Multiple cities/regions websites - duplicate content?

[webdesignbarrie]

We're about to launch a second site for a different, neighbouring city in which we are going to setup a marketing campaign to target sales in that city (which will also have a separate office there as well).

We are going to have it under the same company name, but different domain name and we're going to do our best to re-write the text content as much as possible.  We want to avoid Google seeing this as a duplicate site in any way, but what about:

• the business name
• the toll free number (which we would like to have same on both sites)
• the graphics/image files (which we would like to have the same on both sites)
• site structure, coding styles, other "forensic" items
• anything I might not be thinking of...

How are we best to proceed with this?  What about cross-linking the sites?

[coremediadesign]

The cross linking sites - absolutely - they refer to the same industry so that's great.

With regards to all these other things I wouldn't be worry that much.

Try to think of it as if you bought a website template from some template library - chances are, many other sites are using the same template. You can even take under consideration frameworks and complete systems like for instance Wordpress - the same scenario.

Company name is definitely not going to be of a problem either - neither will telephone number.

We have a few websites promoting our business - some point towards local traffic and some worldwide.
Our business name on all (including the content) is the same and so are telephone numbers.

I think you're pretty safe as long as you've got the content re-written and meta tags at least a bit different between the sites.

[MiriamEllis]

Hi Web Design Barrie,

This is an interesting scenario. Most typically, when a business opens a second office that essentially offers the same services in a neighboring city, the new content/new location will simply be added to the existent site. A new landing page for the new city will be developed, the new NAP will be added to the footer, and new content will be added over time featuring work in the new city. A new Google Place page and other new local business index listings will be created for the new physical location. So long as you aren't dealing with a ton of branches of the business, this process works just fine.

You are going a different route, building a completely different website for the new branch. So, yes, because you are offering the same services at second location, you are thinking correctly about the need to rewrite all content so it's not a duplicate of site #1.

If your businesses are local, you shouldn't be using an 800 number. If you have to, put it in an image. Local search hangs, in part, on your local area code phone numbers and these should be totally distinct for the 2 different offices.

Don't worry about the code. Millions of sites share the same code.

The images are also not a big worry...but if the two offices are so identical that you can use identical imagery for them, it again makes me wonder about the decision to build a separate site. What about shots of your unique building, staff and other features at location #2.

Finally, the big thing you're going to want to attend to is that all Local SEO is handled expertly as you roll out the new business. What you're trying to avoid is Google becoming confused about the 2 businesses and merging their data. *See again my point about the phone numbers. Make sure good local SEO hooks are part of both sites, consider using hCard or Schema and take care to be error free when you create your Google Place Page and other listings.

It should be fine if these things go well. Out of my own curiosity as a Local SEO...I would really like to know about the process then led to you deciding to build a second site. I can think of certain instances in which this would be the best choice, but more often than not, going with a single site makes sense. If you have the time, I'd like to know how you decided to go this other route.

Hope my response is helpful!

Miriam

[webdesignbarrie]

We have a couple of reasons for doing multiple sites.  The primary reason is that we feel that we will have better optimization for that city, as the current site has been optimized for the city that it is in (the keyword being the city).  I feel that if we were to optimize the on-page content for the main site for another city that we would be diluting that city's keyword.  Additionally, we use the city name in anchor text in backlinking.

The second reason is more of a business strategy reason, as we want the second office to be a separate entity open for sale as a JV opportunity for a managing partner, or possibly even franchise.

Both sites have a local telephone number.

[MiriamEllis]

Thanks for coming back to this thread with more info. I am always eager to hear about local business decision making because there are numerous approaches. I sincerely hope this works out well for you. It's a big effort to branch out. I like this reason you've listed: " Additionally, we use the city name in anchor text in backlinking. " Sounds good to me. And that's good that you've got the local area code phone numbers. So important! Good luck, Web Design Barrie! Miriam