Two Webstites Targeting the Same Keywords

[residualboulders]

If I aquire a website in the same industry targeting the same keywords. Should I merge them into one? I understand it's a bad idea to have multiple websites promoting the same thing, but i'd like to capture the customer base of a competing website.

What's everyone's thoughts?

A- Merge new to main website with 301's? will google like that?

B- Keep them separate? Will google like that?

C- Don't bother.

D- Toss the computer and get into Horticulture

[EGOL]

There is no sin to building or buying two toy stores on Main Street and there is no sin owning two websites that compete for the same keyword.

The problem arises when you use the same content or very similar content on these sites or when you decide to heavily interlink them.

I have two websites in the SERPs for lots of keywords.  Those sites always have TOTALLY DIFFERENT content. Sometimes one is retail and one is informational.  They have the same registrant (visible whois) and are both claimed in my Google Webmaster Tools.

If you acquire a new website.  Don't take generic advice on what to do with these two domains.  Merging them could be a mistake and running them separately could be a mistake.

You might be able do some SEO and design and flip an ugly, poorly optimized, poorly performing website into an asskicking producer.    Spend time to assess the site and spend time studying its traffic in analytics.

You might make more money running them separately or merging them might make  a lot more sense.  I might merge sites that have content with little keyword duplication and with very little backlink duplication.   For sites that have lots of overlap it might make sense (if one of them dominates the SERPs) to run them separately.

So, don't take generic advice and don't do this without detailed study.

Finally, know what you are buying, what comes with the deal, what doesn't and what links and content have been placed on this site just to make it look good for the sale but that will be yanked immediately after they have your money.

[RepLoc_Tim]

D is sounding pretty good right now...

You could go either way.  Without knowing how much existing content, traffic and the age and authority of your existing site, I will share my recommendation based on the assumption it doesn't have much authority or traffic.

I would merge and put more effort into one site (option A).  Focus on high quality, high value information for just one site.  As important as content is, dividing your efforts between 2 sites chasing the same keywords would be tough.  Combining your effort and time into one site would allow you to do a much better job.   1 + 1 = 3.

An exception to this recommendation is in the case that both have high authority and traffic, but different voices/ personalities.  But even in this situation, you could merge and turn it into an a big event/ story of how you are getting bigger and bringing the two communities together in order to bring even more value to the table, etc. - this could help get you some extra publicity and traffic from the situation.

[MichaelYork]

Another add on to Egol's post is the split of SEO resources. If you don't have the time to build the necessary online properties to rank both it may be an argument for focusing your efforts on one stronger site then splitting resources and having two "also-rans".

[residualboulders]

Thanks Guys. Points well taken.

I considered merging simply because both sites sell basically the same products, so making each unique would be somewhat difficult. My site (A) is much larger, better optimized, ranks well and had much more content. Site B has many products but little content which I think is why it doesn't rank quite as well. I am concerned about how much work it will take to get B up to speed when the same amount of work into A would probably generate more revenue. Just wondered if putting the work into A, redirecting B to A might be the best game plan. But maybe not long term.