New Niche Mini Site Network or Main Site

[Jan Ferrante]

This question seems to come up a lot and I still am not totally resolved on it
either way.

I was doing a bunch of keyword research last night going through the 30
Day Challenge instructions to use Market Samuri. It's been VERY helpful to help me to finally figure out how to get some good keywords to rank on (I still haven't got to the monetization section so the list I have may need further refining but I do know that there is some market)

They say that having a url with your keyword in it helps seo which makes sense of course but I am wondering how that advantage weighs against adding a new category/categories or pages on your main site that already has other things going for it - decent number of links back, established time etc.

I am finding that if I do the research and write properly I can get a decent ranking on my site for some keywords (just need to do it more!)

The keywords I'm looking at do fit with my main site so it wouldn't be a stretch to have them there.

Any thoughts on best way to proceed?

Use them on my main site or create new mini sites targeting one per main keyword theme?

[Lynn Terry]

Hi Jan,

Ideally you would continue building on your primary domain, fleshing it out with more and more content so as to "go wide" in your niche and cover all of the longtail queries.

Google gives more weight to "authority sites" or sites that provide a lot of content and information on the topic. It also increases your internal link structure, or your inbound links between related pages.

And yes, you'll find you get faster indexing & ranking with established domains. So long as its related, as "site theming" is very important to your overall SEO plan.

[Jan Ferrante]

thanks Lynn, I had a look at the sites that were ranking in the top 10 and most of them didn't have a keyword url. That makes things a lot easier! I'm looking forward to playing around to see what happens.

You had mentioned that you mix up keyword researched articles with 'from the hip' type articles on your blog. Do you have a rough ratio? I am thinking to try to do one keyword targeted article on my blog with a few other articles on ezine articles etc for the same keyword per week, (with a few other posts) does that sound like a reasonable goal or should I be doing more to be seeing concrete results, maybe in the form of articles on an article directory on my site?

[Jan Ferrante]

oops, I meant didn't have the keyword in the domain name.

[Lynn Terry]

Right, see: Domain Names & SEO

As for the ratio, it really depends. Some sites/blogs are not based so much on a loyal readership, and more on the constant new traffic - so do what works best for your model of course.

I dont have a set ratio. I always try to find a keyword phrase, but if I cant find one it doesnt stop me from throwing the topic out there if I feel it will hit home with my regular readers.

I couldnt find a great keyword phrase for this one, for example, but it was on my mind and needed to be said, so I went with it:

http://www.clicknewz.com/2010/passion-or-profit-video/

My rule of thumb is to write for search engines AND readers - but when I'm torn between the two, readers win every time. But that's because I have an established readership & email list for ClickNewz. For my newer blogs, or blogs I write in a pen name, I try to work around keyword phrases so I can bring those readers in.

[Jan Ferrante]

Thanks Lynn, that makes perfect sense. Great take on the Doman Names & SEO post.

I've been thinking about getting a new domain to redirect to my blog and redesigning my wahm blog completely to better reflect what its about - home business productivity/focus/time management etc. It was always intended to help WAHM's to make a success of working at home and being there for family, but it's done using those principles which are really for anyone working at home. (I need to open a whole new discussion on that one!)

This will help me to get a good start on what the url should be.

If a person links to a url that redirects to a site, will that link count as an off site link back for the site it is redirecting to?

[Lynn Terry]

It will if you use a permanent 301 Redirect.

[HireMyMum]

Jan, reading your post was the freakiest experience I have had for a while, as I was up at 3am last night looking for new keyword phrase with MS to better optimise my WAHM site, as the words I was using had a zero value : 0 and I was also wondering if the new phrase I think I will use would be worth getting as a new URL and redirecting it, and would the links count etc... See what I mean, very freaky.

If you are interested in having a chat at anytime please skype me. And good luck with your endeavors, stay focused you sound like you are getting there.

Cheers
Leigh

[Jan Ferrante]

Thanks Leigh, you know what's really funny? That night I really meant night - all night! My daughter woke me up at 1:30 am and I couldn't get back to sleep so I just got up (it wasn't a big stretch because for some reason I had been getting up at 3:30, I get insomnia sometimes when I have a lot on my mind)

But it's the first time in a looong time I've pulled basically an all nighter.

It must be in the air!

I love your sites, I wanted to wait to reply to you until I had a better look at them.

Is your subscription/sign up free?

A good source of real work at home jobs for mom's is really golden.

My sister got scammed (because she didn't ask me about it first!) and I don't know if she ever did get her money - actually she not only got scammed, but got charged twice by the same company because of a glitch - she pressed the button twice.

I'll have to ask her how that went, i told her to call her credit card company.

I don't have skype, I think that puts me in the dark ages

I really am cautious of anything that can take my focus, I'm easily distracted!

I'd love to hear more about your site though, maybe you could post some details of what it's all about here.

Thanks for your encouragement as well, I really appreciate it!!

[HireMyMum]

Jan

Ditto, that was just so funny to read. You never really think some else is doing exactly the same thing as you at the same time!!!!

My sign up is free but job board access is 2.95 for job seekers and 14.95 per job listing. It is a hard business to be in as convincing potential employers to outsource is hard. Mostly done through face to face networking groups.

I have a very strong policy on scam and unrealistic job listings - but don't get me started

You are indeed in the dark ages my girl, go and download skype now ... let me know when you do.

Well I don't want to derail the thread, especially since I would like to understand this issue better, so I would love to hear more comments.

Look forward to talking to you soon.

Cheers
Leigh