Owning Multiple Sites In Same Niche

miketpowell

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What are your thoughts on owning multiple sites in the same niche even going after the same keywords often enough?

I know some people do it but try to keep it a secret from Google by being super careful. Have seen others where the sites all link to each other in the footers and Google does not seem to care.

How much will Google devalue a site because they believe you own another site already ranking for that keyword?
 
These are all the brands owned by Hearst:
https://www.hearst.com/magazines

A lot of them compete against one another - and all of them point back to hearst.com in their footer. It's well known and openly claimed. There are plenty of huge media conglomerates like this.

Google wants to provide people with the best possible content related to their search. If two of your sites happen to both have solid articles on the topic, then they'll rank both.

Obviously don't push the boat out and start inter-linking them or try to game the rankings. But no, connected ownership alone isn't enough for Google to care.
 
I agree with @MinstrelJunkie. Don't interlink them. Don't host them on the same sever. If you don't do that, you should be fine. It's not about hiding it from Google, it's about assuring them you aren't manipulating.

But yeah, there's a lot to be said for doing a ton of keyword research and re-using it over and over again, especially once you know what the winning keywords are. Might get fishy if you decide to liquidate just one of them (and not both or all three, etc.) and having to deal with non-complete clauses.
 
People here often cite mega brands as a good example of why this should / could be done. I disagree that the same sentiment that google etc applies to these brands also applies to mere mortals like us.

I think there was a user on here who did this and had an elaborate set up with proxies, IPs and laptops etc. It paid off for them but the lengths that they had to pursue to make this work as a non mega brand should tell you what you need to know about how this might work out.
 
MrMedia said:
I think there was a user on here who did this and had an elaborate set up with proxies, IPs and laptops etc. It paid off for them but the lengths that they had to pursue to make this work as a non mega brand should tell you what you need to know about how this might work out.
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That's just complete overkill. I'm ranking 2 sites for positions 1 & 2 for the same thing. They're hosted on the same server, done on my sole laptop, and interlink to each other in the menu bar.

It's painfully obvious that one site (biz directory) is a subsidiary of the primary site. I have 3 sites in this tripod, all linking to each other.

It's not as serious as we think.
 
Why wouldn't you link back and forth? Eg Car site #1 breaks news about secret new Lambo. All other car news sites cover it including Car site #2. What's the problem?
 
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I do this often, I dont interlink unless it makes sense, and i keep all referring domains unique from another while link building( ilke, i wont run the same link properties to the multiple sites/targets, i try to keep as much distance as i can as far as link patterns go), i have no problems while doing this. I seo like the sky is falling though... so... haha.
 
It's a good way to go as long as your websites fight for serps in one BROAD niche, but each of them is responsible only for its subniche. For example, you could build a site for x-mas decorations and once you have it well done and on positions then you can build another site for birthday decorations. Then you can or even should link from (also sidewide) x-mas decorations to birthday decoration. I've done it, it's a good way to go.
 
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