multiple locally based websites

[stuart bloomsbury]

I've seen quite a few competitors in my domestic services industry set up locally based domain names in an attempt to capture the market in specific london areas. Having analysed their websites, it appears that the website is an entirely different entity to the 'parent' site, with unique copy that liberally sprinkles location specific keywords throughout. In all cases I can find however, the companies try and mislead the consumer into thinking that they are genuinely from that area or have a branch there.

I was original thinking of setting up areas pages on my own website, but I do not think this will have much of an impact as the search terms for my sector are very competitive. It seems that all the sites colonising local searches are whole websites set up with locally based domain names.

I therefore think it would be better to follow their example and set up new websites under different names (probably 5 in our best business areas), with unique copy. These would be scaled down versions of the parent site, but letting people know that we service these areas too. I do not want to 'deceive' our customers however, as the others are doing, so I want the copy to be completely open about who we are and that we have a parent site. Here is my question:

Would linking back to my main site from these sites lead to any google penalties? Is this seen as a black hat technique? The other sites seem to be completely separate entities but with the same phone numbers, emails and logos. Is there a reason for this?

 

[unet]

in terms of your question - its wont do any real harm but i dont think the tactic will work now google places has arrived. your better off playing with your google places "marker" and seoing that and your exeisting site. Geo trade domains are pretty easy to seo. you could even set one up and cut and paste your existing site onto the new one ( changing the copy etc so thats its unique ). Its not a blackhat technique, dont think its even very grey.

 

[stuart bloomsbury]

Any other views on this?

 

[mickeym]

Stuart,

I am guilty of doing exactly what you've described. I use a keyword rich domain which is very helpful for local SEO and has proven to be invaluable.

We were ranked number 2 for our targeted phrase until Google Places came but we've just been merged into it and nothing really changed.

Our main company name domain simply returns a 301 redirect to the keyword domain (which actually hosts the website).

Our next move is to begin to expand the business to new areas and I will be following the same plan.

 

[stuart bloomsbury]

What sort of impact as Google Places had on this? Is this the same as Google Maps listing. I have a GM listing, but its under status as 'being reviewed' for the past year and Google have become unresponsive...

 

[mickeym]

What sort of impact as Google Places had on this? Is this the same as Google Maps listing. I have a GM listing, but its under status as 'being reviewed' for the past year and Google have become unresponsive...

In most local search requests I have seen they have either begun to or have completely merged the Places (which is essentially a Google Maps listing) with the main organic results.

Still can't decide whether I like it that way or not.