Forum Moderators: phranque
The directory is a subdomain of my main site: directory.widgets.com
Here is my idea:
Just today I registered widgetportal.com and I was considering making a spin off directory site.
My idea would be to have directory.widgets.com and widgetportal.com share the same database and directory script, but have a completely different layout and "feel" to it (different templates, css, graphics, etc..). Furthermore I could advertise my main site via the spin off's "premium listings".
The page design and meta could be optimized to a slightly different set of keywords. Since the database would be the same as my main (and most important site) that means I would not have to actively work on the spin off site at all (all changes in one would show up in the other).
Both of my sites are not at all popular, so the strain on the database is tiny, but it could be a easy way to get a few easy bucks a day.
Questions:
1. Is it ok for 2 sites (with the same hosting) to use one database?
2. Is there a risk for duplicate content penualty? Is there a way to make sure I do not get penalized?
3. How connected should my site be to this spin off? Should I advertise that they are the same?
4. Any advice or suggestions from experience?
Here is a true-life scenario...
I originally wanted a specific ".com" domain name however it was not available. I purchased the ".net" variety and began to build a web site, waiting for the ".com" to become avalable...
During this time I knew nothing about search engine submissions so the site went un-submitted...(8 years ago)
(there is a point to all this...bear with me...) 8-)
All of the back end web issues were handled by the ".net" domain (mail, forms, etc).
I purchased the ".com" domain when it became available, and configured it to point to my current (.net)web site. By this time I was starting to submit my site to everywhere...I decided that the ".com" was what I really wanted and began to submit it...
so far...everything is great...my listings are happening....(I'm on my way to fame and fortune...lol).
(the point is coming......) 8-)
My Error: hardcoding a link to my forms so that they were always sent users to the ".net" domain..(my forms only worked if they were submitted from my original ".net" domain name...)(this is before I knew about mods and such)
The Point:When I get indexed as ".com" the SE located my internal link to my form page in the ".net" domain, and began to index the ".net" web site along with the ".com" site...IDENTICAL CONTENT....
My current situation, is as follows:
Google shows ".com" results...If I search for ".net" I show a result....but only if I look for it...Google decided duplicate content fell on the ".com" side...and only shows ".com" results...
Yahoo shows ".net" results...likewise on the search for ".com"..but only diplays ".net" for searches..Yahoo decided that duplicate content fell on the ".net" side
I hope I answered your #2, and #3 question. It's deffinately something to consider when linking the 2 sites together. You may not achieve what you're looking for, and you may just kill one of the domains...
Hope that helps you some....
