5 replies to this topic

[BadLuckChuck]

I have 4 ecommerce websites that all share one product database. If I edit any product info, it automatically changes on all 4 sites. Therefore I have 4 sites all with the same content as far as product info goes. I have recently been reading up on duplicate content. Every forum that I read states that sharing a product database is a bad idea and that I should immediately disable 3 of my ecommerce sites to avoid duplicate content. However on Googles own seo forum it states that url's with the same "product description, such as online stores" do not get penalized. I just finished editing 3 of my sites to avoid duplication. Now Google is saying it is ok...? I'm very confused. I would very much like to have all 4 sites up and running but I dont want to get penalized for content duplication.
Any suggestions...?

[Jill]

Are the 4 sites exactly the same? What's the purpose of having 4 different sites selling the same products?

If there's no additional content or purpose for the sites, then I'd recommend 301-redirecting the domains of 3 of the sites to just one that you want to be the main one.

But it totally depends on what it is you're trying to accomplish by having 4 separate sites selling the same things.

[BadLuckChuck]

Thanks for your reply Jill!

The sites are all transportation related. There are 4 audiences I am going after. Commercial trucking, automotive, driver training and employment. Each site has its own look and feel, geared toward that specific audience.

I have disconnected the product databases on 3 sites and placed links to my main website for now. I was rated in the top 10 for many of my main keywords for years, until recently. Now my keywords are not even indexed in Google.

This is a major change. I spent years on my websites but am willing to try anything to be "re-indexed". I have been reading up on duplicate content and thought this may help. Do you think this is the right path?

[Jill]

Impossible to say. If the sites are all different it may not be a problem. But it also sounds like you may be able to target all your markets via one site. That may be the way to go.

[BadLuckChuck]

Thank you Jill, I will try that for a while and see what happens.

I have one more question pertaining to duplicate content, if you will. Over the years I have registered a few of my keywords as domain names (i.e. - driverapplication.com) and created a one page website for each of them. On the page I placed links to all of my product categories, very simple page. I have 4 of these one page websites, all with slightly different content but all with links to my product categories. Could this be harmful, at all?

[Jill]

I would definitely 301 redirect those to the main site.