Combine two websites or keep them separate after Penguin 3 ranking drop and gain

[annaberg]

Since 1995 we had one website which combined our wedding and portrait photography business.(website A)

Three years ago we created a new website and new domain name for the portrait photography side. (website B)

We did not delete the portrait information from website A. Both sites were ranking well on page one. After Penguin 3 website B is no longer ranking at all.

Website A is still ranking well and one of the original portrait pages on the website A is now ranking on page one also.

I am wondering what to do and considering the below options:

1. Should I go back to a combined wedding and portrait site? (and delete website B)

2. Should I create a "301" from the original portrait page on website A that is now ranking, to website B that is no longer ranking, and delete all portrait content from website A?

3. Will having a combined wedding and portrait site be harder to rank as they are competing against each other, or will they help each other rank?

Any comments or advice greatly appreciated. Thanks

[MoosaHemani]

The shortest and simple answer to that is forget website B and stick to website A combining or 301ing both website will hurt the reputation of website A as well.

Hope this helps!