One site, several domains and SEO

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

I am building a site with Joomla which will have a couple subsites, which will be domains pointing to menus that have different information shown in the same format.

The effect I want is to have what looks like 3 different sites, but using a common backend.

I plan to use the redirect function that 123-reg has, to push the domain to the relevant menu.

What effect will that have on SEO for the repointed domains?

Also, if I set the google webmaster spider to look at the domains, can I use no-follow to ensure only the relevant bits are picked up, to ensure 'duplicate data' isn't seen?

 

[WebfactoryUK]

You have to be careful using multiple domains as your probably aware as search engines will penalise you thinking you are duplicating content.

I think the best way to achieve what you want would probably be to use sub domains.

section1.mainwebsiteaddress.com

Should be able to set it up within 123's cpanel.

Trouble you'll have is using joomla and pointing the sub domains to the correct address....

Google it. Someone will of written a guide.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Thanks for that - the penalties are what I am trying to avoid!

I do not want to use subdomains, as the url's are memorable - subdomain, less so!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

If you give the search engines multiple ways into your site on different domains then you need some real help to ensure you don't get the site crawled under those domains. the easiest way is to use a 301 redirect on the domains. e.g.

pete's bike shop = petesbikeshop.com
the mountain bikes might be petesbikeshop.com/mountainbikes you may have a domain called greatmountainbikes.com

You 301 redirect greatmountainbikes.com to petesbikeshop.com/mountainbikes they can type the GMB domain in and will always go to the mountain bike section. but they will only ever see the petesbikes/ url. This is the safest. HOWEVER you will not now get the GMB domain ranking as it is redirecting.

You are walking a tightrope, and you need to take proper in depth advice on this as it goes beyopnd the simple.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

OWG,

thanks for that - that was the solution I was working on, however, I have found a page on the Joomla site which may shed more light on this!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Why not link to it so others can benefit Without actually seeing the setup, it is difficult. Also keep in mind that many 'solutions' can actually be problems.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

This page suggests:
Create an .htaccess (Apache) redirect
or
Create a PHP Header Redirect
or
Create a PHP Header Redirect, for multiple domains with specific domain redirects for custom templates


Alas, they make no comment on the affect with the like of google!

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

The set up is as follows:

Main Site Domain
Joomla install, with several menus, some third party url specific.

Second Domain
301 redirect to the specific/relevant menu item, with bespoke template/content

 

[WebfactoryUK]

Should be fine. The extra addresses won't be indexed though as previously mentioned.

 

[cogo]

You have to be careful using multiple domains as your probably aware as search engines will penalise you thinking you are duplicating content.

I think the best way to achieve what you want would probably be to use sub domains.

section1.mainwebsiteaddress.com

Should be able to set it up within 123's cpanel.

Trouble you'll have is using joomla and pointing the sub domains to the correct address....

Google it. Someone will of written a guide.

Google looks at subdomains as a seperate website. So this still wouldn't be a good idea.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Google looks at subdomains as a seperate website. So this still wouldn't be a good idea.

Sorry but that changed about 4 or 5 yeears ago. Have a look at this search result page.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=s...s=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

a search was made for the root domain, but G is returning the sub domains. they also admitted the same a while back,.

This was done after SEO's got all the listings on page 1 via subdomains

 

[cogo]

Sorry but that changed about 4 or 5 yeears ago. Have a look at this search result page.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=s...s=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

a search was made for the root domain, but G is returning the sub domains. they also admitted the same a while back,.

This was done after SEO's got all the listings on page 1 via subdomains

It's still ranking them as seperate sites. About.com is extremely popular with good age and pr, so if you're starting off, subdomains is going to make your job a lot harder.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I am not disputing any of that, all I am disagreeing with is your statement of google treating subdomains ads seperate domains, when they don't. I am not sure what you are saying when you say 'it is still ranking them as seperate sites' as that is the same as claiming a sub folder is being treated as a separate site.

Google treats sub folders and sub domains as being part of the same site, Matt cutts and Vanessa Fox put this to bed in 2007.

 

[cogo]

I am not disputing any of that, all I am disagreeing with is your statement of google treating subdomains ads seperate domains, when they don't. I am not sure what you are saying when you say 'it is still ranking them as seperate sites' as that is the same as claiming a sub folder is being treated as a separate site.

Google treats sub folders and sub domains as being part of the same site, Matt cutts and Vanessa Fox put this to bed in 2007.

If that was the case, then marketing and link building to domain.com would automatically flow all pr to sub.domain.com - which it doesn't. Hence Google treats sub domains on their own terms.

I think you're getting confused with Google "knowing" that it's the same site/domain, and Google domain ranking factors.

And 2007, was a long time ago

 

[OldWelshGuy]

If that was the case, then marketing and link building to domain.com would automatically flow all pr to sub.domain.com - which it doesn't. Hence Google treats sub domains on their own terms.

I think you're getting confused with Google "knowing" that it's the same site/domain, and Google domain ranking factors.

And 2007, was a long time ago

I think you're getting confused with Google "knowing" that it's the same site/domain, and Google domain ranking factors.

Again your thinking is wrong, I am not getting confused with anything whatsoever.

You stated google treat them as (and I quote) "a separate website", I stated they don't,


I am not going to argue with you, think what you like, say what you like, believe what you like. I honestly don't care what you think or what you believe. You stated google treat them as seperate websites, I stated they don't, and your posts go on to agree with my statement but you are putting up straw man arguments about connections and knowing and ranking & yada yada yada, you are trying to move the goalposts mid game.

2007 was a long time ago what on earth was that supposed to mean? Does time passing make anything less of a truth?

Maybe we are not communicating at all, who knows, but please don't tell me that I am confusing things based on your belief of my thoughts.

You think what you like it makes no difference to me I have said my bit, I have cited the authority statement from Google to back it up, I have provided you with a link from Google showing that google shows a connection between subdomains and base domains (proof positive they are not treated as (Again I quote) " A separate website". Where is your citation to back up your argument?

 

[cogo]

Again your thinking is wrong, I am not getting confused with anything whatsoever.

You stated google treat them as (and I quote) "a separate website", I stated they don't,


I am not going to argue with you, think what you like, say what you like, believe what you like. I honestly don't care what you think or what you believe. You stated google treat them as seperate websites, I stated they don't, and your posts go on to agree with my statement but you are putting up straw man arguments about connections and knowing and ranking & yada yada yada, you are trying to move the goalposts mid game.

2007 was a long time ago what on earth was that supposed to mean? Does time passing make anything less of a truth?

Maybe we are not communicating at all, who knows, but please don't tell me that I am confusing things based on your belief of my thoughts.

You think what you like it makes no difference to me I have said my bit, I have cited the authority statement from Google to back it up, I have provided you with a link from Google showing that google shows a connection between subdomains and base domains (proof positive they are not treated as (Again I quote) " A separate website". Where is your citation to back up your argument?

No need for the rant. It's an SEO thread - my answer is based on seo and marketing. Let's just leave it at that!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

I am sorry you see it as a rant, but when you tell someone they are confused it tends to rub them up the wrong way.

You made a statement as fact. I claimed it to be wrong. I provided proof to back up my claim the statement was wrong, you tell me I am confused.

As I said. please provide your evidence to back up your claim. Or as you say, we can leave it there

 

[cogo]

I am sorry you see it as a rant, but when you tell someone they are confused it tends to rub them up the wrong way.

You made a statement as fact. I claimed it to be wrong. I provided proof to back up my claim the statement was wrong, you tell me I am confused.

As I said. please provide your evidence to back up your claim. Or as you say, we can leave it there

All I'm pointing out is page rank for sub domains are separate from the root domain. When it comes to SEO, Google treats them as "different websites".

The poster has mentioned splitting the domains and asking if it will effect his SEO. The answer is yes, as he'll have triple the marketing to do.

That's my point in a little detail.

<removed>