Multiple websites for same business?

[calldrdave]

So I’m thinking of a little rebranding or rather crossbranding. My current website sucks , but I’m too paranoid of risking my SEO with a redesign or move at this time. I’ll consider it later, but the stress is too much to manage and the competition is too fierce to take a risk of my SEO failing even short-term. I'm the top result right now and want to keep it that way! Also, our older clients seem to like the simple, approachable design.

What I’m thinking of is a parallel website that is more modern through something like Tech Site Builder. I own a few good domain names with computer repair in the title. I'm just keeping those domains so other don't by them. Younger clients, especially Mac clients, expect a nicer design for a tech business.

This parallel site would appeal to a younger more tech savvy customers while my existing website is there to make Google and older clients happy. I’d advertise on Facebook, Google Adwords, Bing with the better site. I wouldn't list the new one with search engines. It would strictly be for advertised landing so new customers get a better impression of us. It's a stopgap until I get my main website redone AND I can take the hit of reduced SEO on the main site.


Has anyone tried something like this? How did it go? What am I missing as far as risks?

 

[jfm]

I've done this more or less by accident, in a time I wanted to re-brand my business.
I ended up abandonning the project (lack of time), but the new website grew very good organically.
And I do get alot of business from it, the name is completly different, phone number is same.
Most my Apple-Macs callers comes from the side project, I think the name is just more trendy. (La Clinique Informatique, The IT Clinic)

One annoyance I get is same client calling me twice thinking it's 2 different businesses.

I don't think there are much risk, as long as it's different content, maybe Google could not like this, but since it's for 2 very distinct clientele, I think you will be fine. I'm not an SEO specialist, might wanna ask or wait for an answer.

What many business do is go for a generic name, like applerepair-cityname.com.
On the web it seems you don't even need a real business name

I'd say go ahead, for me it was a win

 

[Y.F.N.C.G.]

Hey Dave, you might want to talk to @Eric@noware of http://noware.tech/. He did something similar...had his old website ranking as number one in Google, then got another website setup with Tech Site Builder and got that one ranking well at the same time as his other one. Then he discontinued his original website and the TSB one soon took over the #1 spot.

I know that's not exactly what you're looking to do, but just wanted to throw that out there to let you know that it should probably be possible to eventually rank the TSB site at #1. And he did that with a totally new domain name as well.

But to answer your original question, I thank that's a good idea and don't necessarily think there's a downside to having a separate website for use with adwords, etc.

 

[calldrdave]

I've done this more or less by accident, in a time I wanted to re-brand my business.
I ended up abandonning the project (lack of time), but the new website grew very good organically.
And I do get alot of business from it, the name is completly different, phone number is same.
Most my Apple-Macs callers comes from the side project, I think the name is just more trendy. (La Clinique Informatique, The IT Clinic)

One annoyance I get is same client calling me twice thinking it's 2 different businesses.

I'm on the fence about the business name and phone number. Due to some wackiness with Google, I have two phone numbers listed for the business. I've been okay with that because it helps me track where calls are coming from - Google-mobile phone, everywhere else old land-line. I might put my Google Voice number out there for tracking purposes.

For the name, I could use the business name, but as you said (mycitycomputerrepair or mycitymacrepair) is pretty common. I thought about making the site more generic. If It is about Mac repair, I say my business is the best in this area, but also let people know for warranty Apple repair, they should go to an Apple location. Same thing with mobile devices, we don't repair those.

Any thoughts?

 

[calldrdave]

I know that's not exactly what you're looking to do, but just wanted to throw that out there to let you know that it should probably be possible to eventually rank the TSB site at #1. And he did that with a totally new domain name as well.

But to answer your original question, I thank that's a good idea and don't necessarily think there's a downside to having a separate website for use with adwords, etc.

Hmmm. Well, now you're giving me another idea. I'm the top search result for my city. I've wanted to expand to another city for a while. The next big metro area is about 45 minutes away. I copied my existing website and created a URL for that other city. Google knows it, but doesn't rank it very well. I've done absolutely nothing with that site.

The competition is much more diverse in the other city and I don't have a foothold at all. I have a coworking space in that city and would LOVE more business there. I just met someone last night who said "I didn't realize you come out this far." I even have a Google Voice number in that city I don't use for much.

What I *might* do is use that other city's domain for this project. That could help my ranking in the other city without hurting my local search results. I can then point the ads and such to that other city's domain. The cities are close enough that I think geotargeting doesn't know the difference. I'll clearly state we do service calls both in my home city and that city. In fact, I think people would like to hear we're based in the bigger city because my hometown is a college town. People think big city = better. This could be win/win all around.

Loving this dialogue!

 

[Your PCMD]

I simply took my SEO from my old site and put it into the new design and it worked like a charm. Still listed as #1 for my location, which is what I wanted. Anyone outside my area gets whatever comes up, typically, it is my site up to about 100 miles from me, which is odd, but I'm ok with it.

 

[calldrdave]

I simply took my SEO from my old site and put it into the new design and it worked like a charm. Still listed as #1 for my location, which is what I wanted. Anyone outside my area gets whatever comes up, typically, it is my site up to about 100 miles from me, which is odd, but I'm ok with it.

Some people have told me that it *should* work that way. I'm way too chicken to try it. The stress of worrying about it will far exceed the actual consequences.

 

[Your PCMD]

@calldrdave I hear you. I thought that way at first. But in the end, it came down to just code. I kept my original site just in case. But it did work for me. Granted, my old site was only 2 years old. But still, whether 2 years of 2 months, that's time you cannot get back.

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

Works for me, I've got 3 on the go, or is it 4, I've lost track

 

[RICKIB3]

If i put a lot of value on a particular product or service my method is to create a brand new website around it as it is themed towards the keywords which adds an extra boost to SERP. Then sparsely SEO and backlink throughout the pages.

 

[Toshia]

Your top rank can quickly change either way. Google often changes its analytics. Keep up to date solid content on the new one, keep it clean and it will to eventually move to the top. But rebrand to appear more professional. We are glad to not have a lot of break/fix knocking at our doors. Bitter sweet.