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SEO = C-O-N-F-U-S-I-O-N for me.

Confused at computer

I'm hoping some of the AR community can offer some suggestions for effective multiple domain name internet submissions.

I have been marketing, promoting and submitting my website, http://www.brianortizproperties.com/, for over 8 months now. While my site traffic has been good, typically leading my office for the past two months, I realized, who is Brian Ortiz? In other words, people are going to easily forget my website address unless they know me or have a business card or piece of marketing. So I chose to create a more generic and much easier to remember domain name, something one may remember if they just saw it somewhere. Thus the birth of http://www.chicagorealestatesite.com/.

As I only have ONE actual website, but now multiple domain names pointing to that same exact internet location (actually 6 domain names in total, I went a little out of control one night), what is the best way to submit this site to search engines? As it is truly the same webpage, content, meta-tags, etc., just different domain names, should I submit the site to search engines under EACH specific domain name? Or, will doing this subject me to possible search engine "blacklisting" from some engines, due to oversubmission of a "master content site"?

Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions how to best submit multiple domain names of the exact same page? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Posted by Brian Ortiz on 12/08/2006 11:42 PM

Comments (48)

seo, website submission, domain names, brian ortiz, chicago, real estate, realtor

48 Comments on SEO = C-O-N-F-U-S-I-O-N for me.

DEC

2006

Hi Brian, in case you haven't see it, I'd advise you to read some of the past blog posts by Mary McKnight, she really knows her stuff when it comes to SEO.

Hi Brian,

How are you marketing your site? Organically or paid? If you are paying, say for example doing some pay per click campaigns through yahoo or google, then I would suggest you get a landing page and set up auto responders to the emails you get through the landing page.

Remember, people only look for a home once every say 6 years or more. Your target market will only be searching for your website once every 6 years or more, therefore focusing on people remembering your website domain is hard place to start.

I personally would focus on getting email addresses from hot leads. This is done by creating Call to Action landing pages, and providing them freebies in return for their emails.

I will be writing in the next day or so about landing pages and auto responders.

In the mean time you can check out my company blog at www.gururealestatemarketing.com

Brian - I feel your pain!

Can the search engine see your sign in the yard?

I'm with Marti - check out Mary McKnights posts - a ton of excellent information.

DEC

2006

I took a look at your website and here are three suggestions I have for you.

1. Both domain names are already indexed by Google. They know you exist. At this point there is no need to re-submit your domain.

2. Having multiple domain names is not a good idea for many different reasons. Google and the other Search Engines do not like duplicate content pages. You can avoid this problem by doing what is called a 301 re-direct. Here's the fix. When a visitor types ChicagoRealEstateSite.com they will be re-directed and taken to BrianOrtizProperites.com. This will accomplish what you want without being penalized by the search engines for duplicate content. Cool!

3. Finally, focus your attention of getting inbound links from other websites. You want to have them directed to only one domain; your main domain. You do not want some people to link to BrianOrtizProperites.com and others to ChicagoRealEstateSite.com.

Here's the bigger problem with multiple domain names Brian. You need to decide which domain name you want to promote and run with it. Unless you are focusing on two very different niches, you should put all you eggs in one basket and promote only one domain name. Google, MSN, Yahoo and the rest of the SE's will reward you for your effort.

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your responses. Honestly I am still processing them all and trying to figure out the best methods. I will update everyone as I go forward. Thank you all so much, and feel free to add more if you think of anything else!

Brian Ortiz

DEC

2006

301 redirects are acceptable ways of directing multiple URLs to a single domain. You do have to make sure they are done in the proper way. Here is a good tool to check to see if the redirects were done properly.

Here is our own tool for checking if your site is backlisted:

Am I Banned?

Hope this helps.

Mary is correct. 301 redirects are an absolute must. But the most important thing is to get your own site. Having the url point to a page on another site is just going to give you grief. You need your own unique site with original content. Do that and you've eliminated half the battle.-Charles

DEC

2006

Thank you all so much. I really truly appreciate your help.

Mary- I checked all my websites, and the 301 redirect checks out fine. It all links to the same place, and states it is search engine friendly. My main website, the one I've had, is NOT banned. However all the new domain names bought 12/1/06, and not ever individually submitted, have no indexed pages ever submitted to a website. Which I have not done, so can't tell if they are blacklisted or just not ever submitted yet.

So, here is my last question. On my master home website, which allows me to submit my website to multiple engines free of charge every two weeks. I definitely am able to submit each indexed page, under each different domain name. So if I have 3 domain names, and 5 indexed pages on the master site, should I submit each page under each domain name, for a total of 15 submissions in this example?

Would doing the above potentially increase my odds of site being found by 3 times (3 domains) or would this be considered submitting the same page too many times? Keep in mind each time I submit, it is under this format, always under a different domain name prior to the page.

abc domain name/indexed page number one, abc domain name/indexed page number two

then the same indexed pages, but submitted with this domain:

xyz domain name/indexed page number one, xyz domain name/indexed page number two, etc....

- Therefore submitting each "master indexed page" only once (twice a month) under each different domain name?

Would this increase my odds, or get my website blacklisted in every possible way?

Again, thank you all so much. Your help really means a lot to me.

Brian Ortiz

Brian,

I'd dump the multiple domains. You are watering down your potential for incoming links. Pick the one with the most incoming links, and start there. There really isn't much point in having them.
Don't worry about submitting your pages to the search engines. If you are really worried about your internal pages getting indexed, just link to them in a blog post... and they will be in the index within 24 hours. NEVER SUBMIT ANYTHING TO SEARCH ENGINES!!! They prefer to find pages naturally through links.
Start a blog on whatever domain you decide to use, and the search engine spiders will come running... or uh... crawling.

DEC

2006

Thank you very much for your input. I really do appreciate it. I have cancelled 4 domain names now in total, and even persuaded GoDaddy to reimburse me.

Now I'm left with my two domains, http://www.BrianOrtizProperties.com which is currently my master website. Then the other website which is a little easier to remember, that one is http://www.ChicagoRealEstateSite.com . On the first the name servers point to the actual place where my site "lives". On the second one, the name servers are parked, and that site is simply forwarded to the first one. I'm hoping that setup will allow the main one to still get the big traffic numbers. Also hoping the second one will just be a little easier to remember if someone saw it on a sign or flyer.

Do you think that will work out better?

Thanks again.

Brian Ortiz

While on the topic, maybe this is a stupid question, but I don't know. So, what is the best way to get my blog posts to reflect back to my website? Is it simply just adding links to my blog which land on my site?

DEC

2006

Canceling some of those useless domains was a good start.

I'm not sure what you mean by "reflect back", but you are probably thinking of links. Yes, link back to your site as much as you can from your blog posts without going "overboard"

DEC

2006

Brain, thank you for asking this question, I have gain tis from the comments you received.

DEC

2006

Brian am so glad you asked the question and loved reading all the responses alot of great information there.

DEC

2006

Thanks again everyone!!! I really appreciate everyone's help and assistance.

Brian Ortiz

JAN

2007

I bought my www.RandyProthero.com a tactic promoted in several seminars I have attended. I also have a few others, but I settled on an easy one to remember as my main one: www.HawaiiRandy.com

I get a fair amount of traffic, but most comes from my signs and local marketing.

JAN

2007

Consider reading: http://activerain.com/blogsview/37829/What-is-web-site

and http://activerain.com/blogsview/39047/Realtor-Web-Site-What

From the group: http://activerain.com/groups/webdesign101

FEB

2007

It's all about Progress... not Perfection. SEO and SERP results should be sought as a process, not a destination :)

There is some very good advice in these comments.

Here are a few more ideas...

One of the best ways to advance your rank is to make a few doorway sites, like for-sale-by-owner-chigago.com or starterhomeschicago.com, or movingtochicago.com or buyinghomeschicago.com or sellinghomeschicago.com and have them all link to each other, or have them all link to your main site. Put up 3 to 5 pages of content focused on the obvious theme, according to the words used in the URL, and make your meta tags and keywords all repeat the same simple ideas. Focus on about half a dozen key words only per web site. Make a different web site for each set of related keywords. Link to each other and let the SEARCH HOMES button link back to your main site.

Lonn Dugan
www.MyRealCoach.com

And BTW: Congrats on leading your office for web traffic.

Time to convert to leads and convert leads to prospects

Lonn Dugan, Realtor
http://www.MyRealCoach.com

FEB

2007

If the sites that are pointing to your primary domain are also indexing in Google, MSN, YAHOO... and they all have the same content - eventually your main site will be de-listed. It will be viewed by the search engines as a mirror site. They will remove it. Sometimes it is permanent.

FEB

2007

Brian - thought I would provide my input based on what has worked for me :)

Multiple Domains - you really only want to have one domain for each website. Having more than one website is a great idea - the search engines like different things and you will find that from time to time you may do something that the search engines don't like ( or don't like anymore )! So having several is a good thing! if you do decide to use more than one domain - make sure that your 301's are done right - know that the search engines still from time to time change how they consider 301 redirects. A little over a year ago - hundreds of sites with multiple re-directs were dropped from their top placements - one of the best webmasters I know suffered from this.

Doorway sites - are one of the tactics that Google has a stated postition against. If you have more than one website make sure that you are not interlinking all the websites - yes - I see sites that do it all the time that continue to have good placement. I also know sites that have been banned over the issue! Your call - if you elect to pursue this strategy - at least keep some sites that do not participate at all in the interlinking!!!!!

Domains pointed at internal pages - if you are going to use a domain to promote a specific listing or neighborhood on a site - consider having a seperate site - not your primary site - that you use for this purpose. With vendors like Point2 Agent out there that provide free template websites - it does not make much since to put your primary real estate website at risk with this. It is in my opinion a great way to promote property or neighborhoods with out having to create a website specific to each listing you want to promote.

Hope this is useful... if you are not careful you will find yourself joining those of us that spend way to much time researching SEO and internet marketing techniques. If you are able to keep it in balance you will find just a little guideance can make all the difference in the world!

Best of luck with your efforts!

MAR

2007

Hi Brian,

Like you I get confused with the whole SEO thing. I did some research and found the perfect tool. I use IBP 9.5 this is Internet Business Promoter 9.5. This automates most of the submitting, and generates intuitive comparisons between you and your keyword competitors giving you advice on how to change your website for optimal placement. It has been slowly working its magic for me while unveiling most of the secrets of SEO for me. I actually feel like I understand this stuff now. The best part is that it updates and can generate new advice as the engines change the way they look at your website. Well worth the investment. If you're not sure, try the demo version with full capabilities.

MAR

2007

I have a similar situation. We currently have 3 websites. 2 are our names (www.StephenWinters.ca and www.FraserWinters.ca) then we thought we'd try and market www.FatherAndSonTeam.ca. We focus our marketing on this website. I was in a debate the past few years on whether to maintain different content on three seperate websites or keep the same on each. I've tried both methods and to be honest, didn't see a difference with google but did on other search engines. Yahoo and msn seemed to like all three sites indexed....and so did I.

Cheers,

Steve Winters

www.StephenWinters.ca

MAR

2007

How does pointing a domain at an internal page adversely affect the web site? I don't see how it can harm it with search engine placement.

Hi Brian and everyone. I work in the Web industry offering multimedia and network SEO. I also just joined this BB and am pleasantly surprised to see such great (i.e., educated and researched) advice being offer. Kudos to you all for knowing what you are talking about. I rarely see that in the boards. Best - Robert

I'm struggling with the same things right now. Lots of domain names all redirecting to my one site. I was told this would help, but don't know how to make the most of it.

MAR

2007

Chad - it "helps", but your pointer sites need to indexed by the crawlers to be "functional". You will also want to optimize your pointer sites with the proper METAs and body tags (<h1>, <h2>, <em>, <strong>, etc.) so that they attract crawlers and making it more likely that they'll follow the links to your site. And don't just set inbound links (from your domains to your core site) to they home page of your core site. Instead, point to different pages on your core site (About, Our Services, My Listings, etc.) as this will give your core site a higher level of "importance" overall AS LONG AS the anchored links point to your domain name and not an off-site service. Wrap those anchored links [to the varying pages in your core site] with a 200+ word article related to your business or industry. This is what they call "organic search engine optimization". NOTE: an anchor uses the <a href="..."> tag.

Keep in mind, too, that a key factor in making SEO work is understand something called "search relevancy", that is, knowing how to find customers using the right key words and phrases. If you want to know the real "secret of SEO" (among the dozens of techniques), then here it is....

Make sure your body text includes keywords and key-phrases used in consumer searches so that you appear in the SERPS based on those keywords and key-phrases. AND make sure such keywords and key-phrases bring you to the right types of consumers. ALSO, most people don't realize that crawlers only care about seeing the same words and phrases about five to ten times per Web page. After that, repetitive words and phrases get ignored (as far as indexing goes) which is why "spamdexing" techniques are being filtered with new search algorithms.

Of course, you can't, and shouldn't, totally depend on SEO to win clients. Good old-fashioned handshakes, referral networking and advertising often works far better in helping you to procure a more-immediate client.

You guys might want to check out a very low cost "network SEO" system my company has recently began offered the Home Inspection industry. It is called "SEO Buddy". Learn more at www.inspectorpresentations.com/seobuddy.shtml. I can implement a SEO Buddy System program for interested Realtors ONLY if you all are interested. It is a very ethical "white hat" solution to SEO that combines organic and inorganic techniques within an "industry group" business model. Think "link exchange" on steroids - the steroids being SEO accents. Very low cost. Very effective. Just let me know if there is interest.

Anyone know of a site that has lots of redirects that is still placing well on any sort of competitive keywords???

Just curious - I look forward to seeing some samples...

APR

2007

This is how to do 301 redirects:

http://socialmediasystems.com/04/15/moving-guide/

have you ever considered having a professional place you?

APR

2007

Hi ..Brian this looks to be an older thread but as a fellow chicagoan could not resist as I also have that problem.

Elliotthomeinspection is the main site as it is my name and ego plays a part,however also have registered chicagopropertyinspection.com as an assumed name,which is where people tend to find me through search engines.

Still I have a third which I use almost as a blog.chicagolandhomeinspection.com and NOT making these links as my intention is simply to help you by stating that you can link them together and increase your traffic for miniumal cost compared to paying for advertising.

Go here and learn by typing in other sites to copy success.http://tools.summitmedia.co.uk/spider/

APR

2007

Brian, good results from your post. Thanks for asking the question.

MAY

2007

There are some really good tips for working on SEO right here: SEO Search Engine optimization

I know its long, but every word of it is helpful. You will understand SEO inside and out after you finish it.

have fun.

http://www.sugarlandrelocation.com

JUN

2007

Didn't read the other comments, but I just researched this for my site...

What you do is get what is called an "A" Record for the chicagorealestatesite domain from your host provider. I was told this creates specific URL's for each page of your original site under the chicago... domain.

Redirects do not get ranked. That's why the "A" record. I believe too many of either will get you blacklisted, so just work on the one domain with the "A" record.

Well, check all this out with your provider and please let me know if this is wrong as I am in the same boat.

Marina..the redirects or links seem to help me so it may be a question of scale.

Why use balckhat techniques when real content works eachand every time? anything involving duplicate content and/or redirects is temporary: you will loose all of your pagerank the next update if it is not done properly.

Not sure if I am missing the point but having your profile page here at Active Rain with a link to your own website is not the same thing? It seems to work pretty good that way.Let me know if I missed the boat as I am not a marketing Guru.

JUN

2007

Nope, a link and a redirect are not the same thing. If you are on topic, a link is fine. A redirect is an involuntary thing, and is only OK as moving technique: see

http://socialmediasystems.com/04/15/moving-guide/

JUN

2007

The only Good SEO is white hat SEO. just type in social media website development, see who the real expert is!

Have you ever thought of trying another way to drive traffic besides SEO?? Like Pay Per Click. I Work with Jay Kinder Home Selling Team, and we have 13 agents and we still cannot keep up with all of the leads we generate.

JUL

2007

I have found that a craigslist search for a local SEO expert is worth their weight in gold. Find someone local that is up on the latest spider criteria (the method used to index web pages) and what search engines are using to prioritize ranking. Check out www.seochat.com and use their tools. Let me know if you have any questions about what you are seeing.

AUG

2007

This has been one of the best blogs I have seen. I am struggling with this also. My name is good- www.AtlantaHomeStore.com. But I do not get the hits I would like.

Teresa Johnson

AUG

2007

Wow ... Lotta info here... Karen George's posts are filled with SEO info... check her out.

AUG

2007

Brian, Good choice in your new domain name. You give good advice to others to remember to have a domain that attracts buyers and sellers.

OCT

2007

Confusion? I'm so confused I don't know if I'm coming or going. I did get several good suggestions form AR that commented on your sight. I see that you originally wrote the blog last year are less confused now?

JAN

2008

you want to have 1 domain name and have all other domain names redirect to that domain name. You don't want google to think you have 12 sites with identical content, that is bad! I adivse you to pick the domain name with the best keywords that someone would search for, and make all other domain names redirect to that one. One of my past clients did that, we had one domain that was search engine friendly, and one that was shorter and easier to remember that redirected to the search engine one. We put the short one on all of our print marketing materials.

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