new direction for you, then a new site could well be the better way to go, and would seriously reduce the risk of visitor confusion.

On the domain names; if you decide to go, then get both, and use a 301 from one to the other.

[farmboy]

There really aren't any visitor confusion issues or duplicate content issues.

I'm asking strictly from a SEO perspective.

If someone searches for "red widget cleaning" does a site with that exact domain name have preference in any way over sites that have red widget cleaning as a subject matter but with a very different domain name?

FarmBoy

[Quadrille]

It could do - but you have to set against that the difficulty obtaining incoming links to two related sites - you'll be in a situation where sites will likely link to one or the other, not both.

Your whole SEO effort will need to be virtually doubled. If the project is really an offshoot of the existing business, then it will almost certainly do better as a folder of the existing site.

Having access to a new keyword combination is not enough to do well; it's what you do with it that counts. SEs will look for a 'best match' whether that's on its own site, or a page on an existing site.

[phranque]

there are many good threads on keyword domains [google.com] here.
in particular you should check out:
- Emphasis on Keyword in Domain Name Lately? [webmasterworld.com]
- Use a hyphen in keyword domain name? [webmasterworld.com]

i would also consider the possibility of type-in traffic, although that is outside of the seo realm.
if you go with the keyword domain i would suggest getting the hyphenated domain and 301 it to the non-hyphenated domain.