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Is building satellite web properties a viable strategy?

         

Sgt_Kickaxe

5:31 am on May 20, 2010 (gmt 0)



When a site matures and reaches a point of saturation sometimes very little can be done to increase natural search exposure. Adding new content simply increases keyword competition amongst your own internal pages and it serves to further bury older content.

Under the scenario above it may be a viable option to create a new web property based on a sub section of the main site with a focus on a narrower aspect of the main topic. In doing so however, if the main site sells product, is it acceptable (to search engines etc) to direct people who want to buy products towards the main site?

I'm not interested in the SEO impact per say. The "buy now" or "more info" type links would lead to the main site but would all have nofollow added. I'm more concerned with the search engine's take on this type of setup, would the satelite site get tossed from serps for being a type of "feeder" site? Even with very useful top quality content and features? Since the purpose of them would be to direct buyers to major site A from smaller sites B, C, D etc I'm wondering if they would be looked upon as "manipulating search results" etc BECAUSE they share the same owner(s). Major search engines don't seem to allow multiple sites from any one entity to dominate page one results.

Any thoughts welcome.

onlineleben

6:59 am on May 20, 2010 (gmt 0)

WebmasterWorld Senior Member 10+ Year Member



If your satelite sites are on topic, there is nothing to say against them. You offer quality content to your visitors what is good.

is it acceptable (to search engines etc) to direct people who want to buy products towards the main site?

Why not? Done 1,000s of times in affiliate marketing every day.
Don't worry too much about the SEs - they don't buy anything. Make it clear for your visitors that they can buy the product by following your link to the main site. And don't make it nofollow, b/c if I understand G correctly, a nofollow also means that you cannot vouch for the other sites quality.