What is the best way to differentiate and optimize two similar websites's SEO?

[EmmaGeorge]

What is the best way to differentiate and optimize two similar websites's SEO, having in mind that they do not produce content?

[donsilvernail]

Emma George,

You will have to write custom titles and descriptions for each property. Each site might not produce content but they should posses content. Make sure the content is original to each site and you should be well upon your way.

Thanks

Don

[MiriamEllis]

Hey Emma,

Donald's advice is good. I noticed you categorized this thread under Local Website Optimization and am curious if you are talking about the same local business publishing two websites. There can be quite a few nuances to that, if so. Please, feel free to provide further details if you'd like further community input

[EmmaGeorge]

The websites look the same, have the same structure, they offer the same services. Both of them don't have any social media website and they don't produce content. What now?

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Emma,

It's so helpful that you've shared the links. Thanks!

Okay, so unfortunately, what this brand has done is to create duplicate websites with duplicate content on them. As this is a national bank, with locations in two states, and we're talking about what an SEO would do here, the answer is, an SEO would almost assuredly advise this brand to consolidate its presence into a single website. If the bank chose to go with two domains because they might have believed this would help their rankings, any benefits of that are likely being undermined by the fact that they've made a misstep by creating sites not just with some, but with what seems to be 100% duplicate content.

So, rather than worrying about how to differentiate duplicate websites, the brand will be best served by consolidating to a single, branded domain. This takes away any concerns about duplicate content, or any need to differentiate.They can simply have a single site, with a unique page for each branch.

It might help, in speaking to the CEO or CMO, to have them look at a larger bank, like Bank of America. They have a single, corporate website. They don't have 50 websites to represent the 50 states they serve. If the brand here continues to grow, it will be heading that way, having to manage 3, 10, 20 websites. It's not a good plan for the future. So, hopefully, while the business only has locations in 2 states, they can refine their marketing strategy, consolidate, and then set about thinking of ways to invest wisely in content dev, social outreach, etc, that is brand-wide, while also investing in making their location landing pages on the website as helpful and highly-converting as they can possibly be.

Hope this helps!

[EmmaGeorge]

Thank you for your comprehensive analysis Miriam, I really appreciate your time and effort.

Thanks for helping me, I will try to use your guidelines in practice.

Have a great day

Emma

[MiriamEllis]

You're welcome, Emma. It's truly my pleasure! Good luck with the work ahead.