Two domains / same Content

[musthavemarketing]

Hi MOZzers,

I have recently started working for a client who owns two domains (as recommended by their Web Development company), each omain is a complete duplication of the other. The only difference is one is a totally keyword focused domain name,  the other is their brand name which also contains keyword. In a search for blocks of content the keyword focused domain comes up, the other doesn't and when I conducted a search for one of their primary services again the keyword focused domain name came up on the first page, but the branded search also appeared on the second.  The web development company have been managing this company's Adwords account and promoting their brand name and up until today I was unaware of the other. Can I have some thoughts - do I ask the web developers to re-direct one to the other, or leave as it?

[aarongray]

I would 100% 301 one of the sites and clean this up right away. Your client could get done for a lot of different things from google seeing it as a network of sites to panda issues for sure.

I would look into the history and backend of both sites to insure there is no issues but in saying that sometimes doing the keyword focused domain name can make it harder for your when building links as anchor become harder.

[Silkstream]

100% agree with Aaron.

Another solution, if they're adamant on having both websites, is to create new content for one of the sites so they're not competing directly against each other and there's no duplicate content. It really depends on the size of the website and its services though, of course. But you could focus on the brand with the branded website, and treat the keyworded domain one as like a "supplier" of that brand.

[seoman10]

1st Don't rush into anything, You must decide the end goal and results you would like to achieve.

2nd Duplicate content is bad, although you may not get a penalty it is definitely a black mark.

3rd 301's are a good option like Aaron said,  just bear in mind you will likely lose the position in the search engine for the old URL and you may not regain the position with the new domain.  I would recommend using a url rewrite in the htaccess file otherwise you will end up with a generic 301 and a lot of links broken.

Let's say this is some of your old URLs:-

www.domain.com/product/shoes

www.domain.com/blog/how-to-look-smart

Let's say your new site is www.newdomain.com (With the same content links etc), If you did a standard 301 it would divert to www.newdomain.com However the subsequent URL after the.com would be lost i.e. they would just end up on the homepage of www.newdomain.com not www.newdomain.com/product/shoes.

In your htaccess file you set up a rewrite so it would redirect to the new domain name without changing the URL structure like this www.domain.com/product/shoes Redirects to www.newdomain.com/product/shoes

[seoman10]

PS. Just found that excellent HTaccess tutorial take a look at http://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/website/redirects/setting-up-a-301-permanent-redirect-via-htaccess

[musthavemarketing]

Hi Guys,

Thanks so much for the responses - I will speak to the client.  They were totally unaware of the impact that this would have on them and they were in fact told they must do this (this was by one of the largest web dev. companies in NZ btw!)